View Full Version : Printing DVD cases/sleeves. Which software ?


Paul Kellett
May 26th, 2008, 05:38 AM
Before i splash the cash, i'd like to know which software program some of you all use for printing dvd faces and sleeves for the cases.

I'm interested in quality, user friendlyness and price.

Thanks.

Paul.

Allen Plowman
May 26th, 2008, 10:58 AM
I use adobe photoshop to make a jpeg image, then I use the epson program to put the photo on the disc. (I use an epson r260, you didn't mention what type of printer your interested in) it always lines up perfectly for me, and has given me no issues.

Reg Gothard
May 27th, 2008, 07:54 PM
I use Nero (6) for the disc faces. It has some annoying ergonomic drawbacks (including, but not limited to...) it can't remember which printer you used for a given file, changing the content of text boxes necessitates re-centering them, etc. Quality seems fine for what I need, but I don't know what resolution it works at. I would NOT give Nero 10/10 for user-friendliness, but I did try the Epson program briefly and found Nero better than that...

I currently use MS Publisher for the case sleeves. I use Photoshop to create some of the images, backgrounds etc, then import them to MS Publisher. I have a colour management issue somewhere in the chain from MS Publisher to my (Epson) printers, and I suspect it's MS Publisher, but the issue is probably lack of knowledge on my part.
Quality of MS Publisher is, once again, fine for what I need.
MS Publisher is part of MS Office, so user-friendliness is up there (or it might be user-familiarity rather than friendliness...)
I've been toying with the idea of using Photoshop to create sleeves - just haven't taken the plunge, becasue I'm not a Photoshop power-user by any means.
Nero provides sleeve templates, but given the ergonomic drawbacks on the disc faces, I'm reluctant to change over to that.
Sorry - can't remember prices, but in any case, I don't have current versions, so the prices I paid are probably a tad irrelevant.
Hope this Helps.

Martin Vavra
May 27th, 2008, 10:41 PM
I use SureThing 5. I am able to make backgrounds and images in Photoshop then import them in very easily in SureThing. It is very user friendly and the cost is pretty great as far as I am concerned. I have produced all my wedding DVDs and a production of the Vagina Monologues and all the DVDs were printed with SureThing.

Vic Owen
May 28th, 2008, 10:28 AM
Another inexpensive program worth looking at is Discus:

www.magicmouse.com

Harm Millaard
May 28th, 2008, 10:46 AM
I find the Pixelpops PixelMixer plug-in for Photoshop a very easy solution. I use it exclusively for inserts. For the DVD label I use Canon CD Labelprint.

Paul Kellett
May 28th, 2008, 11:00 AM
I've downloaded photoshop elements 6.
Can't get my head round it,it seems to have lots more than i need.
I just want to be able to create dvd jackets, using photo's which i have.
I print dvd's using canon label print.

Paul.

Shaun Roemich
May 28th, 2008, 02:28 PM
I use the same workflow as Allen on my Epson R260 connected to my iMac, substituting TIFF for JPEG. Works GREAT. I have an overlay of the printable area (including spindle hole cut out) that I use on a separate layer in Photoshop to ensure everything stays inside the printable area while I'm designing.

Chris Davis
May 28th, 2008, 05:27 PM
I design the DVD labels in Photoshop CS3, then save as a JPG. My Disc Makers ElitePro duplicator came with Discus preloaded, so I use that to simply import the JPG and create the appropriate PRN file. I then let the duplicator take care of burning and printing the DVD(s).

I design the DVD inserts using Photoshop and print them on a Dell color laser.