Overview
We support two Ticket Printer models: Stimare and BOCA. Both work with our platform, but they differ in ease of setup and cost.
NOTES:
Direct printing is not currently supported in Line-Up. On a Transaction page you can download the Ticket as a PDF, which can then be sent to your printer.
If you would like help ordering a printer, please contact Support. We have direct contacts at both Stimare and BOCA and can advise accordingly.
What you need before setup
There are two parts to setting up a printer:
Ticket design
Ticket stock configuration
Before you begin, you'll need the following for testing:
The physical Ticket stock — specifically where the perforation is and where the black notch is.
The exact measurements/spec of the Ticket, or a physical copy
Your desired Ticket design (orientation, layout, content)
What is the notch? — The black notch is a sensor reference point on the Ticket stock. The printer uses it to detect where each Ticket starts and ends, so it knows where to cut.
Choosing ticket stock
Both Stimare and BOCA printers use direct thermal stock — the paper reacts to heat from the print head, so there is no ink or toner to replace. Ordinary paper will not print. Stock comes as either a roll or fanfold (concertina-folded bundles); both are supported.
NOTE - ticket stock needs to match your specific printer model, not just the brand. Confirm the model before ordering, and always order a small test batch and run a test print before committing to a bulk order.
Where possible, we'd recommend buying stock from the printer manufacturer. Both Stimare and BOCA manufacture their own stock alongside their printers.
Whoever you order from, be ready to specify:
Ticket width and length
Whether you need a notch/black mark, and where it sits
Paper weight (GSM) or thickness
Any perforation for a tear-off stub, and where it sits
Pre-printed branding on the front and/or reverse, and any security features (holograms, UV ink, sequential numbering)
Stimare stock
Width — 20mm to 82.5mm (roughly 3.25"), in 2mm steps. Length is flexible.
Weight — 80gsm to 255gsm is the recommended range, though some models will handle heavier card up to 350gsm.
Type — fanfold or roll thermal paper with a notch/black mark. For rolls, the maximum external diameter is 300mm with a 25mm internal core, and the paper end should not be attached to the core.
Stimare's sensors can detect the black mark on either the thermal or the non-thermal side of the ticket, so stock with the mark on the reverse is fine.
Order via Stimare's ticket and wristband stock page.
BOCA stock
Width — must match your printer's paper path width. BOCA build to 2", 2.125", 2.5", 2.7", 3", 3.25" and 4" paths. Ticket width is the nominal path width +0.000"/-0.030", so this is a tight tolerance and needs to be right.
Length — minimum 1.5" on most models (3.2" on the Lemur-Z). The most commonly used size for live events is 2" x 5.5".
Black mark — minimum 0.5" high and 0.25" wide. Its distance from the leading edge depends on both the ticket length and the paper guide fitted (standard, cinema, Lemur-C, or Lemur-Z/X), so always quote your printer model when ordering.
Perforation — no more than 25% of the width, and strong enough that tickets don't separate accidentally as they feed through.
No black ink should appear in the sensor zones, or the printer may misread it as the mark.
Full dimensions are in BOCA's ticket specification sheet. For magnetic stripe or non-thermal stock, BOCA ask to review samples before purchase.
Setting up a Stimare printer
NOTE - As per Stimare's official guide, Windows is recommended for set-up. Mac is also supported, but is less documented.
Install the print drivers
Download and install the Stimare print drivers from the Stimare website before connecting the printer to your computer
NOTE - always install the drivers before plugging the printer in. Connecting the printer first can cause driver conflicts.
Orient the printer correctly
The front of the Stimare printer is the side where the Stimare logo is printed. Make sure the printer is facing the right direction before loading ticket stock
Enter USB mass storage mode
NOTE - this mode lets you access and edit the printer's configuration file from your computer.
Press LF to enter the setup menu
Press FF (feed forward) to cycle through settings
Navigate to USB mass storage and set it to Enabled. Once enabled, the printer will appear as a flash drive on your computer.
Open it to access the configuration files.
Configure the paper/ticket stock settings
Open the print settings file on the flash drive. You must define the Ticket stock type before setting the paper width, otherwise the setting may not apply correctly:
Paper width — the width of your ticket stock
Notch distance — the length between the edge of the ticket and the black notch line
Min notch width — the minimum width of black that the sensor should look for
Save settings and exit mass storage mode
Once you've finished editing the settings, save the file and turn off USB mass storage mode on the printer. The drive will disappear from your computer — this is expected.
To reopen the settings later, go back into the printer's setup menu and re-enable USB mass storage.
Test print
With the driver installed and paper settings saved, attempt a test print. Use LF to manually feed paper through the printer if needed.
Also check your Stimare settings for:
Cut point — configure whether the printer cuts after each individual Ticket or after the entire print job
Print rotation — adjust if Tickets are printing upside down
Setting up a BOCA printer (Windows)
NOTE - BOCA printers can be set up on either Windows or macOS. Windows is recommended and is the better documented route — for macOS, see the next section. BOCA's official Windows driver installation guide covers all the steps in detail, so it's best to refer to it alongside the steps below.
