Epson STILUS Pro User Manual

COLOR INK JET PRINTER

Reference Guide

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.
No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of the information contained herein.
Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information
contained herein.

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 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
strictly comply with Seiko Epson Corporation’s operating and maintenance instructions.

Seiko Epson Corporation shall not be liable against 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, EPSON Stylus, and EPSON ESC/P are registered trademarks and EPSON
ESC/P 2 is a trademark of Seiko Epson Corporation.

EPSON Connection is a service mark of Epson America, Inc.

General Notice: Other product names used herein are for identification purposes only and
may be trademarks of their respective owners. EPSON disclaims any and all rights in
those marks.

The Energy Star emblem does not represent EPA endorsement of any product or service.

Copyright © 1995 by Epson America, Inc. 10/95

Printed on recycled paper with at least 10% post-consumer content

Printer Parts

output tray

interface
card cover

serial
interface

printer cover

knob

control panel

paper tray

parallel interface

ink cartridge
clamps

paper
thickness lever

Control Panel

Operate button

FCC Compliance Statement

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 installation. This
equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed
and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio 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 user 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 receiver.
❑ Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the

receiver is connected.

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

The connection of a non-shielded 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 unused
interfaces. Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the manufacturer could
void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for radio noise emissions from
digital apparatus as set out in the radio interference regulations of the Canadian
Department of Communications.

Le présent appareil numérique n’émet pas de bruits radioélectriques dépassant les limites
applicables aux appareils numériques de Classe B prescrites dans le règlement sur le
brouillage radioélectrique édicté par le Ministère des Communications du Canada.

For United States Users

WARNING

For Canadian Users

ii

Contents

Introduction

Energy Star Compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Energy-saving Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

How to Use This Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Where to Get Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Electronic Support Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Important Safety Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Chapter 1 Paper Handling

Choosing Paper and Other Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2

Loading Plain Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4

Loading Oversized Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6

Using Special Papers and Other Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7

Loading Special Papers and Transparencies . . . . . . . . . 1-8

Loading Envelopes and Heavy Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11

Chapter 2 Controlling the Printer

Using the Printer’s Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2

Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3

Buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4

Using the Default Setting Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6

iii

Chapter 3 Maintenance and Troubleshooting

Cleaning the Print Heads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2

Replacing an Ink Cartridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3

Cleaning the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8

Transporting the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9

Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10

Error Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11

Print Quality Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12

Problems with Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-16

Paper Handling Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20

Appendix A Using Optional Interfaces

AppleTalk and EtherTalk Networks for Macintosh . . . . . . . A-2

Connecting the Printer to the Network . . . . . . . . . . . . A-3

Turning On the Printer’s Network Interface Mode . . . . . A-4

Interface Boards for the PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-5

Using the C823051 or C823061 Serial Interface Board . . . . A-5

Installing an Optional Interface Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-6

Appendix B Technical Specifications

Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-2

Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-3

Ink Cartridges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-6

Mechanical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-7

Electrical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-7

Environmental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-8

Safety Approvals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-8

Fonts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-8

Interface Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-9

Parallel Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-9

Serial Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-12

Optional Interfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-12

Initialization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-12

Default Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-13

iv

Appendix C Commands and Character Tables

Command List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-2

Character Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-3

International Character Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-10

Characters Available with ESC (^ Command . . . . . . . . C-11

Glossary

Index

v

Introduction

This manual contains general operating and maintenance
instructions for your EPSON
well as troubleshooting guidelines and technical specifications.
For instructions on setting up your printer and using the
Microsoft
see the appropriate Setup and Software Guide.

Note:

Be sure to check the ReadMe icon in the Windows EPSON group or
on your Macintosh hard disk for the latest information about your
printer and software.

Your printer supports a wide variety of settings that give you
the flexibility to improve print quality or speed up printing.
Using the printer driver software (described in the Setup and
Software Guide), you can control settings such as document
type, printing mode, and halftoning to produce just the right
effects in your printed documents.

To make your job easy, both the Windows and Macintosh
printer drivers include an option that analyzes the elements on
a page to be printed and automatically adjusts the driver
settings so your printed results are appropriate for the image
type. See the Setup and Software Guide for complete instructions
on using the driver.

®

Windows® or Apple® Macintosh® printer driver,

®

Stylus® Pro or Pro XL printer, as

Energy Star Compliance

As an Energy Star Partner, EPSON has determined

that the Stylus Pro and Pro XL printers meet the
Energy Star guidelines for energy efficiency. (All of EPSON’s
ink jet printers conform to Energy Star standards.)

Introduction 1

The EPA estimates that if all desktop computers, printers, and
other peripheral devices met Energy Star standards, energy
cost savings would exceed $1 billion annually and carbon
dioxide emissions would be reduced by 20 million tons.

Energy-saving Tips

Here are a few tips you can use to be even more energy-wise:

❑ If your monitor isn’t Energy Star compliant, turn it off

when you’re not using it.

❑ Turn off your computer, printer, and monitor each day

when you are done using them.

❑ Use the print preview option in your software so you can

catch errors before you print.

❑ If you have an electronic mail system available to you, send

E-mail rather than memos. Not only is this faster, but you’ll
save paper and storage space too.

How to Use This Manual

After you have set up the printer as described in the Setup and
Software Guide, refer to this manual for the following

information:

Chapter 1, “Paper Handling,” explains how to select the right
paper for your print job and load paper and other media in
your printer.

Chapter 2, “Controlling the Printer,” provides instructions for
managing the printer’s operation through its control panel. It
also describes how to access the printer’s Default setting mode.

2 Introduction

Chapter 3, “Maintenance and Troubleshooting,” contains
instructions for cleaning the print heads, replacing the ink
cartridges, and cleaning and transporting the printer. You’ll
also find troubleshooting guidelines.

Appendix A, “Optional Interfaces,” describes optional
interfaces you can install in your printer to enhance its
capabilities and explains how to install a card.

Appendix B, “Technical Specifications,” gives the
specifications for the Stylus Pro and Pro XL printers.

Appendix C, “Commands and Character Tables,” lists the
EPSON ESC/P 2



commands supported by the printer and

shows the printer’s built-in character tables.

A Glossary and an Index are provided at the end of the
manual.

Where to Get Help

If you purchased your printer in the United States or Canada
and you need technical assistance, you can call an EPSON
Color Specialist at one of the following numbers:

❑ For the EPSON Stylus Pro: [phone]
❑ For the EPSON Stylus Pro XL: [phone].

EPSON also provides customer support and service through a
network of Authorized EPSON Customer Care Centers and
provides the following services when you dial [phone]:

❑ EPSON technical information library fax service
❑ Product literature on current and new products

Introduction 3

❑ Assistance in locating your nearest Authorized EPSON

Reseller or Customer Care Center

❑ Technical information on the installation, configuration,

and operation of EPSON products

❑ Customer relations.

You can purchase ink cartridges, paper, parts, printed manuals,
and accessories for EPSON products from EPSON Accessories
at [phone] (U.S. sales only). In Canada, call
(800) BUY-EPSON for sales locations.

If you purchased your printer outside the United States or
Canada, contact your EPSON dealer or the marketing location
nearest you for customer support and service.

If you need help with any software program you are using, see
that program’s documentation for technical support information.

Electronic Support Services

If you have a modem, the fastest way to access helpful tips,
specifications, drivers, application notes, tables for DIP switch
or jumper settings, and bulletins for EPSON products is
through the online services below.

EPSON Bulletin Board Service

You can call the EPSON Bulletin Board Service (BBS) at
[phone]. No membership is required. Make sure your
communications software is set to 8 data bits with 1 stop bit,
no parity bit, and a modem speed up to 28.8 Kbps. See the
documentation that came with your communications software
for more information.

4 Introduction

CompuServe online support

CompuServe® members can call the Epson America Forum
on CompuServe. If you are already a member, simply type

GO EPSON at the prompt to reach the Epson America Forum.

If you are not currently a member of CompuServe, you are
eligible for a free introductory membership as an owner of an
EPSON product. This membership entitles you to:

❑ An introductory credit on CompuServe
❑ Your own user ID and password
❑ A complimentary subscription to CompuServe Magazine,

CompuServe’s monthly publication.

To take advantage of this offer, call [phone] in the United
States and Canada and ask for representative #529. In other
countries, call the following U.S. telephone number:
[phone], or your local CompuServe access number.

World Wide Web site

If you are connected to the Internet and have a Web browser,
you can access EPSON’s World Wide Web site at
http://www.epson.com. EPSON’s home page links users to
What’s New, EPSON Products, EPSON Connection,
Info and EPSON Contacts. Link to the EPSON Connection for
the latest drivers and FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) and
the EPSON Chat area. To get in touch with EPSON around the
world, EPSON Contacts includes Contact Information for local
EPSON subsidiaries.

SM

Corporate

Introduction 5

Important Safety Instructions

Before using your printer, read the following safety
instructions to make sure you use the printer safely and
effectively.

❑ Turn off and unplug the printer before cleaning. Clean with

a damp cloth only. Do not spill liquid on the printer.

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

radiator or heat register.

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

or 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 let the power cord become damaged or frayed.
❑ If you use an extension cord with the printer, make sure the

total ampere rating of the 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 15 amperes.

❑ Except as specifically explained in this Reference Guide, do

not attempt to service the printer yourself.

❑ 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; 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.

6 Introduction

Chapter 1

Paper Handling

Choosing Paper and Other Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2

Loading Plain Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4

Loading Oversized Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6

Using Special Papers and Other Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7

Loading Special Papers and Transparencies . . . . . . . . . 1-8

Loading Envelopes and Heavy Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11

1

Paper Handling 1-1

This chapter describes how to choose the right paper for your
print job and how to load all kinds of paper and other media in
your printer. You can use plain paper, special coated paper,
high-quality glossy paper, transparencies, and envelopes.

Choosing Paper and Other Media

You can use most plain paper with your printer and achieve
good results. Coated papers give you better results because
they reduce the amount of ink that is absorbed. However, if the
coated paper does not absorb enough ink, the ink can smear.

To ensure the best results, EPSON provides special papers and
transparencies that are formulated for the inks used in EPSON
ink jet printers. These papers include the following:

❑ EPSON Special coated paper for 360 dpi. Use this paper

for best results when printing at 360 dpi. Five sample sheets
are included with your printer.

❑ EPSON Special coated paper for 720 dpi. Use this paper

for best results when printing at 720 dpi. Five sample sheets
are included with your printer.

❑ EPSON High-quality glossy paper. Use this paper with

720 dpi to produce camera-ready composites. When
printing on glossy paper, use only EPSON high-quality
glossy paper.

❑ EPSON Transparency film. When printing transparencies,

use only EPSON transparencies. For best results, use
transparencies within six months of opening the package.
Do not use the printer driver’s 720 dpi printing mode when
printing transparencies.

