OVER 2 YOU 187 (06/07/04)

CD LABEL DESIGNER

Can anyone suggest a program that can design and print CD labels and jewel case inserts? In particular I want one that will print information on the spine of the insert card so they can be differentiated in a storage rack.

Paul Mangan, via email

I use Audiolabel CD Labeller (from www.audiolabel.com/) to print CD labels and inserts. It is extremely simple to use and I would have no hesitation in recommending it to Mr Mangan. It reads track information from the CD or downloads track listings from the Internet.

James Preston, via email

Whilst there are many programs included with stick-on labels and applicators another way would be to use a dedicated CD printer such as the TDK LPW-100 (sub £100).  This printer actually prints onto the surface of the CD and can use the file contents and music titles to print labels. It also includes software to produce the jewel case inserts.  Whilst this model only prints one colour, several colour ribbons are available and they do not cause problems resulting from incorrectly stuck on labels.
R. F. Carey, via email

I suggest Acoustica CD Label Maker, there’s a trial version available from:
www.acoustica.com and it costs $21.95 to register. This lets you design and print labels for the disc, front, inside, back and even a 'bonus sticker'... It allows text and images to be inserted on most parts of the label, including the spine.
Robin Edmonds, via email

Your correspondent should try Avery's DesignPro Media LE. This can be downloaded free from: www.avery.com.  Labels and cards to print using this software can be purchased from good stationary stores, including Office World and larger branches of WH Smith.  Alternatively CD jewel case insert labels can be designed in Word using the Table facility. These can be printed using ordinary paper and this is less costly than purchasing ready made insert cards. An insert sheet from a commercial CD can be used to determine the measurements.

Michael Dewhurst, via email

I bought Neato Mediaface by Fellowes (www.neato.com), for precisely the same purpose. The package comes with labels and a nifty gadget to put labels on to the disks plus templates for jewel case inserts, which includes the back and the spines of the cases. I bought mine from PC World but I believe most software retailers stock it.

R. J. Prowse, Chatham, Kent

Roxio Easy CD & DVD Creator 6 comes with Label Creator, which provides everything needed for disc labels, jewel case inserts and DVD case covers. Used in combination with A4 sheets of special self-adhesive paper and a disc labelling kit, it greatly simplifies the printing and accurate application of disc labels. The software also has facilities for designing and printing jewel case inserts, including spines, again used in conjunction with A4 sheets pre-perforated to the correct sizes.

Alistair Beaton, via email

I use Nero 6 (www.nero.com), which includes Nero Cover Designer. You can design labels, covers and inserts and this has the facility to print titles on both edges of the spine.

Colin Burbidge, via email

Microsoft Publisher contains a template for CD inserts, with the option to enter info on the spines. There are a number of CD label creating packages available, I use Press-It CD label maker - it's clunky but it works.
Julian Marsh, via email

STAR GAZER

As a budding astronomer with a very small telescope my attempts at stargazing are continually frustrated by cloud cover and light pollution. I remember reading somewhere that members of the public would one day be able to access live images from large telescopes around the world, via the web, does anyone have any more information?

Chris Miller. Via email

A good resource for the aspiring astronomer is www.telescope.org.  This is the site for the new Bradford Robotic Telescope, however, the systems are still being built and tested and it is not open to the public yet. This service allows you to instruct the telescope to photograph a particular patch of sky, which will then be emailed back to you. The telescope is situated 8000ft up a volcano on Tenerife and is based upon ideas and concepts first developed for the original Bradford Robotic Telescope, which was launched on the web in 1993; however, the British weather (and its own popularity) meant that long queues of requests built up.  The final straw came when the telescope was hit by lightning in 1998, which fried the electronics!
Phil Cooling

Chris Miller can sign up for a 3-night free trial on the Slooh Telescope project, based in the Canary Islands. Basic annual membership, costs $49 and this allows access to a 14-inch diameter Schmidt Cassegrain telescope and a 85mm diameter APO refractor for a 15 minutes block or ‘mission’, you can also buy gift certificates, for an very unusual present. The web address is: www.slooh.com/homejs.jsp. Apparently Slooh is a jokey re-spelling of ‘slew’, meaning to move; I guess it has astronomers falling about!

Mike Ward, via email

Schools and educational institutions can purchase time on the telescope at the New Astronomy Amateur Research Telescope in New Mexico at: www.newastro.com/remote/default.htm.

Brian Taylor, via email

There is a useful introductory article on remote telescopes at the following web site: www.atnf.csiro.au/pasa/17_2/mckinnon/

L.C. Day, via email

PARISH SCANNING

I am working on our parish history and am collecting old photos and postcards from residents. These are being scanned into a computer and archived on CD. However, some older residents refuse to allow these photographs out of their house. Is there such a thing as a self contained portable scanner or can anyone suggest an alternative, capable of storing high quality images?

Mike Temple, via email

Regarding the suggestion by Bruce Bovill, (Over 2 You 22 June), may I suggest that old photographs should not be taken out into the sunlight for copying. Many old images were improperly fixed with the result that exposure to sunlight may cause them to seriously fade. They should be copied indoors using tungsten lighting and certainly, as suggested, with a copying stand for the best results. Tungsten balanced slide film is available, though hard to find. With a digital camera, it may well automatically adapt the white balance, or else that can be done on the computer.

Richard Morris FRPS. Past Chairman, Historical Group, Royal Photographic Society.

CAN YOU HELP?

I use Word and Windows XP. How can I write both subscript and superscript numbers in the same vertical line next to a letter representing a chemical symbol? I can align a single super/sub number using the Character Spacing adjustment on the Font menu but I cannot work out how to do it for two or more digits. For example, a superscript of 108 and a subscript of 47 before the symbol Ag for silver
Ian Brandon, via email

One of my colleagues has relatively poor colour perception and I am trying to source a new flat panel monochrome/greyscale monitor to connect to his laptop computer. Any recommendations gratefully received.
Sid Hawkins, via email