Entered CNET Catalog: 08/28/2004
SKU: 0665188563008
Manufacturer: Primera Technology
Manufacturer description
Print directly onto the surface of your discs with tough, waterproof, thermal transfer ink. Ribbons are available in black or several optional colors. Simply install the included label design software, enter your information and print. Professionally label your music, video, data and photo CDs and DVDs. Use the printer at your home, school, church or office - anywhere you burn discs. You'll never have to use sticky labels (expensive, hard to apply and potentially damaging to players) or a marking pen (not very professional looking) ever again! Use any font that's already on your PC. Upload graphics and logos. Discs are automatically rotated to print in any of four different areas on blank CD-Rs, DVD-Rs or DVD+Rs. Get up and running quickly with the USB 1.1/2.0 interface to your Windows -based PC.Product summary
The good: Makes neat text and line art CD and DVD labels quickly; portable.
The bad: Can't decorate the whole disc; prints only one color at a time; the prints smudge when they get hot; PC only.
The bottom line: This portable CD/DVD printer is useful and utilitarian but more businesslike than artistic.
Editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 12/20/2004
This printer has a dedicated on/off button in the upper-right corner, with ports for power and a USB 2.0 connection in the back. Inside the front cover of this device rests a disc holder for one CD or DVD, with the print cartridge holder to the left. Simple instructions for installing ink and removing discs are printed on the cartridge holder for your convenience.
As its simple design would indicate, the Primera Signature Z1 printer is easy to set up. The 30-page user guide has clear, step-by-step instructions for installing the software and the USB driver and connecting the Signature Z1 to your computer. The only tricky part is preparing the ink ribbon cartridge: you have to travel backward in time to the era of cassette tapes and typewriter ribbons and find a pencil or another long, thin object with a sharp end to tighten the ribbon. We're not kidding; that instruction is in the manual alongside the warning, "The printer will malfunction if the ribbon is slack." But don't worry, if you're just going to use the black cartridge, you won't have to bother with this often. However, if you order the three color cartridges (red, blue, and green), you'll have to keep that sharp object handy.Even if you have all four black, red, green, and blue cartridges, you can print with only one at a time. To make a multicolored label, you'll have to switch cartridges for each color, which brings us to our biggest gripe with the Signature Z1. The Primera Print software divides the printable surface area of a disc into four rectangular zones: top, right, bottom, and left. Cartridges cost $19.95 each, built to last for 200 print areas, each area being one-fourth of a disc. Printing one color onto one-quarter of a disc's surface will cost you nearly 10 cents; add an additional dime each time you include another color or quarter of the disc. That would bring a one-color disc printed in all quadrants to 40 cents, or a four-color disc to $1.60, not to mention the cost of the disc itself. When filled, those quadrants do cover a significant portion of a CD or a DVD, but they also leave empty triangular spaces between the fields and circular gaps around the inner and outer edges. By contrast, the Print CD software for the Epson R200 lets you cover an entire disc with designs or text or superimpose one over the other.
The Primera Print labeling software is simplistic but good for text. With it, you can access all of your computer's fonts and import JPEG, BMP, PNG or TIFF images from anywhere, including programs such as Windows Paint or Adobe PhotoShop. If you want to rotate, stretch, or invert your images, you'll have to use image manipulation software such as Windows Paint, because the only image tinkering Primera Print allows is to choose from one of three dithering intensities: Threshold, a high-contrast version of the image; Error Diffusion, which renders everything in dots; and Edge Detection, which outlines images.
The Primera Signature Z1 has a maximum print resolution of 200 dots per inch (dpi), which is fine for text and simple line drawings but won't display photographs with much detail. Printed text was a bit ragged around the edges but still better than handwriting. In our informal tests printing on all four areas of a disc, it took about one and a half minutes for the Signature Z1 to print a mixed text and graphics label, about one minute for text only, and half a minute to cover half of a disc with text. The slower Epson R200, on the other hand, spent nearly three minutes to label a CD's full surface with graphics.
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5out of 5 user reviews
AWFUL WENT THROUGH 3 or 4 IN A YEAR, ALL FAILED TO WIND
Pros: WHEN IT WORKS, PRINTS CLEARLY
Cons: NEVER WORKED
When it works, it's nice. I went through 3 or 4 in less then a year, with one fried circuit board, and, 2 or 3 with the ribbon failing to wind. This means you have to print only the top of the CD, then pull the cartridge, and wind it by hand.
This is the most overpriced, poorest constructed piece of computer equipment I've ever used.
I had to pay for RMA shipping back, as well.
The ribbons don't last long, and, they are expensive.
