Epson FX-1180, FX-880 User Guide

Printer Parts

paper guide

con t inuous paper

support

printer cover

edge guides

paper release

lever

optional

interface cover

parallel interface

front cover

paper tension unit

sprocket*

control panel

ribbon cartridge

center support*

paper thickness

lever

knob

AC inlet

*tractor unit parts

Control Panel Buttons and Lights

Font lights

Indicate which font is selected. To select a font, see Chapter 5.

Tear Off/Bin button

•

Feeds continuous paper forward to the tear-off position.

•

Feeds continuous paper backward from the tear-off position to the top-of-form position.

•

Selects a cut-sheet feeder bin when the cut-sheet feeder is installed.

Tear Off/Bin light

•

Flashes when continuous paper is in the tear-off position.

•

On when bin 1 of the optional cut-sheet feeder is selected.

•

Off when bin 2 of the optional cut-sheet feeder is selected.

Micro Adjust

Using the micro adjust feature, you can press the D and U buttons to adjust the top-of-form or tear-off position. See Chapter 3.

LF/FF button

•

Feeds paper line by line.

•

Ejects a single sheet or advances continuous paper to the next top-of-form position when held down.

Paper Out light

•

Load/Eject button

•

Loads a single sheet of paper.

•

Ejects a single sheet of paper if a sheet is loaded.

•

Loads continuous paper from the standby position.

•

Feeds continuous paper backward to the standby position.

On when no paper is loaded in the selected paper source or paper is not loaded correctly. Flashes when paper has not been fully ejected or a paper jam has occurred.

Operate button

Turns the printer on and off. The prin ter is off when the top of this button is even with the button protectors.

Pause button

•

Stops printing temporarily, and resumes printing when pressed again.

•

When held down for three seconds, enters the micro adjust mode. When pressed again, exits the micro adjust mode.

Pause light

•

On when the printer is paused.

•

Flashes when the printer is in the micro adjust mode.

9-Pin Dot Matrix Printer

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION. The information contained herein is designed only for use with this EPSON printer. EPSON is not responsible for any use of this information as applied to other printers.

Neither SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION nor its affiliates shall be liable to the purchaser of this product or third parties for damages, losses, costs, or expenses incurred by the purchaser or third parties as a result of: accident, misuse, or abuse of this product or unauthorized modifications, repairs, or alterations to this product, or (excluding the U.S.) failure to s t r ictly comply with SE IKO EPSON CORPORATIO N’s operating and maintenanc e in s t ru ctions .

SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION shall not be liable for any damages or problems arising from the use of any options or any consumable products other than those designated as Original EPSON Products or EPSON Approved Products by SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION.

EPSON and EPSON ESC/P are registered tradema rks of SEIKO EPSON CORPOR ATIO N. Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation.

General Notice: Oth er pr oduct names used herein are for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners. EPSON disclaims any and all rights in thos e marks.

User’s Guide

FCC Compliance Statement

For United States Users

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential insta llation. Th is e quipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordan ce with the instru ctions, may ca u s e harmful interference to radio or television reception. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause interference to radio and television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the us er is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures .

Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna

Increase the separation between the equipment and rece iver

Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receive r is connected

Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

WARNING

The connection of a non-sh ielded equipment interface cable to this equipment will invalidate the FCC Certification of this device and may cause interference levels which exceed the limits established by the FCC for this equipment. It is the responsibility of the user to obtain and use a shielded equipment interface cable with this device. If this equipment has more than one interface connector, do not leave cables connected to unu s ed interfaces.

Changes or modifications not expressly app r o ve d b y the manufactur er co u ld void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

For Canadian Users

This Class B digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian InterferenceCausing Equipment Regulations.

Cet appareil numérique de la classe B respecte toutes les exige nc es du Règ lement sur le matériel brouil leur du Canada.