1-2 Paper Handling

To order EPSON papers and transparencies, contact your
dealer or call EPSON Accessories at [phone] (U.S. only).
In Canada, call (800) BUY-EPSON for sales locations. Use the
following part numbers when ordering:

Paper Size Part Number

Special coated
paper for 720 dpi

Special coated
paper for 360 dpi

High-quality glossy
paper

Transparency film Letter (8.5 x 11 inches) S041064

Letter (8.5 x 11 inches)
A3 (297 x 420 mm)
Legal (8.5 x 14 inches)
Super A3/B (13 x 19 inches)
B (11 x 17 inches)

Letter (8.5 x 11 inches)
A3 (297 x 420 mm)
Super A3/B (13 x 19 inches)

Letter (8.5 x 11 inches)
A3 (297 x 420 mm)
Super A3/B (13 x 19 inches)
B (11 x 17 inches)

S041062
S041068
S041067
S041069
S041070

S041060
S041065
S041066

S041072
S041073
S041074
S041075

When selecting transparency film or high-quality glossy paper,
use only EPSON transparencies or glossy paper. Any other
brands are not supported.

Paper Handling 1-3

Loading Plain Paper

The following procedure describes how to load plain bond
paper. You can load up to 100 sheets of plain paper. For
information on loading oversized paper or special types of
media, see the next sections. (For complete specifications on
paper types, see Appendix B.)

Always load paper with the printable surface down. The
printable surface is marked with an arrow on most plain paper
packaging.

1. Remove the output tray from the top of the paper tray.

rear edge guide

left edge
guide

2. Slide the left edge guide inside the paper tray to the left as
far as it will go.

3. Flip up the rear edge guide and slide it toward you as far as
it will go.

4. Fan a stack of paper; then tap it on a flat surface to even the
edges.

1-4 Paper Handling

5. Load the stack of paper, printable side down, so that its
right edge rests against the right side of the paper tray.
Slide the stack into the tray until you feel some resistance.
Then slide the left edge guide against the left edge of the
paper as shown below.

You can load up to 100 sheets of plain bond paper, but do
not load paper above the arrow mark on the left edge guide.

6. Slide the rear edge guide against the rear edge of the paper.

7. Place the output tray on top of the paper tray.

Paper Handling 1-5

8. Change the Media Type and other printer driver settings
so they are appropriate for the paper you loaded. (See your
Setup and Software Guide for instructions.)

Loading Oversized Paper

If you are loading paper that is larger than the paper tray, you
need to pull out the paper tray extension. Follow these steps:

1. Remove the output tray and remove any paper in the paper
tray.

2. The paper tray extension acts as the rear edge guide, so
make sure the built-in rear edge guide is folded down as
shown in the illustration below.

paper tray
extension

3. Gently pull the extension out using both hands—one to
hold the paper tray in position and the other to pull out the
extension.

4. Load the stack of paper in the tray and then slide in the
extension until it meets the edge of the paper stack.

1-6 Paper Handling

5. Replace the output tray and fold out its extension.

Using Special Papers and Other Media

This section explains how to use and load special coated paper,
glossy paper, transparencies, and envelopes in your printer.
When using these special types of media, keep the following in
mind:

❑ Use special coated paper and glossy papers within one year

of purchase. Use transparencies within six months.

❑ Do not touch the printable surface of the paper. The

moisture and oils on your hands can reduce print quality.
Hold sheets by their edges.

❑ Be sure to load paper with the printable surface face down.

The printable side is whiter than the other, and is usually
identified on the package.

❑ When printing on high-quality glossy paper or

transparencies, remove each sheet from the output tray
immediately after it is printed. Make sure each sheet is dry
before stacking.

Paper Handling 1-7

❑ Return unused sheets to their original package as soon as

possible after you finish printing. Unfavorable storage
conditions—especially high temperature, humidity, and
direct sunlight—can damage the media.

❑ Remember to select the appropriate setting in the driver

software before you print. See your Setup and Software Guide
for instructions.

❑ You can print on sheets of labels in your printer; just follow

the instructions for loading plain paper on page 1-4. Make
sure the sheets are not curled and that no labels are peeled
away from the backing when you load them. You may need
to adjust the paper thickness lever; see page 1-11.

❑ If the paper doesn’t feed properly or jams, see

“Troubleshooting” in Chapter 3.

Loading Special Papers and Transparencies

Follow these guidelines when printing on coated paper, glossy
paper, or transparencies:

❑ Use special coated paper for 360 or 720 dpi or

transparencies only under these normal operating
conditions:

Temperature: 59° to 77° F (15° to 25° C)
Humidity: 40% to 60% RH

❑ When printing on glossy paper, remove each sheet from

the output tray as soon as it is printed and do not stack
sheets until they are completely dry.

The paper tray can hold 70 sheets of coated paper, 30 sheets of
high-quality glossy paper, or 50 transparencies.

1-8 Paper Handling

Follow these steps to load special papers and transparencies:

1. Remove the output tray from the top of the paper tray.

2. Slide the left edge guide inside the paper tray to the left as
far as it will go and slide the rear edge guide toward the
front of the printer as far as it will go.

3. Fan a stack of paper; then tap it on a flat surface to even the
edges.

4. Before you load paper, make sure the printable surface is
face down. For coated papers, the printable side is whiter
than the other side. For glossy paper and transparencies,
the printable side is face down when the cut corner is
facing the right outside corner of the paper tray, as shown
in the following illustration.

Paper Handling 1-9

Load the paper or transparencies firmly against the right side
of the paper tray. Slide the stack into the tray until you feel
some resistance. Then slide the left edge guide against the
left edge of the paper stack.

5. Slide the rear edge guide against the rear edge of the paper.

6. Change the Media Type and other printer driver settings to
match the paper or transparencies you loaded as described
in your Setup and Software Guide.

1-10 Paper Handling

Once your driver settings are correct, choose Print in the File
menu of your application program to print on the sheets you
loaded.

Loading Envelopes and Heavy Paper

This section explains how to load envelopes and heavy paper.
For detailed specifications on paper thickness and weight, see
Appendix B. When printing, follow these guidelines:

❑ Do not use envelopes that are curled, folded, or bent.
❑ Do not use envelopes that are too thin; they may curl

during printing.

❑ Do not choose 720 dpi resolution for envelope printing.
❑ If you are using a DOS application, you may be able to

select 720 dpi if your DOS program supports 720 dpi
printing. You can select from Bi-D, Uni-D, or Auto print
directions using the Default setting mode. The Uni-D
setting is recommended when printing at 720 dpi.

❑ When loading heavy paper (paper that is thick or stiff), it is

recommended that you load one sheet at a time.

Adjusting the paper thickness lever

When printing on envelopes, labels, or heavy paper, you need
to adjust the paper thickness lever to compensate for the extra
paper weight.

1. Make sure the printer is turned on. Then press the Pause

button and open the cover.

2. While holding down the Alt button, press the Font button,

and then release both buttons. The carriage moves to the
lever-adjusting position and the Data light flashes. Paper
loaded in the printer is ejected when you adjust this lever.

Paper Handling 1-11

3. Rotate the paper thickness lever clockwise as far as it will go.

4. Press the Alt button. Then press Pause.

5. Close the printer cover.

Loading the paper tray

After adjusting the paper thickness lever, follow these steps to
load the paper tray:

1. Remove the output tray and remove any paper from the
paper tray.

2. If you are printing on envelopes, pull back the paper tray
extension. Then remove the rear edge guide, turn it around,
and reinstall it as shown.

1-12 Paper Handling

3. Insert the paper or envelopes into the paper tray. It is best
to load sheets of heavy paper one at a time. If you’re
loading envelopes, insert them as shown. You can load up
to 10 envelopes.

4. Adjust the rear and left edge guides as shown above so the
media feeds straight into the paper path.

5. Change the Media Type and other printer driver settings so
they are appropriate for the media you loaded, as described
in your Setup and Software Guide.

Once you select the appropriate printer settings, choose Print in
the File menu to print on the media you loaded.

After you are finished printing on heavy paper or envelopes,
rotate the paper thickness lever by turning it counterclockwise
to its original position. Also return the rear edge guide to its
paper position, if necessary.

Paper Handling 1-13

Chapter 2

Controlling the Printer

Using the Printer’s Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2

Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3

Buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4

Using the Default Setting Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6

2

Controlling the Printer 2-1

This chapter explains how to control the printer using the
control panel. It also describes the additional printer functions
you can perform using the Default setting mode.

Using the Printer’s Control Panel

The printer’s front control panel contains lights for displaying
the printer status and buttons for controlling certain settings.

Operate
button

Since most printer settings can be controlled from your
software, you do not often need to use the control panel. This
section describes how to read the lights and the buttons on the
control panel.

2-2 Controlling the Printer

Lights

Operate On when the printer is on. Flashes when the printer

is turned on or off.

Data On when data is being received by the printer or

when data remains in printer memory.

Paper Out On when the printer runs out of paper. Rapid

flashing indicates a paper jam.

No Ink
Cartridge

Font Indicates the font selected through the control panel.

Economy On when economy printing mode is selected. In

Condensed On when condensed mode is selected. The printer

Pause On when printing is paused. This light flashes when

On when one or both ink cartridges are not installed.
The printer will not work unless both cartridges are
installed.

Because you normally choose fonts from your
software, ignore this light.

economy mode the printer uses less ink by printing
fewer dots per character, which may make black text
look gray. Use this mode only for printing rough
drafts of text from DOS applications.

prints selected fonts at 60% of their width so more
characters can fit on a page. (Software can override
this setting.)

you clean the print heads or replace ink cartridges,
or when an error occurs. Never turn off the printer
when the Pause light is flashing.

Controlling the Printer 2-3

Note:

See “Error Lights” in Chapter 3 for more information on
troubleshooting.

Buttons

Operate Turns the printer on and off.

Caution:

Always turn off the printer by pressing the Operate

c

button. Then wait until the Operate light stops flashing
before unplugging the printer.

Never turn off the printer while the Pause light is flashing.

Font Controls the fonts available on the printer. Normally

you should use your software to select fonts. See
Appendix B for samples of the seven built-in fonts.

Load/Eject
(or Black)

Pause
(or Reset)

Economy/Condensed (or Color)

2-4 Controlling the Printer

Loads or ejects a sheet of paper. The printer normally
loads and ejects paper automatically. When pressed
with Alt, cleans the black print head.

Stops printing temporarily. Press it again to resume
printing. When pressed with Alt, clears the printer’s
buffer and resets the printer settings to their factory
defaults.

Selects economy or condensed mode. In economy
mode, the printer uses less ink to produce text and
images. Condensed printing reduces the size of
characters to approximately 60% of their normal
width. It is best to use your software to select
character size, however. When pressed with Alt,
cleans the color print head.

Alt/Cleaning Used in combination with other buttons to reset the

printer, clean the print heads, or adjust the paper
thickness lever. See “Cleaning the Print Heads” in
Chapter 3 and “Loading Envelopes and Heavy
Paper” in Chapter 1 for more information.

Using special button combinations

The functions listed below are available when you hold down a
combination of buttons when turning on the printer.

