Can DVD labels really damage a DVD player?

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I have a DVD I want to hand out to a few friends and family. I'd like to put labels on them but I've seen reports that they can damage some DVD players. Is that true or is it just a line of crap?
  • Profile picture of the author KimW
    I don't know about homemade dvds (which is what I assume you mean), but I know a homemade CD got stuck in my car cd player and it cost me $50 to have it removed.
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    • Profile picture of the author Rich Struck
      Originally Posted by KimW View Post

      I don't know about homemade dvds (which is what I assume you mean), but I know a homemade CD got stuck in my car cd player and it cost me $50 to have it removed.
      Yes, they would be homemade. Thanks for your reply, this is what I wanted to avoid.
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  • Profile picture of the author Kelly Verge
    Sharpies work fine. I know it's not the same as a nice printed label, but if you get creative and take your time, they can still turn out OK.
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    • Profile picture of the author Rich Struck
      Originally Posted by Kelly Verge View Post

      Sharpies work fine. I know it's not the same as a nice printed label, but if you get creative and take your time, they can still turn out OK.
      I have the handwriting of a 2 year old alcoholic so that is why I was wondering about labels.

      What I think I might do is make labels to fit in jewel cases, that would be good enough I think.
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      • Profile picture of the author Aj Wilson
        If the labels are off center... it can put strain on the spindle at high speeds.

        so if you have a crappy dvd player... yes... over time it may cause failed reads, excessive vibration and loosening of parts etc.
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    • Profile picture of the author Aj Wilson
      oh.. i forgot to mention...

      check out Kunaki >> get it all done professionally for like a dollar (or 2)
      (and the first one's FREE)
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  • Profile picture of the author seasoned
    Off center labels could hurt any CD. Ones that are too thick or don't adhere right can ALSO. There ARE special DVDs and drives that can etch the label onto the disc. BTW lower profile, higher speed, and front loading ones are most susceptible. So it doesn't affect just "crappy" drives.

    Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author sarahberra
    I've never heard of this, but I guess labels could manage DVD players.
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    • Profile picture of the author Mike Wright
      Problem with CD/DVD disk labels is that they are a bit difficult to
      stick on perfectly central and flat. Also they can start to peel,
      curl up or even bubble when used in drives and players which
      get very hot internally. Then you have got problems

      Personally for low useage/volumes, I use full face inkjet
      printable disks with my Canon MP600 MFP which also
      prints disks either via software ... or you can actually
      photocopy a "master" CD onto a blank one in the CD tray.
      Cool or what

      I had an Epson printer with CD printing capability, but it
      drank ink at a huge rate, was noisy and needed to have
      about 9" clear at the back to let the CD tray whizz in and out.
      No problemo with my and similar Canon printers
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  • Profile picture of the author shobo
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    • Profile picture of the author seasoned
      Originally Posted by shobo View Post

      This must be tested in Mythbusters )
      They have tested a helicopter with some stamps and didn't affect at all.
      Yet for dvd, i don't know what to say. My opinion is that the label is to light to do something.
      MYTHBUSTERS IS A JOKE!!!!!!! They try to figure out what might be the reason for a problem, take their OWN idea of an example, test out THAT, and then try to decide questionable things. SOMETIMES, they PROVE it is possible, and STILL say it is WRONG!

      The best example I can recall at the moment is how they determined that bullets come down with a force of ONLY terminal velocity, they determined that, emulated the skull, and "proved" that bullets shot up CAN'T KILL! One problem! There was PROOF that at least 6 people died of it in that year! It was hard of them to call all the LEOs, and hospitals, LIARS! THEIR response? The bullets weren't shot STRAIGHT up! Well DUH!!!!! They DO shoot it CLOSE to straight up though. They didn't test all guns, bullets, packing, or trajectories though.

      HECK, once, they tested tanks exploding. One they said COULDN'T, and it DIDN'T, because of a pressure relief valve. Well, what if the fire hurts the valve or the valve is bad? They PROVED it could blow up in such a case and STILL said the "myth" was false!

      And what of component companies, like CDROM manufacturers? Do they EVER DARE to offer a TTF(Time to failure) spec? NO WAY! They are not so dumb! They offer an MTBF(Mean Time Between Failure) spec! In other words, the very NAME states that EVEN though they are built the same, supposedly with the SAME parts, they could fail MUCH sooner or MUCH later. They will ONLY say that, with a big enough sample, the product should TEND to last about that long. If the solder on the head connections cooled a LITTLE sooner, if there is a MINOR defect in the insulation, if there is a SLIGHT spike or the connections are SLIGHTLY out of spec, the life of the final connection to the heads would be more likely to fail sooner and that is just ONE part!

      They recently tested a car to see if it would skip. One major failing was OBVIOUSLY(and you could assume this before they even tested it) that the car wasn't balanced properly. Even some weight in the trunk could have helped.

      There are too many variables, and they act like they have tried them all when they haven't.

      BTW with helicopters, they have devices to change the pitch, and there is a HUGH area where any wobble wouldn't hurt anything. With CDs, there is NO way to change the pitch. The assumption is that the disk is light enough and is evenly balanced enough that it will rotate smoothly. And a SLIGHT change in pitch could maybe damage the drive. HECK, I have a drive where the DRIVE is 1/2"! How much space do you figure the disk has? Maybe 1/8"? Obviously, there isn't much tolerance.

      And some of these "myths" aren't even CLAIMED! They see some little thing in the movies, and figure they should call it a myth and test it. The old cartoon about plugging a barrel with your finger is a fair example. Frankly, I would never even try that one.

      Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author garyv
    There are many DVD players out there, especially in laptops, that have very low profiles. If the label comes up even a very small amount, it will get jammed up in the player.

    I 2nd the Kunaki.com suggestion above. You just upload your dvd, and they will send it out professionally printed and shrink-wrapped.
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  • Profile picture of the author Gary Pettit
    There are some cases that it damaged the player but most of the time it wont. Just try to be more precised in labeling, simplicity is beauty... make it simple and label it with something that is easy to understand or get familiar with.
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  • Profile picture of the author Gary Pettit
    There are some cases that it damaged the player but most of the time it wont. Just try to be more precised in labeling, simplicity is beauty... make it simple and label it with something that is easy to understand or get familiar with.
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  • Profile picture of the author Gary Pettit
    Well, There are some cases that it damaged the player but most of the time it wont. Just try to be more precised in labeling, simplicity is beauty... make it simple and label it with something that is easy to understand or get familiar with.
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