BOCA's standard Windows driver requires an Intel or AMD processor. A separate ARM driver is available from BOCA if needed.
Install the print drivers
Download the BOCA printer drivers from the BOCA Systems website
Install the drivers before connecting the printer to your computer
BOCA offers three driver types — use the FGL driver unless advised otherwise, as this is BOCA's preferred driver for ticket printing. PCL is a legacy option; Generic Text is for specific ticketing systems only
Connect the printer
Once drivers are installed, connect the printer via USB
Windows should automatically detect and install the printer. Verify by going to Control Panel > Devices and Printers — your BOCA printer should appear in the list
If it does not appear, you may need to add it manually via Add a Printer and select the correct BOCA driver (FGL or PCL, matching your printer's firmware version and DPI — 200 or 300)
Configure the ticket/paper size
Go to Printers and Faxes, open File > Server Properties, and select the Forms tab
Check Create a new form and enter the exact width, length and margins for your ticket stock
For FGL drivers: Portrait mode — top and right = 0, bottom and left = 0.01; Landscape mode — bottom and right = 0, top and left = 0.01
Click Save Form, then Close
Adjust the guide rail for your ticket stock
Disconnect the printer from mains power before opening the cover
Adjust the guide rail inside the printer so your ticket stock can pass through correctly
Close the cover and reconnect the power
Load ticket stock
Insert the ticket stock with the coloured/printed side facing up and the leading edge going in first
The black notch/bar on the back of the ticket should face down towards the sensor
Test print
Right-click your BOCA printer in Devices and Printers and select Printer Properties
Click Print Test Page. A successful print indicates the driver and connection are working correctly
Set the BOCA printer as your default printer to streamline ticket printing
Setting up a BOCA printer (macOS)
NOTE - BOCA's Mac drivers only support FGL protocol printers, not PCL. To check which you have, press the printer's TEST button — the self-test ticket shows the protocol (FGL = FGL, HP = PCL). BOCA's official Mac driver installation guide covers the steps in detail, so it's best to refer to it alongside the steps below.
You will need full administrator privileges on the Mac to install the drivers.
Install the print drivers
Download the macOS driver that matches your OS version from the BOCA Systems website. BOCA publish two separate packages — one for Catalina and older, and one for Big Sur and above
Install the drivers before connecting the printer. Open the downloaded .pkg, accept the licence agreement, and enter your Mac password when prompted
Connect the printer
Connect the printer via USB and power it on. The correct driver should install automatically — the driver name varies depending on your printer's DPI and software level
Verify by going to System Settings > Printers & Scanners — your BOCA printer should appear in the list
If you are connecting over Ethernet or Wi-Fi rather than USB, press the TEST button to print a self-test ticket and note the printer's IP address. Then click + to add a printer, choose the IP tab, enter the IP address, and under Use select Select Printer Software…. Search for BOCA and choose the driver matching your printer's DPI (200 or 300)
Configure the ticket/paper size
macOS has no direct equivalent of the Windows Forms tab. Instead, create a custom paper size via Manage Custom Sizes… in the print dialog's paper size dropdown
Enter the exact width and length of your ticket stock, and set the margins to match the FGL values used on Windows (Portrait — top and right = 0, bottom and left = 0.01; Landscape — bottom and right = 0, top and left = 0.01)
Adjust the guide rail for your ticket stock
Disconnect the printer from mains power before opening the cover
Adjust the guide rail inside the printer so your ticket stock can pass through correctly
Close the cover and reconnect the power
Load ticket stock
Insert the ticket stock with the coloured/printed side facing up and the leading edge going in first
The black notch/bar on the back of the ticket should face down towards the sensor
Set the print options
Go to System Settings > Printers & Scanners, select your BOCA printer and open Options & Supplies
Rotation — set this to match the orientation of your ticket stock
Cut options — choose Normal (cut each ticket), Disable (no cut), or Cut last ticket of job only
Test print
Double-click the BOCA printer to open its print queue, then click Printer in the menu bar and select Print Test Page
A successful print indicates the driver and connection are working correctly
Set the BOCA printer as your default printer to streamline ticket printing
Troubleshooting
Tickets are not aligning correctly
Misalignment is the most common issue. Before troubleshooting, double-check that:
The ticket stock is loaded correctly in the printer
The notch distance and min notch width settings match your actual ticket stock
If the stock and settings look correct, run a sensor calibration:
Turn the printer off
Hold the S1 button
Turn the printer back on while holding S1
The printer will feed through some paper and re-calibrate the sensor position.
Printer not detected by computer
This is usually caused by connecting the printer before the drivers were installed. Try these steps:
Unplug the printer
Uninstall any partial driver installs
Reinstall the drivers from the Stimare or BOCA website
Plug the printer back in
On macOS, a BOCA printer that appears without its proper driver icon usually means the install did not complete because of insufficient administrator privileges. Confirm with your IT team that you have the right permissions, then reinstall.
General troubleshooting
ChatGPT can be a helpful resource for printer-specific troubleshooting queries, particularly around driver errors, alignment issues, and configuration syntax.