Digital Equipment DEClaser 1100 Operator's Manual

DEClaser 1100 Printer Operator’s Guide

Order Number EK–DCL11–OP–002

Digital Equipment Corporation Maynard, Massachusetts

First Printing, January 1991 Revised, June 1991

The information in this document is subject to change without notice and should not be construed as a commitment by Digital Equipment Corporation.

Digital Equipment Corporation assumes no responsibility for any errors that may appear in this document.

Any software described in this document is furnished under a license and may be used or copied only in accordance with the terms of such license. No responsibility is assumed for the use or reliability of software or equipment that is not supplied by Digital Equipment Corporation or its afﬁliated companies.

Restricted Rights: Use, duplication, or disclosure by the U.S. Government is subject to restrictions as set forth in subparagraph (c)(1)(ii) of the Rights in Technical Data and Computer Software clause at DFARS 252.227–7013.

The Reader’s Comments form at the end of this document requests your critical evaluation to assist in preparing future documentation.

The following are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation: DECdirect, DEClaser, DECmailer, DECmate, DECservice, LN03, LN03 PLUS, VAX DOCUMENT, and the DIGITAL logo.

IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation and ProPrinter is a trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. PostScript is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems, Inc. HP and LaserJet are registered trademarks of HewlettPackard Company. Microsoft is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation. WordPerfect is a trademark of WordPerfect Corporation.

This document was prepared using VAX DOCUMENT, Version 1.2.

S1703

First Printing, January 1991 Revised, June 1991

The information in this document is subject to change without notice and should not be construed as a commitment by Digital Equipment Corporation.

Digital Equipment Corporation assumes no responsibility for any errors that may appear in this document.

The Reader’s Comments form at the end of this document requests your critical evaluation to assist in preparing future documentation.

The following are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation: DECdirect, DEClaser, DECmailer, DECmate, DECservice, LN03, LN03 PLUS, VAX DOCUMENT, and the DIGITAL logo.

This document was prepared using VAX DOCUMENT, Version 1.2.

S1703

FCC NOTICE: This equipment generates and uses radio frequency energy and if not installed and used properly, that is, in strict accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, may cause interference to radio and television reception. It has been type tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B computing device in accordance with the speciﬁcations in Subpart J of Part 15 of FCC Rules, which are designed to provide reasonable protection against such interference in a residential installation. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause 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 one or more of the following methods.

– Reorient the receiving antenna. – Relocate the computer or peripheral with respect to the receiver. – Move the computer or peripheral away from the receiver. – Plug the computer or peripheral into a different outlet so that they are

on different branch circuits than the receiver.

If necessary, the user should consult the dealer or an experienced radio/television technician for additional suggestions. The user may ﬁnd the booklet How to Identify and Resolve Radio/TV Interference Problems, prepared by the Federal Communications Commission helpful. This booklet is available from the U.S. Government Printing Ofﬁce, Washington, DC 20402, Stock No. 004–000–00345–4.

To meet FCC requirements a shielded parallel cable is required to connect the device to a personal computer or other Class B device.

