Simply The Best
Written: Oct 06 '04
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Pros: Fast printing, outstanding output, simple to use software.
Cons: None at this time.
The Bottom Line: If you need a fast, versatile, high resolution color CD/DVD printer, you can’t go wrong with the SignaturePro, though home users, should consider a far less expensive alternative.
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| vemartin's Full Review: Primera Technology Signature Pro InkJet Printer |
In my capacity as network administrator/desktop support leader, I have had occasion—many as a matter of fact—to burn virus definitions, software updates and Microsoft Service Pack to CD-ROM in order to distribute them to mobile users, and users with company PC’s at home. Also I create a lot of Ghost image CD for imaging PC’s for new users; I distribute these CD’s to the member of my team.
Before purchasing the Primera Signature Pro Inkjet Printer, I labeled the finished CD’s by hand. Although my handwriting is neat and legible, it does not give the CD’s that professional quality that represents the large corporation I work for.
I wanted a printer that world print to specialized CD-R’s in at least 600x600 dpi color print, and I wanted the easy of maintenance of an inkjet printer.
Product Description (From Primera): SignaturePro is the most advanced CD/DVD color printer ever offered by Primera Technology. Whether you duplicate discs for audio, music, software, video or data, SignaturePro delivers all the performance you need for higher-volume, high-quality disc printing - at a price that is surprisingly affordable. SignaturePro is clearly your best CD/DVD printing solution! For the most remarkable print quality, speed and performance, look to the new SignaturePro CD Color Printer from Primera. With incredible 2400 dpi print resolution - the best in the world - all of your discs will have the sharpest text and graphics. Colors are bright, vibrant and photo-quality. Your discs will look truly professional, creating a positive, lasting impression.
The first thing that strikes one about the SignaturePro is the printer’s unusual shape; it is twice as long as it is wide as first glance, but at closer inspection one will notice that the printer extends further out allowing for the proper storage of the CD tray. There are very few front panel displays; in fact all the controls are located on the top of the printer. There are in fact three buttons, one each for power, tray eject, and cartridge replacement.
A front access drawer above the sliding CD tray affords access to the two (one color, one black) inject printer cartridges that look strikingly familiar to HP Inkjet 500 series black and tri-color (Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow) cartridges. Installing, and or replacing the cartridges is simple; they snap into place much, again HP inkjet cartridges. The use of the dual cartridge system “makes SignaturePro an excellent choice for integration into automated disc duplication systems that copy and print many hundreds of discs per batch,” claims Primera.
Like most modern inkjet printers the SignaturePro includes a early-warning ink-level monitoring system that can estimate how many actual discs can be printed based upon a minute analysis of ink usage, and tells you what percentage of ink remains before a batch of discs is started.
Primera claims the SignaturePro is the highest resolution printer of its type in the world that utilizes advanced ink-jet technology, delivering a resolution of 2400 x 1200 dpi, producing 2,880,000 pixels per square inch. Primera also claims that the SignaturePro is the worlds fastest CD color printer, “printing a disc with full-color, 100% coverage in just 16 seconds… monochrome output is even faster at just 2 seconds of print time per disc at 15% coverage.”
Media
The SignaturePro can print onto a wide variety of printable-surface media, including CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R or any other 120mm optical disc with a printable-surface; we print primarily on Verbatim 1 – 48x speed CD-R’s. Primera also offers optional adapter kits for business card shaped CDs, something I have never run into, but its nice to know that the option is available. For the best print quality and durability, Primera recommends the use of media from one of its Authorized Media Partners, including Maxell, Microboards PrintWrite, Mitsui and Verbatim. In addition Primera offers its own Signature-branded CD-R media.
Installation, Setup & Usage
The SignaturePro is the first large format CD printer from Primera to include USB connectivity, and none to soon. I installed the software for the printer first and then plugged her in. The Windows XP computer I attached it to recognized and installed it without a problem. However, the SignaturePro also ships with printer drivers for Windows Me, and 2000. An icon for the printer will be placed in the Printers folder. I installed the SureThing CD Labeler Primera Edition for Windows software next; this software allows you to create templates and files to print to CD’s and or DVD’s.
SignaturePro also comes bundled with built-in color matching software called PrimaColor. With this software package you can print true photo-realistic images or create disc designs that match industry-standard color tables. Primera state that this “feature is especially beneficial when SignaturePro is used in conjunction with unattended autoloaders or automatic disc duplicators.”
With the help of the SureThing CD Labeler Primera Edition for Windows I have created templates for the CD’s I burn most often. The software is relatively easy to master; it took me about fifteen minutes to get up to speed on the features. Since the template are already created, its just a matter of small typing changes to get the layout I want. Most of my CD’s are printed without a background, but there are a number of them available for use. Placing graphics on the template is simple as well; anyone familiar with inserting a graphic file into a Word document should be able to master the same SureThing CD Labeler Primera Edition for Windows. One on the template surface, moving the graphic is a simple matter of dragging and dropping.
Once I am satisfied with the layout, I can save it and print it out. The SignaturePro will eject the tray for disc insertion if one is not already in the tray. Printing is fast, and once complete the disc is ejected.
Conclusion
So far I have no complaints about the output; the colors are bright true to life, while the text is sharp and crisp. However your result may vary depending on media.
Was the Primera SignaturePro worth the investment? Yes and no. For the volume of prints we do, we could have gotten by on a far less expensive sticker kit, but the results would have been far less impressive. However some of the CD’s we hand out are for one time usage; i.e. they are used and then thrown away, but others are kept for continual usage. And we do occasionally have to burn CD’s for clients outside the company and for that a more polished professional look is needed, and can only be provided by a dedicated CD-R printer. Bottom line: it was worth the investment in the long run.
If you need a fast, versatile, high resolution color CD/DVD printer, you can’t go wrong with the SignaturePro. While I would not recommend this printer for home users—there are far less expensive alternative on the market—corporate customers should consider it.
Printer Features & Specifications
Printer Quality
• Black Horizontal Resolution: 2400 dpi
• Black Vertical Resolution: 1200 dpi
• Color Horizontal Resolution: 2400 dpi
• Color Vertical Resolution: 1200 dpi
• Max Resolution BW: 2400 dpi x 1200 dpi
• Max Resolution Color: 2400 dpi x 1200 dpi
Connectors
• Parallel Connectors Total (Free): 1 x parallel - IEEE 1284 - 36 pin Centronics
• USB 4-pin
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 1299
Operating System: Windows
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vemartin
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Member: Vincent
Location: Aurora, IL
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