Declaration of Conformity

According to ISO/IEC Guide 22 and EN 45014

Manufacturer: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION Address: 3-5, Owa 3-chome, Su wa-shi,

Nagano-ken 392 Japan Representative: EPSON EUROPE B.V. Address: Prof. J. H. Bavincklaan 5 1183

AT Amstelveen

The Netherlands Decl a r e s th a t the Pr o du ct:

Product Name: Dot Matrix Printer Type Name: FX-880/1180 Model: P980A/P981A

Conforms to the following Directive(s) and Norm(s):

Directive 73/23/EEC:

EN 60950

Directive 89/336/EEC:

EN 55022 Class B

EN 61000-3-2

EN 61000-3-3

EN 50082-1

IEC 801-2

IEC 801-3

IEC 801-4 Janua ry, 1998 Y. Ishii

President of EPSON EUROPE B.V.

Getting to Know Your Printer

Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0-2

Available Paper Paths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0-3

Printing on continuous paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0-3

Printing on single sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0-6

Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0-7

Ribbon Cartridges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0-7

Important Safety Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0-8

Print Head Caution Symbol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0-9

ENERGY STAR Compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0-10

For United Kingdom Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0-10

Use of options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0-10

Safety information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0-10

How To Use Your Manuals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0-11

Warnings, Cautions, and Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0-12

Chapter 1

Unpacking the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2

Choosing a Place for the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3

Positioning the continuous paper supply . . . . . . . . . . 1-4

Installing or Replacing the Ribbon Cartridge . . . . . . . . . . 1-5

Plugging in the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10

Connecting the Printer to Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11

Installing the Printer Driver on Your PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13

For Windows 95 or NT 4.0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13

For Windows 3.1 or NT 3.5x . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16

Optional printer drivers for DOS program users . . . . . . 1-18

Setting Up the Printer

iii

Chapter 2

About Your Printer Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2

Using the Printer Driver With Windows 95 . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3

Accessing the printer driver from Windows applications . . 2-3

Accessing the printer driver from the Start menu . . . . . . 2-4

Printer driver settings overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5

Using the Printer Driver With Windows 3.1 . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8

Accessing the printer driver from Windows applications . . 2-8

Accessing the printer driver from the Control Panel . . . . . 2-9

Printer driver settings overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10

Using the Printer Driver With Windows NT 4.0 . . . . . . . . . 2-11

Accessing the printer driver from Windows applications . . 2-11

Accessing the printer driver from the Start menu . . . . . . 2-13

Printer driver settings overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13

Using the Printer Driver With Windows NT 3.5x . . . . . . . . 2-16

Accessing the printer driver from Windows applications . . 2-16

Accessing the printer driver from the Control Panel . . . . . 2-18

Printer driver settings overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19

Using the EPSON Remote! Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-21

Installing EPSON Remote! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-21

Accessing EPSON Remote! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-21

Using the Printer Software

Chapter 3

Setting the Paper Release Lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2

Setting the Paper Thickness Lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3

Loading Multi-Part Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4

Loading Continuous Paper With Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4

Removing continuous paper with labels . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5

Using the Tractor in the Front Push Position . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6

Installing the tractor in the front push position . . . . . . . 3-6

Loading paper with the front push tractor . . . . . . . . . . 3-8

Removing the printed document from the front push tractor 3-12

Removing the tractor from the front push position . . . . . 3-13

Printing on Continuous Paper

Using the Tractor in the Rear Push Position . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13

Installing the tractor in the rear push position . . . . . . . 3-14

Loading paper with the rear push tractor . . . . . . . . . . 3-15

Removing the printed document from the rear push tractor 3-18

Removing the tractor from the rear push position . . . . . 3-19

Using the Tractor in the Pull Position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20

Installing the tractor in the pull position . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20

Loading paper with the pull tractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23

Removing the paper from the pull tractor . . . . . . . . . . 3-28

Removing the tractor from the pull position . . . . . . . . 3-28

Using two tractors in a push/pull combination . . . . . . 3-30

Switching Between Printing on Continuous Paper

and Single Sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-33

Switching to printing on single sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-33

