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I've been using a Primera thermal printer, and am very happy with the results on MAM-A (Mitsui) Gold thermal discs. The MAM-A Gold Archival discs take thermal printing as well. As to the archival nature, the thermal print process appears to have the following features: - not susceptible to moisture - no glue adhesive is used - chemically stable (as far as I can tell) - very scratch resistant Will the label react with the CD surface over time and penetrate to the phalocyanine dye layer? I don't know, but compared to any other labeling technology, it seems less likely just from the point of view that the surface area covered is limited to just the text, unlike an adhesive label which covers far more surface area. Laser printed documents (I'm talking about paper now) sometimes "stick" to certain plastics because the laser printing reacts with some plastics. I am going to take a thermally printed disc and put it in exactly just such an environment and see what happens over an extended period of time. If you are really concerned about archival labeling of CDs, consider hub labels which use an aluminum layer between the print surface and the adhesive (the ink cannot bleed through to the plastic), and use an archival adhesive. Will the hub label peel off in a few decades? I have no idea. Any chemists out there who can comment on the chemical stability or inertness of thermal printing? Eric ---- Original message ---- >Date: Tue, 1 Feb 2005 22:47:12 -0500 >From: "Richard L. Hess" <[log in to unmask]> >Subject: [ARSCLIST] Opinions: Casio CW-50 family of thermal transfer CD label printers??? >To: [log in to unmask] > >I'm looking for something to avoid writing a few lines on Mitsui Gold >discs--preferably not having to buy special discs. Preferably something that >doesn't smudge if your hands are sweaty. Artwork isn't an issue. Price is. > >Anyone use the Casio CW-50 (or it's two bigger brothers that are essentially the >same)? > >Anyone have any thoughts on the archival nature of the thermal transfer process? > >Thanks! > >Richard >-- > >Richard L. Hess >http://www.richardhess.com/tape/