Self test (Operate + Load/Eject)

Checks the paper length and performs a self test by printing
fonts and colors. Hold down the Load/Eject button and then
press the Operate button for several seconds until the printer
advances a sheet of paper. See “Testing the Printer” in
Chapter 1 of the Setup and Software Guide. To stop the self test,
press Pause and then turn off the printer.

Hex dump (Operate + Font + Load/Eject)

On a PC, prints data in hexadecimal code for troubleshooting
analysis. See the Troubleshooting section in Chapter 3.

Default setting mode (Operate + Economy/Condensed)

Enters the Default setting mode. See “Using the Default Setting
Mode” on page 2-6 for more information.

Note:

To exit the hex dump or Default setting mode, press the Pause
button and then the Operate button to turn off the printer.

Reset printer (Alt + Pause)

Clears the printer’s buffer and resets the printer settings to
their factory defaults. Hold down both buttons for about 5
seconds.

Controlling the Printer 2-5

Black print head cleaning (Alt + Load/Eject)

Runs a cleaning cycle for the black print head. See “Cleaning
the Print Heads” in Chapter 3.

Color print head cleaning (Alt + Economy/Condensed)

Runs a cleaning cycle for the color print head. See “Cleaning
the Print Heads” in Chapter 3.

Using the Default Setting Mode

Additional printer functions are available through the Default
setting mode. Because the printer’s factory defaults are
designed to meet the needs of almost all users, you rarely need
to change the printer functions described in this section. If
necessary, however, you can turn on the Default setting mode
and change the settings using the control panel buttons.

The table below lists the settings you can select in the Default
setting mode. Default values are shown in bold type.

Setting Options

Print direction Auto, Bi-D, Uni-D

Network interface mode On, Off

Auto line feed On, Off

Loading position 3 mm, 8.5 mm

Interface mode Auto I/F mode, Parallel I/F, Serial I/F,

Option I/F

Auto interface wait mode 10 seconds, 30 seconds

Character table Italic U.S.A., Italic France, Italic Germany,

Italic U.K., Italic Denmark, Italic sweden,
Italic Italy, Italic Spain I, PC437, PC850,
PC860, PC863, PC865, PC861, PC437,
Greek, PC853, PC855, PC852, PC857,
PC866, PC869, BRASCII, Abicomp,
MAZOWIA, Code MJK, ISO 8859-7, ISO
Latin 1T, or Bulgaria

2-6 Controlling the Printer

Print direction. Specifies how the print head moves across the
page. The options are Uni-D, Bi-D, and Auto (default). When
Uni-D is on, the print head prints in only one direction to
provide the most precise alignment for graphics and text. In
Bi-D printing, the print head prints in both directions. Bi-D is
faster, but the vertical alignment may not be as precise as
Uni-D. When Auto is selected, the printer switches
automatically between Uni-D and Bi-D as necessary when it
receives data.

Network interface mode. If you’re having trouble printing
when the printer is connected to multiple computers, turn on
network interface mode. By default, network interface mode
is off.

Auto line feed. Specifies that a carriage return character
encountered in the print file be accompanied by a line feed
command. By default, auto line feed is off. If text lines print on
top of one another, turn on auto line feed.

Loading position. Determines the top margin by defining how
close to the paper edge the first line can print. The loading
position can be 3 mm (default) or 8.5 mm. Normally you
should use your software to adjust your top margin.

Interface mode. Determines from which interface the printer
receives print data. By default, the printer automatically
switches as needed between the parallel, serial, and optional
interfaces. However, if you are experiencing communication
problems, you might want to set the interface mode to one of
the following: Parallel, Serial, or Optional.

Auto interface wait mode. Determines the interface timeout
period, either 10 or 30 seconds, when the Auto I/F mode is
selected for the Interface mode option. The printer does not
accept data from another interface for the period defined.

Controlling the Printer 2-7

Character table. Selects the set of characters and symbols that
can be printed. The default is the U.S.A. character table. If you
commonly use a language containing accents, symbols, or other
characters not available in the U.S.A. character table, change to
a different character table. For a list of the character tables, see
Appendix C.

To turn on Default setting mode and print instructions, turn off
the printer. Then hold down the Economy/Condensed
button while you turn the printer back on. Follow the
instructions that describe how to change the default settings by
pressing the buttons on the control panel. When you are
finished, press Pause to exit the Default setting mode. If there
is still a sheet of paper in the printer, press Load/Eject to eject
it. Then turn off the printer.

2-8 Controlling the Printer

Chapter 3

Maintenance and Troubleshooting

Cleaning the Print Heads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2

Replacing an Ink Cartridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3

Cleaning the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8

Transporting the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9

Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10

Error Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11

Print Quality Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12

Problems with Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-16

Paper Handling Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20

3

Maintenance and Troubleshooting 3-1

Instructions in this chapter tell you how to do the following to
maintain and care for your printer:

❑ Clean the print heads
❑ Replace the ink cartridges
❑ Clean the printer
❑ Transport the printer.

The Troubleshooting section, which begins on page 3-10, gives
you solutions to possible problems you may encounter.

Cleaning the Print Heads

The printer periodically cleans its print heads, so normally
you should not need to manually activate a cleaning cycle.
However, the ink nozzles in the print head may become
clogged occasionally, reducing the print quality. If this
happens, you can initiate a print head cleaning cycle to clear
the print head nozzles so they deliver ink properly.

Note:

Because the cleaning cycle uses ink, do not clean the print head(s)
unless you notice a decline in print quality.

You must clean the print heads one at a time. Each cleaning
cycle takes about one minute. During the cleaning cycle, the
carriage moves back and forth and you can hear the printer
recharging the print heads. The Pause light flashes throughout
the cleaning cycle and then stays on when the cycle is finished.

Follow these steps to clean either or both print heads:

1. Make sure the printer is turned on and open the cover.

2. Press the Pause button. (Make sure the Pause light

comes on.)

3-2 Maintenance and Troubleshooting

3. To clean the color print head, hold down the Alt button and
press Economy/Condensed (or Color). The cleaning
cycle begins and the Pause light flashes. The cleaning cycle
is over when the Pause light stops flashing.

To clean the black print head, hold down the Alt button and
press Load/Eject (or Black). The cleaning cycle begins and
the Pause light flashes. The cleaning cycle is over when the
Pause light stops flashing.

4. Press the Pause button and close the printer cover.

After cleaning the print heads, run a self test to check the print
quality. If it is still not satisfactory, repeat the cleaning cycle.
(You may need to do this several times.) If it does not improve
after you clean the print heads five times, replace one or both
ink cartridges as described in the next section.

Replacing an Ink Cartridge

You need to replace an ink cartridge when it runs out of ink
(the printer stops printing that color) or if print quality declines
and cleaning the print head did not improve it. You can check
print quality by doing a printer self test, as described in your
Setup and Software Guide.

Use only these EPSON ink cartridges in your Stylus Pro or Pro XL:

Black ink cartridge S020034
Color ink cartridge S020036

When you need new ink cartridges, contact your dealer or call
EPSON Accessories at [phone] (U.S. only). In Canada,
call (800) BUY-EPSON for sales locations.

Maintenance and Troubleshooting 3-3

Caution:

Use only genuine EPSON cartridges and do not refill them.

c

Other products may cause damage not covered by EPSON’s
warranty.

Leave the old cartridge installed in the printer until you are
ready to replace it with a new one. Attempting to print
without a cartridge installed can damage the printer.

Once you install the ink cartridges, do not open the clamps or
remove the cartridges except to replace them with new ones.
Once you remove a cartridge, you cannot reuse it.

Any paper in the paper path is ejected automatically when you
replace the cartridge.

Follow these steps to replace either or both ink cartridges:

1. Make sure the printer is on and open the printer cover.

2. Press the Pause button and check that the Pause light

comes on.

3. Hold down the Alt button for about five seconds until the

print head moves slightly left, to the ink cartridge install
position. The Pause light begins flashing.

The carriage returns to the home position after 60 seconds
if no ink cartridge is removed.

3-4 Maintenance and Troubleshooting

4. Pull up the cartridge clamp to open it. The cartridge rises
partially out of the printer.

5. Lift the cartridge out of the printer and dispose of it
carefully so any excess ink does not spill. Do not take the
used cartridge apart or try to refill it.

w

Warning:

If ink gets on your hands, wash them thoroughly with
soap and water. If ink gets into your eyes, flush them
immediately with water.

Maintenance and Troubleshooting 3-5

6. Remove the new ink cartridge from its foil package and
remove the tape seal from the top of the cartridge.

black
cartridge

color
cartridge

Caution:

You must remove the tape seal from the cartridge. Leaving

c

the tape on will permanently damage it.

7. Lower the ink cartridge into its holder with the label facing
up and the arrow on the top of the cartridge pointing to the
back of the printer. The larger (color) cartridge goes on the
left.

3-6 Maintenance and Troubleshooting

8. Push down the ink cartridge clamp until it locks in place.

9. Clean the print heads to ensure that ink is properly
delivered to each nozzle. Cleaning is recommended but not
required.

If you replaced the black cartridge, hold down the Alt button
while you press the Load/Eject (or Black) button. This
cleans the black print head.

If you replaced the color cartridge, hold down the Alt button
while you press the Economy/Condensed (or Color)
button. This cleans the color print head.

After you clean the print head(s), skip to step 11.

10. If you did not clean the print heads, press the Alt button to
charge the printer’s ink delivery system. The Pause light
flashes during the process.

11. Close the printer cover. When the charging cycle finishes,
the Pause light stops flashing and stays on. Press the
Pause button to turn off the light and resume printing.

Maintenance and Troubleshooting 3-7

Cleaning the Printer

To keep your printer operating at its best, you should clean it
occasionally as follows:

1. Turn off the printer and disconnect the power cord and
interface cable(s).

2. Remove any paper from the paper tray.

3. Use a soft brush to carefully brush away all dust and dirt.

4. If the outer case or the inside of the paper tray is dirty, clean
it with a soft, clean cloth dampened with mild detergent.
Keep the printer cover closed to prevent water from getting
inside.

5. If the inside of the printer accidentally gets soiled with ink,
wipe it off with a damp cloth.

Warning:

Be careful not to touch the gears inside the printer.

w

Caution:

Never use alcohols or thinners to clean the printer; these

c

chemicals can damage the components as well as the case.

Be careful not to get water on the printer mechanism or
electronic components.

Do not use a hard or abrasive brush.

Do not spray the inside of the printer with lubricants;
unsuitable oils can damage the mechanism.

3-8 Maintenance and Troubleshooting

Transporting the Printer

If you need to transport your printer, carefully repack it in the
original box and packing materials as follows:

1. Press the Pause button, and then turn off the printer.

2. Open the printer cover and make sure that the print head
is locked in the far right position. If it isn’t, turn on the
printer, wait about 10 seconds, and turn it off.

Caution:

c

3. Use a strong adhesive tape to secure the print head to the
side of the printer.

4. Unplug the power cord from the electrical outlet.

5. Disconnect the interface cable from the printer.

6. Remove the output tray from the top of the paper tray and
remove any paper.

Do not remove the ink cartridges when transporting the
printer. Transporting the printer without the cartridges
installed can damage it.

