Primera Signature Z1 CD/DVD Printer

Anyone who has attended one of my DVD classes or seminars knows that when someone asks about using "sticky labels" on their DVDs, I throw up my hands and run from the room shouting " No Labels, No Labels!" So what can DVD creators use instead of sticky labels? A Sharpie? No? Well, what then?

Primera, maker of the Bravo CD/DVD Duplicator, has brought us an inexpensive, elegant solution: the Signature Z1 CD/DVD printer.

The Signature Z1 is not an ink jet printer, fighting long drying times, critical media choices and "spin art" when the discs don’t dry. Instead, it uses a thermal transfer ribbon cartridge, creating instantly usable printing that is completely dry as soon as it’s printed. The supplied CD/DVD printing software, "PrimeraPrint," offers simple layout tools and the ability to mix text and graphics in the same print run-and the thing is cute, too!

The Signature Z1 prints in one color at a time. You install a one-color ribbon, and that’s what you print-black, red, blue or green. This may seem weird, but the single-color printing is actually very functional. The printer and its software are easy to learn, and you’ll be printing your DVDs as soon as you get it unpacked. Ribbons cost around $20, but at the nominal rate the printer uses them up, your actual cost per disc will be about 10 cents per print area, meaning 10-40 cents total. Not bad for beautiful discs.

The Signature Z1 is tiny, measuring about 9-inches wide x 7.5-inches deep. It’s incredibly light, too, weighing just 2.2 pounds. (Tuck it in your "road warrior" bag and use it while traveling.) Commissioning the Signature Z1 is simple-just unpack it, install the software, connect the power adapter (which thankfully has a cable and not a "wall wart" transformer) and plug it into a USB 1.1 or 2.0 port on your PC via the supplied standard USB cable.

Creating the disc graphics couldn’t be simpler-launch the PrimeraPrint software and design your disc label using the onboard tools. Text is easy to add and graphics images are simple to import, resize and align. Just click in a quadrant and type away. (It can even do curved type!)

Handy icons along the left side indicate the available software functions. The icon at top left is for replacing a ribbon, and the one at top right initiates a print job.

This unit is impressive. There’s a lot of bang for not a lot of bucks here. The print looks nice and is simple to create. It’s a winner.