Switching to printing on continuous paper . . . . . . . . . 3-34

Adjusting the Top-of-Form Position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-35

Advancing the Paper to the Tear-Off Edge . . . . . . . . . . . 3-37

Using the Tear Off/Bin button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-37

Advancing paper to the tear-off position automatically . . 3-38

Adjusting the tear-off position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-38

Chapter 4

Printing on Single Sheets

Available Paper Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2

Using the Paper Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2

Installing the paper guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3

Loading paper in the paper guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4

Loading Envelopes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6

Chapter 5

Changi ng P rinte r Sett ings F rom t he Pri nter’ s Cont rol Pa nel

Selecting a Built-In Font . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2

Making Default Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3

Understanding default settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3

Changing default settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9

Chapter 6

About the EPSON Status Monitor 2 Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2

Installing EPSON Status Monitor 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2

Accessing EPSON Status Monitor 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3

Status Monitor Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4

EPSON Status Monitor 2 window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4

Printer Status window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9

Using the Background Monitoring Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10

Setting monitoring preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10

Using the background monitoring icon . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-12

Using EPSON Status Mon itor 2

Chapter 7

Using the Error Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2

Problems and Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-3

Power supply problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-3

Paper loading or feeding problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-4

Wrong top-of-form position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7

Wrong tear-off position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8

Printing or printout quality problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9

Clearing Paper Jams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-13

Aligning Vertical Lines in Your Printout . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-14

Printing a Self Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-15

Printing a Hex Dump . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-17

Appendix A

Paper Handling Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-2

Using the Optional Cut-Sheet Feeders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-4

Installing an optional cut-sheet feeder . . . . . . . . . . . . A-4

Loading paper in the single-bin cut-sheet feeder . . . . . . A-6

Loading paper in the high-capacity cut-sheet feeder . . . . A-10

Assembling the double-bin cut-sheet feeder . . . . . . . . . A-13

Selecting your paper path (bin 1 or bin 2) . . . . . . . . . . . A-14

Troubleshooting

Enhancing Your Printer With Options

Using an Optional Front Sheet or Front Paper Guide . . . . . A-15

Installing the front sheet or front paper guide . . . . . . . . A-16

Loading paper in the front sheet or front paper guide . . . A-18

Using the Roll Paper Holder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-20

Assembling the roll paper holder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-20

Installing the roll paper holder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-21

Loading roll paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-22

Removing roll paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-25

Installing an Interface Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-25

]

Using a Serial Interface Card (C82305

Selecting a baud rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-27

Handshake timing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-27

Error handling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-27

or 82306]) . . . . . . . A-27

Appendix B

Cleaning the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-2

Transporting the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-3

Appendix C

Printer Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-2

Mechanical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-2

Electrical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-4

Environmental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-5

Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-5

Safety approvals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-11

CE marking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-11

Command Lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-12

EPSON ESC/P control codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-12

IBM 2380/2381 Plus emulation control codes . . . . . . . . C-16

Character Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-17

Cleaning and Transporting the Printer

Specifications

vii

Appendix D

Contacting Customer Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-2

For United States and Canada Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-2

For United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland Users . . . . D-4

Enquiry Desk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-4

Customer Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-4

Faxon EPSON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-5

EPtec - Bulletin Board Service for latest drivers and utilities D-5

World Wide Web . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-5

For Australian Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-6

EPSON FAXBACK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-6

EPSON Bulletin Board System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-6

Internet URL http://www.epson.com.au . . . . . . . . . . . D-6

Your dealer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-6

EPSON Helpdesk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-7

For Singapore Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-7

For Hong Kong Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-7

Internet home page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-8

Electronic Bulletin Board System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-8

Technical support hotline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-8

For Philippines Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-8

Customer Support Information

Glossary

Index

viii

Getting to Know You r Printer

Your new EPSON® 9-pin dot matrix printer provides high-quality printing and great performance in a compact design. Features include:

A variety of paper paths to suit your printing needs.