My last RMA call they offered me a 100 dollar discount off a 1000 dollar CD/DVD printer upgrade. I have a policy that if I buy something from a company, and it doesn't work, despite many tries, I'm not going to waste more money with that company, rewarding them for their poorly designed piece of garbage.
out of 5 user reviews
It is what it is
Pros: Never smudges
Cons: slow, monochrome
This brings up two points.
1. You cannot use pre-surfaced disks (white or gray matted).
2. Low resolution fonts do not form well. 18 point is about as small as you can go.
This is like a thermal ribbon printer, thick, solid, tactile print. It's a slower print, but very permanent. Only one color can be used on a disk. There is red, green, blue and black.
The print head does not print bidirectionally, adding to the slowness.
The software requires .net framework. A big problem with this unit is speed. This baby is slow.
I still like the thermal ink type better than inkjet and better then gray matted photo disks required for internally printing DVD writers.
Perhaps inkjet ink has improved over the years, but my memory of it is that it doesn't like to get wet.
That said, I still like this printer and the cheap disks that can be used.
out of 5 user reviews
Warning do not buy this printer
Pros: none-scramble text i whish there was one
Cons: poor 30 day tech support after 30 days $10 per incident that could add up fast
I bought the Primera Z-1 with exceptions of something revolutionary but not the case .
After reciving my Z-1 it was down hill .
the first disc printed fine, but what happen after that is a big mystery. The text would scrambled mis- shape
So I call Primera tech support
their tech told me to increase density to full
still scrambled , I call again the tech told me not to use fonts bigger
than 15.75 which is the default setting, not to uses fancy
fonts, Ok tried that nothing still scrambled,
Call tech support again , so they send me free of charge
a new Ribbion cartridge, Cool Still had high exceptions.
one week later the Ribbion cartridge arrives
put new Ribbion cartridge in still scrambled text
So the tech tells me to buy thermal ready dvd
So I bought 100 thermal ready dvd Still had high exceptions,still scrambled text.(i wasted 25 DVD IN PROCESS)
Called tech support they give me a RMA number to sended back printer, Still had high exceptions, thinking Maybe I received a lemon ,Mind you I had to pay for shipping
$13.00 ups ground.
So two weeks later ,Still had high exceptions I get the New Primera Z-1 Re-install software the first disc looked great THE SECOND ONE ALSO , the next day I tried to print a DVD ,scrambled text again .
So I call Tech support told me that my usb ports are bad
and to chage the usb calbe that they send with there printerand to re-install software and try it on another XP
Machine .So I did I went to 3 different PC with XP with 3 different USB cable re- installing the software twice on each machine and still scrambled text .
So I call tech support again and mind you tech support is not toll free
They told me they could not do anything for me
I just got caught holding the bag
But I can warn people about this product
Please do not buy !
Thank you
Looks and corporate reviews are deceiving
I bought the Primera Z-1 with exceptions of something revolutionary but not the case.
After receiving my Z-1 it was down hill.
The first disc printed fine, but what happens after that is a big mystery. The text would scramble miss- shape
So I call Primera tech support
Their tech told me to increase density to full
Still scrambled, I called again the tech told me not to use fonts bigger
Than 15.75 which is the default setting, not to uses fancy
Fonts, Ok tried that nothing still scrambled,
Called tech support again, so they send me free of charge
A new Ribbon cartridge, Cool Still had high exceptions.
One week later the Ribbon cartridge arrives
Put new Ribbon cartridge in still scrambled text
So the tech tells me to buy thermal ready DVD
So I bought 100 thermal ready DVD Still had high exceptions, still scrambled text. (I wasted 25 DVD IN PROCESS)
Called tech support they give me a RMA number to send back printer, still had high exceptions, thinking maybe I received a lemon, Mind you I had to pay for shipping
$13.00 ups ground.
So two weeks later, Still had high exceptions I get the New Primera Z-1 Re-install software the first disc looked great THE SECOND ONE ALSO, the next day I tried to print a DVD, scrambled text again.
So I called Tech support told me that my USB ports are bad
And to change the USB cable that they send with there printer and to re-install software and try it on another XP
Machine .So I did I went to 3 different PC with XP with 3 different USB cable re- installing the software twice on each machine and still scrambled text.
So I called tech support again and mind you tech support is not toll free
They told me they could not do anything for me
I just got caught holding the bag
But I can warn people about this product
Please do not buy!
Thank you
out of 5 user reviews
OnlyLargeFontsPrintWithoutSmud ging
Pros: Cheap.
Cons: This is a follow-up review from my previous one, and a response to the Primera tech person who says "I can't get it to smear". I did manage to get some printing done without smearing but ONLY by using a 24 point size font or larger. That limitation is g
out of 5 user reviews
the print is not permanent
Pros: its easy to use, able to apply images, very professional look
Cons: the ink doesn't stay on, it is not smudge proof as it says,just hold the printed area with your hands and your body heat will be enough to wipe your printed information off your cd
