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Rimage 8100 / 8100N Producer III Review

By Kevin Gabrik

February 25th, 2009

The Rimage Producer III 8100 we tested had (4) CD / DVD burners, PrismPlus thermal printer, Rimage software version 8.2, and the DiscWatch light for viewable system status.

Rimage 8100 and 8100n systems come in a couple different configurations of CD, DVD and/or Blu-ray disc burners. In addition, there are two different thermal printer options – the PrismPlus and the Everest 600 (you can read a review of the Everest 600 here). Advanced features include remote job submission, job streaming, variable merge fields, label serialization, Windows API, rapid API and SDK, DVD video protection plug-in, DiscWatch light and multiple warranty service options.

We tested the Rimage 8100 for 3 months running multiple print and copy, print only, network submitted and DVD video protection jobs.

Price

TPrice for the Rimage unit we tested is $36,995. The 8100 is the most expensive CD / DVD publisher that we have ever used or tested. The expensive price tag may be justified depending on your requirements and needs.

Speed

The Rimage 8100 produced 105 half full CDs and 47 half full DVDs in one hour. The throughput falls to 70/hour and 33/hour for completely full CDs and DVDs. This is the highest output of any integrated duplicator and printer on the market today, even for systems with more than four disc burners. The high output is attributed to the speed of the robotics as well as the true asynchronous burn and print capabilities of the Rimage software as well as the computer configuration. You can get 1000 CDs printed and copied in a 10-hour day.

Bin Capacity

300-disc capacity. Like most other Rimage systems, the 8100 and 8100n utilize a 4-bin carousal that gives the user the ability to load a maximum of 300 CDs and/or DVDs at a time. There are some CD / DVD duplicators on the market with 500 and 1000-disc capacities.

Reliability

The Rimage 8100/8100n was extremely reliable in our 6 months of testing. The robust robotics and the PrismPlus printer performed at a very high level for the entire duration of our testing. Assuming you use good quality CD or DVD media that does not stick together, you will get all of your CDs and DVDs completed without error.

Cost per Print

Using the PrismPlus printer and the black ribbon will net you a $0.02/disc or less cost depending on print coverage. If you use the red or blue ribbon, the cost per print is $0.04/disc. The CMY ribbon has a cost per print of $0.25/disc. The PrismPlus single color printing is the lowest in the industry. The Everest 600 printer option has a cost of about $0.32 per color print.

Print Quality

The Rimage 8100 has two thermal printer options, the PrismPlus and the Everest 600. We tested a 8100 system with the PrismPlus thermal printer. The PrismPlus is ideal for monochrome solid logos, simple graphics, text and barcode printing. The other printer option is the Everest 600, which boasts photo-realistic 600x600dpi printing. The Everest 600 is ideal for full color, high-resolution disc printing.

Print Durability

Both the PrismPlus and the Everest 600 printer are thermal transfer printers that are completely indelible and waterproof. In the case of the Everest 600, the color will not fade or lose their brilliance over time because the thermal re-transfer process protects the discs from external forces like moisture and UV rays.

Ease of Use

The Rimage 8100 we tested connected to the provided PC server through one USB 2.0 cable and four Firewire cables. The proven Quic Disc and CD Designer software came pre-installed on the PC and are very easy to learn and use. Rimage does offer onsite installation and training for $1800, but in most cases your Rimage vendor can help you out over the phone or with an on-site visit if needed.

Maintenance

All Rimage publishers and printers work best in a dust-free environment, so the warehouse is not the recommended place to set up this type of equipment. The PrismPlus and Everest printers require bi-monthly cleaning of the print head and air filters to archive the best printing results. In addition, keeping the drives and the input/output bins free from dust is recommended.

Technical Support

Rimage has above average phone technical support for the CD / DVD equipment industry. To maximize uptime and customer satisfaction, Rimage offers a variety of one-site, rapid exchange and post-warranty options. After warranty repairs can be expensive, as they are with other manufactures in this niche. That being said, we recommend purchasing a Rimage 8100 from a reputable dealer that has the experience to answer your technical support issues on the first call, and that can help with your operational requirements and repairs.

Advanced Features

Rimage Producer III systems have many advanced features that no other equipment manufacturers in this niche offer. The features that we found useful were the DiscWatch light which gives a visual indication of operational status, and the DVD Video protect plug-in which makes it impossible to copy or pirate your intellectual property. Rimage also provides a powerful API for custom integration.

Rimage Printers

Conclusion

Rimage 8100 / 8100N (part# 530621-240 or 530641-240) is our top pick for high volume disc publishing and printing requirements of 10,000 or more standard 120mm CD-r, DVD-r, or Blu-Ray discs per month. Strengths include speed, reliability, low cost per print, and a host of advanced features like DVD Video Protect, custom API and a software developers kit.

Techware Distribution has been a Rimage value added reseller for over 12 years and offers more product knowledge, specials and service options than any other Rimage vendor in North America. Visit techwaredist.com for expert advice on Rimage, CD/DVD duplication services & equipment, printer supplies, blank media, packaging materials, and printer/duplicator repair.

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