Epson FX-1180, FX-880 User Guide

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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

8. Hold the ribbon cartridge by its handle and push it firmly down into position; then press down on both ends of the cartridge to fit the plastic hooks into the slots.

9. Use a pointed object, such as a ball point pen, to guide the ribbon between the print head and ribbon guide while you turn the ribbon-tightening knob to help feed the ribbon into place.

fx1-8-1

1-8

ribbon-tightening

knob

Setting Up the Printer

10. Slide the print head from side to side to make sure it moves smoothly. Also check that the ribbon is not twisted or creased.

11. Install the paper tension unit by placing it on the printer’s mounting pegs and lowering it into place. Press down on both ends of the unit until it clicks into place.

Setting Up the Printer

1-9

12. Replace the printer cover by inserting the front tabs into the slots on the printer and lowering the cover into place. Then push it down until it clicks.

Plugging in the Printer

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

Operate

button is even with the button

g1-10

1-10

Setting Up the Printer

2. Check the label on the back of the printer to make sure its voltage matches that of your electrical outlet. Also make sure the plug on your printer’s power cord matches your electrical outlet.

Caution:

3. If the power cord is not attached to the printer, plug the appropriate end into the AC inlet on the back of the printer.

4. Plug the power cord into a properly grounded electrical outlet.

It is not possi ble to cha n ge the pr i n te r’s voltage. If the ra ted voltage and your outlet voltage do not match, contact your dealer for assistance. Do not plug in the power cord.

Connecting the Printer to Your Computer

To connect your computer to your printer’s built-in parallel interface, you need a shielded, twisted-pair parallel cable with a D-SUB, 25-pin, male connector for your computer and a 36-pin Centronics

compatible connector for the printer.

If your computer requires a different type of printer interface, you should be able to use one of the optional interfaces described on page A-25.

Follow the steps below to connect the printer to your computer using the built-in parallel interface.

1. Make sure both the printer and computer are turned off. The printer is off when the surface of the even with the button protectors.

Setting Up the Printer

Operate

button is

1-11

2. Plug the cable connector securely into the printer’s interface connector.

3. Squeeze the wire clips together until they lock in place on both sides of the connector.

!g1-11

g1-12-1

4. If your cable has a ground wire, connect it to the printer’s ground connector as shown below.

1-12

Setting Up the Printer

g1-12-2

5. Plug the other end of the cable into the computer. (If the cable has a ground wire at the computer end, attach it to the ground connector at the back of the computer.)

After you connect the printer to your computer, install the printer driver as described in the next section.

Installing the Printer Driver on Your PC

After you connect the printer to your computer, install the printer driver on your computer. Th e printer drive r is software that allows your computer to control the printer. You need to install the prin ter driver so your Window s soft wa re applications can take full advantage of the printer’s capabilities. The printer driver is included in the EPSON printer software disks that come with your printer.

If you are using DOS, see “Optional printer driver for DOS program users” on page 1-18.

Note:

Before you install the printer software, it is best to make backup copies of the EPSON printer software disks.

For Windows 95 or NT 4.0

Follow the steps below to install the printer driver for Windows 95 or NT 4.0. If you want to use the plug-and-play feature to install the prin ter drive r for Window s 95, see page 1-14.

Note:

Installing the printer driver for Windows NT 4.0 may require network administration privileges. Ask your network administrator for more information.

Setting Up the Printer

1-13

1. Make sure Windows 95 or NT 4.0 is running and the printer is off.

2. Insert Disk 1 of your printer driver software in a disk drive. Double-click the

My Computer

icon, and then double-click

the drive in which you inserted the disk.

3. Double-click the

Setup.exe

icon, then select your printer icon in the EPSON Printer Driver Setup dialog box shown below. Click OK and follow the on-screen instructions.

After you install the printer driver for Windows 95, you can install the EPSON Status Monitor 2 utility program. See Chapter 6 for information on installing and using the Status Monitor.

Using Windows 95 plug-and-play

If you are using Windows 95 and want to install the driver using plug-and-play, follow the steps below.

ntsetupa

Note:

You can insta ll the pr i n ter dr iv e r usi n g pl u g-a n d-play only if your computer ha s an IEEE-1284 co mp at ible, b idi r ectional parallel po r t. See your computer documentation for more information.

1. Make sure the printer is connected to your computer as described on page 1-11.

1-14

Setting Up the Printer

2. Turn off your printer and computer, if necessary.

Caution:

3. First turn on your printer and then turn on the computer. Your computer starts loading Windows 95.

4. If you use a password, enter it at the prompt. The New Hardware Found screen appears and displays your printer’s model name.

Note:

If you do not see the New Hardware Found screen, or if you run into any oth e r p roblem, click “For Windows 95 or NT 4.0” on page 1-13.

5. Click the

manufacturer

Note:

Windows 95 may display the New Hardware Found screen again the next time you turn on your computer. If this happens, select the

not install a driver

will not appear again.

Whenever you turn off the printer, wait at least five seconds before turning it back on; otherwise, you may damage the printer.

Cancel

Driver from disk provided by hardware

radio button.

radio button an d the n click OK. This screen

and follow the instructions under

6. Click OK. You see the Install From Disk screen.

7. Insert Disk 1 of your printer driver software in a disk drive.

8. Type

A:\Win95

(If you inserted the disk in a drive other than drive A, substitute the appropriate letter.) Then click OK. The Add Printer Wizard dialog box appears.

in the Copy manufacturer’s files from box.

Setting Up the Printer

1-15

9. You can type a unique name for the printer in the Printer name box. However, we recommend that you keep the default model name as shown.

If this is your only printer or you want to use this printer as the default printer for Windows 95 applications, select

Yes

(No is the default setting.)

10. Click the

button. The program copies the files to your

Finish

hard disk and adds an icon to the Printer’s folder using the printer model name or the name you entered.

