Hence they are cheaper to buy however with the TSC range, they are still covered by 2 years limited warranty. When printing there are two types of printing – thermal, printer does not need a ribbon as the print head burns the paper – similar to older fax machines and label will discolour if exposed to sunlight. And, thermal transfer where a ribbon is required and is used in applications where a longer lasting label is required. Additionally there are different types of printer ribbons so ask your TSC dealer to advise on the correct one. TSC label printers are also packaged with free barcoding software so enable you to get up and going quicker.