Light scribe issues

[Des]

Hi I bought a Light scribe dvd writer when it came out about 4 years
ago. I have had several drives over the years. I found that the Light
scribe side of it stopped working. Drives are cheep but there seems to
be an issue with this for me. You don't see many websites selling
these any more. Has there been problems.

TIA Desmond.

 

[Des]

On 10/5/2011 7:34 AM, Des wrote:> Hi I bought a Light scribe dvd writer when it came out about 4 years


Here is a long link to one such unit being sold by newegg.com.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106335&nm_mc....

Try a Google Search using "dvd burner lightscribe" or "blueray burner
lightscribe" or just "burner lightscribe" minus the quotes and you
should find plenty to choose from.

Hi I wasn't trying to locate a drive but wondering if there are known
issues of failure of the lightscribe part of the drives.

 

[John Doe]

Hi I wasn't trying to locate a drive but wondering if there are
known issues of failure of the lightscribe part of the drives.

Take a look at reviews. If available, order reviews by length of
ownership. Too bad Amazon doesn't allow that, but Newegg does
(last time I checked, before their website stopped working for
me).

 

[Paul]

Hi I wasn't trying to locate a drive but wondering if there are known
issues of failure of the lightscribe part of the drives.

There is an article here on Lightscribe.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightscribe

It points to a patent here, but the idea drawn in Figure 3, doesn't
align with how real devices work.

http://www.google.com/patents/downl..._WTm_gxhvx66lZmwA&source=gbs_overview_r&cad=0

By flipping the disc, the manufacturer gets the advantage of using a
"one sided carriage" for the optical head assembly. The pattern on
the hub, would allow index sensing (so that the pattern can precisely
be referenced to the same "center line" all the time). If the drive
were to lose sight of the index mark, it would likely stop working
immediately. What isn't explained, is how they control radial position.
With normal data recording, "groove tracking" is what makes the burner,
burn in a spiral pattern. On the LightScribe side, without something to
track, the burner would need to do (open loop) radial position, blindly.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/labelflash-lightscribe-dvd,1219-2.html

To work, the thing needs

1) Roughly the right focus, to hit the surface with a tightly collimated spot.
If there is no groove to focus on, it would be hard for the drive to tell
whether it was in focus or not.

2) Ability to detect the same index mark, as the disc rotates. This implies
a light source and detector, near the hub, and not fastened to the
(moving) head assembly.

3) Ability to move precisely, with some radial displacement from the hub.
What I'm suggesting, is it burns concentric circles rather than a spiral.
If the idea in Figure 3 of the patent 7172991_Integrated_CD_DVD_recording_and.pdf
was used, they'd be able to burn the LightScribe in a spiral pattern.

If the 780nm laser still burns the data side, all that leaves is a failure
of the indexing detection (dirt or IR LED failure).

http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/Reviews/Specific.aspx?ArticleId=13449&PageId=1

"This is a power sensitive coating, that produces monochrome images with the
appropriate power (typical write power at 1x=32mW).

There is no track spiral or other tracking aid."

So it appears to key off the index info, how ever it works. They could
try moving the head assembly, to give a spiral burn pattern, but that would
be harder than burning concentric circles (i.e. step the head after each
circle is done). Doing a spiral pattern would be easy, if they could track
the groove on the data side, while it was burning the label, but that
would make the drive more complicated.

Paul

 

[Des]

There is an article here on Lightscribe.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightscribe

It points to a patent here, but the idea drawn in Figure 3, doesn't
align with how real devices work.

http://www.google.com/patents/download/7172991_Integrated_CD_DVD_reco...

By flipping the disc, the manufacturer gets the advantage of using a
"one sided carriage" for the optical head assembly. The pattern on
the hub, would allow index sensing (so that the pattern can precisely
be referenced to the same "center line" all the time). If the drive
were to lose sight of the index mark, it would likely stop working
immediately. What isn't explained, is how they control radial position.
With normal data recording, "groove tracking" is what makes the burner,
burn in a spiral pattern. On the LightScribe side, without something to
track, the burner would need to do (open loop) radial position, blindly.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/labelflash-lightscribe-dvd,1219-2...

To work, the thing needs

1) Roughly the right focus, to hit the surface with a tightly collimated spot.
    If there is no groove to focus on, it would be hard for the driveto tell
    whether it was in focus or not.

