Dymo Disc Painter User Manual

CD/DVD Printer

User Guide

No part of this document or the software may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means or translated into another language without the prior written consent of Sanford, L.P.

Trademarks

DYMO and DiscPainter are registered trademarks of Sanford, L.P. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.

Contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Printer Overview and Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

System Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Mac OS System Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Windows System Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Your Printer at a Glance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

About Discus for DYMO Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Important Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

For More Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Working with Discs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

About Printable CDs/DVDs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Loading Discs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Caring for Discs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Printing from Mac OS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Controlling Printer Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Controlling Print Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Controlling Ink Density . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Controlling Disc Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Printing Multiple Copies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Printing to the DiscPainter Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Using Sample Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

General Printing Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Printing From Windows. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

About the DiscPainter Status Monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Controlling Print Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Controlling Print Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Controlling Ink Density . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Controlling Disc Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Restoring Default Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Printing Multiple Copies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Printing to the DiscPainter Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Using Sample Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

General Printing Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

iii

Caring for Your Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Handling Inkjet Cartridges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Using Printer Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Checking the Ink Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Cleaning the Inkjet Cartridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Purchasing New Inkjet Cartridges. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Replacing the Inkjet Cartridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Cleaning the Printer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Repacking the Printer for Travel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Printing Over a Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Printing to a Shared Printer from Mac OS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Sharing a Printer on a Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Adding a Shared Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Printing to a Shared Printer from Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Sharing a Printer on a Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Installing a Network Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Frequently Asked Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Installation Problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Windows Installation Problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Mac OS Installation Problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Printing Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Printer Status Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Ink Level Appears Empty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Printing is Too Light or Dark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Smudges Appear Outside of Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Ink Pools on Disc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Printing a Self-Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Opening the Front Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Printer Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Physical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Power Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Disc Service, Duty Cycle, and Warranty Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Environmental Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Declaration of Conformity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Waste from Electric & Electronic Equipment (WEEE) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Limited Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

This chapter introduces the DYMO DiscPainter printer and covers the following topics:

• Printer overview and features

• System requirements

• DiscPainter printer at a glance

• Important notes for printing on discs

• Road map for finding more information

Printer Overview and Features

The DiscPainter CD/DVD printer is a color inkjet printer that prints high-quality graphics, text, and images directly onto inkjet-printable CDs and DVDs with ease and accuracy. Set up is quick and easy, and can be accomplished in just a few minutes. Regardless of your content (music, video, or data), you can print attractive, professional-looking text and graphics on discs without using clumsy adhesive labels.

Below are some of the printer’s most important features:

• Prints clear, attractive designs onto the printable side of CDs and DVDs

•

Prints high-resolution, color text and images using RadialPrint™ Technology (up to 1200 dpi)

• Prints on 120 mm and 80 mm inkjet-printable discs

• Supports full-coverage (hub-printable) discs

• Includes Discus for DYMO software so that you can create your own custom designs

Chapter 1

Introduction

System Requirements

The DiscPainter printer system requirements are as follows:

Mac OS System Requirements

•

Mac OS® v10.3/10.4

• 512 MB RAM

• USB port (USB 2.0 certified high-speed device works with USB 1.1)

• 700 MB hard disk space

Windows System Requirements

•

Windows® XP and Vista

• 512 MB RAM

• USB port (USB 2.0 certified high-speed device works with USB 1.1)

• 700 MB hard disk space

Introduction

Your Printer at a Glance

These drawings show the front and back of the printer. The numbers in the illustrations correspond to the printer part names listed below the figure.

1 Front cover

2Disc tray

3 Power status (see "Printer Status Lights" on page 43 for information)

4 Top cover

5 Ink status (see "Printer Status Lights" on page 43 for information)

6 Front cover release levers (see "Opening the Front Cover" on page 44 for information)

23 4

7 USB connection

8 Power connector

About Discus for DYMO Software

Included with your new printer is Discus for DYMO software. Discus for DYMO software is a powerful application that allows you to create professional looking CD/DVD designs with a minimum amount of effort. In addition to printing disc designs on the DiscPainter printer, you can design and print jewel case covers and inserts, and other types of projects on a standard inkjet printer. Refer to the Discus for DYMO Online Help for complete information.

You can also print to the DiscPainter printer from other design applications, such as Adobe Photoshop

or Illustrator®. See "Printing to the DiscPainter Printer" on page 21.

Important Notes

Below are some things to keep in mind when printing.

• Use only inkjet-printable discs. These usually have a white printing surface. Inkjet-printable

discs are available from your local office supply retailer or online at www.dymo.com.

• Only use DYMO-branded inkjet cartridges.

• Do not open the top cover or front cover during printing.

• After printing, wait for the ink to dry completely before touching the disc to avoid smearing

the ink and handle the discs only by the edges.

For More Information

The table below provides a road map to all the DiscPainter-related instructional information.

Information Location/How to Access

Quick Start Guide Included in product package.