7. Remove the paper tray from the printer.

8. Attach the protective material to the printer. See the Notice
Sheet that was packed with the printer.

9. Repack the printer and attachments in the original box.

Keep the printer flat during transport.

Maintenance and Troubleshooting 3-9

If you notice problems with the printed image after
transporting the printer, clean the print heads as described
at the beginning of this chapter. If your printed images are
misaligned vertically, calibrate the printer as described in the
Setup and Software Guide.

Troubleshooting

This section describes what you can do if you are having
problems printing. It is divided into the following sections:

❑ Error lights. See this section to identify a problem indicated

by the control panel lights.

❑ Print quality problems. See this section if the print quality

is not good or not what you expect.

❑ Problems with printing. See this section if your printer is

not printing.

❑ Paper handling problems. See this section if you have

paper jams or other problems with paper feeding
incorrectly.

If you have a printing problem, check the appropriate section
and follow all suggestions that apply to your problem. Also
check the ReadMe icon on your Macintosh hard disk or in the
Windows EPSON group for the latest information. If none of
the suggested solutions solve your problem, call [phone]
in the U.S. and Canada.

3-10 Maintenance and Troubleshooting

Error Lights

Certain problems are identified by the control panel lights. The
following table describes the meaning of each light pattern and
what you should do to correct the problem.

Light(s) Problem Solution

Paper Out is on Printer is out of

paper

Paper Out is
flashing

No Ink Cartridge
is on

Data and Pause
are flashing

All lights except
Operate are
flashing

Paper jam Clear the paper jam.

Ink cartridge is
not installed
correctly

Carriage error Turn the printer off, check for

Fatal error Turn the printer off, wait

Load paper in the paper tray
and press the Load/Eject
button to feed the paper into
the printer.

Check ink cartridges and
make sure both are installed
correctly.

and clear any carriage
obstructions (paper, etc.), and
turn the printer back on. If the
error persists, contact your
dealer or an authorized
service provider.

10 seconds, and then turn it on
again. If this does not correct
the problem, you can reset the
printer’s factory defaults by
pressing the Alt and Pause
buttons. (Note that this will
remove any changes you
have made to the printer’s
default settings.) If resetting
the printer does not fix the
problem, contact your dealer
or an authorized service
provider.

Maintenance and Troubleshooting 3-11

Print Quality Problems

Print quality problems can often be solved by cleaning the print
heads as described earlier in this chapter. Then print a self test
to check the print quality and help identify what the problem
may be. (Note that it may take as many as five cleaning cycles
to solve a print quality problem.)

If cleaning the print heads does not improve the print quality,
try the following:

❑ Make sure you selected Color or Monochrome correctly in

the printer driver.

❑ Check whether the ink cartridges are empty. Print a self test

as described in the Setup and Software Guide. After the first
page prints, the printer prints an entire page of text lines in
various colors, including black, magenta, cyan, and yellow.
If the black lines don’t print, replace the black ink cartridge;
if any of the colored lines don’t print, change the color ink
cartridge.

❑ For color or complex grayscale images, turn on

MicroWeave and turn off High Speed mode.

❑ Use a higher quality paper. For best print quality, use

EPSON special coated papers for 360 and 720 dpi or
EPSON high-quality glossy paper (720 dpi only).

❑ Make sure the Media Type setting matches the type of

paper loaded in the printer.

❑ If you’re printing a scanned image and the colors are not

right, first try to fix the problem using your scanning
software program.

If print quality does not improve, see the following specific
problems.

3-12 Maintenance and Troubleshooting

Printed output is not what you expect or is faint or blurred.

Clean one or both print heads as described earlier in this
chapter.

You may not be printing on the correct side of the paper. On
coated paper, print only on the white coated side; on glossy
paper or transparencies, print only with the cut corner facing
the right outside corner of the paper tray. Remove each sheet
as it is printed to prevent smearing by the next sheet.

Check that the paper thickness lever is set correctly for the type
of paper. (See “Loading Envelopes and Heavy Paper” in
Chapter 1 for more information.) Faint or blurred printouts can
result if you print on plain paper when the paper thickness
lever is set for thick paper.

Use a higher quality paper. If you are using 720-dpi resolution,
you will get better results if you use EPSON special coated
paper for 720 dpi or EPSON high-quality glossy paper. Also,
check that the Media Type setting in the driver is set for the
type of paper loaded.

Check whether economy printing mode is on. To turn off this
mode, press the Economy/Condensed button until the
Economy light goes off.

Check whether your paper is moist or damp. Ink jet printers
are sensitive to moisture absorbed by paper. Do not store paper
in damp or humid places.

If you are printing color graphics at 360 or 720 dpi, make sure
MicroWeave is on and High Speed mode is off. Also check that
the Brightness and Contrast settings (Windows driver) or
Light/Dark setting (Macintosh driver) are appropriate for the
image.

Maintenance and Troubleshooting 3-13

If you are using a PC, your Windows video driver might not be
compatible with the printer. Use the standard Windows VGA
driver or contact the manufacturer of your video card for an
updated driver. For information on changing the video driver,
see your Windows documentation.

Replace one or both ink cartridges.

Vertical lines do not align.

Calibrate your printer as described in the Setup and Software
Guide.

You see white banding in your printout.

Turn on MicroWeave in the printer driver.

Clean one or both print heads.

The printout contains incorrect or garbled characters.

Make sure EPSON Stylus Pro or Pro XL is selected as the
default Windows printer driver (PC driver) or is the last printer
selected in the Chooser (Macintosh driver).

If you are running Windows, make sure the Print Manager is
turned off in the Control Panel Printers utility; see your
Windows documentation or online help for instructions.

Print jobs may be held in the EPSON Spool Manager
(Windows) or the EPSON Monitor2 utility (Macintosh). Select
any print jobs marked pending, waiting, or held; then select
Delete or Cancel Printing.

3-14 Maintenance and Troubleshooting

You see incorrect colors in your printout.

Make sure EPSON Stylus Pro or Pro XL is selected as the
default Windows printer driver (PC driver) or is the last printer
selected in the Chooser (Macintosh driver).

Check that the printer driver’s Brightness and Contrast settings
(PC driver) or Light/Dark setting (Macintosh driver) are
appropriate for the image.

If you scanned the image, the different color interpretation
technologies used by your scanner, monitor, and printer can
never produce an exact color match with the original image.
However, check your scanner documentation for utilities you
can use to calibrate your scanner to your monitor and printer to
more closely match colors.

If you are printing from a DOS application using economy
mode, black text or graphics will appear gray on your printout;
turn off economy mode to achieve deeper blacks.

Printing starts too high or too low on the page, or the page
length or margins are not what you expect.

Make sure you selected the correct Paper Size option in the
printer driver; see your Setup and Software Guide for
instructions.

Use your software program to adjust the margins or change the
number of lines per page, or change the page length setting to
match the paper you are using.

Change the loading position of the paper using Default setting
mode. See “Using the Default Setting Mode” in Chapter 2.

Maintenance and Troubleshooting 3-15

Problems with Printing

If you cannot get the printer to print, first check that paper is
loaded in the printer. Then check that the printer is plugged
into a working electrical outlet that is not controlled by a switch
or timer. Verify that the interface cable is securely connected to
the printer and computer. After you have done all this, see the
following specific problems.

Printing has stopped and the

Pause

light is on.

Printing is temporarily suspended. Press the Pause button to
continue.

Printing has stopped but the

Pause

light is off.

One or both ink cartridges may be empty or too old. A
cartridge is too old if it has been used longer than six months or
beyond the date on its packaging. First clean the print heads as
described earlier in this chapter. If this does not solve the
problem, replace the ink cartridges.

The cable between the printer and your PC or Macintosh might
not meet the specifications for the printer or computer. For a
parallel connection with your PC, you need a shielded,
twisted-pair, parallel cable with a D-SUB, 25-pin, male
connector for the computer and a 36-pin, Centronics
compatible connector for the printer. The cable should not be
longer than 10 feet. For the serial interface on a Macintosh you
need an RS-422, 8-pin, mini DIN, male/male cable. To ensure
proper communication, use the standard Apple/System
Peripheral-8 cable (part number M1097). If you are connecting
the printer to a AppleTalk

®

or EtherTalk network, see

Appendix A.

®

Turn off the printer and perform a self test as described in the
Setup and Software Guide. If the self test does not print, the
problem is with the printer. If the self test prints correctly, the
problem is probably caused by your software.

3-16 Maintenance and Troubleshooting

The

No Ink Cartridge

light is on, and the printer does not

print.

One or both ink cartridges are not installed. Install both ink
cartridges.

The printer makes a grinding noise and does not feed
paper.

Something is pressing against the knob on the printer’s right side.
Turn off the printer and move it so there is at least two inches of
space around the knob. The printer will not work if anything is
pressing against the knob.

All lights except the

Contact your dealer or an authorized service provider.

Printing stops and the

There is a problem with the carriage. Turn off the printer. After
a few seconds, turn it back on and try printing again. If this does
not solve the problem, contact your dealer or an authorized
service provider.

Operate

Data

light flash and nothing prints.

and

Pause

lights flash.

The printer sounds like it is printing, but nothing prints.

The print heads may need cleaning. See “Cleaning the Print
Heads” on page 3-2 for instructions.

One or both ink cartridges are empty or too old. A cartridge is
too old if it has been used longer than six months or beyond
the date on its packaging. Try running a self test, as described
in the Setup and Software Guide. If nothing prints in black or
color, you need to replace the ink cartridges.

Maintenance and Troubleshooting 3-17

After upgrading your computer to Windows 95, the printer
driver does not work correctly.

You need to reinstall the EPSON Stylus Pro or Pro XL printer
driver using Windows 95. See your Setup and Software Guide for
Windows.

You see error messages on your PC because of printing
conflicts.

Before sending print jobs to the printer, the EPSON Spool
Manager stores them in a temporary directory. If you see error
messages when trying to print or printing is very slow, the
problem may be caused by other temporary files in the
temporary directory. To change the EPSON Spool Manager
default directory, follow these steps:

1. Make a directory on your hard disk to store the Spool
Manager files, for example, C:\SPLTEMP.

2. Open the EPSON program group and double-click the
Spool Manager icon.

3. Make sure Stylus Pro (or Stylus Pro XL) is selected, and then
open the Queue menu.

4. Select Setup. In the Queue Setup dialog box, change the
spool directory to the one you created in step 1.

5. Also make sure the Use Print Manager for this port

checkbox is checked. Then select OK or press Enter.

6. Open the Options menu and select Default Spool Directory.

7. In the dialog box, change the spool directory to the one you
created in step 1. Then select OK.

8. Close the Spool Manager.

3-18 Maintenance and Troubleshooting

The printer prints blank pages.

Make sure EPSON Stylus Pro or Pro XL is selected as the
default Windows printer driver (PC driver) or is the last printer
selected in the Chooser (Macintosh driver).