Contents

Preface ix

Chapter 1 Printer Components

1.1 Functions of the Printer Components .................. 1–1

1.2 Required Operating Space ........................... 1–9

Chapter 2 Operating Information

2.1 Powering the Printer On ............................ 2–1

2.2 Powering the Printer Off ............................ 2–3

2.3 Opening the Paper Tray ............................. 2–4

2.4 Adding Paper ..................................... 2–6

2.4.1 Loading the Paper Tray ........................... 2–7

2.5 Changing the Page Format Size. ...................... 2–11

2.6 Printing on Envelopes .............................. 2–12

2.6.1 Loading Envelopes . .............................. 2–12

2.7 Selecting the Output Tray ........................... 2–18

2.7.1 Selecting the Top Output Tray (Facedown Print) . . . ..... 2–20

2.7.2 Selecting the Front Output Tray (Faceup Print) . . . ..... 2–22

2.8 Adjusting the Print Density.......................... 2–24

2.9 Printing Test Print A . .............................. 2–27

2.10 Printing Test Print B . .............................. 2–30

2.11 Printing the Font List .............................. 2–32

2.12 Using Control Representation Mode ................... 2–34

2.12.1 Entering Control Representation Mode . . ............. 2–35

2.13 Resetting the Printer . .............................. 2–36

2.14 Emulation and Video Modes of Operation . . ............. 2–37

iii

Chapter 3 The Control Panel

3.1 Using the Keypad in Keypad Mode .................... 3–5

3.1.1 Entering Keypad Mode ........................... 3–5

3.2 Using the Keypad in Menu Mode ...................... 3–8

Chapter 4 Printer Conﬁguration

4.1 Entering Menu Mode . .............................. 4–2

4.1.1 Keypad Functions in Menu Mode.................... 4–3

4.2 Reading the Display in Menu Mode .................... 4–4

4.2.1 Displaying Menu and Feature Selections . ............. 4–5

4.2.2 Displaying Menu Values .......................... 4–6

4.3 Printer Conﬁguration Memory . . ...................... 4–6

4.3.1 Operating Memory . .............................. 4–7

4.3.2 ROM (Read-Only Memory) . . . ...................... 4–8

4.3.3 NVRAM (Nonvolatile Random-Access Memory) ......... 4–9

4.3.4 RAM (Random-Access Memory) ..................... 4–10

4.4 Operational Flow in Menu Mode ...................... 4–10

4.4.1 Changing and Saving Values Example Procedure . . ..... 4–12

4.5 Menu Descriptions . . . .............................. 4–14

4.5.1 FEEDER Menu . . . .............................. 4–16

4.5.2 LAYOUT Menu . . . .............................. 4–16

4.5.3 COPY Menu .................................... 4–17

4.5.4 COMMAND Menu . .............................. 4–17

4.5.5 INITIAL Menu .................................. 4–18

4.5.5.1 Macro . ...................................... 4–19

4.5.5.2 Examples Using the Macro Feature . . . ............. 4–21

4.5.5.3 Paint Mode (paint) ............................. 4–22

4.5.5.4 Paper Size (paper) ............................. 4–22

4.5.6 INTERFACE Menu .............................. 4–23

4.5.6.1 Interface Selection (i/f) .......................... 4–25

4.5.6.2 Baud Rate (baud) .............................. 4–25

4.5.6.3 RS232C Data Format (rsmode) ................... 4–25

4.5.6.4 Data Terminal Ready (dtr) . ...................... 4–25

4.5.6.5 Buffer Control (xon/xoff). . . ...................... 4–26

4.5.6.6 End of Text/Acknowledge (etx/ack) ................. 4–26

Chapter 5 Print Media

5.1 Paper Speciﬁcations . . .............................. 5–2

5.1.1 Special Considerations When Printing on Paper . . . ..... 5–3

5.2 Envelope Speciﬁcations ............................. 5–4

5.2.1 Special Considerations When Printing on Envelopes ..... 5–7

5.3 Transparency Speciﬁcations .......................... 5–8

5.3.1 Special Considerations When Printing on Transparencies . 5–8

5.4 Label Speciﬁcations . . .............................. 5–9

5.4.1 Special Considerations When Printing on Labels . . . ..... 5–10

5.5 Paper Handling and Storage . . . ...................... 5–10

5.5.1 Paper Handling . . . .............................. 5–11

5.5.2 Paper Storage .................................. 5–11

Chapter 6 Troubleshooting

6.1 Error Skip Procedure . .............................. 6–2

6.2 Printer Status Messages ............................ 6–3

6.3 Operator Call Messages ............................. 6–4

6.4 Software Error Messages ............................ 6–6

6.5 Service Call Messages .............................. 6–8

6.6 Common Operating Problems . . ...................... 6–8

6.7 Paper Jams ...................................... 6–12

6.7.1 Clearing Printer Paper Jams . ...................... 6–14

6.7.2 Clearing Cassette Paper Jams ...................... 6–22

Chapter 7 Maintenance

7.1 Extending EP-L Cartridge Life . ...................... 7–2

7.2 Replacing the EP-L Cartridge . . ...................... 7–3

7.3 Cleaning the Fixing Assembly . . ...................... 7–10

7.4 Cleaning the Printer . .............................. 7–13

Chapter 8 Service

8.1 Digital Equipment Corporation Services . . . ............. 8–1

Appendix A DEClaser Printer Quick Reference Guide

A.1 Positioning Controls . . .............................. A–2

A.2 Margins and Spacing . .............................. A–5

A.3 Set/Reset Modes ................................... A–10

A.4 Fonts and Character Sets ........................... A–11

A.5 Control Characters. . . .............................. A–17

A.6 Miscellaneous ..................................... A–18

Appendix B Accessories and Supplies

B.1 Ordering Information . .............................. B–3

Appendix C Speciﬁcations

C.1 Operating Speciﬁcations............................. C–1

C.2 Serial Interface Speciﬁcations . . ...................... C–4

C.3 Parallel Interface Speciﬁcations . ...................... C–6

Appendix D LN03 Compatibility

D.1 General Differences . . .............................. D–1

D.2 Printable Area Compatibility . . . ...................... D–2

D.3 Protocol Compatibility .............................. D–2

Glossary

Index

Figures

1–1 Components: Front/Right-Side View ................... 1–2

1–2 Components: Rear/Left-Side View ..................... 1–5

1–3 Components: Inside the Printer . ...................... 1–7

1–4 Operating Space: Top View .......................... 1–10

1–5 Operating Space: Side View .......................... 1–10

2–1 Output Tray Selections ............................. 2–18

2–2 Test Print A ...................................... 2–27

2–3 Test Print B ...................................... 2–30

2–4 Font List . . ...................................... 2–32

3–1 Control Panel ..................................... 3–2

4–1 Sample Menu ..................................... 4–1

4–2 Menu Display..................................... 4–5

4–3 Operating Memory . . . .............................. 4–7

4–4 Operational Flow Chart ............................. 4–11

5–1 Unacceptable Labels . .............................. 5–9

6–1 Paper Jam Areas .................................. 6–13

7–1 Rocking the EP-L Cartridge.......................... 7–3

C–1 RS232C Pin Assignments............................ C–4

C–2 Serial Connections to Modem. . . ...................... C–5

C–3 Serial Connections Without Modem .................... C–6

C–4 Parallel Pin Assignment ............................ C–8

C–5 Parallel Connections . .............................. C–8

Tables

1–1 Printer Components: Front/Right-Side View ............. 1–3

1–2 Printer Components: Rear/Left-Side View . . ............. 1–6

1–3 Printer Components: Internal View .................... 1–8

2–1 Changing Page Format Size .......................... 2–11

2–2 Test Print A ...................................... 2–28

2–3 Printing Test Print A . .............................. 2–29

2–4 Printing Test Print B . .............................. 2–31

2–5 Printing the Font List .............................. 2–33

2–6 Entering Control Representation Mode ................. 2–35

2–7 Resetting the Printer . .............................. 2–36

vii

2–8 Selecting Emulation or Video Mode .................... 2–37

3–1 Control Panel Functions ............................ 3–3

3–2 Entering Keypad Mode ............................. 3–5

3–3 Keypad Functions: Keypad Mode...................... 3–5

4–1 Entering Menu Mode . .............................. 4–2

4–2 Keypad Functions: Menu Mode . ...................... 4–3

4–3 Recalling Factory Default Values from ROM ............. 4–8

4–4 Saving Values in NVRAM ........................... 4–9

4–5 Saving Values in RAM .............................. 4–10

4–6 Changing and Saving Values . . . ...................... 4–12

4–7 Menu Mode Features and Values ...................... 4–14

4–8 FEEDER Menu Features and Values ................... 4–16

4–9 LAYOUT Menu Features and Values ................... 4–16

4–10 COPY Menu Features and Values ..................... 4–17

4–11 COMMAND Menu Features and Values . . . ............. 4–17

4–12 INITIAL Menu Features and Values ................... 4–18

4–13 User Preference Character Set. . ...................... 4–19

4–14 Initialization Message .............................. 4–20

4–15 Device Identiﬁcation . .............................. 4–20

4–16 Macro Feature Examples ............................ 4–21

4–17 INTERFACE Menu Features and Values................ 4–23

5–1 Cassette Feed Paper Sizes ........................... 5–2

5–2 Paper Speciﬁcations . . .............................. 5–2

5–3 Transparency Sizes . . .............................. 5–8

5–4 Transparency Speciﬁcations .......................... 5–8

6–1 Error Skip Procedure . .............................. 6–2

6–2 Printer Status Messages ............................ 6–3

6–3 Operator Call Messages ............................. 6–4

6–4 Software Error Messages ............................ 6–6

6–5 Common Operating Problems . . ...................... 6–9

8–1 Questions to Consider Before You Call .................. 8–2

B–1 DEClaser 1100 Printer Accessories and Supplies .......... B–1

B–2 Ordering Within the U.S.A. .......................... B–3

B–3 Ordering Outside the U.S.A. . . . ...................... B–3

C–1 Serial Interface Pin Assignments...................... C–4

C–2 Parallel Interface Pin Assignments .................... C–7

viii

Preface

The DEClaser 1100 printer uses electrophotographic laser technology to print text and graphics at speeds up to 4 pages/minute with a density of 300 x 300 dots/inch. The printer consists of an engine (print mechanism) and a controller (formatter) that are driven from host-based software to provide shared printer access from the Digital network. The printer is designed as a personal desktop printer for printing up to 5,000 prints per month.

Some of the features of the DEClaser 1100 printer include:

• Capacity for two external (optional) Digital ANSI-compliant font cartridges, or emulation protocol cartridges

• Font downline loading capability

• Support for both serial and parallel interfaces

• Convenient user maintenance (one replaceable supply cartridge)

• Ability to print on paper, envelopes, labels, and transparencies

• Selectable faceup or facedown document delivery

• Support for an external video controller

• Easy-to-read liquid crystal display (LCD) for printer messages

The following options are available for the DEClaser 1100 printer:

• User-installable memory expansion (up to 2 MB)

• Digital ANSI-compliant font cartridges

• Emulation protocol cartridges

• User-installable PostScript upgrade capability

• Paper cassette feeder

• A4, letter-size, legal-size, and executive-size paper cassettes

• Envelope cassette

Software Requirements

Some features of the DEClaser 1100 printer may or may not be available depending on the operating software used by the host computer system and the application software that you are using. For information about the printer features you can use with your application program, consult your application program documentation.

For help choosing the right software package for your application needs, contact your Digital sales representative.

Document Structure

This guide focuses mainly on the operational aspects of the DEClaser 1100 and explains how to use and maintain the printer hardware. For printer installation instructions, refer to the DEClaser 1100 Printer Installation Guide in this binder.

This guide describes the printer components and their functions, such as loading paper, changing the supply cartridge, and using the operator panel. It also covers the proper maintenance procedures to keep your printer operating efﬁciently, and basic troubleshooting techniques for correcting common operating problems. The appendices describe accessories and supplies, operating speciﬁcations, and programming information. A glossary of terms completes the guide.

This guide is organized as follows:

• Chapter 1, Printer Components, describesthe components and features of the DEClaser 1100 printer.

• Chapter 2, Operating Information, covers operating procedures such as powering the printer on, loading paper, and adjusting print density.

• Chapter 3, The Control Panel, covers the use of the printer’s control panel. It describes operational information about the indicators, keys, and message display.

• Chapter 4, Printer Conﬁguration, explains how to conﬁgure the printer so that it can communicate with your computer system. You conﬁgure the printer by selecting features and their associated values from the various setup menus. This chapter also describes how to save the values in memory.

• Chapter 5, Print Media, describes the various printing media that can be used with the DEClaser 1100 printer, including paper, envelopes, transparencies, and labels. It also addresses the proper way to store and handle paper.

• Chapter 6, Troubleshooting, contains basic testing and troubleshooting techniques that allow you to correct common operating problems such as poor printing or paper jams.

• Chapter 7, Maintenance, explains how to care for and maintain the printer. It describes how to replace the electrophotographic laser (EP-L) cartridge, and how to clean the printer.

• Chapter 8, Service, explains how to obtain service if the printer needs repair.

• Appendix A, DEClaser Printer Quick Reference Guide, lists the DEClaser control commands and escape sequences used to program the printer. It is intended as a reference for the experienced programmer.

• Appendix B, Accessories and Supplies, describes the accessories and supplies available for the DEClaser 1100 printer and explains how to order them.

• Appendix C, Speciﬁcations, lists the power, environmental, and physical speciﬁcations of the DEClaser 1100 printer.

• Appendix D, LN03 Compatibility, highlights some of the major differences between the DEClaser 1100 and the LN03 printers.

• The glossary contains deﬁnitions of printer-related terms.

Ordering Additional Copies of This Documentation Set

The documentation set consists of one of each of the following:

• DEClaser 1100 Printer Installation Guide

• DEClaser 1100 Printer Operator’s Guide

• Spine insert for the binder

• Three-ring binder

You can order additional copies of this documentation set from DECdirect as described in the ordering information section at the end of this guide. The ordering number for the documentation is EK–D1100–DK.

NOTE: You cannot order the installation or operator’s guide individually. You can only order the documentation set.

Associated Documents

Several other related manuals are available for use with the DEClaser 1100 printer. Youcan order these optional manuals from DECdirect as described in the ordering information section at the end of this guide.

Those optional manuals are:

• Digital ANSI-Compliant Printing Protocol Level 3 Programming Reference Manual (AA–PBWGA–TE) This manual is for application programmers who create software that produces Digital ANSIcompliant level 3 output. It describes printer protocol character processing and printer control functions.

• Digital ANSI-Compliant Printing Protocol Level 3 Programming Supplement (AA–PBWHB–TE) Contains device-speciﬁc information for programmers who create applications for Digital ANSI-compliant level 3 devices. It is also for programmers who write applications with ANSI output that requires conversion to the PostScript page description language for printing on Digital printers.

• Digital Laser Printers Guide to Paper and Other Media (EK–LASER–GD) This manual is for general users and contains detailed information about buying and storing print media (paper, envelopes, labels, and transparencies) that can be used with Digital laser printers.

xii

Conventions Used in This Guide

The following conventions are used in this guide:

Convention Meaning

NOTE Notes provide important additional information. CAUTION Cautions provide information to prevent damage to

WARNING Warnings provide information to prevent personal injury.

Key

equipment.

A key name is shown enclosed in a box to indicate that key on the control panel. Key names are always shown in initial capital letters. For example:

On Lne

1. Press

to place the printer on line.

Dash (—) A statement preceded by a dash describes the result of a

Check Mark (

UPPERCASE Printer status messages and operator call messages are

Bold Items from the scrolling menus appear as they do on the

) A statement marked by a check mark indicates a special

procedural step. For example:

1. Press — The On Line indicator lights.

instruction related to the procedural step. For example:

1. Insert the paper into the tray until it stops.

shown in uppercase. For example: — The display reads 00 READY.

display (uppercase, lowercase, or initial capital letters) with the menu item shown in bold type. For example:

1. Press

On Line

to place the printer on line.

The right edge of the paper should touch the paper feed guide.

to enter Menu Mode.

— The menu display reads F

ONT/FEED LAYOUT.

xiii

Safety Information

The DEClaser 1100 printer complies with all United States government safety regulations applicable to laser beam light exposure. Read the following information to become familiar with laser safety.

Laser Safety

The DEClaser 1100 printer complies with 21 CFR Chapter 1, Subchapter J, as a Class 1 laser product under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Radiation Performance Standard according to the Radiation Control for Health and Safety Act of 1968. The printer does not emit hazardous light since the laser beam is totally enclosed during all modes of customer operation and maintenance.

WARNING: Use of controls or adjustment procedures other than those speciﬁed in this manual may result in hazardous laser light exposure.

CDRH Regulations

The Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration implemented regulations for laser products on August 2, 1976. These regulations apply to laser products manufactured beginning August 1, 1976. Compliance is mandatory for products marketed in the United States.

xiv

Chapter 1

Printer Components

This chapter describes the components of the DEClaser 1100 printer and their functions. This chapter also provides information about the operating space required to perform day-to-day printing operations.

1.1 Functions of the Printer Components

Figure 1–1, Figure 1–2, and Figure 1–3 show the printer components. Table 1–1, Table 1–2, and Table 1–3 explain the printer components and their functions.

