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Which label printer?OK to use?

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    Which label printer?OK to use?

    We want to purchase a label printer for producing labels from label rolls . The alpha labels in v5v4.3 has not any templates setup. Can anybody tell us if you can print labels ok within Alpha using a label printer.
    also any models to avoid? recomend.

    Thank You

    UK

    #2
    RE: Which label printer?OK to use?

    Do you mean print labels like on a thermal barcode printer? We use Zebra S105's and Zebra Stripes here for barcode printing. The only problem I have with it is that it will not retain "landscape" when printing a form. Report works okay. Also keep in mind the amount of memory a label printer has on board. Most thermal label printers have their own fonts that work well, but regular windows fonts come over as bitmaps, which will increase the wait time before the printer kicks out a label.

    Mick

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      #3
      RE: Which label printer?OK to use?

      David

      I have not used a Lable Printer but I did want to print tickets to be attached to garments being dry cleaned. In the windows setting for that printer I set the page size to custom, I print a form with the same page size and allowed for margins. At print time I select the number of copies required. What are your lables to be used for? I hope this helps.

      Keith Hubert
      Regards
      Keith Hubert
      Alpha Guild Member
      London.
      KHDB Management Systems
      Skype = keith.hubert


      For your day-to-day Needs, you Need an Alpha Database!

      Comment


        #4
        RE: Which label printer?OK to use?

        Keith, I use a DYMO EL60 Thermal Label Printer. V..E..R..Y easy to install, set-up with Alpha and use.

        Comes with USB cable & a Serial cable, you plug it in, install it and Win98 shows it as just another printer. I used the USB to connect it. You setup a Label format in Alpha, select the DYMO as the printer and you're home free.

        I have a client that wanted a 2x4 label printed for each Work Order. Rather then use a full sheet of labels, I had him buy a DYMO and it works great, it's fast and very versatile!

        -Barry

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          #5
          RE: Which label printer?OK to use?

          I have a client using a Datamax Alagro2 it works fine in landscape or portrait the only problem its very slow it takes about 12-15 sec for a 3x5 label to print. I tried using the datamax fonts which is don?t look to great at all plus it only got it down to about 9-10 sac per label,
          Daniel Weiss
          Daniel Weiss
          EZ Link Software

          Comment


            #6
            RE: Which label printer?OK to use?

            I have a client using a Datamax Alagro2 it works fine in landscape or portrait the only problem its very slow it takes about 12-15 sec for a 3x5 label to print. I tried using the datamax fonts which is don?t look to great at all plus it only got it down to about 9-10 sac per label,
            Daniel Weiss
            Daniel Weiss
            EZ Link Software

            Comment


              #7
              RE: Which label printer?OK to use?

              The problem with most label printers is that they make their money on the labels by making them proprietary. I use a Blaster advantage barcode label printer. The printer itself was about $400 (barcode.com) but the labels are very inexpensive. The regular label printers are great though if you only print a few. To use a barcide printer you might need software like wasp barcode or fiddle with the printer label config more than a regular label printer.

              Russ

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                #8
                RE: Which label printer?OK to use?

                I am trying to set up a simple label format using a new Dymo label
                printer for a client and cannot get the labels to print properly in
                Landscape mode. Is there a trick to configuring this?
                Can you provide any info as to how you were able to get labels to print
                in landscape mode onto standard "address labels"?
                Even if I set the print mode to landscape, the label text tries to print
                in portrait mode.
                Any help would be appreciated.

                Steven Gordon
                ICBS
                email: [email protected]

                Comment


                  #9
                  RE: Which label printer?OK to use?

                  Steve,

                  Does your label printer's list of available fonts include any for 'vertical' printing... that's the terminology my Seiko label printer uses for 'landscape' mode.

                  -- tom

                  Comment


                    #10
                    RE: Which label printer?OK to use?

                    Actually it DOES specify "landscape" mode. When that is set (to landscape), the label "direction" within the Alpha5 label design is elongated - however - the field data when inserted, does not print in landscape and thus the system cannot "fit" the data on the prescribed label format. Not sure how else to explain what is happening. I must be doing something wrong but not sure WHAT??

                    Comment


                      #11
                      RE: Which label printer?OK to use?

                      We printed shipping labels using Alpha5 and four thermal transfer printers for years...about 70,000 labels a year.

                      If you need that that kind of volume, and not just occasional address labels, look to an industrial strength printer, such as Zebra, and expect to pay about $1200 each.

                      We used thermal transfer (which means separate ribbon) rather than thermal (which means heat sensitive paper). We also used custom, three part 4 X 6 labels with waterproof vinyl coating and removable adhesive. The point is, there are lots of options, so decide exactly what you need.

                      Also, for that size label, we needed 1.5 meg memory in the printer and a parallel interface, rather than serial, for the speed.

                      These printers are also quirky. You have to set memory allocations and they require a lot of fiddling to set up. Like many things in computing, some times they go bad and you don't know why, then you fix them and you don't know how. Also, to get a readable barcode, you need to clean the printhead every time you change the ribbon.

                      For internal use in a harsh industrial environment, we bought $300 laser printers (Okidata) and considered them disposable. They lasted us 6 months to a year.
                      Pat Bremkamp
                      MindKicks Consulting

                      Comment

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