The ability to handle a wide range of paper types (includ in g cont inu ou s pa per, multi- p ar t form s with one original plus up to five copies, labels, single sheets, and envelopes).

High-spee d draft mode prin ting of up to 455 charact ers pe r second at 12 characters per inch.

Your printer also comes with printer driver software, the EPSON Status Monitor 2 utility for Microsoft that lets you check the status of your printer quickly and easily, and other software. In addition, several options are available to help suit your individual needs.

Windows® 95

Getting to Know Your Printer

Features

This section highlights some easy-to-use features that you’ll find helpful.

Use the tear-off feature to save paper.

If you are using the tractor in the front or rear push position, you can use the tear-off feature to advance your continuous paper to the printer’s tear-off edge when you finish printing. Then you can easily tear off the printed sheets and save the paper normally lost between documents. For more information, see Chapter 3.

Use the paper release lever to change the paper path without removing continuous paper from the tractors.

Using the paper release lever, you can easily switch to printing on single sheets without removing the continuous paper loaded in the printer. You can switch to single-sheet printing this way whenever the tractor is installed in the front or the rear push position and your continuous paper is in the standby position. For more information, see Chapter 3.

Getting to Know Your Printer

paper rel ease lever

Use the

tear-off positions.

The micro adjust feature allows you to move the paper forward or backward in 1/216-inch increments so that you can make precise adjustments to the top-of-form and tear-off positions. For more information, see Chapter 3.

micro adjust feature

to adj u s t th e top-of - f o r m a nd

Available Paper Paths

Your printer provides a variety of paper paths for printing on single sheets and continuous paper. As described below, paper can be fed into the printer from the top, front, bottom, or rear. You select the paper path that best suits your current printing needs.

Printing on continuous paper

You can choose from three tractor positions (front push, rear push, and pull) and three paper entry slots (front, rear, and bottom) for continuous paper printing. This section helps you determine which paper paths and tractor positions are best for your continuous paper printing needs. See Chapter 3 for tractor installation and paper loading instructions.

Getting to Know Your Printer

Using the push tractor positions

If you often need to tear off sheets of continuous paper (for example, if you are printing purchase orders or sales slips), it is best to use the tractor in the front or rear push position. This allows you to use the printer’s tear-off edge to easily tear off sheets of continuous paper at the perforation. Also, when continuous paper is loaded on a push tractor, you can print on single sheets of paper from the paper guide without removing the continuous paper from the tractor.

There are two push tractor positions: front and rear. The tractor is installed in the rear push position when the printer is shipped. See the table below for details about the push positions and the corresponding paper paths.

Tractor Position Description

Load paper from the front slot.

front push

rear push

Getting to Know Your Printer

If you print on thick paper such use the front paper slot because this paper path is almost straight. This reduces the chances of paper jams.

Load paper from the rear slot.

Caution:

Do not load continuous paper with labels from the rear sl ot. La bels requi re a straight paper pa th; otherwise the labels may come off their backing sheets inside the printer and cause a paper jam.

Note:

The rear slot is also not recommended when your multi-part forms have 5 or 6 parts (1 original plus 4 or 5 copies), because the paper might jam.

as m

ulti-part forms,

Using the pull tractor position

If you often print on thick or heavy continuous paper, such as multi-pa rt form s or co ntin u ou s pape r wi th lab els , use the tractor in the pull position. The pull tractor provides you with the best paper jam prevention, and allows you to load continuous paper from the front, rear, or bottom of the printer. However, you cannot use the tear-off feature when the tractor is in the pull position.

Note:

If you plan to use the tractor in the pull position, you can remove the tractor from the rear push position and reinstall it in the pull position, or you can purchase the optional additional tra cto r u nit (C80020 FX-880, C80021

]

for FX-1180) a nd ins tall it in the pull posi tio n .