Printer Components 1–1

Figure 1–1: Components: Front/Right-Side View

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1–2 Operator’s Guide

Table 1–1: Printer Components: Front/Right-Side View

Component Function

1. Top Output Tray Printed sheets are automatically collated and stacked

2. Paper Stop Stops the printed paper as it exits the printer. The

3. Font Cartridge Slots These two slots accept the optional font and emulation

4. Power Switch Powers the printer on or off. Pressing ‘‘ |’’ turns

5. Front Cover Release Button Lifting this button unlocks the front cover so it can be

6. Output Tray Selector This selector chooses the output delivery tray. The

7. Paper Tray The paper tray holds paper, transparencies, labels,

8. Extension Tray The extension tray pulls out to support paper or

9. Adjustable Paper Guide The adjustable paper guide slides to the left or right to

(facedown) here.

paper stop helps to stack the paper neatly and can be adjusted for A4, letter-size (LTR), or legal-size (LGL) paper.

protocol cartridges available for the printer.

power on; pressing ‘‘O’’ turns power off. To ensure that data is not lost, always be sure the message display reads 00 READY and the Data indicator is off, before you power off the printer. See Section 2.1 and Section 2.2 for additional information about powering the printer on and off.

opened. The front cover is opened to perform certain printer funtions as such replacing the EP-L or clearing a paper jam.

top position sends paper facedown to the top output tray. The bottom position sends paper faceup to the front output tray. Refer to Section 2.7 for additional information about output paper tray selection.

or envelopes and automatically feeds them into the printer. It can hold approximately 50 sheets of 75

basis weight paper (20 lb.). See Section 2.4 for

g/m more information about loading print media in the tray.

envelopes.

accommodate the paper size you are using. The paper guide minimizes paper jams by aligning the stack of paper so that each sheet of paper enters the printer properly. See Section 2.4 for more information about loading paper in the tray.

cartridge

EP-L stands for electrophotographic laser.

Printer Components 1–3

Table 1–1 (Cont.): Printer Components: Front/Right-Side View

Component Function

10. Fixing Assembly Cover The ﬁxing assembly cover can be opened to access

11. Front Cover The front cover opens so you can replace the EP-L

12. Control Panel The control panel consists of a message display,

13. Front Output Tray

(not shown)

paper jams that occur in the ﬁxing assembly. See Section 6.7 for more information about clearing paper jams.

WARNING: The rollers in the ﬁxing assembly may be hot. Be careful when accessing this area.

cartridge, adjust the print density, and access printer components.

indicator lights, and a keypad. The control panel provides information on printer status and can be used to perform certain printer functions such as resetting the printer or conﬁguring the printer. See Chapter 3 for additional information about using the control panel while printing. Chapter 4 has information about using the control panel to conﬁgure the printer.

The front output tray is used when you want to stack documents faceup. Refer to Section 2.7.2 for additional information about installing and selecting the front output tray.

1–4 Operator’s Guide

Figure 1–2: Components: Rear/Left-Side View

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Printer Components 1–5

Table 1–2: Printer Components: Rear/Left-Side View

Component Function

1. Air Vent The cooling fan exhausts air through this vent. Be

2. Memory Board Access Cover Optional RAM (random-access memory) can be added

3. Power Cord Receptacle This is where the power cord is connected to the

4. Parallel (Centronics)

Interface Cable Connector

5. Video Interface Connector This connector is used to connect an external video

6. Serial (RS232C)

Interface Cable Connector

sure that the printer has adequate space around it to ensure proper ventilation.

to the printer. This access cover allows you to install the optional memory boards easily. Refer to the instructions on the memory board packaging for the installation procedure.

printer. This connector is used when the interface cable from

the host computer is a parallel cable. Refer to the DEClaser 1100 Printer Installation Guide for more information about connecting your computer to the printer.

controller to the printer. Input from an external controller allows the DEClaser 1100 to print custom graphic applications at maximum speed. Consult your external video controller documentation for interface information.

This connector is used when the interface cable from the host computer is a serial cable. Refer to the DEClaser 1100 Printer Installation Guide for more information about connecting your computer to the printer.

1–6 Operator’s Guide

Figure 1–3: Components: Inside the Printer

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Printer Components 1–7

Table 1–3: Printer Components: Internal View

Component Function

1. Print Density Adjustment

Switch

2. EP-L Cartridge The EP-L cartridge contains a photosensitive drum, a

3. Pickup Roller The pickup roller feeds the paper from the paper tray

4. Fixing Assembly The ﬁxing assembly consists of a heat roller and a

5. Transfer Roller The transfer roller is negatively charged to attract the

6. Paper Access Cover This cover can be opened to access paper jams that

Sliding this switch to the left lightens the print. Sliding the switch to the right darkens the print. See Section 2.8 for additional information about setting the print density.

primary charge roller, the drum cleaning unit, toner, and a developing unit.

When print quality problems (such as light print or white streaks) ﬁrst appear, it could mean that the toner is not being distributed evenly. Rock the EP-L cartridge several times to redistribute the toner evenly (see Section 7.2). If the print quality problem continues after rocking the cartridge, it means the EP-L cartridge has run out of toner and you should replace it. Each EP-L cartridge comes with replacement instructions, or see Section 7.2 for instructions if necessary.

into the printer.

pressure roller. Toner is bonded to the paper as it passes between the heat and pressure rollers.

WARNING: The rollers in the ﬁxing assembly may be hot. Be careful when accessing this area.

more positively charged toner from the photosensitive drum. The transfer roller transfers the toner from the drum to the paper.

CAUTION: Do not touch the transfer roller. Fingerprints can contaminate the roller surface. The transfer roller should be clean at all times to ensure optimum print quality.

occur in this area of the printer. See Section 6.7 for more information about clearing paper jams.

WARNING: The rollers in the ﬁxing assembly may be hot. Be careful when accessing this area.

1–8 Operator’s Guide

1.2 Required Operating Space

Always allow ample space around the printer to perform day-to-day printing operations. Figure 1–4 and Figure 1–5 show the minimum amount of space required to perform these operations. See the DEClaser 1100 Printer Installation Guide for additional information about location requirements and environmental conditions.

Printer Components 1–9

Figure 1–4: Operating Space: Top View

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Figure 1–5: Operating Space: Side View

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1–10 Operator’s Guide

Chapter 2

Operating Information

This chapter provides the operating information necessary to perform dayto-day printer operations. It covers typical tasks such as powering the printer on and off, adding paper, or selecting an output tray.

2.1 Powering the Printer On

Power the printer on using the following procedure.

1. Press the power switch on the right side of the printer to the | (ON) position.

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Operating Information 2–1

You should observe the following when you power on the printer:

— All control panel indicators light for a moment. — The Ready indicator ﬂashes and the display reads

02 WARMING UP (assuming that the printer has cooled below operating temperature before it is powered on).

— The Online and Ready indicators remain on and the display reads

00 READY DEC.

NOTE: The display reads 00 READY DEC only if you are using Digital’s ANSI-Compliant Printing Protocol level 3. If you are using an optional protocol such as PostScript or CaPSL, the display shows the protocol being used. For instance, if you are using PostScript protocol, the display reads PS READY/IDLE. Since several protocols can be used with the DEClaser 1100 printer, the remainder of this manual shows the ready message as 00 READY.

If the printer does not power on correctly, refer to Chapter 6 for troubleshooting information.

2–2 Operator’s Guide

2.2 Powering the Printer Off

Power the printer off using the following procedure.

1. Be sure the printer is not printing and that the Data indicator is not on.

CAUTION: Do not power the printer off while it is printing. Powering the printer off during printing causes paper jams and loss of data. Powering the printer off while the Data indicator is on causes the data in the print buffer to be lost.

2. Press the power switch on the right side of the printer to the O (OFF) position.

MLO-005822

NOTE: After powering the printer off, always wait at least two seconds before you power the printer back on. This waiting period ensures that the printer will initialize (cycle) properly when it is powered back on.

Operating Information 2–3

2.3 Opening the Paper Tray

Open the paper tray using the following procedure.

1. Open the paper tray by pulling it toward you.

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2–4 Operator’s Guide

2. Pull the extension tray straight out.

MLO-005815

Operating Information 2–5

2.4 Adding Paper

The printer has a built-in paper tray that can accept paper, transparencies, labels, and envelopes. The tray incorporates a convenient adjustable paper feed guide allowing it to accommodate various media sizes including the following:

• Legal-size paper (8 ½ in. x 14 in.)

• Letter-size paper, transparencies, and labels (8 ½ in. x 11 in.)

• A4-size paper, transparencies, and labels (210 mm x 297 mm)

• Executive-size paper (7 ¼ in. x 10 ½ in.)

• Envelopes ranging in size from 97 mm x 148 mm, up to 216 mm x 356 mm

The paper tray can hold up to 50 sheets of 20 lb. (75 g/m2basis weight) paper. Up to ﬁve envelopes can be stacked in the paper tray. There are optional paper cassettes available to accommodate various sizes of paper. For ordering information about the optional paper feeder and cassettes, see Appendix B.

Here are some general guidelines to follow about the paper used in the printer:

• Use only high-quality paper such as the papers listed in Appendix B.

• Avoid using any paper that is creased, folded, clipped, stapled, or damaged.

• To prevent paper curl (a curved bend in the paper), stack the paper on a ﬂat surface for storage.

• Prevent changes to the moisture content of the paper by storing it properly and rewrapping unused portions. Do not store paper directly on the ﬂoor.

Complete speciﬁcations for print media are in Chapter 5. For more detailed print media information, consult the Digital Laser Printers Guide to Paper and Other Media (see Appendix B for ordering information).

2–6 Operator’s Guide

2.4.1 Loading the Paper Tray

The loading procedure is the same whether you are adding paper, labels, or transparencies to the paper tray. If you are adding envelopes to the paper tray, see Section 2.6.1 for instructions.

NOTE: Forms, envelopes, and letterhead paper must be loaded facedown into the paper tray to print on the correct side. The front output tray must be used for printing on envelopes, labels, or transparencies (see Section 2.7.2).

If you are changing the paper size, you must also change the page format size (printing area) to match the new paper size. When changing the page format size, you need to reset the printer to invoke the new size. See Section 2.5 for information about using format size.

Add paper to the paper tray using the following procedure.

1. Be sure the printer is not printing and that the display reads 00 READY (or 11 TRAY PAPER xx) before adding paper to the tray.