For More Information

DiscPainter Printer User Guide

Provides complete instructions for using the printer.

Mac OS: Located in the DiscPainter application folder or the Help menu in the

Discus for DYMO software.

Windows: Accessed from the Start menu on the Windows desktop or the Help menu in the Discus for DYMO software.

Discus for DYMO Online Help

DiscPainter Web site Use a Web browser to go to: www.dymo.com/discpainter

Provides complete information about the Discus for DYMO software.

Mac OS: Accessed from the Help menu in the Discus for DYMO software.

Windows: Accessed from the Start menu on the Windows desktop or the Help menu in the

Complete information about DiscPainter, including the most recent versions of the software and this User Guide, are available on the DiscPainter Web site

Discus for DYMO software.

Introduction

This chapter describes how the DiscPainter printer works with inkjet-printable discs.

About Printable CDs/DVDs

Inkjet-printable CDs and DVDs are available in two basic sizes (diameters): Standard size (120 mm) and Mini size (80 mm).

Inkjet-printable discs can be hub-printable (also called full face or full coverage) or non hubprintable. Hub-printable discs allow you to print close to the inner edge of the center hole, while non hub-printable discs have a larger unprintable area at the center of the disc.

Chapter 2

Working with Discs

Hub

Note The printer does not support printing on business card discs.

Inkjet-printable discs are available with a variety of surface finishes, which are described below.

Disc Surface Finish Characteristics

Matte Dull, flat, non-glossy

Glossy Lustrous, shiny

Silver or Color Reflective, mirror-like. Red, blue, green and other colors are also available.

Water-resistant/ Water-proof

Note Different disc finishes require different ink densities (the amount of ink deposited by the

printer) in order to optimize print quality. You can adjust the ink density for the various types of disc finishes. See "Controlling Ink Density" on page 10 (Mac OS) or page 20 (Windows) for information.

Resistant to smearing and color bleeding from contact with liquids.

Non hub-printable disc

Hub-printable disc

Working with Discs

Loading Discs

Drying Time

Drying times will vary based on the disc type and ink density used. Most discs should dry within seconds; however, depending on ink density, some discs may require much longer to dry. In general, do not touch the printed surface until you are sure it is dry and only handle the disc by holding the edge.

Note The printer is designed to print only on inkjet-printable discs. If you print onto discs that are

not inkjet-printable, the ink will not dry correctly and may pool. Not using inkjet-printable discs may damage your printer.

Designs containing large amounts of black color may be damp after printing. To avoid this, reduce the amount of black in the design.

Keep the following important points in mind when loading discs into the printer:

• Never remove a disc during printing (while it is spinning). Always wait for the disc to stop

spinning. The ink status light will blink yellow, which indicates that the disc is finished printing.

• Avoid touching the bottom part of the disc. Always handle the disc by its outer edge. You can

also support the disc by inserting a finger through its center hole.

• Always use an inkjet-printable disc.

• Before printing, make sure the disc size and other characteristics (finish, hub printable/non-hub

printable, and so on) match the settings defined for the printer. See "Controlling Print Quality" on page 19 for information on controlling the printer.

• Make sure you insert the disc with the printable surface facing up. The printable surface is

typically white, but can also be silver, red, blue, green, or other colors, depending on the disc’s finish. See "About Printable CDs/DVDs" on page 5 for information.

To load a disc into the printer

1 Carefully raise the front cover to its upright position.

The ink status light on top of the printer blinks yellow.

2 If another disc is already on the disc tray, remove the disc, touching the disc only on the outer

edges.

3 Place the blank disc onto the center spindle in the disc tray with the printable side up.

4 Carefully lower the front cover.

The Ink LED stops blinking. This indicates that you are ready to print on the disc.

Caring for Discs

This section contains information on how to care for your discs.

Keep the following tips in mind:

• Always place discs back in their protective covers when not in use.

• Make sure the printing is completely dry before inserting a disc into its cover. If you are not

To clean the printable side of a disc

♦

Note Avoid getting moisture on the printable surface of the disc. Moisture can smear the ink.

Caring for Discs

sure the ink is completely dry, leave the disc to set overnight.

Using a clean, dry, lint-free cloth, gently wipe off the disc.

Working with Discs

Printing from Mac OS

The chapter describes how to print on a DYMO DiscPainter printer from Mac OS and covers the following topics:

• Controlling printer features

• Printing from other software

Note See "Using Printer Services" on page 25 for information about using printer services from

Mac OS or Windows.

Controlling Printer Features

You can control several printer features for your DYMO DiscPainter printer, including:

• Print quality

• Ink density

• Inner and outer diameter

Chapter 3

Note This section describes how to define print options when using your DiscPainter printer with

other applications. For information on using the printer with the Discus for DYMO software, see the Discus for DYMO Online Help.

