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Setting Up a Practical Automation Ticket Printer

Dave Carr
Dave Carr
  • Updated

In this article we’ll guide you through installing a Practical Automation ticket printer for use with Spektrix.

To connect a Practical Automation ticket printer to Spektrix:

  • Work through each step in the article, following the instructions in each step
  • Pass each checkpoint to ensure a successful installation

TIP: Mistakes made during the installation can be time consuming to rectify. Even if you’ve installed a printer before, we recommend following the steps in this article as described as the installation process may have changed.

Before you install your Practical Automation ticket printer, make sure you’ve installed and registered the Spektrix Box Office App.

 

Hardware and software requirements

Click on each tab below to view the hardware and software requirements.

  • Printer Connection

    This article is for Practical Automation ticket printers that connect to your network via Ethernet. Your PC must be on the same network as your printer and assigned a static IP address.

  • PC Requirements

    To install the printer, you must use Windows 11 Professional. Only one printer can be installed on a PC. If you have multiple Practical Automation printers, you’ll need to install each one on a separate PC.

    TIP: You won’t need to install the Spektrix Box Office App and the ticket printer print driver on every computer you plan on selling tickets from.
    As Spektrix is a cloud-based system, you’ll be able to print from any browser and location including other PCs not connected to the printer.

    You’ll need Administrator privileges on the PC. Without these, you may not be able to install new print drivers or software. If you’re unsure, please check with your IT team before proceeding.

  • Box Office App

 

Installation steps and checkpoints

There are five main steps to setting up a Practical Automation ticket printer:

  1. Powering on the printer and loading tickets
  2. Retrieving your printer’s IP address
  3. Installing the print drivers
  4. Configuring the printer to work with your ticket stock
  5. Adding your printer to the Spektrix Box Office App.

This article will cover steps 1 to 3, once you’ve passed these steps, we’ll signpost you to the articles you need to complete steps 4 and 5.

To ensure you successfully complete each step, there are corresponding checkpoints that you should pass before moving onto the next step. If you fail any checkpoint, follow the troubleshooting steps at the end of the checkpoint.

Before you begin the installation process, you may want to check if your printer is already installed.

  • To check your printer installation, follow these steps:

    1. In your PC system tray, right click on the Box Office App icon and select Open.

    2. In the printers tab under Available printers, check if your printer is listed:


      If your printer is listed, follow the steps in How to add Hardware to the Spektrix Box Office App.

      If your printer is not listed, check to see if your printer is correctly installed.

       

    3. Right click on the start button on your task bar and select Device Manager

    4. Under Print Queues, look for your printer:


      TIP: You may want to uninstall the ticket printer before proceeding through this article. This is to ensure the printer is correctly configured and installed when following the steps in this article.

 

Step 1: Powering on the printer and loading tickets

In this step we’ll guide you through:

  1. Powering on the printer
  2. Loading ticket stock

 

1.1 Connecting the ticket printer to your network

  1. Connect an ethernet cable from your network into the Ticket printer
  2. Plug the Ticket Printer into a power source.
  3. Turn the printer ON.

 

1.2 Loading ticket stock

When loading ticket stock:

  1. The printer will automatically load ticket stock onto the drive roller
  2. To auto-load tickets, the printhead lever on the front left side of the printer must be closed (in the fully downward position).
  3. When powering on the printer, you’ll hear a long beep. This indicates the printer is ready to accept ticket stock
  4. Feed the ticket stock into the rear paper guide until the print mechanism prevents further loading
  5. After a few seconds, the ticket stock will be loaded

 

Checkpoint 1: Test print from the ticket printer

To check that the Ticket Printer is working, try a test print from the ticket printer.

  • To test printing on your printer, follow these steps:

    1. Press SELECT/F0 to place the ticket printer offline. The READY LED will go out.
    2. Press TEST/F1 and a test ticket will be printed.
    3. Press SELECT/F0 to place the printer online again.

    If you can’t print a test ticket, take a look at Why can’t I print tickets? in the Troubleshooting a Practical Automation printer article.