After you install the printer driver for Windows 95, you can install the EPSON Status Monitor 2 utility program. See Chapter 6 for information on installing and using the Status Monitor.

For Windows 3.1 or NT 3.5x

Follow the steps below to install the printer driver for Windows 3.1 or NT 3.5x.

Note:

Installing the printer driver for NT 3.5x may require network administration privileges. Ask your network administrator for more information.

1. Make sure Windows 3.1 or NT 3.5x is runnin g and the Program Manager window is open.

2. Insert Disk 1 of your printer driver software in a disk drive.

1-16

Setting Up the Printer

3. Choose appears:

from the File menu. The following dialog box

Run

4. Type

5. Select your printer and click OK. Follow the instructions on

A:\SETUP

drive A, substitute the appropriate letter.) Then click OK. The EPSON Printer Driver Setup dialog box appears.

the screen.

. (If you inserted the disk in a drive other than

Setting Up the Printer

1-17

Optional printer drivers for DOS program users

To control the printer from DOS application programs, you must select the printer you are using during the application’s installation or setup procedure.

Choose your EPSON printer at the appropriate step in the installation or setup procedure. If the list in your application does not include your printer, choose the first available printer from the following list:

For FX-880: For FX-118 0:

FX-870 FX-1170 FX-850 FX-1050 FX-800 FX-1000 FX-85 FX-105 FX-80+ FX-100+ FX-80 FX-100

If none of these printers is listed, choose the first one available from the following:

FX LX RX MX EPSON printer Standard printer Draft printer ASCII prin ter

Note:

If your application does not list a suitable alternative, contact the software manufacturer to see if an update is available.

1-18

Setting Up the Printer

Chapter 2

Using the Printer Software

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

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

Accessing the printer driv er from Win d ow s applicat ions . . . . 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 driv er from Win d ow s applicat ions . . . . 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 driv er from Win d ow s applicat ions . . . . 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 driv er from Win d ow s applicat ions . . . . 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

2-1

About Your Printer Software

The EPSON software that comes with your printer includes the printer driver software, the EPSON Remote! utility, and the EPSON Status Monitor 2 utility for Windows 95.

As described in Chapter 1, a printer driver is software that allows your computer to control the printer. You need to install the printer driver so your Windows software applications can take full advantage of the printer’s capabilities.

EPSON Remote! is a DOS-based printer setup utility that allows you to easily change the printer’s default settings from the computer screen.

The EPSON Status Monitor 2 utility program is available only for Windows 95. It allows you to monitor the status of your printer, alerts you when errors occur, and provides you with troubleshooting tips. To install and use the Status Monitor, see Chapter 6, “Using EPSON Status Monitor 2.”

Note:

Before proceeding, make sure you have installed the printer driver on your PC as described in Chapter 1.

To use the printer driver or EPSON Remote! utility, see the appropriate page below.

To use... See page...

the printer driver with Windows 95 2-3 the printer driver with Windows 3.1 2-8 the printer driver with Windows NT 4.0 2-11 the printer driver with Windows NT 3.5 x 2-16 EPSON Remote! with DOS 2-21

2-2

Using the Printer Software

Using the Printer Driver With Windows 95

While many Windows applications override the settings made with the printer driver, some do not, so you must verify that the printer driver settings match your requirements. To access the printer driver, see “Accessing the printer driver from Windows applications” or “Accessing the printer driver from the Start menu,” below. To check and change the printer driver settings, see “Printer driver settings overview” on page 2-5.

Accessing the printer driver from Windows applications

To access the printer driver from a Windows application, follow the general steps below. How you access your printer driver may vary depending on the application you use. See your application manual for details.

Note:

When you access the printer driver from within a Windows application, any settings you make apply only to the application you are using.

1. Select Print Setup or Print from the File menu of your application software. The Print or Print Setup dialog box appears.

Using the Printer Software

2-3

2. Make sure that your printer is selected and then click

Setup, Properties

, or

Options

. (You may need to click a combination of these buttons.) The Properties window appears, and you see the Paper, Graphics, and Device Options menus. These menus contain the printer driver settings.

Printer

paper95

3. To view a menu, click the corresponding tab at the top of the window. See “Printer driver settings overview,” below, for detailed information about the printer driver settings.

Accessing the printer driver from the Start menu

To access the printer driver from the Start menu, follow the steps below.

Note:

When you access the printer driver from the Start menu, any change you make to the pri n te r dr iv e r app ly to a ll your a pplications.

1. Click the

2-4

Start

button, and then point to

Using the Printer Software

Settings

2. Click

Printers

3. Right-click your printer icon, and click displays the Properties window, which contains the Paper, Graphics, and Device Options menus.

4. To view a menu, click the corresponding tab at the top of the window. See the next section for detailed information about the printer driver settings.

Properties

Printer driver settings overview

Your printer driver has three menus: Paper, Graphics, and Device Options. To open these menus, see the sections on accessing the printer driver, above. The printer driver settings on each of these menus are described below.

When you finish making your printer driver settings, click to apply the settings, or click settings to their default values.

Paper menu

Restore Defaults

to return the

. The screen

Using the Printer Software

2-5

Paper size Select the size of the paper you want

Orientation

Paper source Click the paper source you want to use.

Graphics menu

to use. If you don’t see your paper size, use the scroll bar to scroll through the list. If your paper size is not included in the list, click

Custom

and enter the paper size in the dialog box that appears.

Select

Portrait

Landscape

2-6

Resolution Click the printing resolution you want.

The higher the resolution you select, the more detailed your printout will be; however, increasing the resolution slows printing.

Using the Printer Software

Dithering

Intensity Move the slider to make your printout

Device Options menu

You can leave this option set to which is the default setting, or select another dithering pattern depending on the kind of printout you want. The display to the left of the dithering options shows the effect of your setting.

lighter or darker.

