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Free Telepen barcode generator.
Telepen, a British barcode common in UK libraries, encodes all 128 ASCII characters. Type your text; the generator adds the check character.
How to create a Telepen barcode
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01
Set readers to Telepen ASCII
The bars do not show ASCII or numeric mode, so set your readers to Telepen ASCII: this generator makes ASCII symbols.
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02
Set 3 pixels per module
At Resolution (dpi) 300, Module width 3 Pixel gives 0.254 mm, the low end of the inventor's recommended range.
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03
Add quiet zones in your layout
The image has no quiet zone by default: leave at least 6.35 mm per side, TEC-IT's general rule.
What is a Telepen barcode?
Telepen is a linear barcode for all 128 ASCII characters without shift characters, devised in 1972 by SB Electronic Systems. Each 16-module character uses two widths at 3:1, and a modulo 127 check character precedes the stop. A numeric mode packs two digits into one character.
Telepen in UK libraries: books and cards
SB Electronic Systems states that most UK academic libraries use Telepen, as do many public libraries, the motor industry and the Ministry of Defence. AdvaNova, as the company now trades, prints accession-number labels and library cards.
AdvaNova's camera reader lists Telepen ASCII and Telepen Numeric as separate codes. Its data sheet advises enabling only the codes you need: a less reliable symbology can decode foreign patterns as a valid read.
Two widths and a 0.4-module print tolerance
Telepen's inventor calls it easy to print: no bar or space should deviate from nominal by more than 0.4 module. Even parity, a valid stop code and the modulo 127 check guard against misreads.
On laminated labels, laser light diffusing through the plastic strengthens wide spaces, so the inventor expects spaces to need more printer dots than bars. The drawing uses 0.254 mm, the size TEC-IT's reference lists.
Telepen Alpha online, numeric Telepen in TEC-IT software
Telepen Alpha downloads free as GIF, PNG or JPG; SVG and higher print resolution come with a plan. One barcode needs no account; for a run of accession labels, sign in for free and fill a data sheet.
For numeric Telepen, TEC-IT's Barcode Reference, which covers TBarCode SDK and Barcode Studio, lists a symbology of its own. Barcode Studio imports data from text or CSV files or counts up serial numbers.
Telepen at a glance
- Character set
- ASCII 0–127; numeric mode 00–99, 0X–9X
- Check character
- Modulo 127, always present
- Module width (X)
- At least 0.19 mm in open systems; tolerance ±0.4X
- Quiet zone
- Not specified in TEC-IT's reference; general rule 10X, min. 6.35 mm
Telepen compared with related barcodes
Full ASCII too, in 11-module characters: 156 modules for ABC-abc-1234, not 240.
Lower case needs Code 39 Extended pairs such as +A: 271 modules for the example.
Frequently asked questions
Learn more about Telepen.
What is the difference between Telepen and Telepen Alpha?
Can I create numeric Telepen online?
'=Siu for 1234567890, and hide the text line. Pairs 00–04 and 0X–9X need escape sequences.
How is the Telepen check character calculated?
Which scanners read Telepen?
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