If you use a push tractor with the optional tractor in the pull position, you can create a push/pull tractor combination. This improves the performance of continuous paper, and is recommended for printing on continuous pre-printed forms. See “Using two tractors in a push/pull combination” on page 3-30 for more information.

You can use the front, bottom, or rear paper slot with the pull tractor.

]

for

Paper Slot Description

If you print on thick paper such as multi-part forms or continuous paper with labels, use the front paper slot because this paper path is nearly straight. This reduces the chan ces of paper ja ms.

front

The bottom paper slot has the straightest paper path, so it is the best slot to use when printing on thick paper, such as multi-part forms or continuous paper with labels.

Note:

bottom

When loading paper from the bottom slot, be sure to use a printer stand with an opening large enough for the paper to feed through it without obstruction.

Getting to Know Your Printer

If the front or bottom paper slot is unavailable, you can also load ordinary continuous paper from the rear slot. Please note that loading paper from the rear slot results in a curved paper path, which may affect loading performance, so use the front or bottom slot whenever

rear

possible.

Caution:

Do not load continuous paper with labels in the rear slot. The labels may come off the backing sheets inside the printer and cause a paper jam.

Printing on single sheets

As shown below, you can load ordinary single sheets (not single-sheet multi-part forms) and envelopes one at a time from the top of the printer, using the paper guide that comes with the printer.

You can also load single-sheet paper using an optional cut-sheet feeder, front sheet guide, or front paper guide. For information on printing on single sheets, see Chapter 4. For inform at ion on o pti on s, see Ap pe nd ix A .

Getting to Know Your Printer

Options

Your printer comes with everything necessary to print on continuous paper and single sheets using a variety of paper paths. By adding options, such as a cut-sheet feeder, pull tractor, or roll paper holder, you can further expand your printer’s versatility. Optional interface cards are also available to supplement your printer’s built-in parallel interface. For more information on options for your printer, see Appendix A, “Enhancing Your Printer With Options.”

Ribbon Cartridges

Your printer uses the following ribbon cartridge:

EPSON black ribbon cartridge FX-880: #8750 FX-1180: #8755

When printing becomes faint, you need to replace the ribbon cartridge. Genuine EPSON ribbon cartridges are designed and manufactured to work properly with your EPSON printer. They ensure proper operation and long life of the print head and other printer parts.

To replace a used ribbon cartridge, follow the instructions under “Installing or Replacing the Ribbon Cartridge” on page 1-5.

Getting to Know Your Printer

Important Safety Instructions

Read all of these instructions and save them for later reference. Follow all wa rnin g s and ins tru cti on s mark ed o n the prin te r.

Do not place the printer on an unstable surface or near a

radiator or heat source.

Place the printer on a flat surface. The printer will not

operate properly if it is tilted or at an angle.

Do not block or cover the openings in the printer’s cabinet.

Do not insert objects through the slots.

Use only the type of power source indicated on the

printer’s label.

Connect all equipment to properly grounded power

outlets. Avoid using outlets on the same circuit as photocopiers or air control systems that regularly switch on and off.

Do not use a damaged or frayed power cord.

If you use an extension cord with the printer, make sure

the total ampere rating of all devices plugged into the extension cord does not exceed the cord’s ampere rating. Also, make sure the total of all devices plugged into the wall outlet does not exceed the wall outlet’s ampere rating.

Unplug the printer before cleaning, and clean it with a

damp cloth only.

Do not spill liqu id on the prin t er.

Except as specifically explained in this guide, do not

attempt to service the printer yourself.

Getting to Know Your Printer

Unplug the printer and refer servicing to qualified service

personnel under the following conditions:

If the power cord or plug is damaged; if liquid has entered the printer; if the printer has been dropped or the cabinet damaged; or if the printer does not operate normally or exhibits a distinct change in performance. Adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating instructions.