2. Slide the adjustable paper feed guide to the left if you are changing the paper size.

MLO-005965...Actual height is 21.5 picas.

Feeder Select

to change the paper

Operating Information 2–7

3. Tap the stack of paper on a ﬂat surface to align the edges.

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2–8 Operator’s Guide

4. Insert the stack of paper into the tray until it stops.

The right edge of the paper should touch the paper feed guide.

Forms and letterhead paper are loaded facedown, with the top edge

ﬁrst. — The Alarm indicator goes off (if it was on). — The display reads 00 READY.

MLO-005968

Operating Information 2–9

5. Slide the adjustable paper feed guide to the right (if necessary) until it just touches the paper stack.

Do not press the adjustable paper guide against the stack of paper so tightly that it restricts movement of the paper into the printer.

Make sure the paper lies perfectly ﬂat in the tray.

Be sure the paper is below the paper height guides and not above the paper limit line.

MLO-005964

6. Go to Section 2.5 if you are using a new paper size.

2–10 Operator’s Guide

2.5 Changing the Page Format Size

The page format size determines the printable area on the page and should match the paper size you are using in the paper tray. Table 2–1 describes how to change the format size.

NOTE: The default paper tray size (set in the INITIAL Menu) for 120V model printers is LETTER; for 220/240V model printers the default size is A4. This procedure assumes that the letter-size page format is currently in use.

Table 2–1: Changing Page Format Size

Operation Display Reads

1. Press

2. Press and hold

3. Press

4. Press and hold

5. Press

On Line

printer off line. – The On Line indicator

goes off.

release when TRAY = LETTER is displayed.

paper format size you want is displayed. Wait about three seconds.

NOTE: If after three seconds, the value shown is selected and the display reads 00 READY.

for about three seconds. – The new page size

is invoked.

printer back on line. – The On Line indicator

lights.

to place the

Feeder Select

On Line

to place the

Feeder Select

repeatedly until the

Reset

and

is not pressed

00 READY

TRAY = LETTER

LETTER

LEGAL

EXEC

00 READY

03 RESET

00 READY

Operating Information 2–11

2.6 Printing on Envelopes

Envelopes have the same setup requirements as all other media. Since you print addresses in a particular area on envelopes, you must give the printer the proper print coordinates to print the addresses. Normally the setup requirements for printing envelopes are deﬁned by the application program you are using. Consult your application program documentation for details about its envelope printing feature.

If your application program does not have an envelope printing feature, you need to set up your address ﬁles using commands that instruct the printer to print in the correct location on the envelope. Appendix A contains a listing of DEClaser 1100 commands and programming information for the experienced programmer. For detailed programming information necessary to set up your address ﬁles, see the Digital ANSI-Compliant Printing

Protocol Level 3 Programming Reference Manual and the Digital ANSICompliant Printing Protocol Level 3 Programming Supplement.

2.6.1 Loading Envelopes

Always use the front output tray when printing envelopes for faceup stacking. See Section 2.7.2 for information about selecting and installing the front output tray. For clarity, the illustrations in the following procedure do not show the front output tray in place.

Make the following checks before loading envelopes:

• The sealing ﬂap should run along the length of the envelope, not at the leading or trailing edges.

• The sealing ﬂap should be folded properly, with none of the glue exposed.

• The leading and trailing edges should not be more than two layers thick.

• The envelope should be free of any wrinkles or creases.

CAUTION: Using envelopes made of artiﬁcial materials (nonpaper), or those that have fasteners, snaps, or windows, can cause serious damage to the printer. See Section 5.2 for complete envelope speciﬁcations.

2–12 Operator’s Guide

Use the following procedure to load envelopes in the paper tray.

1. Place one to ﬁve envelopes on a ﬂat surface and press down across the surface of the envelopes to expel the air and ﬂatten them.

MLO-005969

Operating Information 2–13

2. Align the stack of envelopes by tapping them on a ﬂat surface.

MLO-005970

2–14 Operator’s Guide

3. Slide the adjustable paper feed guide to the left side of the paper tray if you are loading a new size of envelope.

MLO-005965

Operating Information 2–15

4. Insert the envelopes into the tray as far as they will go.

Envelopes are loaded facedown, so that the top edges of the envelopes are touching the paper feed guide on the right side of the tray.

The envelopes should lie as ﬂat as possible in the tray. — The Alarm indicator goes off (if it was on). — The display reads 00 READY.

MLO-005971

2–16 Operator’s Guide

5. Slide the left paper feed guide to the right (if necessary) until it just touches the envelopes.

Do not press the adjustable paper guide against the stack of envelopes so tightly that it restricts movement of the envelopes into the printer.

Be sure the envelopes are below the paper height guides and not above the paper limit line.

MLO-005972

Operating Information 2–17

2.7 Selecting the Output Tray

The DEClaser 1100 can deliver printed output either faceup or facedown, as shown in Figure 2–1. Ouput tray selection is accomplished by setting the ouput tray selector to the top or front tray position. You cannot select the output paper tray through a command from the host computer; setting the output tray selector is the only way to choose the output tray.

Figure 2–1: Output Tray Selections

MLO-005966

2–18 Operator’s Guide

Printed paper is stacked either facedown or faceup, depending on the position of the output tray selector. When the selector is set to the top output tray position, printed paper is delivered facedown to that tray. This allows your print job to be collated in the correct page order.

When the selector is set to the front output tray position, printed paper is delivered faceup to that tray. Although the front output tray can be used to stack paper faceup, it is used primarily to stack envelopes, transparencies, and labels.

CAUTION: To prevent paper jams do not exceed output tray paper capacity. Maximum capacity is 20 sheets for the front output tray, and 50 sheets for the top output tray. Also, do not try to change the output tray while the printer is printing. Changing the output tray while printing causes paper jams.

Operating Information 2–19

2.7.1 Selecting the Top Output Tray (Facedown Print)

Printed paper is delivered to the top output tray collated and stacked facedown. The top ouput tray can be selected manually when you switch from the front output tray; it is also selected automatically whenever the input paper tray is closed.

NOTE: The front output tray must be used for printing on envelopes, labels, or transparencies (see Section 2.7.2).

Use the following procedure to switch from using the front output tray to using the top output tray.

1. Set the paper stop on the top output tray to the position that accomodates the paper size you are using.

2–20 Operator’s Guide

MLO-005974

2. Set the output paper tray selector to the top tray position.

The notch on the selector should be aligned with the top tray indicator on the printer.

MLO-005976

Operating Information 2–21

2.7.2 Selecting the Front Output Tray (Faceup Print)

Use the following procedure to select and attach the front output tray.

NOTE: When printing on transparencies, it isrecommended thatyou remove each sheet from the output tray before the next is printed.

1. Set the output paper tray selector to the front tray position.

The notch on the selector should be aligned with the front tray indicator on the printer.

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2–22 Operator’s Guide

2. Squeeze the output tray slightly to insert its pegs into the top slots of the printer.

MLO-005818

Operating Information 2–23

2.8 Adjusting the Print Density

Print density is the term used to describe the amount (density) of toner applied to the paper. The print density adjustment controls the amount of toner applied to the paper to produce a lighter or darker print.

You can signiﬁcantly extend the life of an electrophotographic laser (EP-L) cartridge by using the lightest possible print density setting that gives you acceptable print quality.

NOTE: The EP-L cartridge life can be up to 3,300 A4 or letter-size pages. This speciﬁcation is based on 4% toner coverage with the print density set at its default position.

Use the following procedure to adjust print density.

1. Lift up the release button to open the front cover. — The Alarm indicator lights. — The display reads 12 PRINTER OPEN. — The printer goes off line.

2–24 Operator’s Guide

MLO-005808

2. Adjust the print density by moving the switch to the right to make the print darker, or to the left to make the print lighter.

— The print density adjustment has four settings. As you move the

switch, it clicks at each of the middle settings.

MLO-005977

Operating Information 2–25

3. Close the front cover by lifting it up and pushing it in until it latches securely in place.

— The Alarm indicator goes off. — The display reads 02 WARMING UP. — The display reads 00 READY.

MLO-005814

4. Press

On Line

to place the printer back on line.

— The On Line indicator lights.

2–26 Operator’s Guide

2.9 Printing Test Print A

Test Print A (Figure 2–2) lists the current printer settings along with information such as the ﬁrmware version and the amount of free memory available.

Figure 2–2: Test Print A

MLO-004851...Actual height is 31 picas.

Operating Information 2–27

You can print Test Print A to see what the current printer settings are before making changes in Menu Mode (see Chapter 4). Table 2–2 describes the items on Test Print A, and Table 2–3 decribes how to print the test print.

Table 2–2: Test Print A

Item Description

Version This is the version of internal ﬁrmware the printer

Total RAM This is the total amount of random-access memory

Font Card This lists the name of the installed font cartridges

Free RAM This indicates the total amount of RAM available.

Current Settings This shows all of the setup menus and the current

is using.

(RAM) available in the printer. RAM is shown in kilobytes.

and their location (left or right font cartridge slot).

This memory space can be used to downline load fonts from the host computer, be reserved as bitmap pages, or used to support options such as PostScript.

values in operational memory. Each menu also shows what kind of memory the values can be stored in: RAM only, nonvolatile RAM (NVRAM) only, or either type of memory (RAM + NVRAM).

See Table4–7 and Section 4.5 for a complete listing and description of all the menu features.

2–28 Operator’s Guide

Use the procedure in Table 2–3 to print a copy of Test Print A.

Table 2–3: Printing Test Print A

Operation Display Reads

1. Press

2. Press

3. Press

On Line

Test/Font

On Line

to place the

once.

to place the

printer off line. – The On Line indicator

goes off.

– Test Print A prints.

printer back on line. – The On Line indicator

lights.

00 READY

05 TEST PRINT A

00 READY

Operating Information 2–29

2.10 Printing Test Print B

Test Print B (Figure 2–3) contains sample printouts that can be examined for print quality and print density.

Figure 2–3: Test Print B

MLO-004852...Actual height is 36 picas.

2–30 Operator’s Guide

Test Print B is printed continuously (until instructed to stop) so it can also be used to test paper feed, paper delivery, and other mechanical functions of the printer.

Use the procedure in Table 2–4 to print a copy of Test Print B.

