Argox F1 User Manual
F1 User’s Manual
Website: http://www.argox.com
1
Proprietary Statement
This manual contains proprietary information of Argox Information Co., Ltd. It is intended solely for the
information and use of parties operating and maintaining the equipment described herein. Such
proprietary information may not be used, reproduced, or disclosed to any other parties for any other
purpose without the expressed written permission of Argox Information Co., Ltd.
Product Improvements
Continuous improvement of products is a policy of Argox Information Co., Ltd. All specifications and signs
are subject to change without notice.
FCC Compliance Statement
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant
to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful
interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency
energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference
to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that the interference will not occur in a particular
installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can
be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the
interference by the following measures:
Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver.
Connect the equipment into a different outlet on a different circuit.
Consult the dealer or an experience Radio/TV technician for help.
This unit was tested with shielded cables on the peripheral devices. Shielded cables must be used with
the unit to insure compliance. The user is cautioned that any changes or modifications not expressly
approved by Argox Information Co., Ltd. could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.
Liability Disclaimer
Argox Information Co., Ltd. takes steps to assure that the company’s published engineering specifications
and manuals are correct; however, errors do occur. Argox Information Co., Ltd. reserves the right to
correct any such errors and disclaims any resulting liability. In no event shall Argox Information Co., Ltd. or
anyone else involved in the creation, production, or delivery of the accompanying product (including
hardware and software) be liable for any damages whatsoever (including, without limitation, damages for
loss of business profits, business interruption, loss of business information, or other pecuniary loss)
arising out of the use of or the results of use of or inability to use such product, even if Argox Information
Co., Ltd. has been advised of the possibility of such damages.
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A LETTER TO OUR CUSTOMERS
Dear Customer,
Congratulations on selecting the Argox F Series label printer! You have made
an excellent choice. This manual is intended to help you get to know your new
printer. There are two parts: an operation guide and a technical reference. In
the operation guide there are illustrations to help you quickly learn the
functions and features of the printer. Information in greater detail is included in
the latter chapters on troubleshooting, maintenance and technical reference.
For your convenience much of this information is presented in table format. We
hope you enjoy your new printer.
Sincerely,
Argox Information Co., Ltd.
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CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 6
PRINTER OVERVIEW ................................................................................................................ 6
Front View ......................................................................................................................... 6
Rear View .......................................................................................................................... 7
Interior View ...................................................................................................................... 8
CONTROL PANEL ..................................................................................................................... 9
CONTROL PANEL BUTTONS .................................................................................................... 10
Ready Mode .................................................................................................................... 10
Setup Mode ..................................................................................................................... 10
CONTROL PANEL LIGHTS ......................................................................................................... 11
PRINTER SETUP .................................................................................................................... 12
UNPACK AND INSPECT THE PRINTER ....................................................................................... 12
PLACING THE PRINTER ........................................................................................................... 13
CONNECTING THE PRINTER TO A POWER SOURCE ................................................................... 13
SELECTING A COMMUNICATION INTERFACE .............................................................................. 14
USB Interface Requirements .......................................................................................... 14
Centronics Parallel Interface Requirements ................................................................... 14
Serial (RS-232) Interface Requirements ......................................................................... 14
COMMUNICATING WITH THE PRINTER ...................................................................................... 16
Before installation ........................................................................................................... 16
Installing the Driver (Label Dr.200) ................................................................................. 16
INSTALLING THE PRINTER DRIVER (SEAGULL DRIVER) .............................................................. 19
INSTALLING USB DRIVER (WINDOWS 98 ONLY) ....................................................................... 24
INSTALLING PRINTER DRIVER (WINDOWS 98 ONLY) ................................................................. 26
USB PLUG AND PLAY FUNCTION............................................................................................. 29
INSTALLING THE USB DRIVER IN WINDOWS VISTA (PLUG AND PLAY) ......................................... 32
OPERATIONS ......................................................................................................................... 36
LOADING A RIBBON ................................................................................................................ 36
LOADING MEDIA..................................................................................................................... 40
Standard Mode ............................................................................................................... 40
Cutting Mode ................................................................................................................... 43
Peel Off Mode ................................................................................................................. 45
CONFIGURATION ................................................................................................................... 48
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PERFORMING CALIBRATION .................................................................................................... 48