2) Ability to detect the same index mark, as the disc rotates. This implies
    a light source and detector, near the hub, and not fastened to the
    (moving) head assembly.

3) Ability to move precisely, with some radial displacement from the hub.
    What I'm suggesting, is it burns concentric circles rather than aspiral.
    If the idea in Figure 3 of the patent 7172991_Integrated_CD_DVD_recording_and.pdf
    was used, they'd be able to burn the LightScribe in a spiral pattern.

If the 780nm laser still burns the data side, all that leaves is a failure
of the indexing detection (dirt or IR LED failure).

http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/Reviews/Specific.aspx?ArticleId=13449....

    "This is a power sensitive coating, that produces monochrome images with the
     appropriate power (typical write power at 1x=32mW).

     There is no track spiral or other tracking aid."

So it appears to key off the index info, how ever it works. They could
try moving the head assembly, to give a spiral burn pattern, but that would
be harder than burning concentric circles (i.e. step the head after each
circle is done). Doing a spiral pattern would be easy, if they could track
the groove on the data side, while it was burning the label, but that
would make the drive more complicated.

    Paul

I am not asking how the technology works. Not particularly interested.
I am interested in why after 6-8 months the lightscribe part of the
write fails to function and it is only a standard dvd writer. This
keeps happening.
it doesn't matter if it uses 780nm laser. It does matter if it stops
working.

 

[Mike Easter]

This part says 'has there been problems (with the lightscribe function)?

This part repeats the question.

I am not asking how the technology works. Not particularly interested.
I am interested in why after 6-8 months the lightscribe part of the
write fails to function and it is only a standard dvd writer. This
keeps happening.

This part doesn't make sense to me.

In the last par, you say you are interested in why it fails but you
aren't interested in how it works. That does not compute.

Going back to the beginning, given your 'situation' (failed lightscribe)
and your lack of interest in how it works, what difference does it make
whether there have been ('premature') problems or not for any others if
*you* actually have such a problem?

Maybe you /actually/ have some other question in your mind that you
haven't stated clearly yet.

 

[Mike Easter]

Des wrote:
X-HTTP-UserAgent: ... Windows NT 6.1 ...

Hi I bought a Light scribe dvd writer when it came out about 4 years
ago. I have had several drives over the years. I found that the Light
scribe side of it stopped working. Drives are cheep but there seems to
be an issue with this for me. You don't see many websites selling
these any more. Has there been problems.

You are currently Win7

I recently upgraded my Vista 64 machine to Windows 7 64-bit. Since
upgrading, my computer no longer writes lightscribe labels.
The drive is an HP DVD 1040r Writer

I found that the Light scribe side of it stopped working.

This report does not define the 'stopped working' nor the
troubleshooting nor the brand/modelno of the drive.

Problem examples:

http://www.ehow.com/how_7577121_troubleshooting-lightscribe-disc-not-recognized.html
Troubleshooting When a Lightscribe Disc Is Not Recognized

http://www.ehow.com/how_5263071_troubleshoot-lightscribe-dvd-supermulti-drive.html
How To Troubleshoot a Compaq LightScribe DVD Supermulti Drive

 

[GMAN]

I am not asking how the technology works. Not particularly interested.
I am interested in why after 6-8 months the lightscribe part of the
write fails to function and it is only a standard dvd writer. This
keeps happening.
it doesn't matter if it uses 780nm laser. It does matter if it stops
working.

Try downloading and updating the latest Lightscribe System Software from


http://www.lightscribe.com/DownloadSection/windows/index.aspx




Lightscribe doesnt work off of just hardware alone, you need this software to
make it work or all you have IS a standard DVD burner otherwise.

 

[Paul]

Try downloading and updating the latest Lightscribe System Software from


http://www.lightscribe.com/DownloadSection/windows/index.aspx




Lightscribe doesnt work off of just hardware alone, you need this software to
make it work or all you have IS a standard DVD burner otherwise.

But that software, usually comes in the box the drive came in. Mine did.
I think, in fact, they had the LightScribe driver kick off, when the
installer CD was installing a copy of Nero Lite or whatever it's called.
I saw a separate LightScribe prompt, along the way.

I just write on the hub with a Sharpie here. No driver needed. No time
wasted Lightscribing. I also buy the "milk crate" of CD cases from a
local big box store, and can put a piece of card material on that to
mark the contents. (Note - I don't buy them at this store, this is just
for the picture. Mine are an "off brand" and I paid less than the price
of these.)

http://i.walmartimages.com/i/p/00/02/72/42/60/0002724260500_300X300.jpg

And my "CD storage cabinet", is an elastic band I love high tech solutions.