Table 2–4: Printing Test Print B

Operation Display Reads

1. Press

2. Press and hold down

3. Press

4. Press

On Line

printer off line. – The On Line indicator

goes off.

until 01 TEST PRINT B is displayed (about 12 seconds).

– The test page prints

continuously.

printing Test Print B.

NOTE: You can also press

On Line

Test Print B.

printer back on line. – The On Line indicator

lights.

to place the

Test/Font

to stop

to stop printing

On Line

to place the

Test/Font

00 READY

05 TEST PRINT A

08 CLEANING PAP.

01 TEST PRINT B

04 TEST STOP

00 READY

Operating Information 2–31

2.11 Printing the Font List

Figure 2–4 shows the Font List, which containsa listing of all the available character sets in the printer, along with a sample of the available fonts.

Figure 2–4: Font List

MLO-004853...Actual height is 36 picas.

2–32 Operator’s Guide

The Font List includes internal fonts, cartridge fonts, and fonts that have been downline loaded into memory. You can select fonts only by using commands from the host computer; you cannot select them from the control panel. For information about selecting fonts, refer to the Digital

ANSI-Compliant Printing Protocol Level 3 Programming Reference Manual and the Digital ANSI-Compliant Printing Protocol Level 3 Programming Supplement.

Use the procedure in Table 2–5 to print the font list.

Table 2–5: Printing the Font List

Operation Display Reads

1. Press

2. Press

3. Press

On Line

Test/Font

On Line

to place the

twice.

to place the

printer off line. – The On Line indicator

goes off.

– The font list prints.

printer back on line. – The On Line indicator

lights.

00 READY

06 FONT LIST A

00 READY

Operating Information 2–33

2.12 Using Control Representation Mode

Control Representation Mode is used to print out unprocessed data or commands sent from the host computer. This procedure is sometimes referred to as ‘‘dumping.’’ The printing of unprocessed data (in the form of characters and symbols) is convenient for debugging programs. If a speciﬁed character is undeﬁned, a hexadecimal representation is printed in its place.

This section explains how to print the character listing. For additional information about Control Representation Mode, consult the Digital ANSI- Compliant Printing Protocol Level 3 Programming Reference Manual.

NOTE: If the ﬁle does not ﬁll the page buffer completely, the remaining data can be printed by pressing pressing

Form Feed

to print the partial page.

On Line

to place the printer off line, and then

2–34 Operator’s Guide

2.12.1 Entering Control Representation Mode

Use the procedure in Table 2–6 to place the printer in Control Representation Mode.

Table 2–6: Entering Control Representation Mode

Operation Display Reads

1. Press

2. Press and hold

3. Press

On Line

to place the

Reset

until

to place the

printer off line. – The On Line indicator

goes off.

03 DUMP is displayed (about 10 seconds).

printer back on line. – The On Line indicator

lights.

– The printer is now in

Control Representation Mode and ready to accept data or commands from the printer.

00 READY

03 RESET

03 DUMP

03 RESET

00 READY DUMP

To exit Control Representation Mode, perform a soft reset (see Section 2.13).

Operating Information 2–35

2.13 Resetting the Printer

There are two methods of resetting the printer: You can perform a hard reset by powering the printer off and then back on or you can perform a soft reset by pressing

CAUTION: When performing a hard reset, always wait at least two seconds before you power the printer back on.

Perform a soft reset of the printer under the following circumstances:

• When changing the paper feed input between tray and cassette

• When changing paper tray sizes (see Section 2.5)

• When changing paper cassette sizes

• To clear data in the print buffer

• To invoke features in the INITIAL menu (see Table 4–12)

• To enter and exit Control Representation Mode (see Section 2.12.1)

Use the procedure in Table 2–7 to perform a soft reset.

Table 2–7: Resetting the Printer

Operation Display Reads

Reset

1. Press

2. Press and hold

3. Press

On Line

for about

On Line

to place the

printer off line. – The On Line indicator

goes off.

Reset

three seconds.

printer back on line. – The On Line indicator

lights.

2–36 Operator’s Guide

00 READY

03 RESET

00 READY

2.14 Emulation and Video Modes of Operation

The DEClaser 1100operates using Digital’sANSI-compliant level 3 printing protocol (DEC PPL3). If you have an optional emulation cartridge or are using an external video controller, you must select the proper operating mode. Emulation mode is selected when you want to invoke a protocol from an optional emulation cartridge that is installed in the printer. Video mode is selected when you have an external video controller connected to the printer.

Use the procedure in Table 2–8 to select the emulation or video mode of operation.

Table 2–8: Selecting Emulation or Video Mode

Operation Display Reads

1. Press

2. Press and hold

3. Press

4. Press

5. Press

On Line

for about

.or/

Enter

On Line

to place the

to select

to place the

printer off line. – The On Line indicator

goes off.

three seconds.

select the emulation or video mode.

and save the mode. – The mode is automatically

saved in NVRAM.

printer back on line. — The On Line indicator

lights.

00 READY

MODE = DEC 00

MODE ‘‘EMULATION NAME’’

MODE VIDEO

MODE = ‘‘EMULATION NAME’’ (for emulation mode)

*00 EX READY (for video mode)

MODE = ‘‘EMULATION NAME’’ (for emulation mode)

*00 EX READY (for video mode)

Operating Information 2–37

Chapter 3

The Control Panel

The control panel consists of a message display, indicator lights, and a keypad. The keypad allows you to perform certain printer functions such as printing test pages or conﬁguring the printer menus. This chapter explains the features and uses of the control panel.

The layout of the control panel is shown in Figure 3–1 and described in Table 3–1. Table 3–3 describes the key functions in Keypad Mode. See Table4–2 for the key functions when conﬁguring the printer in Menu Mode.

The Control Panel 3–1

Figure 3–1: Control Panel

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3–2 Operator’s Guide

Table 3–1: Control Panel Functions

Item Function

Message Display Shows the current status of the printer.

For example: 00 READY When the printer is in Menu Mode, the display

shows the selected menu, feature, or value. For example: C

Keypad Some keys on the keypad perform a dual function

Ready indicator (green) Indicates when the printer is ready to print.

Alarm indicator (orange) Indicates that an error condition exists. A

depending on whether the printer is in Keypad Mode or Menu Mode. In Keypad Mode, the keys perform the primary function labeled on the key, such as Test/Font. When the printer is in Menu Mode, the keys perform the secondary function labeled with the dark gray symbols and text, such

/or.

NOTE: All keys and related functions (with the exception of

off line.

See Section 3.1 for information about using the keypad in Keypad Mode.

See Section 4.1 for information about using the keypad in Menu Mode.

On: The printer is ready to print. Off: The printer is powered off or an error

condition exists (the Alarm indicator is on). Flashing: The printer is warming up.

‘‘beep’’ sounds when the printer ﬁrst senses an alarm condition. The message display works in conjunction with the Alarm indicator by showing the type of error condition.

For example: 12 PRINTER OPEN The Alarm indicator goes off when the error

condition is cleared. See Chapter 6 for information on correcting

printer errors.

OMMAND INITIAL

On Line

) work only when the printer is

The Control Panel 3–3

Table 3–1 (Cont.): Control Panel Functions

Item Function

Data indicator (green) Indicates the status of the data sent to the printer.

On: Data is being printed or is still in the print buffer. If the indicator is on and the printer is not printing, it means the last page needs to be

printed. Press print the last page.

Off: All data has been printed. Flashing: Data is being received from the host

computer.

NOTE: Data is lost if you power off or reset the printer when the Data indicator is on or is ﬂashing.

On Line indicator (green) Worksin conjunction with

the printer is on line or off line (see Table 3–3).

On: The printer is on line and controlled by the host computer. The host computer can send data to print and commands to control the printer.

Off: The printer is off line and cannot receive any data or commands from the host computer. It can only be controlled using the keys on the control panel.

Flashing: printing. Theprinter will go off line after the page is printed.

Form Feed indicator (green) Works in conjuction with

when data in the print buffer is being printed or when the command to print is canceled (see

Form Feed

On: Data in the print buffer is being printed. Off: Data is not being printed. Flashing: Command to print is canceled.

On Line

and then press

On Line

was pressed while the page was

Form Feed

in Table 3–3).

Form Feed

to indicate when

On Line

to indicate

3–4 Operator’s Guide

3.1 Using the Keypad in Keypad Mode

Some keys on the keypad perform a dual function, depending on whether the printer is in Keypad Mode or Menu Mode. In Keypad Mode, the keys perform the primary function labeled on the key,such as Test/Font or Reset.

NOTE: With the exception of

On Line

, all keys operate only when the printer is off line. A ‘‘beep’’ sounds if any of these keys are pressed when the printer is on line.

3.1.1 Entering Keypad Mode

Use the procedure in Table 3–2 to enter Keypad Mode.

Table 3–2: Entering Keypad Mode

Operation Display Reads

1. Press

Table 3–3 describes the keypad funtions in Keypad Mode.

Table 3–3: Keypad Functions: Keypad Mode

Key Function

On Line

printer off line. — The On Line indicator

goes off.

— The keypad is now in

Keypad Mode.

to place the

00 READY

Pressing mode and ofﬂine mode. The mode is indicated by the green light on the key.

On: The printer is on line and controlled by the host computer. The host computer can send data to print, as well as commands to control the printer.

Off: The printer is off line and cannot receive any data or commands from the host computer. It can only be controlled using the keys on the control panel.

On Line

alternates the printer between the online

The Control Panel 3–5

Table 3–3 (Cont.): Keypad Functions: Keypad Mode

Key Function

Form Feed Form Feed

the Data indicator is on after a ﬁle stops printing, it means there is still data in the print buffer. Pressing

prints the remaining data in the print buffer. When you press

to show that the data is being printed. If you press

Form Feed

the remaining data and the indicator ﬂashes until the current page exits the printer. Once the page exits the

printer, the indicator light remains off. pressed again to resume printing.

Error Skip

The DEClaser 1100 printer alerts you to certain error conditions by stopping the printer and showing the type of error on the message display. When this happens you may elect to note the problem and then continue printing

by pressing errors so that printing continues. After you press the printer remains off line. You must press

place the printer back on line and continue printing. Some errors can repeat, such as communications errors

or print formatting errors when the printer is receiving additional communication data. When this happens you may need to repeat the Error Skip procedure several times. Refer to Chapter 6 for additional information about errors and corrective actions.