Fine

Print Quality Select the print quality from the Print

Quality list. Higher quality means the printer produces more detailed printouts at a slower printing speed.

Once you’ve checked your printer driver settings and changed them if necessary, you are ready to print with continuous paper as described in Chapter 3, or with single sheets as described in Chapter 4.

Using the Printer Software

2-7

Using the Printer Driver With Windows 3.1

While many Windows applications override the settings made with the printer driver, some do not, so you must verify that the printer driver settings match your requirements. To access the printer driver, see “Accessing the printer driver from Windows applications“ or “Accessing the printer driver from the Control Panel,” below. To check and change the printer driver settings, see “Printer driver settings overview” on page 2-10.

Accessing the printer driver from Windows applications

Note:

When you access the printer driver from within a Windows application, any settings you make apply only to the application you are using.

2-8

1. Select

Using the Printer Software

Print Setup

application software. The Print or Print Setup dialog box appears.

from the File menu of your

2. Make sure that your printer is selected and then click

Setup

these buttons.) The printer driver settings window appears. See “Printer driver settings overview” on page 2-10 for detailed information about the printer driver settings.

, or

Options

. (You may need to click a combination of

Accessing the printer driver from the Control Panel

To access the printer driver from the Control Panel, follow the steps below.

Note:

When you access the printer driver from the Control Panel, the printer driver settings you make apply to all your applications.

Printer

1. In the Main window, double-click the

2. Double-click the

3. Make sure your printer is highlighted, then click printer driver settings window appears. To access all the settings, you may need to click driver settings window.

See the next section for detailed information about the printer driver settings.

Printers

icon. The Printers dialog box appears.

Options

Using the Printer Software

Control Panel

in the printer

icon.

Setup

. The

2-9

Printer driver settings overview

To access the printer driver settings window, see the sections on accessing the printer driver, above. The printer driver settings are described below.

When you finish making your printer driver settings, click to apply the settings, or click

Resolution Click the printing resolution you

Cancel

to cancel your changes.

want. The higher the resolution you select, the more detailed your printout will be; however, increasing the resolution slows printing.

Paper Size Select the size of the paper you want

to use. If you don’t see your paper size, use the scroll bar to scroll through the list. If your paper size is not included in the list, click

Defined Size

and en ter the paper size

User

in the dialog box that appears.

Paper Source Click the paper source you want to

use.

Orientation

Select

Portrait

Landscape

. The diagram on the screen changes according to the orientation you select.

Dithering

You can leave this option set to which is the default setting, or select another dithering pattern depending on the kind of printout you want.

Fine

2-10

Intensity Control Move the slider to make your printout

lighter or darker.

Using the Printer Software

Print Quality Select the print quality from the Print

Quality list. Higher quality means the printer produces more detailed printouts at a slower printing speed.

Using the Printer Driver With Windows NT 4.0

Note:

Accessing and changing printer driver settings may require network administration privileges. Ask your network administrator for more information.

Accessing the printer driver from Windows applications

Note:

When you access the printer driver from within a Windows application, any settings you make apply only to the application you are using.

Using the Printer Software

2-11

1. Select

Print Setup

from the File menu of your application software. The Print or Print Setup dialog box appears.

setup40

2. Make sure that your printer is selected and then click

Setup, Properties

, or

Options

. (You may need to click a combination of these buttons.) The Document Properties window appears, and you see the Page Setup and Advanced menus. These menus contain the printer driver settings.

Printer

2-12

Using the Printer Software

3. To view a menu, click the corresponding tab at the top of the window. See “Printer driver settings overview,” below, for detailed information about the settings.

Accessing the printer driver from the Start menu

To access the printer driver from the Start menu, follow the steps below.

Note:

When you access the printer driver from the Start menu, the printer driver settings you make apply to all your applications.

1. Click the

2. Click

3. Right-click your printer icon, and click The screen displays the Default Document Properties window, which contains the Page Setup and Advanced menus.

4. To view a menu, click the corresponding tab at the top of the window. See the next section for detailed information about the printer driver settings.

Start

Printers

button, and then point to

Settings

Document Defaults

Printer driver settings overview

Your printer driver has two menus: Page Setup and Advanced. To open these menus, see the sections on accessing the printer driver, above. The printer driver settings on each of these menus are described below.

When you finish making your printer driver settings, click to apply the settings, or click

Cancel

to cancel your changes.

Using the Printer Software

2-13

Page Setup menu

Paper Size Select the size of the paper you want

Paper Source Click the paper source you want to

to use from the Paper Size list.

use from the Paper Source list.

2-14

Orientation

Using the Printer Software

Select

Portrait

Landscape

Advanced menu

Paper/Out put

Check the and on the Page Setup menu and change them if necessary. Select the paper sourc e a nd then choo se the pa per size for that paper source from the Change Setting list box.

Paper Size, Orientation

Paper Source

settings you made

Graphic

Resolution

Select printing resolution from the Change Setting list box. The higher the resolution you select, the more detailed your printout will be; however, increasing the resolution slows printing.

Using the Printer Software

and then choose the

2-15

Document

Options

Once you’ve verified your printer driver setting and changed them if necessary, you are ready to print with continuous paper as described in Chapter 3, or with single sheets as described in Chapter 4.

Double-click

Adjustment

Color Adjustment dialog box. Click

Print Text as Graphi cs Spooling

list box.

Halftone Color

to open the Halftone

and select On or

Metafile

Off

Using the Printer Driver With Windows NT 3.5x

While many Windows applications override the settings made with the printer driver, some do not, so you must verify that the printer driver settings match your requirements. To access the printer driver, see “Accessing the printer driver from Windows applications” or “Accessing the printer driver from the Control Panel,” below. To check and change the printer driver settings, see “Printer driver settings overview” on page 2-19.

in each

Note:

Accessing and changing printer driver settings may require network administration privileges. Ask your network administrator for more information.