Make sure you selected the correct Paper Size option in the
printer driver; see your Setup and Software Guide for
instructions. Also make sure the margins you selected in your
application software fit the paper size you’re using.

Verify that the ink cartridges are not empty by running a
self test.

Text printing is slow.

You may be using printer driver settings that are more suitable
for graphics printing and unnecessarily slowing down text
printing. To speed up text printing only, turn off MicroWeave
mode and turn on High Speed mode. Some combinations of
Printing Mode (resolution) and Media Type do not allow you
to select these settings; if this is the case for your settings, select
a lower resolution, possibly using 180 dpi for drafts and
360 dpi for your final output. However, do not turn off
MicroWeave when printing final copies of high-quality
graphics or photographs.

Ink cartridges do not last as long as expected.

The ink cartridge life depends on the amount of ink used in
printing. If you often print pages with large graphics and dense
text, you will use up cartridges faster than if you print pages
with less ink coverage. Cleaning the print heads more often
than necessary also consumes ink.

Maintenance and Troubleshooting 3-19

The printer does not seem to receive print jobs.

On a PC, release any print jobs that may be held in the EPSON
Spool Manager. Start Spool Manager and click any job marked
pending or held. Then open the Document menu and select
Delete. Verify the EPSON Stylus Pro or Pro XL print queue is
not held, open the Queue menu and click Hold if there is a
checkmark beside the option.

On a Macintosh, release any print jobs that may be held in the
EPSON Monitor2 utility. Click the upper right corner of the
screen and select Monitor2 from the menu. Click any print job
shown under Waiting and click Cancel Printing.

Make sure EPSON Stylus Pro or Pro XL is selected as the
default Windows printer driver (PC driver) or is the last printer
selected in the Chooser (Macintosh driver).

If you’re an experienced user, you can use the hex dump mode
to pinpoint communication problems between the printer and a
software program. To turn on hex dump mode, first turn off
the printer. Then hold down the Load/Eject and Font buttons
and turn on the printer. Then send a print job. The printer
prints the exact codes it receives from the computer in
hexadecimal format. Report the codes to an authorized service
provider.

Paper Handling Problems

This section describes how to clear paper jams inside your
printer and ensure that paper feeds properly.

3-20 Maintenance and Troubleshooting

Clearing and preventing paper jams

If paper has jammed inside the printer, clear the jam as follows:

1. Turn off the printer.

2. Open the printer cover.

3. Push in the knob on the right side of the printer and turn it
counterclockwise as shown below.

Be sure to turn the knob in the direction shown; otherwise
ink from the printed sheet can come off onto the printer
and smear other sheets.

4. Pull the paper out carefully. If it tears, make sure you
remove any remaining pieces.

5. If paper is caught in the paper eject area, gently pull it out
of the printer.

6. Close the printer cover.

7. Turn on the printer to move the print heads to the correct
positions.

Maintenance and Troubleshooting 3-21

If paper jams frequently, try the following:

❑ Use a higher quality paper, one that is not too thin, too

thick, or rough. Make sure it is suitable for ink jet printers.
For best quality, use EPSON special coated and high­quality glossy papers. See Chapter 1 for more information
about loading paper and Appendix B for paper
specifications.

❑ Fan the stack of paper before you load it.
❑ Do not load too many sheets in the input tray. You can load

up to 100 sheets of plain paper, 70 sheets of special coated
paper, 30 sheets of high-quality glossy paper, 50 sheets of
transparency film, or 10 envelopes. For heavy paper, it is
best to load sheets one at a time.

Paper feeding problems

If paper is not feeding properly, the most likely causes are the
following:

❑ Paper is curled or folded. Use flat, undamaged paper.
❑ The paper is of poor quality; use a better quality paper.
❑ Too many sheets are loaded in the paper tray. You can load

up to 100 sheets of plain paper, 70 sheets of special coated
paper, 30 sheets of high-quality glossy paper, 50 sheets of
transparency film, or 10 envelopes.

❑ The paper is too thin or thick or has been exposed to excess

humidity; see Appendix B for paper specifications.

❑ The edge guides are too tight or too loose. Adjust the rear

and left edge guides for the size of the paper.

If you still have paper feeding problems, see the following
suggestions.

3-22 Maintenance and Troubleshooting

The printer loads more than one sheet at a time.

Remove the stack of paper and fan it. Tap it on a flat surface to
even the edges. Then reload the paper.

The paper is too thin or thick or was exposed to excess
humidity; see Appendix B for exact specifications.

If you are using heavy paper, load sheets one at a time.

Make sure the paper thickness lever is set correctly for your
media type; see Chapter 1 for instructions.

Make sure the printer driver’s Copies setting and the copies
setting in your application software are set to print one copy at
a time. Also verify that you have selected the correct paper size
in the driver and in your application software.

Ejected paper is wrinkled.

The paper is too thin or damp. Do not store paper in damp or
humid places.

Paper does not fully eject.

Use the Load/Eject button to eject the page.

Make sure you selected the correct paper size in the driver
software. See your Setup and Software Guide for instructions.

The paper is too long. Use paper that is within the specified
size. See Appendix B for exact specifications.

Maintenance and Troubleshooting 3-23

Paper is feeding crooked.

The paper is old or creased. Use only new, smooth sheets of
paper.

Too much paper is loaded in the paper tray. Remove a few
sheets.

The paper is not the proper size and quality; see Appendix B
for exact specifications.

3-24 Maintenance and Troubleshooting

Appendix A

Using Optional Interfaces

AppleTalk and EtherTalk Networks for Macintosh . . . . . . . A-2

Connecting the Printer to the Network . . . . . . . . . . . . A-3

Turning On the Printer’s Network Interface Mode . . . . . A-4

Interface Boards for the PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-5

Using the C823051 or C823061 Serial Interface Board . . . A-5

Installing an Optional Interface Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-6

A

Using Optional Interfaces A-1

You can use various interface boards to supplement the
capabilities of your printer’s built-in hardware interfaces for
use with your Macintosh or PC. For example, if you want to
connect your printer to an AppleTalk or EtherTalk network,
you need to install a LocalTalk

®

or Ethernet® interface board.

This appendix provides information for using optional
interfaces with your Macintosh or PC and describes how to
install a board in your printer.

AppleTalk and EtherTalk Networks for Macintosh

If you want to connect the printer to an AppleTalk or EtherTalk
network so multiple Macintosh computers can share the
printer, you need to obtain a LocalTalk or Ethernet interface
board. Contact your dealer or call EPSON Accessories at
[phone] (U.S. only). In Canada, call (800) BUY-EPSON
for sales locations.

If you install the LocalTalk board, you also need to obtain a
Locking Connector Kit (DIN 8 version) for the printer. (If your
Macintosh is not already part of the network, you need to
obtain an additional kit for your Macintosh.)

If you install the EtherTalk board connected to a thin coaxial
(10BASE2) cable and the printer is the last device on the
network, you need to obtain a 50-ohm terminator. The Ethernet
transceiver is included on the EPSON Ethernet board, so you
do not need to obtain an Ethernet adapter box for the printer.

A-2 Using Optional Interfaces

Connecting the Printer to the Network

How you connect the printer to the network depends on your
network type:

❑ If you are connecting to a LocalTalk network, attach a

LocalTalk locking connector box to the LocalTalk connector
on the back of the printer. Attach one end of a LocalTalk
cable to this connector box.

Attach the other end of the cable to an available port on any
connector box that is part of the network. For more
information about creating an AppleTalk network, see the
owner’s guide that comes with the LocalTalk Locking
Connector Kit.

❑ If you are connecting to an EtherTalk network using a thin

coaxial (10BASE2) cable, first attach the T-connector
supplied with the board to the 10BASE2 connector on the
Ethernet interface board. Connect the network cable to one
node of the T-connector.

If the printer is not the last device in a daisy-chain, connect
another network cable to the other node of the T-connector.
If the printer is the last device, attach a 50-ohm terminator
to the other node of the T-connector.

❑ If you are connecting to an EtherTalk network using a

twisted-pair (10BASE-T) cable, connect the network cable’s
RJ-45 connector to the 10BASE-T connector on the Ethernet
interface board.

Using Optional Interfaces A-3

Turning On the Printer’s Network Interface Mode

If you encounter problems when using the printer on a
network, you may need to turn on the printer’s network mode
using the buttons on the control panel. Follow these steps:

1. Make sure the printer is off and paper is loaded in the paper
tray.

2. While holding down the Economy/Condensed button,
turn on the printer. (Hold the button down for
approximately 5 seconds.)

After the printer warms up, it prints a page listing the
available control panel languages.

3. Unless you want to change the language of the control
panel, press the Alt button. (Press the Font button to change
the control panel language.)

The printer prints two instruction sheets that describe how
to change default printer settings.

4. Press the Font button until the Courier and Sans Serif H
lights are on and the Roman T light is off.

5. Press the Alt button until the Operate light is on and the
Data and Paper Out lights are off.

6. Turn off the printer.

A-4 Using Optional Interfaces

Interface Boards for the PC

The following EPSON interface boards are compatible with
your printer:

Interface board Model number

Serial Interface board C823051/C823061

32KB Serial Interface board C823071/C823081

32KB Parallel Interface board C823101

Twinax Interface board C823151

Coax Interface board C823141

Ethernet Interface board C823312

If you are not sure whether you need an optional interface, or if
you want to know more about interfaces, contact your dealer.

Using the C823051 or C823061 Serial Interface Board

To use the C823051 or C823061 interface board, see the sections
below for information on selecting the baud rate, handshake
timing, and error handling. For all other data transfer
conventions, such as word structure and communications
protocol, see your interface board manual.

Selecting the baud rate

You can select from the following baud rates: 300, 600, 1200, 2400,
4800, 9600, and 19200 bps (bits per second). To set the baud rate,
see the bit-rate selection table in your interface board manual.

Using Optional Interfaces A-5

Handshake timing

When the vacant area for data in the input buffer drops to
256 bytes, the printer outputs an X-OFF code or sets the DTR
flag to 1 (MARK) to indicate that it cannot receive data. When
the vacant area for data in the buffer increases to 512 bytes, the
printer outputs an X-ON code or sets the DTR flag to 0
(SPACE) to indicate that it is ready to receive data.

Error handling

When the printer detects a parity error, it prints an asterisk (*).
The printer ignores all other errors, including framing and
overrun errors.

Installing an Optional Interface Board

1. Turn off the printer.

2. Unplug the printer’s power cord from the electrical outlet
and disconnect any interface cables.

Caution:

Do not install or remove an interface board when the

c

printer is connected to the electrical outlet. If you do, you
may damage your printer or computer.

3. Remove the two screws securing the shield plate to the
optional interface slot; then lift off the plate as shown in the
following illustration. Store the plate in case you later
remove the interface board.

A-6 Using Optional Interfaces

4. Be sure to set any switches and jumpers on the interface
board. See the board’s manual for details. If your interface
board has a jumper labelled JG, make sure that you set it to
on, or the board will not work properly.

