Help: UPC codes

Subject: UPC codes
From: DADGBE
Date: 17 Apr 00 - 05:09 PM

As an independant musician who is about to produce a CD, I'd love to hear folks' experiences with putting UPC codes on their recordings. Are they necessary? Where can I get them? What's the scoop!

Thanks for your thoughts, Ray Frank

Subject: RE: Help: UPC codes
From: Sorcha
Date: 17 Apr 00 - 05:14 PM

Oh, it is musical. For a minute, there, I thought maybe you were having troubles at the grocery store!! (and wanted us to e mail you the REAL price!) :>)

Subject: RE: Help: UPC codes
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 17 Apr 00 - 06:03 PM

I think the company that manufactures the CD should be able to tell you everything you want to know about this.

Subject: RE: Help: UPC codes
From: GUEST,guest
Date: 17 Apr 00 - 06:07 PM

basic barcoding software, available @most s/w retailers or thru Computer Shopper will allow the printing of UPC barcodes Sig III has a small parallel barcode label printer as well

Subject: RE: Help: UPC codes
From: DADGBE
Date: 17 Apr 00 - 07:39 PM

Well Sorcha, The last time I bought some 7 55518 80105 1 at the grocery store, it didn't seem fresh. But this is for those codes that appear on CD's. (I still call 'em records!)

Subject: RE: Help: UPC codes
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 17 Apr 00 - 08:47 PM

I'll have to look up their address, Ray, but first you have to be assigned a basic number, then you have four digits to add to the assigned ones as the numerical designation of your own product. In the case of a CD, the number 2 follows those (the number 4 indicates "cassette"). Finally, the last number in the series, separate from the rest, is the result of a complicated calculation process that verifies the other numbers.

As to whether or not you really need a bar code on your CD, the answer is "Yes, if you want any of the big outfits to handle it." Borders, etc., and almost all the national distributors insist that items they handle be capable of buzzing through their listing processes via bar code readers. If you and your group are mostly selling it at gigs and through a few local outlets, then it's not all that important, and hardly worth the money it will take to get a number assigned to your "label."

I'll look up the details for you. Give me a day or two. We're just back from NEFFA and have much to deal with right now.

Our best to you and yours.

Sandy

Subject: RE: Help: UPC codes
From: GUEST, The Beast
Date: 17 Apr 00 - 09:11 PM

Ahh, Barcodes.

Included in every barcode are the numbers 666. And, as you all know, this my mark. So remember when you are in the malls and drug stores that every time you swish your Amex or buy your new socks.

That I'll be watching........

?ti t'nsi ypeerC

Subject: RE: Help: UPC codes
From: DADGBE
Date: 17 Apr 00 - 11:16 PM

Hi Sandy,

Bless you, man! That's just what I'm looking for. You always have a lot to deal with and I can only imagine what it's like right now with Lee gone.

Hope NEFFA was all you wanted it to be.

Love to Caroline and the boys (men).

Ray

Subject: RE: Help: UPC codes
From: Homeless
Date: 18 Apr 00 - 08:58 AM

If you go to this site Uniform Code Council, you can find out more than you ever wanted to know about barcodes, including how to get a manufacturer number.

Subject: RE: Help: UPC codes
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 18 Apr 00 - 01:05 PM

Thank you, Homeless. You've saved me a lot of digging around in old files! Go for it, Ray, and post a summary of your discoveries, please. Future CD producers will want to see what you learn.

Sandy

Subject: RE: Help: UPC codes
From: Bert
Date: 18 Apr 00 - 01:54 PM

Ronnie Corbett (of The Two Ronnies) says that he bought a racehorse.

At a supermarket.

Actually it wasn't a racehorse it was a Zebra.

He thought it was a racehorse with a bar code on it!

Subject: RE: Help: UPC codes
From: JedMarum
Date: 18 Apr 00 - 02:58 PM

thanks for this most useful info; Sandy and Homeless!

Subject: RE: Help: UPC codes
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 18 Apr 00 - 06:46 PM

Sandy, useless info for you. I'm not sure what system is used for bar codes but check digits are not that complicated.

First one needs to decide on a modulus and a series of weights to multiply the numbers by.

Lets say the weights we have chosen to use for a five digit number are set at 6,5,4,3,2 and we are using modulus 11.

We have a number say 31602 that we want to create a check digit for using our system.

The first step is to multiply each digit by it's corresponding weight:

ie 6x3=18, 5x1=5, 4x6=24, 3x0=0, 2x2=4

Add these together = 51 and divide by the modulus (11) = 4 remainder 7.

Subtract the remainder from the modulus to get the check digit ie. 11-7=4

So in this case, the final number with the check digit is 316024.

The test comes when the number is read back. The same calculations are used but this time with the check digit included (the weight for a check digit is 1). This gives us 51 as calculated previously + (4x1) = 55. The remainder when divided by the modulus (55/11) is 0. If the remainder is anything other than 0, this indicates an error in input (maybe a number transposed, wrongly read etc).

It may seem laborious by hand but computers love this sort of work and it takes them no time to calculate them.

Jon

Subject: RE: Help: UPC codes
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 18 Apr 00 - 09:30 PM

Jon, my friend, that's exactly what I meant when I described it as a "complicated calculation process." It may be simple to you and even moreso to your computer, but, shucks, I don't even know what a "modulus" is, much less how to use one - or why!

Sandy (math-impaired for all these many years)

Subject: RE: Help: UPC codes
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 18 Apr 00 - 09:57 PM

Well Sandy, keep on doing what you do best. I think it's safe to say that most (if not all) of us round here value that far more than maths.

Jon

Subject: RE: Help: UPC codes
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 18 Apr 00 - 10:00 PM

Bless you, lad! A little vindication goes a long way with me.

Sandy

Subject: RE: Help: UPC codes
From: DADGBE
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 01:00 PM

Hi all,

Thank you all for many useful suggestions. I found the Universal Code Council (thanks to Homeless) and waded through one of the more daunting techno-babble websites I've ever seen.

It boils down to,"cross our palm with 500 samolians (US currency on the barrel head. Step right up, be the first on your block!) and we'll send you your very own manufacturers' identification number (which comes complete with glow-in-the-dark secret decoder ring). Then you can make your very own UPC's any time you want one.

Otherwise, Oasis (and probably other CD duplication services) will provide you one for free.

Sandy, what route does Folk Legacy take? Does your CD manufacturer handle it for you? Do you or anyone else have any tips on different duplication services?

Thanks again, Ray