Accessing the printer driver from Windows applications

2-16

Using the Printer Software

Note:

When you access the printer driver from within a Windows application, any settings you make apply only to the application you are using.

1. Select

2. Make sure that your printer is selected and then click

Print Setup

application software. The Print or Print Setup dialog box appears.

Setup, Properties

combination of these buttons.) The screen displays the Document Properties dialog box, which contains the Form and Orientation printer driver settings.

, or

from the File menu of your

Options

. (You may need to click a

Printer

3. Click

Options

Document Properties dialog box, which includes the Graphics Resolution, Color, and Optimizations settings. See “Printer driver settings overview” on page 2-19 for detailed inform atio n ab ou t the set t in gs.

(or a similar button) to view the Advanced

Using the Printer Software

2-17

Accessing the printer driver from the Control Panel

To access the printer driver from the Control Panel, follow the steps below.

Note:

When you access the printer driver from the Control Panel, the settings you make apply to all your applications.

1. In the Main window, double-click the The Print Manager window opens.

2. Make sure your printer is highlighted, then click

Properties

select

3. Click the Document Properties dialog box, which includes the Form and Orientation printer driver settings.

4. Click dialog box, which contains the Graphics Resolution, Color, and Optimization printer driver settings. See the next section for detailed information about the settings.

Details

Options

. The Printer Properties dialog box appears.

button, then click

to open the Advanced Document Properties

Print Manager

Job Default

Printer

. You see the

icon.

and

2-18

Using the Printer Software

Printer driver settings overview

Your printer driver has two dialog boxes: Document Properties and Advanced Document Properties. To open these dialog boxes, see the sections on accessing the printer driver, above. The printer driver settings in each of these dialog boxes are described below.

When you finish making your printer driver settings, click to apply the settings, or click

Document Properties dialog box

Form Select the type of form you want to

Orientation

Cancel

use. If you don’t see your form type, select it from the Form list.

Select diagram on the screen changes according to the orientation you select.

to cancel your changes.

Portrait

Landscape

. The

Using the Printer Software

2-19

Advanced Document Properties dialog box

Graphics

Resolution

Click the printing resolution you want. If you don’t see the resolution you want, select it from the Graphics Resolution list. The higher the resolution you select, the more detailed your printout will be; however, increasing the resolution slows printing.

Color Only monochrome is available.

Optimization Turn the Print Text as Graphics

setting on or off.

To set the brightness and contrast, input the RGB gamma, make other settings if necessary, and click Color Adjustment dialog box appears. For details, click

Halftone

. The Halftone

Help

this dialog box.

Once you’ve verified your printer driver settings and changed them if necessary, you are ready to print with continuous paper as described in Chapter 3, or with single sheets as described in Chapter 4.

2-20

Using the Printer Software

Using the EPSON Remote! Utility

The EPSON Remote! utility allows you to easily change the printer’s default settings from your computer’s DOS prompt.

Installing EPSON Remote!

Follow the step s b elow to in stall EPSO N Rem ot e!.

1. Insert Disk 1 of your printer driver software in a disk drive.

2. At the DOS prompt, type in a drive other than drive A, substitute the appropriate letter.) Then press

3. Select your printer’s name in the Printer Model window and

Enter. C:\EPUTIL

press

4. Press

Enter

C:\EPUTIL.

again. The EPSON Remote! utility is copied to

Enter

A:\SETUP. (

appears as the default directory.

If you inserted the disk

Accessing EPSON Remote!

To access EPSON Remote!, type and press this utility.

Enter

. Then follow the on-screen instructions to use

C:\PRNSET

at the DOS prompt

Using the Printer Software

2-21

2-22

Using the Printer Software

Chapter 3

Printing on Continuous Paper

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 pos ition . . . . . . . . . . 3-6

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

Removin g the printe d docume n t from th e front push tractor . . . 3-12

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

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

Installing the tractor in the rear push pos ition . . . . . . . . . . 3-14

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

Removin g the printe d docume n t from th e 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

Printing on Continuous Paper

3-1

Setting the Paper Release Lever

You can load continuous paper in the printer from various paper sources, such as the front or rear push tractor. You set the paper release lever to indicate the paper source you want to use, as described in the table below. To decide which paper source and paper path best suits your printing needs, see “Available Paper Paths” on page 3.

paper r elease lever

The table below describes each paper release lever position.

3-2

Paper release lever position

Description

Single-sheet position

For loading single-sheet paper from the top or front slot. For information on load ing single sheets, see Chapter 4.

Front push tractor position

For loadi ng continuous paper from t he tractor in stalled in the front push position. Also set the lever to this position when using the front push and pull tractors in combination.

Rear push tractor position

For loadi ng continuous paper from t he tractor in stalled in the rear push position. Also set the lever to this position when using the rear push and pull tractors in combination.

Pull tractor position

For loadi ng continuous paper from t he tractor in stalled on top of the printer in the pull position. When the tractor is in the pull position, you can load paper in the front, rear, or bottom slot.

Printing on Continuous Paper

Setting the Paper Thickness Lever

Setting the paper thickness lever allows the printer to accommodate various thicknesses of paper. The paper thickness lever is located under the printer cover. You can select one of eight positions identified by the scale next to the lever.

-1

Use the following table to set the paper thickness lever to match the thickness of your paper.

Paper type* Lever position

Ordinary (single sheets or continuous paper) 0 Thin paper -1 or 0 Carbonless multi-part forms with:

2 parts (original + 1 copy) 3 parts (original + 2 copies) 4 parts (original + 3 copies) 5 parts (original + 4 copies) 6 parts (original + 5 copies)

Continuous paper with labels 2 Envelopes 2 to 6

* See Appendix C for complete paper specifications.

