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Thread: Fading away

  1. #1
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    Fading away

    I have a old sales receipt for a laptop that you can barely read now. Is there a way to fume it or heat to get so it's readable again. With a bright light and a magnifying glass I can make out most of it. Guess I should get into the habit of foto copying them when there is a warrenty involved.

    thanks, Pete

  2. #2
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    If you've got a digital camera with good macro capability, you might be able to take a pic of it and really mess with it in a picture editor to get it readable. Extreme contrast, saturation, hue, or brightness (less) settings might be able to pull the print out of the background. Might be worth a try anyway.

    Edit:
    Dont know why I didn't think of just scanning it to get the pic if you've got a scanner.
    Use the fence Luke

  3. #3
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    I think Chucky Cheese does this intentionally to their ticket receipts! I had collected a few thinking to save them and get something big for the kids, but after awhile they fade to the point it's unreadable. There oughta be a law, cheating young consumers!

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Doug Shepard
    If you've got a digital camera with good macro capability, you might be able to take a pic of it and really mess with it in a picture editor to get it readable. Extreme contrast, saturation, hue, or brightness (less) settings might be able to pull the print out of the background. Might be worth a try anyway.

    Edit:
    Dont know why I didn't think of just scanning it to get the pic if you've got a scanner.
    Doug,

    Thanks for the reply. One problem with this receipt is the entire back of it has writing printed on it about their policy in english and french. She bought the laptop from Future Shop in Canada. Another reason it's difficult to see the faded printout because the printing on the back is red.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Russ Filtz
    I think Chucky Cheese does this intentionally to their ticket receipts! I had collected a few thinking to save them and get something big for the kids, but after awhile they fade to the point it's unreadable. There oughta be a law, cheating young consumers!
    It must be a store thing to use cheap ink for some reason. With all the printer and ink technology you'd think everyone would have one that lasted a long time. Glad my kids are older now, that Chucky Cheese is a very noisy place. thanks, Pete

  6. #6
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    This is a problem with many receipts. If you buy something with a warranty, you should always make a copy of the receipt, especially if its something with a lifetime warranty.

    I wish I had a solution for you. You might try holding it over a heat source (try it with another receipt). These are usually thermally printed.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dan Gill
    This is a problem with many receipts. If you buy something with a warranty, you should always make a copy of the receipt, especially if its something with a lifetime warranty.

    I wish I had a solution for you. You might try holding it over a heat source (try it with another receipt). These are usually thermally printed.
    Thanks Dan, You don't think of this when you buy something you just tuck it away for safe keeping.

  8. #8
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    Do not hold a thermal printed receipt near heat, the paper will turn black, all of the information on the paper will disappear completely.
    I also think that there is some sort of scam associated with fading receipts. I save all of my receipts that have state taxes on them for my income tax filing and about 10% have lost their information by the time I need the information so I write the information on the receipt when I store them. So far I haven't been audited.
    David B

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by David G Baker
    Do not hold a thermal printed receipt near heat, the paper will turn black, all of the information on the paper will disappear completely.
    I also think that there is some sort of scam associated with fading receipts. I save all of my receipts that have state taxes on them for my income tax filing and about 10% have lost their information by the time I need the information so I write the information on the receipt when I store them. So far I haven't been audited.
    David B
    I agree and now you have to put up with phone reps that don't speak english very clearly. I tried to ask a simple question through HP's support line and I got so frustrated I hung up. Besides the language barrier they don't know much about the product you called about. Thanks for the reply, heat is out now. Guess I'll look for a stronger magnifying glass.

  10. #10
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    I would contact the original company and let them know that you will need them to send you a duplicate reciept.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tim Morton
    I would contact the original company and let them know that you will need them to send you a duplicate reciept.
    I didn't think to try that, I'll have to see if i can see the receipt# on it. Thanks for the reply Tim.

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