TSC Thermal Label Printers Home   Previous   Top   Next   

(Thermal PRICE LABEL printing is available in BCSS Diamond and Virtual.)

Free Tech Support for Labels and Printers Please contact Barcode Warehouse at 888-422-9249 or, email Margie Benton for free help with labels and thermal label printers, or Josef for free TSC printer help at 909-525-9779, extension 101, or service@tscprinters.com

About TSC Printers  |  Installation and Self Test  |  Thermal Labels  |  Print with BCSS  |  BCSS Labels Troubleshooting  |  TSC Troubleshooting  |  Diagnostic Tool  |  User's Guide

Note: It is possible that the CD shipped with the TSC TDP-247 printer will install the printer for XP only. Please download this file for installing the printer driver for Vista/Win 7. Also, others have reported that the TSC TDP 244 and 245 are compatible with BCSS but they have not been tested with BCSS. The TSC TDP-225 is the equivalent of the Zebra 2824 printer which is known to work with BCSS>

Important! When loading the labels, the perforation should be just under the lip of the clam shell with the colored border barely showing. Printing one label should position the next label correctly vertically. Horizontal adjustment may be necessary to align print across the label.

Laptops: Use the same USB port each time. If the port is changed go to Start then Devices and Printers. Right click on the TSC, select printer properties and go to the ports tab. There should be another virtual printer port on the list. Select that one and the printer will print.

Thermal Label Printers

Thermal label printers are more expensive than laser-style printers ($300+ vs. $50+) but there are several advantages to using them:

  1. A roll of 2100 labels  (2.25 x 1.25) is about $8.  (Resaleworld/Liberty: ~$36)
  2. There are no (expensive) ink cartridges.  (Thermal printers use a thermal print head.)
  3. There are no out-of-ink/out-of-paper runs, fewer paper jams, no tray switching...
  4. It's easier to print a few or several labels.
  5. There are no partially-used sheets with which to contend.
  6. The printer doesn't waste labels.
  7. There is a larger variety of adhesive and non-adhesive labels compared to 3 alternatives with sheet labels.
  8. Thermal labels are more attractive and professional in appearance.


TSC TDP-247 Thermal Label Printer

The TSC printer has important advantages over Zebra printers:

  1. The cost of the printer is about $30 less.
  2. The equipment manufacturer is more readily available for support. (909-525-9779, extension 101)
  3. The warranty is 2 years vs. 1 year.
  4. The TSC is reportedly 70% faster.
  5. There are fewer operating problems.
  6. Installation and configuration are easier.
  7. Zebra printer names and models are complex and confusing.

TSC Installation and Self Test

The Quick-Start Guide and User's Guide are available online, as well as downloads for manuals, drivers, installation video and Windows dynamic library.

  1. If the installation disk is not available, download and save the driver to the Desktop.
  2. Click on the saved file to begin the installation (or insert the CD to start the installation).
  3. Click on Run.
  4. Accept the terms of the license agreement.
  5. Accept the default location for the installation (C:\Seagull).
  6. Leave both options checked on the Installation-Information screen and click Finish.
  7. On the Driver Wizard, leave 'Install printer drivers' selected and click Next.
  8. Select TSC TDP-247 and click Next. (The computer may take several seconds to respond.)
  9. Select USB for the port and click Next.
  10. Remove the check from 'Use this printer as the default printer'. Leave others settings as they are and click Next.
  11. Click Finish then Close.
  12. Make sure the printer is connected to the PC, has labels loaded and is turned on.
  13. Go to Start, Control Panel, Devices and Printers.
  14. Right click on the printer listing and select Printer Properties.
  15. Click on Print Test Page. If a label doesn't print, see TSC Troubleshooting or call TSC free support (909-525-9779, extension 101). (Please do not call BCSS Support because this is not a BCSS issue.)

Test the Printer with BCSS

Proceed only if the printer self test was successful:

  1. In BCSS, have at least one inventory item entered (with a quantity of 1).
  2. On the Main Menu, select File (then Program Setup):

  3. Select Inventory:

  4. 'Secret Codes' can be printed on labels to let store employees (but not buyers) know the disposition of each unsold item. Check this option to print Disposal Codes on labels.
  5. Check to print Discount Schedules.
  6. Check to print bar codes or not.
  7. Select Printers:

  8. Select the TSC from the drop-down menu to the right of 'Print Thermal Price Labels'. If the printer isn't listed, install the printer.
  9. Note that font size can be changed for the stub and tear-off sections of a 2-part label.
  10. Select the appropriate label type (sticky (adhesive) or non-sticky (non-adhesive 'Hang Tag')) and size (or select the Jewelry Butterfly label).

    The label choices here must match exactly the type and size of label loaded in the printer.


    (Be careful when selecting 2.25 x 1.25. Both adhesive and non-adhesive are available in that size.)

  11. Place a check in 'Check this box to include bar codes...' if bar codes are to be printed. (See above.)
  12. Click Save/Exit.
  13. On the Main Menu click on Labels.
  14. Click on Select Labels to Print.