5. Slide the interface board along the slots on both sides of the
interface compartment. Push it in firmly to fully insert the
connector at the rear of the interface board into the
printer’s internal socket.

6. Secure the interface board in the slot with the two screws
included with the interface board.

Using Optional Interfaces A-7

7. Connect the proper interface cable to the interface board and
to your computer. Connect other interface cables if you are
using more than one computer.

8. Reconnect any interface cables you disconnected in step 2.

9. Make sure the printer is off. Then plug in the power cord.

10. If you are connecting your printer to an AppleTalk or
EtherTalk network, follow the guidelines on page A- 3.

You may need to change the settings for the interface options
using the printer’s Default setting mode. See “Using the
Default Setting Mode” in Chapter 2 for more information.

A-8 Using Optional Interfaces

Appendix B

Technical Specifications

Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-2

Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-3

Ink Cartridges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-6

Mechanical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-7

Electrical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-7

Environmental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-8

Safety Approvals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-8

Fonts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-8

Interface Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-9

Parallel Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-9

Serial Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-12

Optional Interfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-12

Initialization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-12

Default Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-13

B

Technical Specifications B-1

Printing

Printing method: On-demand ink jet

Nozzle configuration: 64 monochrome (black) nozzles

(16 × 4 staggered)

48 color nozzles

(16 × 3, cyan, magenta, yellow)

Printable columns and printing speed*:

Character pitch
(characters per inch)

10 80 127 200

12 96 152 240

15 120 190 300

17 (10 condensed) 137 218 340

20 (12 condensed) 160 254 400

* Print speeds vary depending on system configuration, software

application, resolution, and amount of page covered. Figures are based
on letter-size paper with color printing.

Printable columns LQ printing speed

Pro Pro XL

(characters per second)

Resolution:

Paper feed speed:

Maximum 720 × 720 dpi

89 milliseconds per

1

⁄

-inch line;

6

2.2 inches per second

Input buffer: 64KB

Print direction: Bidirectional with logic seeking

Control code: ESC/P 2 and expanded raster graphics code

Paper feeding: Auto sheet feeder

Line spacing:

1

⁄

-inch (default), programmable to

6

1

⁄

-inch or in

8

1

⁄

-inch increments using

360

control codes

Character tables: 1 Italic and 20 graphics character tables

Character sets: 14 International and 1 legal character sets

B-2 Technical Specifications

Paper

Note:

Since the quality of any particular brand or type of paper may be changed by the
manufacturer at any time, EPSON cannot guarantee the use of any particular
brand or type of paper. Always test samples of paper stock before purchasing large
quantities or printing large jobs.

Paper path: Sheet feeder, front entry

Paper tray capacity: 100 sheets at 17 lb (64 g/m

70 sheets of EPSON special coated paper
50 sheets of EPSON transparency films
30 sheets of EPSON high-quality glossy

paper

10 envelopes

2

) paper

Paper size:

Letter (8.5 × 11 inches)
A4 (210 × 297 mm)
Legal (8.5 × 14 inches)
US B (11 × 17 inches)*
Super A3/B (13 × 9 inches)*
A3 (297 × 420 mm)*
Statement (8.5 × 5.5 inches)
Executive (7.5 × 10 inches)

* Stylus Pro XL only

Paper types: Plain paper and special papers distributed

by EPSON (special coated paper, high­quality glossy paper, and transparencies)

Paper thickness: 0.003 to 0.004 inch (0.08 to 0.11 mm)

Paper weight: 17 to 24 lb (64 to 90 g/m

Use 24 lb (90 g/m

2

)

2

) paper under normal

temperature and humidity conditions

Transparencies:

Size

Letter (8.5 × 11 inches)
A4 (210 × 297 mm)

Thickness 0.003 to 0.0033 inch (0.075 to 0.085 mm)

Technical Specifications B-3

Envelopes:

Size

Paper types Plain, bond, or air mail paper

Paper thickness Less than 0.020 inch (0.52 mm)

Paper weight 20 to 24 lb (75 to 90 g/m

Note:

No. 10 9.5 × 4.1 inches (241 × 104 mm)
DL 8.7 × 4.3 inches (220 × 110 mm)

2

)

❑ Poor quality paper may reduce print quality and cause paper jams and other

problems. If you encounter problems, switch to a higher grade of paper.

❑ Print on special coated paper, high-quality glossy paper, envelopes, and

transparency films only under these normal conditions:

Temperature: 59 to 77°F (15 to 25°C)
Humidity: 40 to 60% RH

❑ Store high-quality glossy paper under the following conditions:

Temperature: 59 to 77°F (15 to 25°C)
Humidity: 20 to 60% RH

❑ Use envelopes that do not curl.
❑ The following EPSON genuine papers are available:

S041062 Special coated paper for 720 dpi printing (Letter)
S041067 Special coated paper for 720 dpi printing (Legal)
S041068 Special coated paper for 720 dpi printing (A3)
S041070 Special coated paper for 720 dpi printing (B)
S041069 Special coated paper for 720 dpi printing (Super A3/B)
S041060 Special coated paper for 360 dpi printing (Letter)
S041066 Special coated paper for 360 dpi printing (Super A3/B)
S041065 Special coated paper for 360 dpi printing (A3)
S041072 High-quality glossy paper (Letter)
S041074 High-quality glossy paper (Super A3/B)
S041073 High-quality glossy paper (A3)
S041075 High-quality glossy paper (B)
S041064 Transparency film (Letter)

B-4 Technical Specifications

Printable area:

Single sheets

A

BL

BR

C

Envelopes

A

BL

A The minimum top margin is 0.12 inch (3 mm).

BL The minimum left margin is 0.12 inch (3 mm).

BR The minimum right margin is:

For Stylus Pro:

3.8 mm (0.15 inch) for A4 size paper
3 mm (0.12 inch) for Statement and Executive size paper

9.7 mm (0.38 inch) for Letter and Legal size paper and transparencies

13.8 mm (0.54 inch) for DL envelopes

35.1 mm (1.38 inch) for No. 10 envelopes

For Stylus Pro XL:

3 mm (0.12 inch) for all paper sizes, and envelopes

C The minimum bottom margin is 0.55 inch (14 mm)

BR

C

Technical Specifications B-5

Ink Cartridges

Black ink cartridge (S020034):

Color Black

Print capacity* Approximately 1.5 million characters

(315 dots/char, Roman 10)

Cartridge life* 2 years from production date and up to

6 months after opening the package, at
77°F (25°C); based on letter size paper

Temperature Storage: –22 to 104° F (–30 to 40° C)

1 month at 104° F (40° C)

Transit: –22 to 140° F (–30 to 60° C)

1 month at 104° F (40° C)
120 hours at 140° F (60° C)

Freezing:** 24.8° F (–4° C)

Dimensions

Color ink cartridge (S020036):

Colors Cyan, magenta, and yellow

Print capacity* In each color, approximately 1.2 million

Cartridge life* 2 years from production date and up to

Temperature

Dimensions

* The cartridge life may vary. If you often print large graphics and dense

text, you will use up ink cartridges faster than if you print pages with less
ink coverage. Cleaning the print heads more often than necessary will
also consume ink.

** The ink thaws in approximately 2 hours at 77°F (25°C).

1.1 inches (W) × 2.7 inches (D) × 1.7 inches (H)
(26.9 mm × 67.4 mm × 41.8 mm)

characters (670 sheets/color, letter, 5% duty
at 360 dpi)

6 months after opening the package at
77° F (25° C); based on letter size paper

Storage: −22 to 104° F (−30 to 40° C)

1 month at 104° F (40° C)

Transit: −22 to 140° F (−30 to 60° C)

1 month at 104° F (40° C)
120 hours at 140° F (60° C)

Freezing:** 21.2° F (−6° C)

2.1 inches (W) × 2.7 inches (D) × 1.7 inches (H)
(54 mm × 67.4 mm × 41.8 mm)

B-6 Technical Specifications

Caution:

Use only genuine EPSON ink cartridges and do not refill them. Other

c

products may cause damage not covered by EPSON’s warranty.

Do not use an ink cartridge after the expiration date on the package.

Mechanical

Paper feed method: Friction with auto sheet feeder

Print head life: 1 billion dots per nozzle

Total print volume: 75,000 pages

Dimensions and weight: Stylus Pro

Width 19.0 inches (482 mm)
Depth 20.9 inches (530 mm)
Height 7.2 inches (182 mm)
Weight 16.7 lb (7.5 kg)

Stylus Pro XL

Width 22.8 inches (580 mm)
Depth 23.5 inches (597 mm)
Height 7.2 inches (182 mm)
Weight 22.1 lb (10 kg)

Electrical

Input voltage range: 103.5 to 132 V

Rated frequency range: 50 to 60 Hz

Input frequency range: 49.5 to 60.5 Hz

Rated current: 0.6 A

Power consumption: Approx. 20 W (during self test, LQ at 10 cpi)

Technical Specifications B-7

Environmental

Temperature: Operation 50 to 95° F (10 to 35° C)

Storage* –4 to 140° F (−20 to 60° C)

1 month at 104° F (40° C)
120 hours at 140° F (60° C)

Humidity: Operation 20 to 80% RH

Storage* 5 to 85% RH

(without condensation)

* Stored in shipping container

Safety Approvals

Safety standards: UL 1950 with D3, CSA 22.2 950 with D3

R.F.I.: FCC part 15 subpart B class B

Fonts

The printer comes with an installed set of fonts, shown below, which are
selectable with the Font button on the control panel. However, the printer
always uses the fonts you select with your software program. The only
time you need to select the printer’s installed fonts is when your software
program does not allow you to select fonts.

B-8 Technical Specifications

Interface Specifications

Your printer is equipped with an 8-bit parallel interface and a serial
interface.

Parallel Interface

Data format: 8-bit parallel, IEEE P1284 mode compatible

Synchronization:

Handshake timing: BUSY and

STROBE pulse

ACKNLG signals

Signal level: TTL compatible

Connector: 36-pin, Centronics compatible

Pin assignments

Signal
pin

Return
pin Signal Direction Description

119

2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

10 28

20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27

STROBE IN STROBE pulse to read data.

DATA 1
DATA 2
DATA 3
DATA 4
DATA 5
DATA 6
DATA 7
DATA 8

ACKNLG OUT About a 5-µs pulse. LOW

IN
IN
IN
IN
IN
IN
IN
IN

These signals represent
information in bits 0 to 7 of
parallel data respectively.
Each signal is at HIGH level
when data is logical 1 and
LOW when it is logical 0.

indicates data has been
received and the printer is
ready to accept more data.