To control printer features

1 From any application that supports printing, select Print from the File menu.

The Print dialog box is displayed.

2 Select DiscPainter from the Printer menu.

3 Select Printer Features from the menu below the Presets menu.

The Printer Features properties are displayed.

Printing from Mac OS

4 Make any necessary adjustments to the settings. The settings are described in detail in this

chapter.

5 When you are finished selecting printer features, click Print.

Controlling Print Quality

The Print Quality setting you choose is determined by the complexity of your design and the type of disc you are using. Generally, to obtain the most vibrant color and highest quality print results, choose Best as the print quality and use a glossy-surfaced disc.

The Print Quality settings are described below.

Print Quality Description

Draft

Normal

Best

Uses image smoothing and halftoning to produce full-color print quality. Draft is best for designs without intense colors or solid backgrounds, or designs that are mostly text.

Produces full-color print quality superior to Draft mode; the resulting image is suitable for most applications. Images require about twice as long to print as in Draft mode.

Produces the best full-color print quality available. Best quality is recommended for designs with vibrant colors. Images require about twice as long to print as in Normal mode.

In general, higher quality print requires longer print times. Print speed depends on many factors: the amount of computer memory you have, the complexity of your design, the number of colors in your design, and so on.

To select a Print Quality setting

♦ From the Print dialog box, select the quality you want from the Print Quality drop-down list.

Controlling Ink Density

Inkjet-printable discs are coated with a special material that allows the ink to adhere to the surface. Each disc manufacturer uses their own formula for this coating, making the ink absorption characteristics different from manufacturer to manufacturer. The Ink Density setting allows you to select the amount of ink used when printing your designs based on the type of disc you are using and the look you prefer.

Controlling Printer Features

The Ink Density control on the DiscPainter Properties dialog box has settings for matte, glossy, and color or silver discs.

Setting Description

Uses less ink and the printed image is less dense. Recommended setting for inkjet-

Matte 1 - 5

Glossy 6 - 7

printable discs with a matte finish. Most inkjet-printable discs have a matte finish. Default setting is Matte 5.

Uses slightly more ink than the matte settings. Recommended setting for inkjetprintable discs with a glossy finish. Glossy discs will have a shiny surface similar to glossy photo paper.

Color 8 - 9

Uses more ink and the printed image is more dense. Recommended setting for inkjetprintable discs with a silver or colored finish.

Begin by choosing the Ink Density setting that most closely matches your disc type. Then, experiment with the settings to see what looks best for your disc and design.

To select the ink density

♦ From the Print dialog box, select the setting that you want to use from the Ink Density drop-

down list.

You might find that you prefer settings other than those recommended. Select a finish (matte, glossy, or color) that matches your disc. If the results are not what you expected, try printing with a different ink density setting.

Controlling Disc Settings

As with any other printer, the paper size selected determines the area to be printed. Before printing, you must make sure that the Paper Size selected matches the disc that you are going to print on. Four paper sizes are pre-defined for the printer:

• Standard (120 mm) Hub Printable

• Standard (120 mm) Non-Hub Printable

• Mini (80 mm) Hub Printable

• Mini (80 mm) Non-Hub Printable

Printing from Mac OS

Default Inside Diameter and Outside Diameter values are assigned to each of the paper size options. However, you can change these values if you need to expand or reduce the printable area on the disc (see "Customizing the Inner and Outer Diameter" on page 12 for information).

To select the disc setting

1 Choose Page Setup from the File menu.

2 Select Page Attributes from the Settings drop-down list.

3 Select DiscPainter from the Format for drop-down list.

4 From the Paper Size drop-down list, select the disc setting that matches the size and type of

inkjet-printable disc you are using.

5 Click OK.

Customizing the Inner and Outer Diameter

You can customize the inner and outer diameters appropriate for the discs you are using. The inner and outer dimensions of inkjet-printable discs are not standardized and you might find that you need to specify different inside and outside diameter values to match the discs you buy.

For example, if you find that a batch of inkjet-printable discs you purchase has a printable area between 25 mm and 118 mm, you can specify 25 mm for the Inner Diameter and 118 mm for the Outer Diameter. With these settings, designs you print would appear in the area 25 mm to 118 mm from the disc’s center.

To control the Inner and Outer Diameter

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From the Print dialog box, select the desired inner and/or outside diameter from the Inner Diameter in MM and/or Outer Diameter in MM drop-downs, respectively.

Printing Multiple Copies

Controlling Printer Features

You can easily print multiple copies of the same disc image. After each print job is finished printing, the Ink LED on top of the printer blinks yellow to indicate the print job is finished. You can then remove the finished disc and insert a blank disc for the next print job.

When printing multiple copies, you can configure the printer to beep after each disc is finished printing to let you know when to insert a new disc.

To turn on the disc-finished-printing beep

♦ Select Beep When Finished Printing check box.

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