Casio Disc Title Printer CW-75 user reviews (CD/DVD printer - color - thermal transfer)

4.0 stars

"Has printed over 8 thousand labels" on December 4, 2010 by martinwill2

Pros: Ribbons in five colors, red, blue, green, black and silver.
Prints up to three labels on a blank CD/DVD
Comes with software for label design - text & graphics including circular arc printing
Connects to Windows-based computers, has USB cable & PSU

Cons: Will not print reliably unless disc is flat (no raised characters etc.) and not coated (eg for ink-jet)
Some inexpensive discs are significantly warped.
Company recently changed online marketing arm and label ribbons are harder to get.

Summary: I've had this unit for over four years and it has proved reliable and satisfactory as a label printer (without using the PC software it can print a wide variety of label formats up to 16 lines of small text (37 characters each) on one label. By itself it has a capability to design and print special characters and some pre-designed graphics including two-digit numbers, numbers in circles, various icons, etc. The software is designed for Windows 95/98 and works up to Windows XP. Haven't tried it on Vista or Windows 7.

With the software, it can print any true-type fonts including all the Wingdings and Marlett etc. special characters, in any print size from 8pt up to the full label area height. There is a registration guide so you can print multiple colors on a single label area if you want to get really fancy (at 16-17c per label that also gets expensive!) You can mix fonts and font sizes on a label and print italic & bold. There are formats for printing in concentric circular form but these are still limited to the standard label area.

Although the manufacturer suggests that it is safer to print on unrecorded discs and then record, I've printed on many thousands of discs after recording and never had a problem with the thermal printing damaging the discs (CDs and DVDs.) I've had more problems with DVD recorders failing to complete a recording and making a coaster out of a disc that has been pre-labeled (which is a waste.)

I've found I get reasonable results using TDK, Memorex (not the type with small raised squares), Sony, Nexxtech, Maxell, Imation and several other brands of CDs and DVDs. I steer clear of any CDs or DVDs packaged so that one cannot see what is embedded in the disc surface like manufacturer names, fancy designs, and pre-produced lines for writing text. If I can't see the CD or DVD top surface I don't buy it.

My net cost for the printer amortized over the labels printed is less than 1c per label, but the labels run $25 for a three-pack and that will print about 150 labels. I can still produce a fully labeled disc for less than $1 in a slim case.

Of course it can't print a multi-colored graphic design over the whole surface but the thermal transfer technology provides a label that is quite hard to remove (unless a solvent is used) and will survive numerous handlings and operations with slot-fed CD players etc. It doesn't melt inside a hot car, either!

The main problem is that this product is nearing the end of its life, and I don't think it will be in production that much longer - check with the manufacturer on that aspect before purchasing.