Technical Specifications B-9

Signal
pin

19-30 - GND - Twisted-pair return signal

Return
pin Signal Direction Description

11 29 BUSY OUT A HIGH signal indicates the

printer cannot receive data.
The signal goes HIGH in the
following cases:

1) During data entry
(for each character)

2) During initialization

3) During self test and
default-setting printing

4) During a printer-error state

12 30 PE OUT A HIGH signal indicates the

printer is in a paper-out state
or in an error state

13 - SLCT OUT Pulled up to +5 V through

14 -

15 - NC - Not used

16 - GND - Logic ground level

17 - CHASSIS

18 - NC - Not used

31 16

32 -

AUTO
FEED

XT

GND

INIT IN When this signal goes LOW,

ERROR OUT This signal level goes LOW

IN When this signal is LOW, the

- Printer’s chassis ground,

1 kΩ resistance

paper is automatically fed
one line after printing

which is connected to the
logic ground

ground level

the printer controller is reset
to its state when the power is
first turned on and the print
buffer is cleared. This level is
normally HIGH; its pulse width
must be more than 50 µs at
the receiving terminal.

when the printer:

1) Is out of paper

2) Is in an error state

3) Has no ink cartridges
installed

B-10 Technical Specifications

Signal
pin

Return
pin Signal Direction Description

33 - GND - Same as for pins 19-30

34 - NC - Not used

35 - +5 V OUT Pulled up to +5 V through

1 KΩ resistance

36 - NC - Not used

Notes:

❑ The column heading “Direction” refers to the direction of signal flow as

viewed from the printer.

❑ “Return pin” denotes the twisted-pair return pin to be connected at signal

ground level. For the interface wiring, be sure to use a twisted-pair cable for
each signal and to complete the connection on the return side.

❑ All interface conditions are based on TTL level. Both the rise and fall times of

each signal must be less than 0.2 microseconds.

❑ Data transfer must be carried out by observing the ACKNLG or BUSY

signal. Data transfer to this printer can be carried out only after receipt of
the

ACKNLG signal or when the level of the BUSY signal is LOW.

Timing chart

The figure below shows the timing chart for the parallel interface.

BUSY

ACKNLG

DATA

STROBE

0.5 µs (Min.)

0 µs (Min.)

Transition time (both the rise and the fall) of every signal must be less than

0.2 µs.

0 µs (Min.)

5 µs (Typ.)

Technical Specifications B-11

Serial Interface

The printer’s built-in serial interface is based on the RS-422 standard to
allow the printer to be connected to an Apple Macintosh.

Standard: Based on RS-422

Synchronization: Asynchronous

Bit rate: 57.6 Kbps/230.4 Kbps

Handshaking: DTR and XON/XOFF protocol

Word format:

Data bit
Parity bit
Start bit
Stop bit

8 bits
None
1 bit
1 bit

Connector: 8-pin mini-circular connector

Recommended cable: Apple System/Peripheral-8 (part number

M0197) or equivalent

Optional Interfaces

The available interfaces are listed in Appendix A. Please refer to the
specifications in the user’s guide packed with the optional interface card.

Initialization

The printer can be initialized (returned to a fixed set of conditions) in
these ways:

Hardware
initialization

Software
initialization

Control panel
initialization

B-12 Technical Specifications

∗ The printer is turned on.
∗ The printer receives an

parallel interface: pin 31 goes LOW.
∗ Software sends the ESC @ (initialize the printer)

command. The last panel settings are kept.
∗ Hold down the Alt button and press the Pause

button (buffer clear). The last panel settings are
kept.

INIT signal from the

All three initialization methods reset the font according to the default
settings selected using the control panel. However, ESC @ does not
initialize the printer mechanism, clear the input data buffer, or clear the
user-defined character set. The control panel initialization does not
initialize the printer mechanism or clear the user-defined character set.

Default Settings

The table below shows the default settings that take effect when the
printer is initialized.

Item Default setting

Top-of-form position Current paper position

Page length Single sheets:

61 lines for letter-size paper
65 lines for A4-size paper

Left and right margins Cancelled

Line spacing

Character pitch Last font selected on control panel

Vertical tab position Cleared

Horizontal tab positions Every eight characters

Font selection Last font selected on control panel

Special printing effects Cancelled (except condensed and

User-defined character set Hardware/control panel initialization:

Graphic mode assignment ESC K = ESC ∗ 0, ESC L = ESC ∗ 1,

1

⁄

-inch line spacing

6

economy printing)

cleared
Software initialization: deselected only

ESC Y = ESC ∗ 2, ESC Z = ESC ∗ 3

In addition, hardware and control panel initialization erases any text in
the data buffer.

Technical Specifications B-13

Appendix C

Commands and Character Tables

Command List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-2

Character Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-3

International Character Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-10

Characters Available with ESC (^ Command . . . . . . . . C-11

C

Commands and Character Tables C-1

Command List

This printer supports the following ESC/P 2 commands in
your DOS software programs. If you need more information
about using printer commands, you can purchase the ESC/P 2
Reference Manual (ESCP2REF) from EPSON Accessories by
calling [phone] (in the U.S. only). In Canada, call
(800) BUY-EPSON for sales locations.

General operation:

ESC @, ESC U 1/0, ESC EM R

Paper feeding

CR, FF, LF, ESC 0, ESC 2, ESC 3 n, ESC + n

Page format

ESC ( c nn, ESC ( C nn, ESC C n, ESC C 0 n, ESC N n, ESC O,
ESC L n, ESC Q n

Print position motion

ESC $ n1 n2, ESC \ n1 n2, ESC ( V nn, ESC ( v nn, ESC D nn,
HT, ESC B nn, VT, ESC J n

Font selection

ESC k n, ESC X nn, ESC P, ESC M, ESC g, ESC p 1/0, ESC x n,
ESC 4, ESC 5, ESC E, ESC F, ESC ! n

Font enhancement

SI, DC2, SO, ESC W 1/0, DC4, ESC w 1/0, ESC G, ESC H,
ESC S 0, ESC S 1, ESC T, ESC ( - nn, ESC - 1/0, ESC q n

Spacing

ESC SP n, ESC ( U nn, ESC c n1 n2

Character handling

ESC ( t nn, ESC t n, ESC R n, ESC & nn, ESC : 0 n 0, ESC % n,
ESC 6, ESC 7, ESC ( ^ nn

Bit image

ESC * nn

Graphics

ESC ( G nn, ESC . nn

Color

ESC r n

MicroWeave

ESC ( i

Select dot size

ESC ( e nn

Binary mode commands for ESC . 2 or ESC . 3

<XFER>, <MOVX>, MOVY>, <COLR>, <CLR>, <EXIT>, <CR>,
<MOVXBYTE>, MOVXDOT>

C-2 Commands and Character Tables

Character Tables

The printer comes with an installed set of character tables.
However, when printing from Windows and most DOS
software programs, the printer prints the characters you see on
screen and does not use its built-in character tables. Unless
you’re printing from a DOS program, and cannot print the
character you need, you should never have to change the
character table.

These character tables are selected using the printer’s Default
setting mode or by using software commands.

All tables except the italic are the same as the PC437 table for
hex codes 00 through 7F, so only the PC437 table is shown
completely. The rest of the tables show only the characters for
hex codes 80 through FF.

PC437 (U.S., Standard Europe)

Commands and Character Tables C-3

PC850 (Multilingual) PC860 (Portuguese)

PC861 (Icelandic) PC863 (Canadian-French)

C-4 Commands and Character Tables

PC865 (Nordic) PC437 (Greek)

PC853 (Turkish) PC855 (Cyrilic)

Commands and Character Tables C-5

PC852 (East Europe) PC857 (Turkish)

PC866 (Russian) PC869 (Greek)

C-6 Commands and Character Tables

BRASCII Abicomp

MAZOWIA Code MJK

Commands and Character Tables C-7

ISO 8859-7 ISO Latin 1T

Bulgaria

C-8 Commands and Character Tables

Italic

No characters are available for
hex code 15 in the italic character
table

.

Commands and Character Tables C-9

International Character Sets

You can select one of the following international character sets
using the printer’s Default setting mode or the ESC R
command. For example, when you select “Italic France,” the
characters in the “France” row on the table below are used in
the italic character table.

The following eight international character sets can be selected
using Default setting mode or with the ESC R command.

The following seven additional sets can be selected only with
the ESC R command.

C-10 Commands and Character Tables

Characters Available with ESC (^ Command

To print the characters in the table below, use the ESC ( ^
command.

Commands and Character Tables C-11

Glossary

auto line feed

When this feature is selected in the printer’s Default setting mode, each
carriage return (CR) code is automatically followed by a line feed (LF)
code.

bidirectional printing

Printing in which the print head prints in both directions (bidirectionally).
This increases print speed but may reduce precise vertical alignment. Also
called high speed printing.

character table

The collection of letters, numbers, and symbols that constitute the set of
characters used in a particular language.

CMYK

A method of specifying and creating colors using cyan (blue-green),
magenta, yellow, and black (K).

condensed printing

Printing in which the width of each character is approximately 60% of the
width of standard characters.

control code

A special code used to control a printer function such as performing a
carriage return or line feed.

cpi

Characters per inch. Determines the size and number of text characters
that will fit in one inch. Also called character pitch.

default

A value or setting that takes effect when the equipment is turned on,
reset, or initialized.

dithering

A way of arranging dots on a page to simulate a shade or tone. See also

halftoning.

dpi

Dots per inch. The dpi measures the resolution. See also resolution.

Glossary 1

driver

See printer driver.

economy printing

Printing in which images are printed with fewer dots to save ink and
increase printing speed.

error diffusion

A halftoning method where dot patterns are randomly distributed in an
image to create soft edges.

ESC/P 2

Enhanced version of the ESC/P® printer command language. ESC/P is
the EPSON Standard Code for Printers. The system of commands sent by
the computer to control the printer. It is standard for all EPSON printers
and supported by most application software for personal computers.

font

A style of type designated by a family name, such as Courier or
Helvetica



.

grayscale

An image consisting of multiple shades of gray, ranging from white to
black.

halftoning

Method of repeating tiny dot patterns to represent images.

hex dump

A troubleshooting feature that helps identify the cause of communication
problems between the printer and the computer. When the printer is in
hex dump mode, it prints each code it receives in hexadecimal notation
and ASCII characters. Also called data dump.

high speed printing

Printing in which the printer produces text and images by printing in both
directions (bidirectionally). This provides faster output than
unidirectional printing.

initialization

The process of restoring the printer’s default settings (fixed set of
conditions).

2 Glossary

ink jet

A non-impact method of printing in which the printer produces each
character by precisely spraying ink onto paper.

interface

The connection (via a cable) between the computer and the printer over
which print data is transmitted to the printer.

media

Materials upon which data is printed such as envelopes, plain paper,
special paper, and transparency film.

MicroWeave

A printing method in which images are printed in finer increments to
reduce the possibility of banding and to produce laser-like images.

printable area

The area of a page on which the printer can print. It is smaller than the
physical size of the page due to margins.

printer driver

A software program that sends commands for using the features of a
particular printer.

reset

To return the printer to its default settings.

resolution

A measure of the amount of detail that can be represented. Resolution of
printed images is measured in number of dots per inch (dpi). Your printer

has three resolution settings: 720 × 720, 360 × 360, and 180 × 180 dpi.