If you plan to use the printer in Germany, observe the

following:

To provide adequate short-circuit protection and over-current protection for this printer, the building installation must be protected by a 16 Amp circuit breaker.

Note for German-speaking users:

Bei Anschluß des Druckers an die Stromversorgung muß sichergestellt werden, daß die Gebäudeinstallation mit einem 16 A-Überstromschalter abgesichert ist.

Print Head Caution Symbol

Printer parts marked with this symbol may be hot. Turn off the printer and let it cool for a few minutes before you touch any printer part marked with this symbol.

The symbol on the print head indicates that this part may be hot. Never touch the print head just after the printer has been used. Let the print head cool for a few minutes before touching it.

Getting to Know Your Printer

NERGY STAR Compliance

As an ENERGY STAR Partner, EPSON has determined that this product meets the ENERGY

TAR guidelines for energy efficiency.

The International is a voluntary partnership with the computer and office equipment industry to promote the introduction of energy-efficient personal computers, monitors, printers, fax machines, and copiers in an effort to reduce air pollution caused by power generation.

NERGY STAR Office Equipment program

For United Kingdom Users

Use of options

Epson (UK) Limited shall not be liable against any damages or problems arising from the use of any options or consumable products other than those designated as Original EPSON Products or EPSON Approved Products by Epson (UK) Limited.

Safety information

Warning:

for voltage and check that the appliance voltage corresponds to the

supply voltag e .

This appliance must be earthed. Refer to rating plate

Important:

are coloured in accordance with the following code:

Green and yellow — Earth Blue — Neutral Brown — Live

Getting to Know Your Printer

The wires in the mains lead fitted to this appliance

If you have to fit a plug:

As the colours of the mains lead of this appliance may not match coloured markings used to identify the terminals in a plug, please proceed as follows:

The green and yellow wire must be connected to the terminal in the plug which is marked with the letter E or the Earth symbol (

The blue wire must be connected to the terminal in the plug marked with the letter N.

The brown wire must be connected to the terminal in the plug marked with the letter L.

If damage occurs to the plug, replace the cord set or consult a qualified electrician.

Replace fuses only with a fuse of the correct size and rating.

How To Use Your Manual s

This

User’s Guide

and using your printer. The comes with the printer summarizes basic information on how to use the printer.

Although this manual includes only illustrations of the FX-880 printer, yo u ca n use th e inst ruc tion s an d illu str ation s in this manual for both the FX-880 and the FX-1180; the printer work the same way.

provides detailed information on setting up

Quick Reference Guide

Getting to Know Your Printer

that also

Warnings, Cautions, and Notes

This guide uses the following conventions:

Warnings

must be followe d t o avoid b odily injury.

Cautions

must be observed to avoid damage to your equipment.

contain important information and useful tips on the operation

Notes

of your printer.

Getting to Know Your Printer

Chapter 1

Setting Up the Printer

Unpacking the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2

Choosing a Place for the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3

Positioning the continuous paper supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4

Installing or Replacing the Ribbon Cartridge . . . . . . . . . . 1-5

Plugging in the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10

Connecting the Printer to Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11

Installing the Printer Driver on Your PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13

For Windows 95 or NT 4.0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13

For Windows 3.1 or NT 3.5x . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16

Optional printer drivers for DOS program users . . . . . . . . . 1-18

Setting Up the Printer

1-1

Unpacking the Printer

Besides this guide, your printer box should include EPSON printer software disks, a Notice Sheet, and the following items:

paper guide

printer

g-new

ribbon cartridge

power cord

Note:

Depending on your printer model, the power cord may be permanently attached to the printer. Also, the shape of the power cord plug varies depending on the country in which you bought yo ur pri nter; be sure the plug you have is the right one for your location.

You must remove all protective materials packed around and inside your printer before you set it up and turn on the power. Follow the directions on the Notice Sheet (packed with the printer) to remove these materials.

Save all packing and protective materials in case you need to ship the printer in the future. It should always be transported in its original packaging or equivalent materials.