PRINTING A CONFIGURATION LABEL ........................................................................................ 48
SELECT OR ADJUST THE MEDIA SENSOR ................................................................................. 50
Select the See-through Sensor ....................................................................................... 50
Adjust the Reflective Sensor ........................................................................................... 50
ADJUST PRINT HEAD PRESSURE ............................................................................................ 51
SETUP MODE ........................................................................................................................ 52
Enter Setup Mode ........................................................................................................... 52
Enter Special Setup Mode .............................................................................................. 52
How to Leave Setup Mode.............................................................................................. 52
PASSWORD PARAMETERS ...................................................................................................... 53
MENU SYSTEM ...................................................................................................................... 54
Basic Setup ..................................................................................................................... 54
Authorised 1 .................................................................................................................... 57
Authorised 2 .................................................................................................................... 60
Special Setup .................................................................................................................. 61
MAINTENANCE ...................................................................................................................... 63
TROUBLESHOOTING ............................................................................................................ 64
ERROR MESSAGES ................................................................................................................ 64
TECHNICAL REFERENCE ..................................................................................................... 65
GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS ..................................................................................................... 65
INTERFACE SPECIFICATIONS ................................................................................................... 69
Serial Interface Specification .......................................................................................... 69
Parallel Interface Specification ....................................................................................... 70
PS2 Keyboard Interface .................................................................................................. 71
USB Interface .................................................................................................................. 71
Auto Polling ..................................................................................................................... 71
APPENDIX A: STAND-ALONE KEYBOARD & BARCODE READER .................................. 72
KEYBOARD ............................................................................................................................ 72
Keyboard Functions ........................................................................................................ 72
BARCODE READER ................................................................................................................ 76
APPENDIX B: CUTTER INSTALLATION ............................................................................... 78
Installing Media and Ribbon with Cutter ......................................................................... 78
APPENDIX C: DISPENSER INSTALLATION ......................................................................... 80
APPENDIX D: SUPER CARD INSTALLATION ...................................................................... 81
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INTRODUCTION
1
LED indicator
2
LCD display
3
Front panel buttons
4
Media door
3 2 1
4
Congratulations on choosing the Argox F Series industrial barcode printer!
This user’s manual, which describes the F-Series printer, will help you get to
know your new printer. This manual includes a guide to operating the printer as
well as related information on maintenance, troubleshooting and technical
reference.
Printer Overview
Front View
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Rear View
1
RS232 Serial Port
2
PS/2 Port
3
USB Port
4
Centronics Parallel Port
5
Power switch (O = Off, I = On)
6
Electronics cover
7
AC power connector
1
2 3 4 5 7
6
7
Interior View
1
Ribbon take-up spindle
2
Media supply hanger
3
Media roll guide
4
Print head module
5
Ribbon supply spindle
6
Media guide
7
Platen roller
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
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Control Panel
1
POWER light
2
ALERT light
3
LCD
4
MENU button
5
ENTER button
6
UP arrow or PAUSE button
7
LEFT arrow or CANCEL button
8
DOWN arrow button
9
RIGHT arrow or FEED button
1
2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9
All controls and indicators are located on the control panel.
The LCD shows the operation status and printer parameters.
The control panel buttons are used to operate the printer and to set
parameters.
The LED indicators show the printer’s operation status or indicate which
control panel buttons are active.
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Control Panel Buttons
Button
Function / Description
MENU
Enter and exit Setup mode.
Press for more than 5 seconds to enter special menu.
LEFT
Arrow/CANCEL
The CANCEL key pauses printing.
When printer has an error, press the CANCEL key to
return to ready mode after resolving the problem.
RIGHT
Arrow/FEED
The FEED key advances one label when the printer is
in stand-by.
UP
Arrow/PAUSE
The PAUSE key temporarily suspends printing. Press
CANCEL to resume printing.
Button
Function / Description
ENTER
The ENTER key selects the function, item, or
displayed value.
Save changes and exit Setup mode.
LEFT
Arrow/CANCEL
Scrolls the LCD to the previous parameter.
RIGHT
Arrow/FEED
Scrolls the LCD to the next parameter.
UP
Arrow/PAUSE
Increases the value.
Scrolls to the next option.
DOWN Arrow
Decreases the value.
Scrolls to the previous option.
The printer has six basic control buttons on the control panel. Some of these
buttons also work as selection keys. The selectable modes and related
functions of the printer key are detailed below.
Ready Mode
Setup Mode
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Control Panel Lights
Light
Status
Function / Description
POWER
On
The printer power is turned on.
Off
The printer power is turned off.
ALERT
Blinking
ALERT blinks when an error
occurs.
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Printer Setup
Ribbon core
Ribbon core adaptor
CD-ROM
Media hanger
Printer
Power cord
USB cable
Quick Guide
Unpack and Inspect the Printer
After unpacking the box, check to make sure you have the following items.
Printer
Power cord
An extra ribbon core
Ribbon core adaptor
Media hanger
USB cable
CD-ROM
Quick Installation Guide
Note: If there are any items missing or damaged, please contact your
reseller or distributor.