RGB

A method of specifying color by its component proportion of red, green,
and blue. Computer monitors use this method to represent colors.

self test

A method for testing the printer’s operation. Running the self test prints
the characters stored in the printer’s ROM.

unidirectional printing

Printing in which the print head prints in one direction only.
Unidirectional printing is useful for printing graphics because it allows
precise vertical alignment.

Glossary 3

Index

A

Accessories, purchasing, Intro-4, 3-3
Aligning vertical lines, 3-14
Alt button, 2-5–6, 3-3
Apple Macintosh, Intro-1, 3-16, A-2
AppleTalk network, A-2
Auto interface wait mode, 2-6–7
Auto line feed, 2-6–7
Auto sheet feeder, B-2

B

Banding, 3-4
Baud rate, A-5
BBS, see Bulletin Board Service
Bidirectional printing, 2-7, B-2
Black button, 2-4
Black ink cartridge, see Ink cartridges
Blank pages, 3-19
Blurred images, 3-13–14
Bottom margin, 3-15, B-5
Buffer, input, B-2
Bulletin Board Service, Intro-4
Buttons, control panel, 2-2, 2-4–6

C

C823051 serial interface card, A-5
C823061 serial interface card, A-5
Cable

coaxial, A-2–3

printer, 3-16
Calibrating the printer, 3-10, 3-14
Carriage return character, 2-7
Cartridges, see Ink cartridges
Character pitch, B-13
Character tables

available, B-2, C-3–11

international, C-10

selecting, 2-6, 2-8

Cleaning

buttons, 2-5–6
print heads, 2-4–6, 3-7
printer, 3-8

Clearing paper jams, see Jammed

paper

Coated papers

loading, 1-7–11
selecting, 1-2–3

specifications, B-3–5
Coaxial cable, A-2–3
Color button, 2-4
Color images, 3-12, 3-15
Color ink cartridge, see Ink cartridges
Color Specialist, Intro-3
CompuServe, Intro-5
Condensed

button, 2-4–6

light, 2-3

mode, 2-3–4
Connecting to multiple computers,

2-7, A-2–4
Control code, B-2
Control panel, 2-2–6
Cord, power, Intro-6, 3-8
Crooked paper, 3-24
Customer support, Intro-3–5

D

Dampness, see Humidity
Data light, 2-3, 3-11, 3-17
Default settings

at initialization, 2-5, B-13

mode, 2-5–8
Dimensions, printer, B-7
Dpi, 1-3
Driver, see Printer driver, Video

driver
DTR flag, A-6
Dump, see Hex dump mode

Index 1

E

Economy

button, 2-4–6,
light, 2-3, 3-13

mode, 2-3–4, 3-13, 3-15
Edge guides, 1-4, 1-6, 1-10, 1-13
Ejecting paper, 2-4, 3-23
Electrical specifications, B-7
Electronic support services, Intro-5
Energy, conserving, Intro-2
Energy Star compliance, Intro-1–2
Envelopes

loading, 1-7, 1-11–13

specifications, B-4–5
Environmental specifications, B-8
EPSON

Accessories, Intro-4, 3-3

America Forum, Intro-5

Bulletin Board Service, Intro-4

Color Specialist, Intro-3

Customer Care Centers, Intro-3

papers, 1-2–3, B-4

Spool Manager, 3-14, 3-18, 3-20

Web site, Intro-5
Error lights, 3-11
Error messages, 3-18
ESC ( ^ command, C-11
ESC/P 2 commands, 2-7, C-2
Ethernet interface card, A-2–3
EtherTalk network, A-2

F

Faint images, 3-13–14
Fast printing, 2-7
Feeder, see Auto sheet feeder
Feeding problems, 3-22–24
Film, see Transparencies
Fonts

button, 2-4–5, 3-20

condensed, 2-4

default selection, B-13

light, 2-3

specifications, B-8

G

Garbled characters, 3-14
Gears, printer, 3-8
Glossy paper

loading, 1-7–11
selecting, 1-2–3

specifications, B-3–4
Graphic mode assignment, B-13
Grayscale, 3-12
Grinding noise, 3-17

H

Handshake timing, A-6, B-9, B-11
Heads, see Print heads
Heavy paper, loading, 1-11–13
Help, where to get, Intro-3–5
Hex dump mode, 2-5, 3-20
High-quality paper, see Glossy paper
High Speed mode, 3-12
Horizontal tab positions, B-13
Humidity

for paper, 1-8, 3-13, 3-23, B-4

for printer, B-8

I

Initialization, B-12–13,
Ink cartridges

clamps, 3-5

conserving ink, 2-4, 3-19

empty, 3-12

life expectancy, 3-19, B-6

old, 3-19

ordering, 3-3

print capacity, B-6

replacing, 3-3–7, 3-16

specifications, B-6–7

tape seal, 3-6
Ink delivery system, charging, 3-7
Input buffer, B-2

2 Index

Interface

cable, 3-16
cards, A-5–8
mode, 2-6–7
optional, A-5–8
parallel, 2-7, B-9–11
serial, 2-7, A-5, B-12
specifications, B-9–12

wait mode, auto, 2-6–7
International character tables, C-10
Internet, Intro-5

J

Jammed paper

clearing, 3-20–22

preventing, 3-21–22

M

Macintosh, Intro-1, 3-16, A-2
Maintenance, 3-2–8
Manuals, how to use, Intro-2–3
Margins

default setting, B-13
left and right, B-5

top and bottom, 2-7, 3-15, B-5
Mechanical specifications, B-7
Media Type setting, 3-12
Messages, error, 3-18
Microsoft Windows, Intro-1, 3-10
MicroWeave, 3-12–14
Monitor2 utility, 3-14, 3-20
Moving the printer, see Transporting

the printer

L

Labels, printing, 1-8, 1-11
Large paper, see Oversized paper
Left margin, B-5, B-13
Lever, see Paper thickness lever
Lights

control panel, 2-3

error conditions, 3-11
Line feed, auto, 2-6–7
Line spacing, B-2, B-13
Lines

aligning, see Vertical lines, aligning

white, see Banding
Load/Eject button, 2-4–6, 3-20
Loading

coated papers, 1-7–11

envelopes, 1-11–13

glossy paper, 1-7, 1-11

oversized paper, 1-6–7

plain paper, 1-4–5

problems, 3-22–23

transparencies, 1-7–11
Loading position, adjusting, 2-6–7,

3-15
Lubricants, 3-8

N

Network interface mode, 2-6–7, A-4
Networks, A-2–4
No Ink Cartridge light, 2-3, 3-11, 3-17
Notice sheet, 3-9
Nozzles, print head, 3-7, B-2

O

Online support, Intro-5
Operate

button, 2-2, 2-4–5

light, 2-3
Ordering paper, 1-3
Output tray, 1-4
Oversized paper, loading, 1-6–7

Index 3

P

Page length, B-13
Paper

coated, see Coated papers
ejecting, 2-4
envelopes, see Envelopes
feed speed, B-2
feeding problems, 3-22–24
glossy, see Glossy paper
handling, 1-2–11, 3-20–24
jams, 3-21–22
ordering EPSON, 1-3
oversized, 1-6–7
path, B-3
plain, see Plain paper
printable area, B-5
printable surface, 1-4, 1-7, 1-9, 3-13
selecting type, 1-2–3
size, B-3
special, see Special papers
specifications, B-3–5
storing, 1-8, 3-13
thickness, 3-23, B-3–4
transparencies, see Transparencies
types, 1-3, B-3–4
weight, B-3–4

wrinkled, 3-23
Paper Out light, 2-3
Paper thickness lever, 1-3–4,

1-11–13, 3-13, 3-23
Paper tray, 1-4

capacity, B-13

extension, 1-6
Parallel interface, 2-7, B-9–11
Pause

button, 2-4–6

light, 2-3, 3-11, 3-17
Pin assignments, B-9–11
Pitch, character, B-13

Plain paper, 1-2

loading, 1-4–5
specifications, B-3

Power

button, 2-4
consumption, B-7
cord, Intro-6, 3-8

light, 2-3
Print direction, 2-6–7, B-2
Print heads

cleaning, 2-4–6, 3-2–3, 3-7

life expectancy, B-7

nozzles, 3-2, 3-7, B-2

securing, 3-9
Print quality problems, 3-12–15
Print speed

increasing, 2-7

specifications, B-2
Printable area, B-5
Printable columns, B-2
Printable surface, 1-4, 1-7, 1-9, 3-13
Printer

buffer, B-2

cable, 3-15

calibrating, 2-6, 3-10, 3-14

cleaning, 3-8

cleaning print heads, 2-4–6, 3-2–3, 3-7

controlling, 2-2–8

defaults, 2-6, B-13

dimensions, B-7

driver, Intro-1, 1-10–11

hex dump mode, 2-5, 3-20

initializing, B-12–13

pausing, 2-4

problems with, 3-16–20

resetting, 2-4–5

specifications, B-2–13

testing, 2-5, 3-12

transporting, 3-9–10

weight, B-7

4 Index

Printing

bidirectional, 2-7
fast, 2-7
method, B-2
problems with, 3-16–20
slow, 3-19
specifications, B-2
unidirectional, 2-7

Problems, see Troubleshooting

Q

Quality, see Print quality

R

ReadMe icon, Intro-1, 3-10
Reset printer, 2-4–5
Resolution, B-2
Right margin, B-5, B-13

S

Safety approvals, B-8
Safety instructions, Intro-6
Scanned image, 3-12
Securing print heads, 3-9
Self test, 2-5, 3-3, 3-12, 3-17
Serial interface, 2-7, B-12

cards, A-5

Service, Intro-4–5
Shading, see Grayscale
Sheet feeder, auto, B-2
Slow printing, 3-19
Spacing, line, B-2, B-13
Special papers

loading, 1-7–13
selecting, 1-2–3
specifications, B-3–5

Special printing effects, B-13

Specifications, B-2–13
Speed, see Print speed
Spool Manager, 3-14, 3-18, 3-20
Stop printing, see Pause
Support, online, Intro-5

T

Tab positions, B-13
Technical assistance, Intro-4–5, 3-10
Telephone numbers, Intro-4–5
Temperature

for ink cartridges, B-6
for paper, 1-8, B-4

for printer, B-8
Testing the printer, 2-5, 3-12
Timeout period, 2-7
Timing chart, B-11
Top margin, 2-7, 3-15, B-5
Transparencies

loading, 1-7–11

selecting, 1-2–3

specifications, B-3–4
Transporting the printer, 3-9–10
Troubleshooting, 3-10–24
Turning printer on and off,

see Operate
Typefaces, see Fonts

U

Unidirectional printing, 2-7
User-defined character set, B-13

V

Vertical lines, aligning, 3-14
Vertical tab position, B-13

Index 5

W

Wait mode, auto interface, 2-6–7
Web site, Intro-5
Weight

paper, B-3–4

printer, B-7
White banding, 3-14
Windows, Intro-1, 3-10
Windows 95, reinstalling driver, 3-18
World Wide Web, Intro-5
Wrinkled paper, 3-23

X

X-OFF code, A-6
X-ON code, A-6

6 Index