1-2

Setting Up the Printer

Caution:

There are several models of the printer designed for different

voltages, and it is not possible to adjust the printer for use with another voltage. If the label on the back of the printer does not show the correct voltage for your country, contact your dealer.

Choosing a Place for the Printer

Follow the gu id elin es bel ow whe n sel ec ting a locatio n for your printer.

Place the printer on a flat, stable surface. The printer will

not operate properly if it is tilted or at an angle.

Place the printer where you can easily connect it to a

network interface cable, if necessary.

Leave adequate room around the printer for easy operation

and maintenan ce.

Avoid using or storing the printer in places subject to rapid

changes in temperature and humidity. Also keep it away from direct sunlight, strong light, heat sources, or excessive moisture or dust.

Avoid places subject to shocks and vibrations.

Place the printer near a wall outlet where you can easily

unplug the power cord.

Note for French-speaking users:

Placez l’imprimante près d’une prise de contact où la fiche peut être débranchée facilement.

Avoid electrical outlets controlled by wall switches or

automatic timers. An interruption in power can erase information in the memory of your printer or computer. Also avoid outlets on the same circuit as large motors or other appliances that can cause voltage fluctuations.

Setting Up the Printer

1-3

Keep the entire computer system away from poten tial

sources of electromagnetic interference, such as loudspeakers or the base units of cordless telephones.

Use a grounded power outlet; do not use an adapter plug.

Make sure the paper path is clear and unobstructed before

you print on continuous paper. (See the next section.)

If you plan to use a printer stand, follow these guidelines:

Use a stand that supports at least the following weight:

15.2 kg (33.51 lb) for FX-880

19.2 kg (42.33 lb) for FX-1180

Never use a stand that tilts the printer. The printer should

always be kept level.

Position your printer’s power cord and interface cable so

they do not interfere with paper feeding. If possible, secure the cables to a leg of the printer stand.

Positioning the continuous paper supply

Before using continuous paper, make sure you line up your paper supply with the tractor feeder so the paper feeds smoothly into the printer, as shown below.

1-4

Setting Up the Printer

g2-8aa

Installing or Replacing the Ribbon Cartridge

This section describes how to install or replace the ribbon cartridge. The installation and replacement procedures are the same except that you need to remove the used ribbon cartridge before replacing it with a new one.

EPSON recommends the use of genuine EPSON ribbon cartridges (#8750 for FX-880, #8755 for FX-1180). Products not manufactur ed by EPSO N may caus e damage to your print er not covered by EPSON’s warranties.

Warning:

You need to move the print head by hand to install or replace the

ribbon cartridge. If you have just used the printer, the print head may be hot; let i t co ol bef o r e touching it.

1. Make sure the printer is turned off. The printer is off when the surface of the protectors as shown.

Operate

button is even with the button

Caution:

Moving the print head while the printer is on may damage the printer.

Setting Up the Printer

1-5

2. If the printer is connected to an electrical outlet, unplug it from the outlet.

3. Lift the printer cover by its back edge and then pull it straight up and off.

4. Press up the tabs on each side of the paper tension unit, then lift the front of the unit and pull it up and out of the printer.

fx1-6-1

g1-6-2a

1-6

Setting Up the Printer

5. Make sure that the print head is not hot; if it is, let it cool for a few minutes before touching it. Then slide the print head to the middle of the printer by hand.

print head

6. If a used ribbon cartridge is installed, grasp the cartridge by its handle and pull it up and out of the printer.

fx1-7

handle

7. Remove the new ribbon cartridge from the package and turn the ribbon-tightening knob in the direction of the arrow to remove any sla ck in the ribb on .

Setting Up the Printer

1-7

+ 197 hidden pages

Epson FX-1180, FX-880 User Guide

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Printer Parts

Control Panel Buttons and Lights

Declaration of Conformity

Contents

Getting to Know You r Printer

Setting Up the Printer