Epson Print CD on the Mac?

[GmElliott]

As I continue this move to the Mac system I keep remembering things I need. One of them is the Software that allows me to print directly on CDs using my Epson R200 printer. Problem is I don't have the original disk that came with the printer and don't even know if there is even a version of Epson Print CD for the Mac. Any ideas? TIA

[bmitchell]

I use this.

Discus (http://www.magicmouse.com/h_discus_detail.html)

[Mathew]

There's a version because I use it. I'm not sure if it's downloadable though. You could try Limewire...

[GmElliott]

I use this.

Discus (http://www.magicmouse.com/h_discus_detail.html)

Awesome thanks. I think Discus "LE" came with my Toast burning software.

How does it work exactly? Can you feed it your own graphic designed in Photoshop? If so what res does it have to be? Lastly do you have controls over the inter and outer diameter?

[GmElliott]

There's a version because I use it. I'm not sure if it's downloadable though. You could try Limewire...

Do you still have the disk? If so would you mind lending it to me so I can install it? Both me and my gf have the R200 and the BOTH of us lost the original install discs. :sad-smiley-018:

[RatVega]

Magic Mouse Productions, who makes Discus, wrote Epson Print CD. Either of these programs works fairly well, though I noticed that Epson Print CD doesn't appear to support alpha channels.

[Mathew]

I pm'd you Glen.

[bmitchell]

Awesome thanks. I think Discus "LE" came with my Toast burning software.

How does it work exactly? Can you feed it your own graphic designed in Photoshop? If so what res does it have to be? Lastly do you have controls over the inter and outer diameter?

It can pretty much handle whatever you throw at it. It's not picky about res. You have complete control over diameter.

[tbanucci]

GM-

Just use Photoshop or Illustrator and you can download Epson's template to print onto a CD or DVD. It's much more flexible than any of these programs. This is the way I've been printing onto my R300 for years....

[GmElliott]

What program do you use to actually PRINT to the DVD though? Also where are these "templates" I'm interested. Thanks.

[tbanucci]

I think you may be a little confused at the process. You don't actually need any special program to print to the CD or DVD faces. That functionality is already in the Mac once you connect the printer (the R200 driver is automatically installed on the Mac- all you have to do is connect the printer).

Now, I'm sure you are all connected already. So the next step is downloading the DVD template. This is probably the hardest part in the world because Epson happens to hide their templates and not name them. I happen to know that the Epson Stylus Photo 960 was the same as the R300 (which is the same as the R200 BTW). So, back when I bought my R300, I downloaded this 960 template, which can be found here:

Epson Template (http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/support/supDetail.jsp?oid=18403&prodoid=22403490&infoType=Downloads&platform=Macintosh)

If the link does not work, go to Epson's site and type in "960 photoshop" and it will be the first link. It is the "CD Template" to be exact.

Once you download this, you will have to run the installer which simply places the template and instructions on your desktop. This template is used with Photoshop, but can also be used with really any photo program like Graphic Converter (comes with your Mac). The best is PhotoShop because then you can manipulate the layers and really get some good designs going on.

Once you need to print, bring up the print command. The main thing here is you want to select the bottom drop down box and go to the function that let's you choose the different print qualities and paper types (I'm at work right now and don't have this printer here to see the exact name). Anyway, you select CD/DVD printing from that option. You can save this as a setting you do all the time so it is quicker for you to print. And away you go!

The instructions here are pretty vague, but I believe the pdf instructions that come with the template accurately describe the way to go about this.

PS- I just went to this page and they have the Epson Easy Print software on there if that is what you are looking for, but the Photoshop way is still much better and allows you to print much better stuff....

Epson Mac software for R200 (http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/support/supDetail.jsp?oid=29081&prodoid=37368464&BV_UseBVCookie=yes&infoType=Downloads&platform=Macintosh&x=7&y=14)

Good luck!

[bmitchell]

Ted has probably found the best solution, but check out Discus anyway for all the graphics and artwork. I use the popcorn background for my out-takes discs.

[tbanucci]

I have heard nothing but great things about Discus. I believe Ben Balser did a review of it in WEV mag about a year and a half ago.

[GmElliott]

Thanks for that info tbancucci. I guess I can safely assume I CAN'T just connect my R200 and go beings I did an OS X fresh install when I got my Mac Pro and unselected all the language and printer drivers to save a heap of space.

[RatVega]

Thanks for that info tbancucci. I guess I can safely assume I CAN'T just connect my R200 and go beings I did an OS X fresh install when I got my Mac Pro and unselected all the language and printer drivers to save a heap of space.

This is one of those things that irks me when I do a new install...

It seems no matter what I select in the custom install options, I always get all those arcane languages (like I can't live without Portuguese or Russian) and more print drivers than there are actual printers...

I think you can do a selective Restore or custom install to get the drivers back. What I do is delete the drivers by Brand for those brands I don't own, then delete all the models I don't have. In some cases leaving "related" software (all the stuff for the R200, R300, R210, R310, etc.) is smart.

There is some shareware out there to "de-localize" your Mac (dump all the weird languages.)

[tbanucci]

Yeah, like RatVega said, you can actually go back to the installer and just install the Epson printer drivers. Of course it will give you ALL of the Epson models though....

There is an easier way. I saw on the Epson support site that they have specific Intel drivers for the R200:

R200 Driver page (http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/support/supDetail.jsp?oid=29081&prodoid=37368464&BV_UseBVCookie=yes&infoType=Downloads&platform=Macintosh&x=22&y=8)

It's the first thing on the page...

[GmElliott]

Yeah that's what I downloaded- the specific up-to-date R200 driver directly from Epson. Thanks again!