Paul

 

[Flasherly]

Hi I bought a Light scribe dvd writer when it came out about 4 years
ago. I have had several drives over the years. I found that the Light
scribe side of it stopped working. Drives are cheep but there seems to
be an issue with this for me. You don't see many websites selling
these any more. Has there been problems.

TIA Desmond.

Reminds me of a Kenwood I bought once with their *ZEN Technology,*
basically, some sort of refraction device augmenting the laser for
reading or writing adjacent tracks simultaneously. When it broke
within a year, I called Kenwood. Unacceptable, I informed them, both
to have broken so soon when considering other Kenwood products I'd
owned over the years. "Kiss off," basically, Kenwood then retorted to
my concerns, "We're fresh out of middling, digit-sized jars of
Vaseline®."

Short of a dedicated printer, though, I'd always liked the LightScribe
idea. Semi-skewed off the mainframe of burners, as far as a broader
reception for LG, Sony, or earlier NEC dominance, although more widely
accepted than Plextor's premium prices for QC rebadging techniques.
Just never bought one because of the nature of dedicated discs and
some data loss attending that feature outside general industry usages.

All my DVD drives, now, as far as I'm concerned, are in various stages
of crapping out. LG units predominately, couple extant NECs, a Sony
and Asus here and there, the first-mentioned which strangely seem to
incur instability issues when left plugged in over time, either
negating other units, all of which will subsequently revitalize
themselves into variously indeterminate working orders if unplugged
for cycling a system restart before carefully being reconnected for OS
identification.

Couple more DVD shoe boxes to move off onto the new HDs and I'm done.
History. So much for a potential drag on the power supply that bothers
me not if they can sit in there bloody disconnected until needed. I
like PATA units for backwards compatibility when booting DVDs but will
consider future build options such as 2-way SATA<>PATA convertors when
the last NEC goes belly up.

Be nice to have said, rather, I'd sooner be dipped in shit before I'd
touch another Kenwood product again, but you've seen how that as
easily work when corporate interests move, coming and going, way
faster than any particular name they're staked behind.

 

[Des]

Reminds me of a Kenwood I bought once with their *ZEN Technology,*
basically, some sort of refraction device augmenting the laser for
reading or writing adjacent tracks simultaneously.  When it broke
within a year, I called Kenwood.  Unacceptable, I informed them, both
to have broken so soon when considering other Kenwood products I'd
owned over the years.  "Kiss off," basically, Kenwood then retorted to
my concerns, "We're fresh out of middling, digit-sized jars of
Vaseline®."

Short of a dedicated printer, though, I'd always liked the LightScribe
idea.  Semi-skewed off the mainframe of burners, as far as a broader
reception for LG, Sony, or earlier NEC dominance, although more widely
accepted than Plextor's premium prices for QC rebadging techniques.
Just never bought one because of the nature of dedicated discs and
some data loss attending that feature outside general industry usages.

All my DVD drives, now, as far as I'm concerned, are in various stages
of crapping out.  LG units predominately, couple extant NECs, a Sony
and Asus here and there, the first-mentioned which strangely seem to
incur instability issues when left plugged in over time, either
negating other units, all of which will subsequently revitalize
themselves into variously indeterminate working orders if unplugged
for cycling a system restart before carefully being reconnected for OS
identification.

Couple more DVD shoe boxes to move off onto the new HDs and I'm done.
History. So much for a potential drag on the power supply that bothers
me not if they can sit in there bloody disconnected until needed.  I
like PATA units for backwards compatibility when booting DVDs but will
consider future build options such as 2-way SATA<>PATA convertors when
the last NEC goes belly up.

Be nice to have said, rather, I'd sooner be dipped in shit before I'd
touch another Kenwood product again, but you've seen how that as
easily work when corporate interests move, coming and going, way
faster than any particular name they're staked behind.

Hi Flasherly. Kenwood. That’s a blast from the past. in the mid 80s
Kenwood only existed in Japan. Because Kenwood was the name of a
European domestic food mixer company, they had to go under the name of
Trio. So if Your Kenwood drive is faulty, maybe you should fill it
full of flour, milk and sugar and start it up. May work then?

Desmond.