Test/Font Test/Font

• Pressing the key once prints Test Print A (see Section 2.9).

works in conjunction with the Data indicator. If

Form Feed

, the indicator on the key lights

again while the data is printing, it stops printing

Error Skip

. Pressing

Error Skip

Form Feed

bypasses these

can be

Error Skip

On Line

performs several functions in Keypad Mode:

3–6 Operator’s Guide

• Pressing and holding the key down for at least three seconds prints the cleaning paper (see Section 7.3).

• Pressing and holding the key down for at least 12 seconds prints Test Print B (see Section 2.10).

• Pressing the key twice prints the Font List (see Section 2.11).

Table 3–3 (Cont.): Keypad Functions: Keypad Mode

Key Function

Reset

Pressing reset by clearing the data in the print buffer and returning the printer to the ready state (see Section 2.13). The printer operates with the values in operational memory and any values currently stored in RAM (which are loaded into operating memory), when a reset is performed.

Other primary functions of

• When changing paper tray sizes (see Section 2.5)

• When changing paper cassette sizes

• When changing the paper input between tray and cassette

• To invoke INITIAL menu values (see Table 4–12)

• To enter and exit Control Representation Mode (see Section 2.12)

Places the printer in Menu Mode and displays the ﬁrst menu: FONT/FEED LAYOUT. Refer to Section 4.1 for more information about Menu Mode.

Pressing Mode (when an optional emulation cartridge is installed) or Video Mode. Video Mode is used when an external video controller is connected to the printer for custom video data applications. See Section 2.14 for information about selecting Emulation and Video Modes of operation.

Feeder Select Feeder Select

Pressing paper tray feeding and cassette feeding modes. If an optional paper cassette is not installed, only the paper tray feeding mode is shown on the display.

Pressing and holding size when the paper tray is used. See Section 2.5 for information about changing the page format size.

Reset

for about three seconds performs a soft

Reset

are:

for about four seconds activates Emulation

has two functions:

Feeder Select

momentarily alternates between the

Feeder Select

selects the page format

The Control Panel 3–7

3.2 Using the Keypad in Menu Mode

You conﬁgure the printer by selecting certain parameters (features and values) while in Menu Mode. You select these parameters using keypad keys that function differently when the printer is in Menu Mode. Chapter 4 covers printer conﬁguration and explains the use of the keypad in Menu Mode (see Section 4.1).

3–8 Operator’s Guide

Chapter 4

Printer Conﬁguration

This chapter describes how to conﬁgure the printer by selecting operating parameters that can be stored in the printer’s memory. These operating parameters are known as features and values. By selecting the correct operating parameters, you ensure that the printer can communicate properly with the host computer and application software.

You conﬁgure the DEClaser 1100 printer by selecting an appropriate set of values from a group of printer setup menus. You make these selections while the printer is in Menu Mode. Once values are selected, you can save them in the appropriate type of memory. Saving features in the proper type of memory allows you to retain most printer values so that the printer has to be conﬁgured only once. Figure 4–1 depicts a sample menu from Test Print A showing its features and values.

Figure 4–1: Sample Menu

MLO-004856

Printer Conﬁguration 4–1

You can access some menu features by using commands from the host computer; you can select others only from the control panel. This chapter describes how to select features using the control panel. For information about selecting features using commands from the host computer, see the Digital ANSI-Compliant Printing Protocol Level 3 Programming

Reference Manual and the Digital ANSI-Compliant Printing Protocol Level 3 Programming Supplement.

NOTE: The INTERFACE and COMMAND menu features can be conﬁgured only from the control panel.

4.1 Entering Menu Mode

You conﬁgure the printer by selecting certain parameters (features and values) while in Menu Mode. When the printer is in Menu Mode, the keys labeled with dark gray text and symbols function to select parameters from the menu. Table 4–1 shows how to enter Menu Mode.

NOTE: With the exception of

On Line

, all keys operate only when the printer

is off line.

Table 4–1: Entering Menu Mode

Operation Display Reads

1. Press

2. Press

On Line

to place the

printer off line. — The On Line indicator

goes off.

printer in Menu Mode. — The printer is now in Menu

Mode and the keys labeled with dark gray text and symbols operate.

00 READY

FONT/FEED LAYOUT

4–2 Operator’s Guide

4.1.1 Keypad Functions in Menu Mode

Table 4–2 describes the function of the Menu Mode keys. After reading the description of the Menu Mode keys, you may want to try using the keys to better understand their operation. See Section 4.4.1 for an example of how to use the Menu Mode keys to conﬁgure the printer.

Table 4–2: Keypad Functions: Menu Mode

Key Function

Enter

On Line

Performs two functions:

• Scrolls the menus and features to the right

• Increases numeric values

Performs two functions:

• Scrolls the menus and features to the left

• Decreases numeric values

Returns the printer to the previous level of operation Performs three functions:

• Advances to the next menu level

• Invokes the ROM, RAM, and NVRAM functions

• Invokes the selected value

Exits Menu Mode and returns printer operation back on line

Printer Conﬁguration 4–3

4.2 Reading the Display in Menu Mode

Printer status and operator call messages are shown on the message display in uppercase lettering, preceded by a numerical code. Examples of such messages are 00 READY and 11 PAPER OUT. Menu Mode messages are displayed differently to distinguish among menu selections, feature selections, and value selections.

NOTE: The menu names on the message display are written to accommodate all protocols available on the DEClaser 1100 printer (such as DEC PPL3, PostScript, or CaPSL). Depending on the protocol being used, the menu names that appear on the message display may not read exactly as they do on Test Print A. For example, if you are using Digital’s ANSI-Compliant Printing Protocol, the ﬁrst menu listed on Test Print A is the FEEDER Menu, whereas the ﬁrst menu listed on the message display is the FONT/FEED Menu.

4–4 Operator’s Guide

4.2.1 Displaying Menu and Feature Selections

Menu and feature selections are scrolled to the left or right, and are shown on the message display in groups of 16 characters. This means that in addition to the menu or feature you have selected, other characters are displayed from the next menu or feature. Think of the menu and feature selections as being placed on a scrolling band separated only by a space. The display shows a group of 16 characters from the band and denotes the selection by displaying it ﬁrst with a cursor below the ﬁrst letter. See the examples in Figure 4–2.

Figure 4–2: Menu Display

LOAD< -ROM FONT/FEED LAYOUT COPY/OVERLAY..

16 Characters

Press to scroll to the left Press to scroll to the right

LOAD< -ROM FONT/FEED LAYOUT COPY/OVERLAY

MLO-004919

This manual shows items from the scrolling menus and features as they appear on the display (uppercase, lowercase, or initial capitals) with the selected item shown in bold type for clariﬁcation. For example:

FONT FEED LAYOUT or macro paint pape

Printer Conﬁguration 4–5

4.2.2 Displaying Menu Values

Menu values are scrolled to the right and left using.and/and are

shown on the display with the associated feature, for example: i/f RS232C When you scroll through the values, the currently selected value is always

displayed ﬁrst and is denoted by an equal sign (=) between the feature and value, for example:

i/f =RS232C

4.3 Printer Conﬁguration Memory

Printer conﬁguration uses four types of memory: an operating memory that contains the currently selected values, and three storage memories in which values are stored or saved. These memories are known as ROM (readonly memory), RAM (random-access memory), and NVRAM (nonvolatile random-access memory).

NOTE: All four types of printer conﬁguration memory are separate and distinct from the Free RAM listed on Test Print A. Conﬁguration memory can be accessed only from the menus to set up the operational parameters of the printer.

You can save new values temporarily in RAM, but they are cleared when the printer is powered off. You can also save new values in NVRAM so that they are not cleared if the printer is reset or powered off. ROM contains the factory default values that can be recalled into the operating memory. Some values can be saved only in RAM or only in NVRAM, while other values can be saved in either type of memory. Test Print A shows the type of memory each menu can use (see Section 2.9).

4–6 Operator’s Guide

4.3.1 Operating Memory

The printer operates using the currently selected values contained in operating memory. When the printer is powered on, it loads the values stored in NVRAM into operating memory. When you select new values (through escape sequences or from the control panel), they are placed in operating memory and become part of the printer settings thatare currently in use. Figure 4–3 shows the operational ﬂow between the different types of memory.

Figure 4–3: Operating Memory

ROM NVRAM RAM

Load<-ROM Save->NVRAM

(Contains Current Printer Settings)

Commands

(Host Computer)

ROM

NVRAM

RAM

Not Cleared at Power-Off (Cannot Be Changed)

Not Cleared at Power-Off (Can Be Changed)

Cleared at Power-Off (Can Be Changed)

Power On

Printer

Operating Memory

Menu Operations

(Control Panel)

Save->RAM Reset

MLO-004947

Printer Conﬁguration 4–7

4.3.2 ROM (Read-Only Memory)

ROM contains default values that are set at the factory. They are called default values because they are stored in ROM and cannot be changed. You can load these default values into operating memory while in Menu Mode using the procedure shown in Table 4–3.

NOTE: Default values loaded from ROM are temporary values in operational memory, and are affected if the printer receives a reset command or is powered off. If you want to retain the default values, you must save them in NVRAM (see Section 4.3.3).

Table 4–3: Recalling Factory Default Values from ROM

Operation Display Reads

1. Press

2. Press

3. Press

4. Press

5. Press

On Line

printer off line. — The On Line indicator

goes off.

printer in Menu Mode.

the default values from ROM into operating memory.

the printer on line. — The On Line indicator

lights.

to place the

once. LOAD<–ROM FONT/F

Enter

to load

On Line

to place

00 READY

ONT/FEED LAYOUT

OK (momentarily)

LOAD<–ROM FONT/F

00 READY

4–8 Operator’s Guide

4.3.3 NVRAM (Nonvolatile Random-Access Memory)

The printer can communicate with many systems using the factory default settings in ROM, but you may have to change values to accommodate your particular application or host computer. NVRAM allows those changes to be saved in a nonvolatile memory so that they are available each time you power on the printer. In nonvolatile memory, the selected values are not cleared when the printer is powered off or reset. Selections are saved in NVRAM until you change them. To save values in NVRAM while in Menu Mode, use the procedure shown in Table 4–4.

