[mythtv-users] Creating Decent-Looking DVDs from Myth

[Brian Wood]

No, I am not talking about the bitrate of the video content, rather  
the visual appearance of the disks we create.

We all make disks from Myth, often to lend to friends and family. In  
my case at least they look like crap, and I was getting tired of the  
"Sharpie on HP Logo" look.

Lightscribe was a good idea, but the cost of the media is high and I  
have yet to see printing software for Linux.

Several companies make devices that will print directly on a disk,  
for around $100US,  but it's getting harder and harder to find media  
that doesn't have more than 50% of its label side taken up by plugs  
for the maker.

So die-cut self-adhesive paper label labels it will be. Most come  
with crappy software to print them, but it's Windows only. Some even  
have Word templates available, but that makes TWO things you must buy  
from Bill in order to print them.

I discovered that Avery has a web site where you can enter the number  
of any of their products, and use their library of backgrounds, fonts  
etc. to create your design.

Great, you have a web page with your label design. We all know how  
consistent browsers are in even displaying, never mind printing,  
dimensionally accurate images.

But Avery goes one better, you can download a PDF file of the label  
you designed. This will print accurately from any system. Great Idea,  
which works well, at least for me.

Avery's labels even use a jewel box for an alignment template, saving  
the purchase of an over-priced round piece of plastic which you will  
be unable to find when you need it.

I also discovered KoverArtist, which will create jewel case or DVD  
box labels and even automatically grab the proper cover art from the  
net.

Now I can lend out a disk I can be proud of, complete with MythTV  
attribution and logo.

Perhaps you all knew this, and I'm the last to find it out, but in  
case this is not true I thought some might benefit from the above.


Brian Wood
beww at beww.org