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How to add Hardware to the Spektrix Box Office App

Dave Carr
Dave Carr
  • Updated

Once you’ve set up your printer, PIN pad or chip reader, you’ll need to add it to the Spektrix Box Office App. The Box Office App is locally installed software that enables hardware connected to your PC to communicate with Spektrix.

TIP: Spektrix Payments terminals do not use the Box Office App to communicate with Spektrix.

 

Getting Started

Before you proceed, make sure you’ve installed your printer, PIN pad / chip reader and the Spektrix Box Office App. Take a look at the following articles for guidance.

 

Spektrix Box Office App

 

Printers

 

PIN Pads /Chip Readers

 

Adding a Printer to the Spektrix Box Office App

To add a printer to the Box Office App, follow these steps:

  1. Right click on the Box Office App icon in the system tray and click Open:

    open_box_office_app_from_system_tray.png

  2. In the Printers tab, select your ticket printer under Available printers. Click > (right arrow) to move to Spektrix Printers on the right:

    select_printer_in_box_office_app.png

  3. In the Add/Edit Printer screen, enter a memorable or descriptive printer name to identify the printer in Spektrix:

    add_edit_printer_screen_in_box_office_app.png

  4. If you are using FGL, check the Print using FGL box. To learn more take a look at Printing using FGL.

  5. Your printer will be displayed under Spektrix Printers:


  6. To test the printer connection, click Test printer.

  7. Click Apply > OK to save these changes.

TIP: Once you add a ticket printer to the Box Office App, it is available for any Spektrix user in your organisation to print from. Ensure that the Box Office App is running on the PC the printer is physically connected to.

 

Printing using FGL

FGL is a print language mainly used by BOCA printers. When creating ticket designs in Spektrix, you can choose between three printing modes:

  1. FGL Basic
  2. FGL Extended
  3. Generic

Using either of the FGL options means you will only be able to use a small number of predetermined fonts. The Extended mode has the most to choose from of the two, but if you are using an older model of BOCA you may find that this mode isn’t supported.

BOCA printers using FGL may print more quickly, and you will have more control over when the printer physically cuts tickets as they are being printed.

With the Generic print mode you may see slightly slower printing, but will have a much wider range of fonts and formatting choices.

You can double-check your ticket designs in the Admin Interface > Document Designs > Tickets. Click the Edit button next to one of your current designs, and then click the Document Properties button:

document-properties-fgl.jpg

If the Printing Mode is set to either FGL Basic or FGL Extended you will need to check the Print Using FGL box in the Box Office App. If the Printing Mode is set to Generic, leave this box unchecked.

TIP: A BOCA Ticket Printer can only print QR codes in Generic mode. You won’t be able to print QR codes using FGL Basic or Extended.

 

Test printing a ticket

Once you have added your Printer to the Spektrix Box Office App, you can test ticket printing by following these steps:

  1. Exit the Box Office App by right clicking on the App icon in your system tray and selecting Exit.
  2. Restart the Box Office App by navigating to C:\Program Files (x86)\Spektrix Ltd\LocalApp\Gui and double clicking on the file named BoxOfficeAppGui.exe.
  3. Right click on the Box Office App icon in the system tray and select Open.
  4. Highlight the printer in the list of Spektrix Printers.
  5. Click Test printer.

Your printer should print a test ticket. If nothing prints, check your printer is set up correctly by following the steps in the relevant article:

 

Adding a PIN Pad / Chip Reader to the Spektrix Box Office App

To add a PIN pad / chip reader, click on the tab depending on your PIN pad / chip reader.

  • To add a Verifone P400 PIN Pad to the Box Office App, follow these steps:

    1. Right click on the Box Office App icon in the system tray and click Open:

      open_box_office_app_from_system_tray.png

    2. Click on the Chip & Pin Terminal tab:

      box_office_app_adding_a_pinpad.png

    Complete the following:

    • Terminal type: SagePay (Integral)
    • Terminal name: Enter a recognisable name to easily identify the PIN Pad in Spektrix
    • Merchant name: Enter your organisation’s name
    • Address: Enter your organisation’s address
    • Guardian V14: Check this box

    TIP: You must check the Guardian V14 box to enable communication between the Box Office App and the P400 Guardian software.

    Click OK to save these changes.

    TIP: Once you add a PIN pad to the Box Office App, it is available for any Spektrix user in your organisation to take an in-person payment from. Ensure that the Box Office App is running on the PC the PIN pad is physically connected to.

  • To add an Ingenico Lane 3600 / 3000 chip reader to the Box Office App, follow these steps:

    1. Right click on the Box Office App icon in the system tray and click Open:

      open_box_office_app_from_system_tray.png

    2. Click on the Chip & Pin Terminal tab:

      box_office_app_adding_a_chipreader.png

    Complete the following:

    • Terminal type: Element (Vantiv)
    • Terminal name: Enter a recognisable name to easily identify the chip reader in Spektrix
    • Merchant name: Enter your organisation’s name
    • Address: Enter your organisation’s address.

    • Lane ID: 9999

      TIP: If using more than one Ingenico Lane, enter the custom Lane ID for the chip reader.

    • Config file path: The location on your computer where the triPOS.config file is stored. For example, C:\Program Files (x86)\Vantiv\triPOS Service.
    • Terminal Port: 8080

    Click OK to save these changes.

    TIP: Once you add a chip reader to the Box Office App, it is available for any Spektrix user in your organisation to take an in-person payment from. Ensure that the Box Office App is running on the PC the chip reader is physically connected to.