Table 4–4: Saving Values in NVRAM

Operation Display Reads

1. Press

2. Press

3. Press/twice. SAVE–>NVRAM LOAD

4. Press

5. Press

On Line

Enter

On Line

to place the

to place

printer off line. — The On Line indicator

goes off.

printer in Menu Mode.

to save the values in NVRAM.

the printer on line. — The On Line indicator

lights.

00 READY

FONT/FEED LAYOUT

OK (momentarily)

AVE–>NVRAM LOAD

00 READY

Printer Conﬁguration 4–9

4.3.4 RAM (Random-Access Memory)

RAM is a temporary memory area that stores selected values until the printer is powered off. It is useful to store features in RAM when you need to change settings for speciﬁc print jobs. To save values in RAM while in Menu Mode, use the procedure in Table 4–5.

Table 4–5: Saving Values in RAM

Operation Display Reads

1. Press

2. Press

3. Press/three times. SAVE–>RAM SAVE–>

4. Press

5. Press

On Line

Enter

On Line

to place the

to place

printer off line. — The On Line indicator

goes off.

printer in Menu Mode.

to save the values in RAM.

the printer on line. — The On Line indicator

lights.

00 READY

FONT/FEED LAYOUT

OK (momentarily)

SAVE–>RAM SAVE–>

00 READY

4.4 Operational Flow in Menu Mode

Figure 4–4 illustrates the operational ﬂow to select and change values in Menu Mode. See Section 4.4.1 for an example of selecting values in Menu Mode.

4–10 Operator’s Guide

Figure 4–4: Operational Flow Chart

Place the Printer

Off Line

Enter Menu

Mode

Select the

Feature

Change the

Value Settings

Save

Yes

Save Settings

in Memory

Place the

Printer Back

On Line

MLO-004946

Printer Conﬁguration 4–11

4.4.1 Changing and Saving Values Example Procedure

This section contains an example of how to change and save values in Menu Mode. Use the steps in Table 4–6 to perform the following tasks:

• Enter Menu Mode

• Change the baud rate from 4800 bits/second to 9600 bits/second

• Save the new value in NVRAM

• Exit Menu Mode

Before You Begin

This example assumes that the printer is using the factory default values in ROM. You will use Test Print A to verify the changes you make. Print a copy of Test Print A before beginning this example (Section 2.9). Be sure that all printing has stopped and the display reads 00 READY before you make any changes.

Table 4–6: Changing and Saving Values

Operation Display Reads

1. Press

2. Press

3. Press.ﬁve times to

4. Press

5. Press.once to

On Line

Enter

to place the

to enter

printer off line. — The On Line indicator

goes off.

printer in Menu Mode.

scroll the display to the INTERFACE menu.

the INTERFACE menu.

display the baud feature.

4–12 Operator’s Guide

00 READY

FONT/FEED LAYOUT

INTERFACE SAVE->

i/f baud rsmode

baud rsmode dtr

Table 4–6 (Cont.): Changing and Saving Values

Operation Display Reads

6. Press the baud feature.

Enter

to select

baud =4800

7. Press.once to display the value 9600.

lights.

Enter

twice

Enter

On Line

to enter

to save

to exit

8. Press the new value.

9. Press4to return to the menu selections.

10. Press

to reach the NVRAM SAVE menu.

11. Press

the baud value in NVRAM.

12. Press

the Menu Mode.

— The On Line indicator

baud 9600

baud =9600 (momentarily)

baud rsmode dtr

INTERFACE SAVE->

SAVE->NVRAM LOAD

OK (momentarily)

AVE–>NVRAM LOAD

00 READY

Veriﬁcation

Verify that the baud rate has been changed by printing a copy of Test Print A (Section 2.9), and comparing the new baud rate with the old baud rate.

Printer Conﬁguration 4–13

4.5 Menu Descriptions

This section describes the printer menus, features, and values. See Table 4–7 for a complete listing of all menus and parameters.

Table 4–7: Menu Mode Features and Values

Menu Features Values

FEEDER feeder Tray

Cass.

LAYOUT autoNL ON

OFF COPY copy 01 COMMAND message

English

Finnish

French

German

Italian

Japan

Norway

Port.

Spanish

Swedish

Danish

Dutch INITIAL macro 000

paint Partial

Full

Dual

paper Letter

INTERFACE i/f

RS232C

CENTRO

—99

—099

Factory default setting.

Available only when an optional cassette is installed.

Cannot be selected using a command from the host. Selectable from the control panel only.

Available only when optional memory is installed.

4–14 Operator’s Guide

Table 4–7 (Cont.): Menu Mode Features and Values

Menu Features Values

baud

rsmode

dtr

xon/xoff

etx/ack

Factory default setting.

Available only when RS232C is selected.

300

600

1200

2400

4800

9600

19200

8SS

7OS

7ES

7OSS

7ESS

8OS

8ES

Fix-H

Ready-H

OFF

Printer Conﬁguration 4–15

4.5.1 FEEDER Menu

The FEEDER menu determines whether paper is fed from the paper tray or from an optional paper cassette. You can also choose the paper feed selection using the for more information about using the

Feeder Select

key on the control panel. See Table 3–3

Feeder Select

key. Table 4–8 shows the features and values of the FEEDER menu. Settings from this menu are automatically saved in RAM. Menu settings can also be saved in NVRAM.

Table 4–8: FEEDER Menu Features and Values

Feature Values Description

Cass.

Selects the paper tray to feed paper into the printer.

Selects the paper cassette to automatically feed paper into the printer.

feeder Tray

Factory default setting.

Available only when an optional cassette is installed.

4.5.2 LAYOUT Menu

The features of the LAYOUT Menu shown in Table 4–9 allow you to set the new line so that print wraps when it reaches the right margin. Settings from this menu can be saved in RAM or NVRAM.

Table 4–9: LAYOUT Menu Features and Values

Feature Values Description

autoNL ON

Factory default setting.

4–16 Operator’s Guide

OFF When the print position reaches the right

When the print position reaches the right margin, it wraps to the left margin of the next line.

margin, it does not move to the next line until the printer receives a carriage return (CR) or line feed (LF) command from the host computer. Data beyond the right margin is lost until the CR or LF command is received.

4.5.3 COPY Menu

The COPY menu (Table 4–10) determines the number of copies of each page to be printed. You can save this setting only in RAM.

Table 4–10: COPY Menu Features and Values

Feature Values Description

copy 011–99 Sets the number of copies of each page to be

Factory default setting.

printed.

4.5.4 COMMAND Menu

The COMMAND menu (Table 4–11) lets you display messages in your native language. Three types of messages are displayed in the desired language: status, operator call, and error. Service call messages and menu items are displayed only in English.

You cannot select this setting using commands from the host computer. You must select it from the control panel. You can save the setting only in NVRAM.

Table 4–11: COMMAND Menu Features and Values

Feature Values Description

message English

Factory default setting.

Finnish French German Italian Japan (Japanese) Norway (Norwegian) Port. (Portuguese) Spanish Swedish Danish Dutch

Displays messages in the selected language.

Printer Conﬁguration 4–17

4.5.5 INITIAL Menu

The INITIAL menu (Table 4–12) combines the macro, paint, and paper size features. You can save settings from this menu only in NVRAM.

NOTE: Unlike the operation of other menus, a new value selected from the INITIAL menu is not invoked until the printer is reset. After selecting a value, you must perform a soft reset (Section 2.13) to invoke the new value.

Table 4–12: INITIAL Menu Features and Values

Feature Values Description

macro 0001–099 Assigns the user preference set, device identiﬁcation

paint Partial

paper Letter Speciﬁes letter-size (8 ½ in. x 11.0 in.) as the default

Factory default setting.

Full Directs the printer to allocate memory space for one full

Dual Directs the printer to allocate memory space for two full

A4 Speciﬁes A4-size (297 mm x 210 mm) as the default page

answer, and initialization message (see Section 4.5.5.1). Reserves no memory for bitmap pages. Memory is

allocated dynamically.

bitmap page. The Full setting eliminates complex errors but may slow the printer down if all pages require a full bitmap.

NOTE: A4 and letter-size require at least 1 MB of optional RAM. Legal-size requires 2 MB of optional RAM.

bitmap pages (A4 or letter-size). The Dual setting allows you to print at a more efﬁcient speed for documents that require full-page bitmaps for all pages.

NOTE: This value can be activated only if at least 2 MB of optional RAM is installed in the printer.

page format size used in the paper tray when the printer is powered on.

format size used in the paper tray when the printer is powered on.

4–18 Operator’s Guide

4.5.5.1 Macro

The macro feature allows you to select an environment for local compatibility. It assigns the proper user preference character set, enables/disables the initialization message, and speciﬁes the return response (device identiﬁcation) when a Device Attributes (DA) request is received. The macro feature is slightly different from other menu features because three parameters (user preference character set, initialization message, and device ID) are added together to determine the macro value. The user preference, initialization message, and device ID values cannot be selected independently; they must be added together to form the macro value.

The macro feature allows you to choose the user preference character set appropriate for your application or system. Consult the Digital ANSI- Compliant Printing Protocol Level 3 Programming Reference Manual for more information about the user preference sets. Table 4–13 lists the user preference character sets and their values.

Table 4–13: User Preference Character Set

User Preference Character Set Value

DEC Supplemental 00 ISO Latin-1 Supplemental 10 JIS Katakana 20 ISO Latin-Hebrew

Supplemental DEC Latin-Hebrew

Supplemental DEC 7-Bit Hebrew 50 DEC Technical 60

Factory default setting.

Printer Conﬁguration 4–19

The initialization message is sent to connected devices (when the printer is powered on or reset from the control panel) to indicate that the printer is reinitializing. This feature is designed for use with future applications and should be set to disable at this time. Consult the Digital ANSI-Compliant Printing Protocol Level 3 Programming Supplement for additional information about this feature.

Table 4–14: Initialization Message

Initialization Message Value

Disabled 00 Enabled 05

Factory default setting.

The DEClaser 1100 printer can identify itself as a Digital ANSI-compliant Level 3 printer (PPL3), and therefore can be recognized as such by symbionts and terminal drivers that conform to the Digital ANSI-compliant architecture. This identiﬁcation is also compatible with Level 2 devices, since all Level 2 sequences are also supported. You can also select an LN03 identiﬁcation for applications that require the printer to identify itself as an LN03 printer. For example, the DECmate word processing system requires an LN03 device identiﬁcation. The device identiﬁcation values are shown in Table 4–15.

