PCWorld Forums: HP Photosmart D5160 Printer - can't print CD/DVD labels under Vista ? - PCWorld Forums

HP Total Care just informed me that, to their knowledge, there is no
software that will enable HP computers running Vista to print CD/DVD labels
on the "PRINT DIRECT to CD/DVD" tray of their HP Photosmart D5160 Printer.

HP Photosmart Premier software (which will print direct to the CD/DVD) is
not available for Windows Vista Operating system. HP's substitute, HP
Photosmart Essential software is compatible with Windows Vista Operating
system but it does not support the printing of labels directly on CD?s/DVD?s on any printer.

Roxio Express Labeler, HP's recommended work-around for other printing, won't print to the
CD/DVD tray on the HP D5160 printer under EITHER Vista or XP. (But it prints to Epson printers just fine.)
Anyone know of any software that I can use to print DVD labels on my HP D5160 Printer-Paperweight or should
I go try to exchange it for an Epson printer?

Thank you

If using paper labels such as Avery 6692 lables, you can use Microsoft Word to print the lables.
Roxio and Nero both have templates to print labels, and are not printer dependent.

In the past Avery and Memorex have both had programs that print directly to CD labels and were not printer dependent.

Microsoft Office 2007 had the default square layout for the Avery 6692 labels, but you can download the template from Microsoft that has the circles highlighted. Templates may also be available for older versions of Office/Word. Avery also offers a number of software solutions.

If you will check, many are now recommending against paper lablels on CD's/DVD's because of the balancing issue. When CD's spun at 8x to 12x it was not a problem. New drives are now spinning at 52x and DVD's are spun at 18x and 20x. Any imbalance will cause severe vibration, and while the CD/DVD drive hold it tight there have been reports of cataustrophic failures of the CD/DVD while in the drive resulting in the destrution of the drive. Any nick or crack in the edge will cause similar problems.

I still have the capablitliy to print paper lables, but almost all my CD/DVD burners are now Lightscribe which burns the label on the top of the disc. Not in color though, its black on gold. It also takes longer, but it does not upset the balance.