 

Step 2: Retrieving your printer’s IP address

We recommend using a static IP address with your Ticket Printer. A static IP Address ensures that your PC can connect with your Ticket Printer every time it is restarted.

To install your printer, you’ll need to provide your printer’s IP address. Your printer’s IP address will be displayed on a system status report.

To print the system status report, follow these steps:

  1. Turn off the ticket printer
  2. Press and hold Select/F0 on the printer while turning the printer on until you hear a beep or the system status report prints.

This will print a System Status Report containing printer information including the IP Address. The Ticket Printer’s default IP Address is 192.186.1.1. However, if your Ticket Printer has been previously set up, it may be different.

 

Checkpoint 2: Checking your printer is connected to your network

If you use more than one Practical Automation Ticket Printer, each printer must have a different static IP address.

To check your printer is connected to your network, you’ll need to perform a ping test. Follow these steps:

  1. Power on your printer
  2. Click the Windows / Start button in your taskbar. Type CMD and press enter.
  3. In the Command Prompt window, type “ping” leave a space, type the IP address of your printer and press Enter. For example ping 192.168.1.1
  4. If your Ticket Printer has a static IP address, it should return data.
  5. Turn the printer off.
  6. Repeat step 3 again. This test should fail as the Ticket Printer is powered off.

Checkpoint 2:

If the ping test returns data after the printer is powered off, this means another device is using that IP address. You’ll need to change the IP address of the printer. Contact your IT team for further assistance.

 

Step 3: Installing the print driver on your Windows PC

  1. Click the Windows / Start button in your taskbar. Type Printers and select Printers & scanners from the available options.

  2. Under Printers & scanners, click Add device:

  3. Click Add manually next to The printer that I wasn’t isn’t listed:

  4. In the Find a printer by other options screen, select Add a printer using an IP address or hostname. Click Next:

  5. In the Type a printer hostname or IP address screen:

    • Select TCP/IP Device from the Device type dropdown
    • Next to Hostname or IP address, enter your printer’s IP address
    • Next to Port name, enter a printer name which is easily recognisable in Spektrix. If installing more than one printer, give each printer a unique name.
    • Leave checked Query the printer and automatically select the driver to use.
  6. Click Next.

  7. In the Additional port information required screen, select Custom and click Settings:

  8. In the Port Monitor screen, under Raw Settings, enter 10001 next to the Port Number. Click OK to save:

  9. Back in the Additional port information required screen, click Next.

  10. In the Install the printer driver screen, under Manufacturer, select Generic. Under Printers, select Generic / Text Only. Click Next:

  11. If prompted, select Use the Driver that is Currently Installed and click Next.

  12. Enter a printer name. If you are installing additional Ticket Printers, give each ticket printer a different name. For example, PA Printer 1 or PA Printer Box Office. Click Next:

  13. In the Printer Sharing screen, select Do not share this printer. Click Next:

  14. Once you’ve successfully added the Ticket Printer, click Print a test page. Once the test page has printed, click Finish.

 

Checkpoint 3: Checking the printer has installed correctly

Once you've completed the installation, the next step is to check that the ticket printer has been successfully installed on your PC. For instructions on how to check in Windows Printers & scanners and Device Manager, click each of the tabs below.

  • To check your printer installation in Windows Printers & scanners, and run a test print, follow these steps:

    1. Click the Windows / Start button in your taskbar. Type Printers and select Printers & scanners from the available options.

    2. In Printers & scanners, you should see your ticket printer:


    3. Select your printer and click Print Test Page.

    If you can’t see your printer or test print from Windows, you’ll need to uninstall and reinstall the printer drivers.

  • To check your printer installation in Windows Device Manager, follow these steps:

    1. Right click on the start button on your task bar and select Device Manager

    2. Under Print Queues, look for your printer:


If you can’t see your printer, you’ll need to uninstall and reinstall the printer drivers.

 

What’s next?

Once you’ve connected, configured and installed your printer, you’re ready to move onto the next step: Configuring a printer to work with your ticket stock.

If you’ve already completed this step, move onto How to add Hardware to the Spektrix Box Office App.