12
Placing the Printer
Power Switch
Before setting up and connecting the printer, please consider the following:
Find a solid surface that is large and sturdy enough to accommodate the
printer. Choices could include a table, countertop, desk, or cart.
This printer is designed to function in a wide range of environmental and
electrical conditions. Please make sure to clear the ground and isolate the
power adapter from other electrical cables.
Isolate the power cord from other electrical cables.
Warning！Do not operate the printer in an area where it might get wet.
Connecting the Printer to a Power Source
Connect the printer to a power source, as follows:
1. Make sure the power switch is in the off (O) position.
2. Plug one end of the power cord into the power jack on the back of the
printer, and the other end of the cord into an AC electrical outlet.
3. Turn on (I) the printer.
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Selecting a Communication Interface
This printer comes with a USB interface, a standard Centronics parallel
interface, and a nine-pin Electronics Industries Association (EIA) RS-232 serial
data interface.
USB Interface Requirements
The Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface is compatible with your existing PC
hardware. The USB’s “plug and play” design makes installation easy. Multiple
printers can share a single USB port/hub.
Centronics Parallel Interface Requirements
You can connect the printer to the host computer’s parallel port using any
standard Centronics cable. The required cable must have a standard 36-pin
parallel connector on one end, which is plugged into the parallel port located
on the back of the printer. The other end of the parallel interface cable
connects to the printer connector at the host computer. For pin-out information,
please refer to the Technical Reference in this manual.
Serial (RS-232) Interface Requirements
The required cable must have a nine-pin "D" type male connector on one end,
which is plugged into the mating serial port located on the back of the printer.
The other end of the cable connects to a serial port on the host computer. For
technical and pin-out information, please refer to the Technical Reference in
this manual.
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RS-232 Serial Port
USB Port
Centronics Parallel Port
Notes:
1. The Centronics port allows a much higher communication speed than
the serial port.
2. The pin assignment of the cable used for this serial port is different than
serial cables used for a PC. Please contact your local Argox reseller if
you need this cable.
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Communicating with the Printer
The bundled printer driver can be applied to all applications under Windows
98/2000/2003/Windows XP and Windows Vista. With this driver you can run
any popular Windows software applications such as MS-Word and print to this
printer.
Before installation
1. Check the contents of the driver to ensure it is completed.
2. Make a backup copy of the driver.
Installing the Driver (Label Dr.200)
1. Double click the driver file (Label Dr. 200) to execute in Windows.
2. Click "Next".
3. Select a driver for your
printer and click "Next".
For F1, you should select
Argox F1(203 dpi).
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4. Select the port of the
printer and click "Next".
5. When the related files
have been copied to
your system, click “Next”.
6. After the installation
is complete, click “Finish”.
7. Click “ Yes” to restart your
computer.
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Notes:
1. If you are updating the driver, make sure the previous version has been
removed.
2. If you install new bar code application software such as ArgoBar,
LabelView or CodeSoft, you should activate the Label Dr. 200 driver
and set it as the current printer driver.
3. If you install new bar code application software such as Bartender Ultra
Lite, you should activate the seagull driver for Argox printers.
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Installing the Printer Driver (Seagull Driver)
1. Double click the driver file
to execute in Windows.
2. Click "Next".
3. Select ”Install printer drivers”
and click “Next”.
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4. Select a driver for your
printer and click "Next" .
Please select “Argox F1 PPLB”.
5. Select the port of the printer
and click "Next.
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6. Enter a specify Printer Name
“Argox F1 PPLB” and click “Next”
7. Click “Finish” to complete the
installation.
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8. After the related files have
been copied to your system,
click “Finish”
9. After the installation is
completed, click “Close”
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Notes:
4. If you are updating the driver, make sure you remove the previous version first.
5. If you install new bar code application software such as ArgoBar, LabelView or
CodeSoft, you should activate the Label Dr. 200 driver and set it as the current
printer driver.
6. If you install new bar code application software such as Bartender Ultra Lite, you
should activate the seagull driver for Argox printers.
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Installing USB Driver (Windows 98 Only)
Note: Uninstall the printer driver before installing the USB driver.
1. Connect the label printer to a
computer with a USB cable.
2. Turn on the printer’s power.
3. The window “Add New
Hardware Wizard” will
pop, click “Next”.
4. Select ”Search for the best
driver for your device.
(Recommended)”, click “Next”.
5. Select new driver location,
Click” Next”
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6. Click “ Next”
7. Click “ Finish”
8. Click “ Next”
Note: After the USB driver is installed, you could refer to next page to install the
printer driver.
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