1 2 3 4 5

Note:

When the temperature is 5°C (41°F) or less, set the paper thickness lever one position lower to improve print quality.

When the temperature is 35°C (95°F) or more, set the paper thickness lever one position higher to improve print quality.

Printing on Continuous Paper

3-3

Loading Multi-Part Forms

You can use carbonless multi-part forms of up to six parts (five copies on top of the original). Make sure you set the paper thickness lever to the proper position based on the number of layers in your form.

Except for setting the paper thickness lever, you load multi-part forms the same way as ordinary paper. For details, see the sections on loading continuous paper later in this chapter.

Note:

Be sure your multi-part forms do not exceed 0.46 mm (0.018 inch) in thickness.

Do not load paper that is curled or has been folded.

Thick paper, such as multi-part forms with five or six parts, requires a straight paper path to avoid paper jams. Load thick paper in the front or bottom slots.

Loading Con tinuous Paper Wit h Labels

When printing on labels, use only the type of labels that are mounted on continuous backing sheets with sprocket holes for use with a tractor feeder. Do not try to print on single sheets with labels because the printer may not feed labels on a shiny backing sheet properly.

Thick paper, such as continuous paper with labels, requires a straight or almost straight paper path. You can load labels in the front (push tractor or pull tractor) or bottom (pull tractor) paper slot; however, for best results, use the tractor in the pull position, and load paper in the front or bottom paper slot.

3-4

Printing on Continuous Paper

You load labels the same way you load ordinary continuous paper, except you must set the paper thickness lever to 2 before printing on labels. See “Loading paper with the pull tractor” later in this chapter for more information.

Caution:

It is best to load continuous paper with labels on the pull tractor. Loading labels on the rear or the front push tractor is not recommended.

Never feed labels backward using the

Tear Off/Bin

easily peel off the backing sheet and cause a paper jam.

Because labels are sensitive to temperature and humidity, use them only under normal operating conditions, as follows:

Temperature 15 to 25°C (59 to 77°F) Humidity 30 to 60% RH

Do not leave labels loaded in the printer between jobs; they may curl around the platen and jam when you resume printing.

Do not load continuous paper with labels from the rear paper slot. Because the paper path from the rear slot is curved, labels may come off their backing sheets inside the printer and cause a paper jam.

Do not load paper that is curled or has been folded.

button. When fed backward, labels can

Removing continuous paper with labels

Load/Eject

To avoid peeling labels off the backing sheet and jamming the printer, follow the steps on the next page when you remove continuous paper with labels from the printer.

Printing on Continuous Paper

3-5

1. Tear off the fresh supply of continuous labels at the perforation nearest the paper entry slot.

perforation nearest the paper entry slot

2. Hold down the the printer.

Caution:

Never feed labels backward using the

Off/Bin

backing sheet and cause a paper jam.

button. When fed backward, labels can easily come off the

button to eject the remaining labels from

LF/FF

Load/Eject

Using the Tractor in the Front Push Position

Installing the tractor in the front push position

Before installing the tractor in the front push position, remove it from its current position. If the tractor is in the rear push position, remove the paper guide and then press the tractor’s lock tabs while lifting it out. If the tractor is in the pull position, remove it as described on page 3-28.

Note:

The tractor is installed in the rear push position when the printer is shipped.

Tear

3-6

Printing on Continuous Paper

1. Make sure the printer is turned off. If necessary, install the paper guide on your printer as described on page 4-3.

2. If the optional front sheet guide is installed, remove it by grasping the fins on both sides and pulling the guide slightly up and away from the printer. If the optional front paper guide is installed, open the front cover and remove it.

3. Insert the tractor into the printer’s mounting slots and press down both ends of the tractor to make sure that it is firmly seated.

G4-18

See the next section for instructions on loading continuous paper with the front push tractor.

Printing on Continuous Paper

3-7

Loading paper with the front push tractor

To load paper onto the front push tractor, follow the steps below.

1. Make sure the printer is turned off.

2. Open the front cover. Make sure the tractor is installed in the front push position.

3. Set the paper release lever to the front push tractor position. Also set the paper thickness lever (located under the printer cover) to the proper position for your paper’s thickness.

3-8

G3-9-2

Printing on Continuous Paper

4. Release the left and right sprockets by pushing the blue sprocket lock levers backward.

5. Slide the left sprocket approximately 12 mm (0.5 inch) from the far left position and pull the blue lever forward to lock it in place. Then slide the right sprocket to match the width of your paper, but do not lock it. Move the center support midway between the two sprocket units.

The triangle mark on the inside of the front co ver indicate s the point furthest to the left where printing can begin.

12 mm (0.5 inch)

Printing on Continuous Paper

G3-10-1

3-9

6. Remove the fr on t cove r by pushi ng it straig h t down , as shown below.

7. Make sure your paper has a clean, straight edge. Then open both sprocket covers and fit the first four holes of the paper, printable side up, over the tractor pins.

fx3-10-b

8. Close the sprocket covers.

9. Slide the right sprocket to remove an y slack in the paper; then lock it in place by pushing the sprocket lock down.

3-10

Printing on Continuous Paper

10. Attach the front cover with the continuous paper positioned as shown below.

11. Make sure that the paper guide is lying flat on the printer and the edge guides are open all the way to the left and right. Then raise the continuous paper support.

fx3-12-1

12. Turn on the printer. When the printer receives data, it automatically loads the paper and starts printing.

13. After you finish printing, follow the steps in the next section to remove your printed document.

If the first line on your page appears too high or low, you can change its position by using the micro adjust feature as described in “Adjusting the Top-of-Form Position” on page 3-35.

Printing on Continuous Paper

3-11

Caution:

Never use the knob to adjust the top-of-form position; this may

damage the printer or cause it to lose the top-of-form position.

Removing the printed document from the front push tractor

To remove the printed document, follow the steps below.

1. Press the to the tear-off edge of the printer cover.

Note:

If your paper’s perforation is not properly aligned with the tear-off edge, you can adjust the tear-off position using the micro adjust feature as described in “Adjusting the tear-off position” on page 3-38.

2. Tear off the printed document using the tear-off edge of the printer cover.

3. To feed the continuous paper backward out of the printer and into the standby position, press the

To remove the remaining paper from the printer, press the

Load/Eject

position. Then open the sprocket covers of the tractor and remove the paper.

Tear Off/ Bin

Caution:

Never use the knob to adjust the tear-off position; this may damage the printer or cause it to lose the top-of-form position.

button to feed the paper backward to the standby

button to feed the paper’s perforation

Load/Eject

button.

3-12

Caution:

Always tear off your printed document before you press the

Load/Eject

cause a paper jam.

Printing on Continuous Paper

button. Reverse feeding several pages at a time may

Removing the tractor from the front push position

To remove the tractor from the front push position, follow the steps below.

1. Make sure the printer is turned off.

2. Remove any paper from the tractor as described in the previous section.

3. Press the tractor’s lock tabs, tilt the tractor up, and lift it out of the printer.

Using the Tractor in the Rear Push Position

The tractor is installed in the rear push position when the printer is shipped. If your tractor is in the rear push position, skip to “Loading paper with the rear push tractor” on page 3-15 for instructions on loading continuous paper.

Note:

Thick paper, such as continuous paper with labels or multi-part forms with five or six parts, requires a relatively straight paper path to avoid paper jams. When printing on thick continuous paper, use the tractor in the front pus h po s ition or the pull positio n .

Printing on Continuous Paper

3-13

Installing the tractor in the rear push position

Before installing the tractor in the rear push position, remove it from its current position. If the tractor is in the front push position, remove it by pressing the tractor’s lock tabs while lifting it out. If the tractor is in the pull position, remove it as described on page 3-28.

1. Make sure the printer is turned off.

2. Lift the paper guide up and off the printer.

3. Lower the tractor into the printer’s mounting slots and press down both ends of the tractor to make sure that it is firmly seated.

3-14

Printing on Continuous Paper

See the next section for instructions on loading continuous paper with the rear push tractor.

Loading paper with the rear push tractor

To load paper onto the rear push tractor, follow the steps below.

1. Make sure the printer is turned off and the tractor is installed in the rear push position. Also make sure the paper guide is removed, as shown on page 3-14.

2. Set the paper release lever to the rear push tractor position.

G3-13-1

Printing on Continuous Paper

3-15

3. Release the left and right sprockets by pulling the blue sprocket lock levers forward.

4. Slide the left sprocket approximately 12 mm (0.5 inch) from the far left position and push the blue lever back to lock it in place. Then slide the right sprocket to match the width of your paper, but do not lock it. Move the center support midway between the two sprocket units.

G3-13-2

3-16

12 mm (0.5 inch)

Printing on Continuous Paper

The triangle mark on top of the printer indicate s the point furthest to the left where printing can begin.

G3-14-1

5. Make sure your paper has a clean, straight edge. Then open both sprocket covers and fit the first four holes of the paper, printable side down, over the tractor pins.

6. Close the sprocket covers.

7. Slide the right sprocket to remove an y slack in the paper; then lock it in place by pushing the blue sprocket lock down.

8. Attach the paper guide and lay it flat on the printer. Open the edge guides all the way to the left and right, then raise the continuous paper support.

9. Turn on the printer. When the printer receives data, it automatically loads the paper and starts printing.

Printing on Continuous Paper

3-17

10. After you finish printing, follow the steps in the next section to remove your printed document.

If the first line on your page appears too high or low, you can change its position using the micro adjust feature as described in “Adjusting the Top-of-Form Position” on page 3-35.

Caution:

Never use the knob to adjust the top-of-form position; this may

damage the printer or cause it to lose the top-of-form position.

Removing the printed document from the rear push tractor

To remove the printed document, follow the steps below.

1. Press the to the tear-off edge of the printer cover.

Note:

If your paper’s perforation is not properly aligned with the tear-off edge, you can adjust the tear-off position using the micro adjust feature. See “Adjusting the tear-off position” on page 3-38.

2. Tear off the printed document using the tear-off edge of the printer cover.

3. To feed the continuous paper backward out of the printer and into the standby position, press the

To remove the remaining paper from the printer, press the

Load/Eject

position. Then open the sprocket covers of the tractor and remove the paper.

Tear Off/ Bin

button to feed the paper backward to the standby

button to feed the paper’s perforation

Load/Eject

button.

3-18

Printing on Continuous Paper

Caution:

Always tear off your printed document before you press the

Load/Eject

cause a paper jam.

Removing the tractor from the rear push position

button. Reverse feeding several pages at a time may

To remove the tractor from the rear push position, follow the steps below.

1. Make sure the printer is turned off.

2. Remove any paper from the tractor as described in the previous section.

3. Press the tractor’s lock tabs, tilt the tractor up, and lift it out of the printer.

Printing on Continuous Paper

3-19

Using the Tractor in the Pull Position

Using the tractor in the pull position is ideal for printing on thick and heavy continuous paper, such as multi-part forms or continuous paper with labels. However, you cannot use the tear-off feature with the pull tractor.

Because thick paper requires straight paper path to avoid paper jams, you should load paper in the front or bottom slot when using the pull tractor. To further reduce the chance of paper jams and improve the performance of continuous paper, you can use two tractors in combination. See “Using two tractor in a push/pull combination” on page 3-30 for more information.

To install the tractor in the pull position, you need to remove the paper tension unit and install the tractor in its place. Follow the steps in the next section.