Table 4–15: Device Identiﬁcation

Device ID Value

Digital ANSI-compliant Level 3 device

LN03 01

Factory default setting.

4–20 Operator’s Guide

4.5.5.2 Examples Using the Macro Feature

The examples in Table 4–16 demonstrate how to determine the macro value.

Table 4–16: Macro Feature Examples

Character Set and Value

DEC 7-Bit Hebrew (50) + Not Enabled (00) + Level 3 (00) = 50 DEC Technical (60) + Not Enabled (00) + Level 3 (00) = 60 DEC Supplemental (00) + Not Enabled (00) + LN03 (01) = 01

Initialization Message and Value

Device ID and Value

Macro Value

Printer Conﬁguration 4–21

4.5.5.3 Paint Mode (paint)

The paint feature instructs the printer to reserve memory space for one or two full bitmap pages, or not to allocate any bitmapped memory space for page printing. Since printer memory is shared with both fonts and page drawings, it is usually desirable to let the printer allocate the memory dynamically, as even full page sixel images will often print in partial paint mode. You should enable the printer to direct the memory allocation mechanism only in the following situations:

• If you are receiving error messages about pagecomplexity–for example,

21 COMPLEX DATA.

• If pages are breaking incorrectly–for example, half the page prints on

one sheet and the second half on the next sheet.

See Table 4–12 for a complete description of the paint feature values.

4.5.5.4 Paper Size (paper)

The paper size (paper) feature speciﬁes the page size used in the paper tray when the printer is powered on. Letter-size is the default size for North America, and A4 is the default size for all other areas.

To change the page format size during normal operation, use

Feeder Select

See Section 2.5 for information about selecting other format sizes if you are using a different-sized paper in the paper tray.

4–22 Operator’s Guide

4.5.6 INTERFACE Menu

The correct interface connection is necessary for the printer to communicate properly with the host computer. The DEClaser 1100 printer supports both parallel and serial interface connections. The interface must match the type used by the host computer.

You cannot make selections from the INTERFACE menu using commands from the host computer. All values must be selected from the control panel and can be saved only in NVRAM. Once you make the selections, you should save them in NVRAM so that they will be activated (loaded into operational memory) each time the printer is powered on. The INTERFACE menu features and values are shown in Table 4–17.

Table 4–17: INTERFACE Menu Features and Values

Feature Values Description

i/f RS232C

CENTRO Selects the (Centronics) parallel interface to

baud

rsmode

300 600 1200 2400 4800 9600 19200

8ES 8 data bits

Selects the serial interface to communicate with the host computer. Select this value if your computer uses a serial interface.

When RS232C is selected, you must select values for all the other features in this menu (baud rate, rsmode, and so on).

communicate with the host computer. Select this value if your printer uses a parallel interface. When the parallel interface is selected, all other features in the interface menu are not available.

Sets the transmit and receive speed the printer uses to communicate with the host computer. The printer speed must match the speed used by the host computer.

8 data bits No parity check 1 stop bit

Even parity check 1 stop bit

Factory default setting.

Available only when RS232C is selected.

Printer Conﬁguration 4–23

Table 4–17 (Cont.): INTERFACE Menu Features and Values

Feature Values Description

8OS 8 data bits

7ESS 7 data bits

7OSS 7 data bits

7ES 7 data bits

7OS 7 data bits

8SS 8 data bits

dtr

Fix-H

Ready-H Sets the DTR line to a high signal when the

xon/xoff

OFF Disables xon/xoff buffer overﬂow control.

etx/ack

OFF

ON Enables etx/ack buffer overﬂow control.

Factory default setting.

Available only when RS232C is selected.

Odd parity check 1 stop bit

Even parity check 2 stop bits

Odd parity check 2 stop bits

Even parity check 1 stop bit

Odd parity check 1 stop bit

No parity check 2 stop bits

Sets the data terminal ready (DTR) line to a ﬁxed high signal.

printer is ready to receive data. Enables xon/xoff buffer overﬂow control.

Disables etx/ack buffer overﬂow control.

NOTE: Etx/ack is not supported on Digital systems.

4–24 Operator’s Guide

4.5.6.1 Interface Selection (i/f)

The interface selection (i/f) feature selects the type of interface used to communicate with the host computer. It must match the interface used by the host computer, either serial or parallel.

When you select the parallel (CENTRO) interface, you cannot select any other settings in the INTERFACE menu. The other features in this menu apply only to the serial interface and are not displayed when you select the parallel interface.

When you select the serial interface, you must also select certain other values in the INTERFACE menu in order to match the features of the host computer. The additional features are described next.

4.5.6.2 Baud Rate (baud)

The baud rate (baud) feature sets the transmit and receive speed the printer uses to communicate with the host computer. Theprinter speed must match the speed used by the host computer.

4.5.6.3 RS232C Data Format (rsmode)

The RS232C data format (rsmode) feature determines the data format the printer uses to communicate with the host computer. The ﬁrst part of the value (7 or 8) is the number of data bits the printer expects to see in each character it receives. The second part of the value is the type of parity (checking) bit the printer looks for in each character. A parity check is a method used to detect errors when data is sent over a communications line. Some systems use an odd parity bit to detect errors, while other systems use an even parity bit. Some systems use no parity bit at all. The third part of rsmode is the number of stop bits. Some systems use one stop bit while other systems require two. The format for the data bits, parity bit, and stop bit(s) must match the format of the host computer in order for the printer and the host to communicate.

4.5.6.4 Data Terminal Ready (dtr)

The data terminal ready (dtr) feature uses hardware to regulate the ﬂow of data to the input buffer of the printer. The printer transmits a signal to the DTR line of the serial port when it is ready to receive data. This is sometimes referred to as the hardware handshaking protocol.

For Digital systems, the dtr feature should always be set to the ﬁxed high value. When the DTR signal is ﬁxed high (Fix-H), it indicates to the system that the printer is ‘‘present.’’

Printer Conﬁguration 4–25

4.5.6.5 Buffer Control (xon/xoff)

The buffer control (xon/xoff) feature uses software to regulate the ﬂow of data to the input buffer of the printer. It is sometimes referred to as software handshaking protocol, a method the printer and the host computer use to exchange on/off signals. These signals prevent the input buffer from overﬂowing with data. If the input buffer becomes full and handshaking is not enabled, the overﬂowing data will be lost. Xon/xoff must be enabled in systems that use this software handshaking protocol to prevent the loss of data.

4.5.6.6 End of Text/Acknowledge (etx/ack)

The end of text/acknowledge (etx/ack) feature is another type of handshaking protocol which is used on some systems to prevent data overﬂow. The etx/ack feature also uses software to regulate the ﬂow of data to the input buffer by exchanging signals with the host computer. It is recommended that this feature be enabled by systems that support etx/ack to prevent the loss of data.

NOTE: The etx/ack feature is not supported on Digital systems. Use xon/xoff if you have a Digital system.

4–26 Operator’s Guide

Chapter 5

Print Media

This chapter describes the print media that are appropriate for use with the DEClaser 1100 printer. The types of print media described in this chapter are paper, labels, transparencies, and envelopes.

The DEClaser 1100 printer produces excellent print quality using electrophotographic laser technology. The laser printing process differs greatly from that of a conventional impact printer, and this is why paper selection is particularly important. Because toner is bonded to the paper as it passes through the heat and pressure rollers of the ﬁxing unit, the paper must be able to withstand high amounts of heat and pressure.

CAUTION: When selecting paper or other print media, always print test samples on the paper you want to use. This is particularly important when you are printing on chemically treated or coated paper, such as preprinted forms or colored paper. The inks and pigments used on these papers must also be able to withstand the high heat and pressure of the ﬁxing unit. Be sure to consider the heat limitations of transparencies and the glues used on envelopes and labels. Always select print media according to the instructions and speciﬁcations in this chapter. For a complete listing of recommended print media and ordering information, see Appendix B.

Print quality can also deteriorate if paper is not stored properly. Read Section 5.5 for complete information about storing paper.

For additional information about print media, consult the Digital Laser Printers Guide to Paper and Other Media, available from DECdirect (see the Associated Documentation section in the Preface for a listing of documentation).

Print Media 5–1

5.1 Paper Speciﬁcations

This section contains information on the sizes and speciﬁcations of plain paper that can be used with the DEClaser 1100 printer.

The paper tray can feed paper sizes ranging from 97 mm x 148 mm to 216 mm x 356 mm. Table 5–1 lists the paper sizes that can be used with the optional paper cassettes for the printer.

Table 5–1: Cassette Feed Paper Sizes

Paper Size Dimensions

A4 210 mm x 297 mm Executive 7 ¼ in. x 10 ½ in. Letter 8 ½ in. x 11 in. Legal 8 ½ in. x 14 in.

Envelope Sizes

The DEClaser 1100 printer can accept the following sizes of envelopes: Minimum: 97 mm x 148 mm (3.8 in. x 5.8 in.)

Maximum: 216 mm x 356 mm (8 ½ in. x 14 in.) Table 5–2 lists paper speciﬁcations for the DEClaser 1100 printer.

Table 5–2: Paper Speciﬁcations

Catagory Speciﬁcation

Paper weight: plain paper 60 g/m2to 105 g/m2basis weight

Paper weight: envelopes 60 g/m

Moisture content 5% to 8% Smoothness 100–300 Shefﬁeld Brightness 84% minimum recommended Heat tolerance 150°C (302°F) for 0.1 second Cotton (rag) content 25% maximum

5–2 Operator’s Guide

(16 lb. to 28 lb.)

(16 lb. to 24 lb.)

to 90 g/m2basis weight

5.1.1 Special Considerations When Printing on Paper

Because of the way laser printers print and bond toner to the paper, you must observe some special requirements with certain types of papers:

• Do not use preprinted papers that do not meet the speciﬁcations for

heat tolerance. The ink from some preprinted papers, such as those with a company letterhead, can cause smearing and in some extreme cases could damage the printer.

• Do not use colored papers in which the color is applied as a coating to

the surface.

• Do not use thermal papers.

• Do not use carbon papers.

NOTE: See Appendix B for acceptable papers available from Digital.

Print Media 5–3

Digital Equipment DEClaser 1100 Operator's Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual