Champagne Disc Labels on a Beer Budget

To get started working with LightScribe technology, you'll need four things:

• A LightScribe-enabled DVD writer
• LightScribe-capable CDs or DVDs (available at BestBuy, Circuit City, etc.)
• LightScribe system software
• Labeling software that supports LightScribe.

HP has licensed LightScribe technology to other manufacturers. So many brands of laser-etching drives are available, including ASUS, Lite-on and, naturally, HP. Similarly, the special media for LightScribe drives is readily available; it is marked as LightScribe enabled. All these items are distinguished by the LightScribe logo, which looks like this:

Internal optical drives come with the system software needed for the new device. So physical installation is the same as with any optical drive. For design purposes, remember that all optical drives generate more heat, especially during burning data and labels.

Optical drives like HP's DVD940i are essentially "multi-drives." That is, they record double-layer DVDs at up to 8X, recordable DVDs at up to 18X, rewritable DVDs at up to 8X, and DVD-RAM at up to 12X.

Plus, there's the flexibility to flip the disc over and burn a precise, silkscreen-like label directly onto a CD or DVD.

All this comes at a list price of just under $80, though you can find much lower prices. Circuit City, for example, currently offers the drive for $64.99. Here's a shot of the HP DVD940i drive:

If you want more capability, Lite-On claims that its 20x LH-20A1L DVDR can write 4.7 GB of data in about 5 minutes, and for about the same price.

Store-bought drives like the two above are bundled with LightScribe software. This allows you to design and burn labels and create data and audio CDs and DVDs.