Installing the tractor in the pull position

Before installing the tractor in the pull position, remove it from its current position. If the tractor is in the front push position, remove it by pressing the tractor’s lock tabs while lifting it out. If the tractor is in the rear push position, remove the paper guide and then press the tractor’s lock tabs while lifting it out.

Note:

The tractor is installed in the rear push position when the printer is shipped.

3-20

Printing on Continuous Paper

1. Make sure that the printer is turned off. Then lift the printer cover by its back edge and pull it straight up and off the printer.

2. Press up the tabs on each side of the paper tension unit and lift the unit up and off the printer. Store the paper tension unit in a safe place.

Note:

If you plan to load paper from the rear, you need to insert the paper into the paper path now, before installing the paper guide and tractor. See page 3-23 for instructions.

Printing on Continuous Paper

3-21

3. Attach the paper guide if necessary, and lay it flat on the printer.

4. Lower the tractor into the printer’s mounting slots and press down both ends of the tractor to make sure that it is firmly seated.

fx3-3

G3-20

3-22

Printing on Continuous Paper

Loading paper with the pull tractor

Note:

If you plan to load paper from the rear, you need to insert the paper into the paper path before installing the paper guide and tractor.

To load paper onto the pull tractor, follow the steps below.

1. Make sure the printer is turned off, and the printer cover is removed. Also make sure the tractor is installed in the pull position and the paper guide is lying flat on the printer.

2. Set the paper release lever to the pull tractor position.

G3-21-2

Printing on Continuous Paper

3-23

3. Release the sprockets by pulling the sprocket lock levers forward.

4. Slide the left sprocket approximately 12 mm (0.5 inch) from the far left position and push the lever back to lock it in place. Then slide the right sprocket to match the width of your paper, but do not lock it. Move the center support midway between the two sprocket units.

G3-22

G3-23

12 mm (0.5 inch)

5. Make sure your paper has a clean, straight edge. Then open the sprocket covers.

Note:

Make sure the printer is off before you insert the paper in the paper slot. If you insert the paper while it is on, a paper jam may occur.

3-24

Printing on Continuous Paper

6. Insert the paper into the front or bottom paper slot as described below until it emerges between the platen and the ribbon guide. Then pull up the paper until the perforation between the first and second pages is even with the top of the printer’s ribbon.

Before you load paper in the front slot, remove the front cover. Then load paper printable side up.

Load paper in the bottom slot printable side up.

G3-19-2

7. Fit four holes of the paper over the tractor pins on both sprockets. Then close the sprocket covers.

Printing on Continuous Paper

G3-19-4

3-25

8. Slide the right sprocket to remove an y slack in the paper, then lock it in place by pushing the sprocket lock back.

9. Open the edge guides on the paper guide all the way to the left and right, then raise the continuous paper support.

10. If you are using the front slot, attach the front cover with the continuous paper positioned as shown below.

fx3-26-1

G3-19-AA

11. Turn on the printer.

12. R e move an y slack in th e paper b y pr es sing the

Caution:

Always remove any slack from the paper; otherwise print

quality may be reduced.

3-26

Printing on Continuous Paper

LF/FF

button.

13. When the printer receives data, it will start printing at the current position without advancing the paper. If necessary, follow the steps in “Adjusting the Top-of-Form Position” on page 3-35 to adjust the current position of the pape r.

Caution:

14. Attach the printer cover by inserting the front tabs into the slots on the printer, then lowering the cover into place.

15. Send a print job to the printer. The printer starts printing from the top-of-form position. After you finish printing, tear off the printed document at the perforation nearest the paper exit slot.

Never use the knob to adjust the top-of-form position; this may damage the printer or cause it to lose the top-of-form position.

Printing on Continuous Paper

3-27

Removing the paper from the pull tractor

To remove continuous paper from the pull tractor, follow the steps below.

1. After you finish printing, tear off the paper supply at the perforation nearest the paper entry slot.

2. To feed the paper forward and eject it, hold down the button.

Caution:

Never press the

are using the pull tractor; the pa per co u l d co me off the pull tracto r and jam the printer.

Load/Eject

Tear Off/Bin

button when you

Removing the tractor from the pull position

To remove the tractor from the pull position, follow the steps below.

1. Remove any paper loaded on the pull tractor as described in the previous section.

2. Turn off the printer. Then lift the printer cover by its back edge and then pull it straight up and off the printer.

3-28

Printing on Continuous Paper

LF/FF

3. Press the tractor’s lock tabs, tilt the tractor toward you, and lift it off the printer.

4. Store the tractor in a safe place, or install it in the front or rear push position as described earlier in this chapter.

5. To replace the paper tension unit, lower it onto the printer’s mounting pegs. Then press down on both ends of the unit until it clicks into place.

G3-17-3

G1-9-1

6. Replace the printer cover.

Printing on Continuous Paper

3-29

Using two tractors in a push/pull combination

Using two tractors at once is recommended for printing on continuous pre-printed forms, multi-part forms, and labels, and for printing high quality graphics. To reduce paper jams and improve continuous paper feeding, you can install the optional additional tractor (C80020 and then use two tractors at the same time.

To use two tractors at once, follow these steps:

1. Install one tractor in the front or rear push position as described earlier in this chapter.

2. Load continuous paper onto the front or rear push tractor as described earlier in this chapter.

3. Set the paper release lever to the front or rear push position, depending on the position of your push tractor.

for FX-880, C80021] for FX-1180)

]

4. Turn on the printer. Press the the paper to the top-of-form position. Then press the button until the perforation between the first and second pages is even with the top of the printer’s ribbon.

Caution:

Never use the knob to move the paper; this may damage the

printer or cause it to lose the top-of-form position.

5. Install the other tractor in the pull position as described earlier in this chapter.

6. Fit the holes of the paper over the pins on both sprockets of the pull tractor.

Caution:

Do not pull up the pa pe r b y ha n d to fi t it on the pu l l tractor;

this may damage the printer. Press the the paper.

