IAC DISCUSSION FORUMS

I am famed for my terrible handwriting. Yes, I'm ashamed of it.

When faced with sending tapes to people, especially to festivals, I prefer to prepare on computer covers to fit into the cassette case with clearly printed titles, author's name, running time and aspect ratio. But the real pain is those tiny labels you stick onto the cassette itself.

Over the years I have tried various Heath-Robinson solutions like creating labels on my word-processor that are the right size, printing them onto a sheet of paper, then sellotaping the sets of labels which are packed with each tape onto the paper so that they are over the type. Then I gingerly reinsert the paper in the printer and print again.

It sort of works.

How do the rest of you cope?

-Dave

I have made a template in MS Word that aligns 14 pairs of cassette labels onto a sheet of Avery style sticky labels. (Not actually Avery, but a pack of 15 sheets from the Pound shop). Each cassette label is formed in a text box with dotted outline, then text and pictures can be typed or inserted as required, copying and pasting for duplicates. The individual tape labels then have to be cut out using the dotted guides before separating from the backing paper. A similar template makes the case labels, but printed on plain paper.

Chris

When I am organised, which is not always, I have made a template in 'Illustrator' marked with a face and the folds. In the template, I have a place holder for an image and then text places. It is than printed on photo paper, trimmed and neatly folded. The ones for the actual cassette are fixed with sticky tape. That's the theory!

But when I need to mark up in a hurry I just scrawl. My hand writing is not too bad, but these little labels are a bind to write on. So, when in a hurry to mark up a rushed last edit it can be almost illegible.

Then what about basic information? I have tried to make the information for the projectionist as obvious as possible. This side the Manche I have tried to make it as visual as possible.

The first obvious obstacle is their pronunciation of the title. That over, although the cover is marked 16:9 the next question is 'sez noof, oo cat tire?' The latter translated is four and a third, which to me is odd. Then followed by, 'son ou muet?' Again, I point back to the label. Its only trente secondes long? Non! that's how much 'black leader' Hein? Which is a long nasal sound. Mon dieu! I say 'what's 'black leader' in French?' And so on.

So whether I am being too clever with my information, I don't know. So I have resorted to just writing my name on the tape and let the questions come!

Now what we need is a European directive on the information to put on cassettes. Something like:

TITLE|30|16:9|SD|10:21:09|E

What fun to think of that. Left to right, the title|leader|format|tape type| duration|language. (!)

It is true these cassettes are a fiddle to write on. So the solution is to improve your hand writing! Here's a tip. Take two pencils, sellotape them both together so the leads are level. Practice writing large with them joined together with long sweeping curves from the shoulder. If your normal hand writing has not improved in three months, at least then you will be able to conduct an orchestra playing Ravels Bolero! Have fun.

I have frequently used ordinary DYMO labelmakers, If you use condensed typing you may print 2 lines of text along the paperstrip, and it is printed with very sharp edges, so it is quite readable even if the resulting letters are pretty small.
I have used one of the models with a small lcd-screen, since it makes it a little easier to ensure correct spelling etc. before printing the quite expensive labeltape.

You can also find other manufacturers like Brother.

I have the Dymo model, but the 'tapes' that uses are slightly wider than the width allowed on a miniDV tape.

I bought a Brother model 'P-Touch 1005' and the tapes are the correct width (so no trimming) - and it has a setting for miniDV tapes, so it crams (??) your title into the correct length as well.

Brother tapes are a lot more expensive than Dymo tapes - but maybe a lot longer (never bothered to check - one day I will...)

Brother gives you more options for the 'typesetting', and allows two line printing (as does Dymo).

You can get tapes other than paper for both - plastic tapes can be very handy in some situations - labelling cables for example (sealing it to itself round the cable).

Both have a million other uses round the house of course. Not sorry I bought either of them. They can often be bought in sales for bargain prices...

Thanks for the advice about Brother. Tapes for my DYMO are discontinued so it's time to get a Brother.