  15. Check an item and click OK. The label should print. If it does not, refer to BCSS Troubleshooting.

Turn the printer off and back on periodically to refresh.

TSC Troubleshooting

TSC’s Diagnostic Utility is an integrated tool incorporating features that enable you to explore a printer’s settings/status; change a printer’s settings; download graphics, fonts and firmware; create a printer bitmap font; and send additional commands to a printer. With the aid of this powerful tool, you can review printer status and settings in an instant, which makes it much easier to troubleshoot problems and other issues.

Laptops: Use the same USB port each time. If the port is changed go to Start then Devices and Printers. Right click on the TSC, select printer properties and go to the ports tab. There should be another virtual printer port on the list. Select that one and the printer will print.

Printer Doesn't Work - Labels Won't Print

If the printer doesn't print after it has been plugged in, connected to the computer, and has paper loaded -

  1. Go to Start, Control Panel, Devices and Printers.
  2. If TSC TDP-247 is not listed, install the printer driver:

  3. Double click on the printer listing. If there a print jobs listed, right click in the box in a white area and select 'Cancel All Documents'. Leave the window open. (It may be necessary to turn the printer off and back on to dump the printer queue.)
  4. Right click on the listing for TSC TDP-247. (The window just opened will minimize. It's icon will be in the taskbar at the bottom of the computer screen. The window can be displayed again by clicking on the icon.)
  5. Select 'Printer properties'.
  6. Click on the Ports Tab and verify that the USB port is selected. If not, select a USB option and click Apply at the bottom.
  7. Click on the General tab.
  8. Press 'Print Test Page'. A label should print.
  9. If the test page does not print, call TSC at 909-525-9779, extension 101 for free support. Let them know that the self test failed. Also refer to page 35 of the User's Guide for troubleshooting suggestions.

BCSS Troubleshooting

Labels Don't Appear in the Print Preview

There is no print preview for thermal labels. When printing thermal price labels, Print Preview in Program Setup (on the General tab) can be turned off (but other print previews for things like invoices and reports won't show either).

Labels Aren't Printing Correctly

The most common cause is that the label type (adhesive, non-adhesive) and size selected in Program Setup doesn't match the label loaded in the printer.

Labels Won't Print

The are numerous causes. The most common is that print jobs are 'stuck' in the printer queue. (Not a BCSS issue)

  1. The most common solution is to turn the printer off and back on. Try a printer self test.
  2. View the print queue to see if print jobs are 'stuck': Go to Control Panel then Device and Printers then right click on the TSC TDP-247. Click 'See What's Printing'. Right click in the box in the white area and select Cancel All Documents. (Sometimes the printer is locked up and this won't work. If not, turn the printer off/on.) Try a printer self test.
  3. In BCSS on the Labels Screen, labels won't print for items with quantity of zero if 'Quantity Greater Than 0' is checked (at the top).
  4. On the Labels Screen, labels won't print for items that are excluded by any filters that are set.
  5. Multiple labels for the same item won't print if 'Label Quantity = Item Quantity' is not checked. (lower left on the Labels Screen)
  6. Labels won't print if 'Thermal Labels' is not selected as Style (lower right on the Labels Screen)
  7. Bar codes won't print if 'Check this box to include bar codes on price labels' is not check (Program Setup, Printers tab)
  8. Complete Discount Dates and Prices can only be printed on labels that are large enough. They cannot be printed on jewelry labels or 2 x 1 or 3 x 1.25 labels.
  9. If the Discount Schedule is being printed on the price label, it is because 'Show discount price schedule on pricing labels' is selected in Program Setup, Inventory. The first price in the Discount Schedule is the Current Price.

Print is Cropped

In Program Setup on the Printers tab, choose smaller font sizes for tear-off and/or stub settings.

Only One Label Prints

In BCSS click on Labels on the Main Menu. On the Labels Screen, check 'Quantity Greater than 0" (at the top) to print labels only for items in inventory, and check 'Label Quantity = Item Quantity' (lower left) to print multiple labels for items with quantity greater than 1.

The TSC TDP-247 Direct Thermal Label Printer

TSC Thermal Bar-Code Label Printer
TSC TDP-247
Thermal Printer

Standard 4 MB Flash Memory - 8 MB SDRAM - 200 MHz processor for fast printing in a 203 dpi resolution. Speeds up to 7 IPS (75% faster than the Zebra LP2844). Supports TSC, EPL (Eltron) and ZPL (Zebra) programming languages. Holds up to a 5” roll on a 1” core. Adjustable media sensor for use with gap, black mark and notch media. Bartender Ultralite labeling software. 2 year limited warranty (twice that of Zebra). USB 2.0/Parallel/Serial  Features and Specs | Quick-Start Guide | Manual | Driver | TSC Website

For free email support, send us an email. (Add the domain name mm.st to your email program's Approved Senders List or White List to lessen the chance that spam filters will block our emails to you. (Instructions) For phone and remote PC help, contact: Joy Archer, enJoy Consigning Services, 972-898-7921 (NY), Email, or Kerri Samples, KLS Pro Setup, 912-245-7831 (GA), Email