Recommended Equipment
In this article, we'll cover our recommended hardware components for using CellarTracker barcodes. We strongly recommend the use of DYMO LabelWriter printers, as they offer the most automated and integrated solution. We've partnered with Barcodes, Inc. to provide a one-stop shopping portal for all of our recommended hardware at competitive prices.
Label Printers
A Windows or Mac computer is required. DYMO printers do not support printing from the web on iOS and Android devices.
We recommend the DYMO LabelWriter series printers. Within that family, the following printers are the most common:
- DYMO LabelWriter 450 Turbo: connected directly to your computer via USB and supports a single spool of labels. (Note that these are discontinued but continue to work very well.)
- DYMO LabelWriter 450 Twin Turbo: connected directly to your computer via USB and supports two spools of labels at the same time. This can be helpful if you routinely use your DYMO to print on other sizes of labels, as you can have two different types loaded into the printer at once. (Note that these are discontinued but continue to work very well.)
- DYMO LabelWriter Wireless: connected to your computer via WiFi or USB and supports a single spool of labels. (Note that these are discontinued but continue to work very well.)
- DYMO LabelWriter 550: connected directly to your computer via USB and supports a single spool of labels.
- DYMO LabelWriter 550 Turbo: connected directly to your computer via USB and supports a single spool of labels.
For label stock, we recommend genuine DYMO labels. Some printers, especially those sold in Europe, require special markings on the back of the labels to enable them to print correctly. The specific size needed depends on which label template you wish to use, and the options are described in detail in the Barcode Label Types article. As of January 2023, we now support the DYMO Connect software which is required to print on a LabelWriter 550 printer. (Please note also that 550 printers will ONLY print on recent, genuine Dymo label stock. They have embedded an RFID tag in the label rolls to force this.)
Handheld Scanners
For simple, one-at-a-time scanning of barcodes, you can use our free mobile apps as a handheld scanner. This works great for marking bottles as consumed as you drink them. If you expect to perform lots of bulk scanning, and want to easily relocate bottles using the scanner or reconcile your inventory, a separate handheld scanner that connects to your Windows or Mac computer will be best. While scanners can connect to iOS and Android devices, they are optimized for use with CellarTracker's full website on a Windows or Mac computer.
Our recommended handheld scanner is the AirTrack S2 series, which is a powerful and high quality 2D scanner. There are two versions available:
- AirTrack S2: A fully wired, USB connected 2D scanner that connects directly to your computer. It includes a stand.
- AirTrack S2-BT: A wireless version of the scanner that also includes a USB base. The base can connect directly to your computer via USB, or you can connect to a USB power outlet for charging and connect the scanner directly to your computer using Bluetooth.
AirTrack scanners purchased from Barcodes, Inc include 30 days of free technical support and setup help, as well as a 3 year warranty. Extended warranties, including those that protect against Accidental Damage, are available. Please reach out to our Barcodes, Inc representative for more information on pricing and coverage.
After purchasing an AirTrack scanner, you will need to adjust the configuration for it to work with CellarTracker using the AirTrack Configuration Guide for CellarTracker.
Other Scanners
CellarTracker barcodes use the following standard barcode symbologies:
- Interleaved 2 of 5 (ITF): Format used for per-bottle labels
- Code 128 Auto: Format used for per-wine labels and location and bin labels
- QR Codes: Format used for per-bottle labels and location and bin labels
Other handheld scanners that can read these symbologies should also work fine, however we cannot guarantee compatibility as we have not tested them directly.
NOTE: For ITF barcodes, please make sure your scanner supports Any Length of ITF barcode, and not just a fixed length. Many scanners will need to be configured to support this by scanning special configuration barcodes. Please review your scanner's manual for details.
Configuration Notes
- AirTrack scanners: The AirTrack Configuration Guide for CellarTracker includes the necessary configuration barcodes.
- Socket scanners: Socket barcode scanners may need to enable support for scanning Any Length of ITF barcode. That can be done with this PDF configuration file. Just scan the proper barcode to configure the scanner.
- CipherLab scanners: Mac users of OSX with CipherLab scanners need to configure their scanner to 'Transmit By Character' with this PDF configuration file.