3-30

Printing on Continuous Paper

Load/Eject

button to advance

button to move

LF/FF

7. Set the paper release lever to the pull tractor position. Then use the micro adjust mode (described on page 3-35) to remove any slack in the paper between the push and pull tractors.

8. Move the paper release lever back to the position you set in step 3.

9. When the printer receives data, it will start printing at the current position without advancing the paper. If necessary, follow the steps in “Adjusting the Top-of-Form Position” on page 3-35 to adjust the current position of the pape r.

10. Attach the printer cover. Make sure the paper guide is installed and lying flat on the printer, and the continuous paper support is in the upright position.

11. Send a print job to the printer. The printer starts printing from the current position without advancing the paper. After you finish printing, tear off the printed document at the perforation nearest the paper exit slot.

Printing on Continuous Paper

3-31

The table below summarizes the vario us methods of feeding continuous paper with two tractors and shows which paper release lever setting to use for each method.

Tractor positions

Pull + front push

Pull + rear push

Front push + rear push

Paper release lever position

Front push tractor

Rear push t ractor

Front push tractor

or rear pus h tractor

Paper path

3-32

Printing on Continuous Paper

Switching Between Printing on Continuous Paper and Single Sheets

You can easily switch back and forth between printing on continuous paper with a push tractor and printing on single sheets without having to remove or reload the continuous paper.

Switching to printing on single sheets

Note:

If continuous labels are loaded in the printer, remove them before switching to single sheets. See “Removing continuous paper with labels” on page 3-5.

If the tractor is in the pull position, remove any continuous paper from it before switching to single-sheet printing. See “Removing the paper from the pull tractor” on page 3-27.

To switch from printing on continuous paper from a push tractor to printing on single sheets, follow the steps below.

1. If any printed pages remain in the printer, press the

Off/Bin

Then tear off the printed pages.

2. Press the backward to the standby position. The paper is still attached to the push tractor but is no longer in the paper path.

3. Lower the continuous paper support on the paper guide until it clicks into place, then move the paper guide to the upright position.

button to advance the paper to the tear-off position.

Caution:

Make sure you tear off your printed document before you press the feeding several pages at a time may cause a paper jam.

Load/Eject

Load /Eject

button in the next step. Reverse

button to feed the continuous paper

Printing on Continuous Paper

Tear

3-33

4. Set the paper release lever to the single-sheet position.

5. Load single sheets as described in Chapter 4.

Switching to printing on continuous paper

To switch from printing on single sheets to printing on continuous paper with a push tractor, follow the steps below.

Note:

To switch from pr i n ting with the optiona l fron t s hee t guide to printing with the front push tractor, you need to remove the front sheet guide.

1. If a single sheet remains in the printer, press the button to eject it.

Caution:

Never use the knob to eject paper; this may damage the

printer or cause it to lose the top-of-form position.

2. Make sure that the tractor is installed in the front or rear push position and that continuous paper is loaded on it as described earlier in this chapter.

3. Set the paper release lever to the front or rear push position, depending on the tractor position you are using.

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Printing on Continuous Paper

Load/Eject

Your printer loads the continuous paper automatically when you begin printing.

Adjusting the Top-of-Form Posit i on

The top-of-form position is the position on the page where the printer starts printing. If your printing appears too high or low on the page, you can use the micro adjust feature to adjust the top-of -f or m po sit io n. Follow the step s b elow .

Caution:

Never use the knob to adjust the top-of-form position; this may

damage the printer or cause it to lose the top-of-form position.

Note:

Your top-of-form position setting remains in effect until you change it, even if you turn off the printer.

The top margin setting made in some application software overrides the top-of-form position setting you make with the micro adjust feature. If necessary, adjust the top-of-form position in your software.

1. Make sure the printer is turned on.

2. Load paper. (If the tractor is in a push position, press the

Load/Eject

current top-of-form position.) If necessary, lift up the printer cover so you can see the paper position.

3. Hold down the

Pause

adjust mode.

button to advance continuous paper to the

Pause

light starts flashing and the printer enters the micro

button for about three seconds. The

Printing on Continuous Paper

3-35

4. Press the

LF/FF

on the page, or press the

button to move the top-of-form position up

Load/Eject

top-of-form position down on the page.

Note:

The printer has a minimum and a maximum top-of-form position. If you try to adjust it beyond these limits, the printer beeps and stops moving the paper.

When the paper reaches the default top-of-form position, the printer also beeps and stops moving the paper briefly. You can use the default setting as a reference point when adjusting the top-of-form position.

button to move the

5. After you set the top-of-form position, press the to exit micro adjust mode.

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Printing on Continuous Paper

Pause

button

Advancing the Paper to the Tear-Off Edge

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. You can then easily tear off the printed document. When you resume printing, the printer automatically feeds the paper back to the top-of-form position so that you can save the paper normally lost between documents.

As described below, you can use the tear-off feature in two ways: manually by pressing the printer’s or automatically by turning on auto tear-off mode. The Tear Off/Bi n ligh t fla sh es when the paper is in the tear -o ff posi ti on .

If the perforation between pages is not aligned with the tear-off edge, you can adjust the position of the perforation using the micro adjust feature, as described on page 3-38.

Caution:

Never use the tear-off feature with the pull tractor; the paper may come off the pull tractor and jam the printer. After you finish printing, tear off the printed document at the perforation nearest the paper exit slot.

Tear Off/B in

button

Never use the tear-off feature to feed labels backward; they may come off their backing sheet and jam the printer.

Using the Tear Off/Bin button

After the printer finishes printing your document, press the

Tear Off/Bin

button to advance the paper to the tear-off edge.

Printing on Continuous Paper

3-37

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

Using the Printer Software

Printing on Continuous Paper