Star Micronics LC-100+, LC-1011C User Manual

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USER’S MANUAL

LC-1011C LC-100

DOT MATRIX PRINTER

HL 80825190

COLOUR

Federal Communications Commission Radio Frequency Interference Statement

The 120V version equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television, which can be determined by turning 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. Unauthorized modiﬁcations of this product by the user will void his authority to operate the equipment unless

expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance. For compliance with the Federal Noise Interference Standard, this equipment requires a shielded cable. The 220V version equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursu-

ant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications.

Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be required to correct the interference at his own expense.

For compliance with the Federal Noise Interference Standard, this equipment requires a shielded cable.

The above statement applies only to printers marketed in the U.S.A.

Statement of The Canadian Department of Communications Radio Interference Regulations

This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for radio noise emissions from digital apparatus set out in the Radio Interference Regulations of the Canadian Department of Communications.

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

The above statement applies only to printers marketed in Canada.

Manufacturer's Declaration of Conformity

EC Council Directive 89/336/EEC of 3 May 1989

This product, has been designed and manufactured in accordance with the International Standards EN 50081-1/01.92 and EN 50082-1/01.92, following the provisions of the Electro Magnetic Compatibility Directive of the European Communities as of May 1989.

EC Council Directive 73/23/EEC and 93/68/EEC of 22 July 1993

This product, has been designed and manufactured in accordance with the International Standards EN 60950, following the provisions of the Low Voltage Directive of the European Communities as of July 1993.

The above statement applies only to printers marketed in EU.

Ambient Noise Statement

Machine Noise Information Ordinance 3. GSGV, January 18, 1991: The sound pressure level at the operator position is equal or less than 70 dB(A) according to ISO 7779.

The above statement applies only to printers marketed in EU.

Trademark acknowledgments

LC-10, LC-100, LC-100+, LC-200, LC-1011C, NX-1000, NX-1020, NX-1040, PT-10DT, SPC-8K: Star Micronics Co. Ltd.

EX-800, FX-850, LX-810, LX-850: Seiko Epson Corporation IBM PC, IBM Proprinter, IBM Proprinter2, IBM Proprinter 3:

International Business Machines Corporation.

TrueType: Apple Computer Inc. MS-DOS, Microsoft windows: Microsoft Corporation

Notice

• The contents of this manual are subject to change without notice.

• All efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of the contents of this manual at the time of printing. However, should any errors be found, STAR would greatly appreciate being informed of them.

• The above notwithstanding, STAR can assume no responsibility for any errors in this manual.

About this manual

This manual describes how to set up, use, and care for the Star LC-1011C and LC-100+ Colour printers. The following is a list of what you can expect to find in each chapter.

Chapter 1 Choosing a place for your printer, unpacking and setup,

Chapter 2 How to use the control panel Chapter 3 How to use the printer’s Electronic DIP Switch (EDS)

Chapter 4 How to set up for printing with MS-DOS Chapter 5 Selecting the best type of paper, adjusting for paper

Chapter 6 How to install and use the optional accessories that are

Appendix A How to deal with printing problems

ribbon cassette installation, loading paper, connecting to your computer

Mode to set up the printer to match the needs of your system and software

thickness, manual sheet feeding, clearing paper jams

available for your printer

Appendix B Speciﬁcations Appendix C Interface information Appendix D Character sets Appendix E Printer control codes Appendix F Glossary Appendix G Control panel operation guide

Contents

Chapter 1: Printer Setup ... 1

Choosing a place for the printer ... 1 Unpacking the printer ... 2 General guide ... 3 Installing the platen knob ... 4 Opening the front cover ... 4 Installing the ribbon cassette ... 5 Removing the ribbon cassette ... 7 Installing the paper guide ... 8 Connecting to a power outlet and turning power on and off ... 8 Loading fanfold paper ... 9 Printing on fanfold paper ... 12 Parking fanfold paper ... 13 Unparking fanfold paper ... 13 Using the tear-off function ... 14 Connecting to your computer ... 14

Chapter 2: Control Panel Operations ... 16

Switching between on-line and off-line ... 16 Selecting a font ... 17 Entering the Font Lock Mode ... 17 Setting the character pitch ... 18 Entering the Pitch Lock Mode ... 18 Line feed ... 19 Paper eject (cut-sheet paper) ... 19 Form feed (fanfold paper) ... 19 Parking fanfold paper ... 19 Micro feed ... 20 Setting the top of form position ... 20 Tear-off function (fanfold paper) ... 20 Selecting the Quiet Print Mode ... 21 Changing the auto load position ... 21 Saving a macro ... 22 Clearing the printer’s buffer ... 23 Initializing the printer ... 23

Chapter 3: Using the EDS Mode ... 24

About EDS Mode settings ... 24 Entering the EDS Mode ... 24 Selecting a bank ... 25 Selecting a switch ... 25 Changing a switch setting ... 25 Printing the current switch settings ... 26 Exiting the EDS Mode ... 26 EDS Mode Settings ... 26

Chapter 4: Using the Printer with MS-DOS ... 33

Setting up for printing with MS-DOS ... 33

Chapter 5: Paper Handling ... 35

Selecting paper types ... 35

Cut-Sheet Paper (Manual Feed) ... 35 Cut-Sheet Paper (with Optional Automatic Sheet Feeder) ... 35

Fanfold Paper ... 35 Adjusting for paper thickness ... 36 Automatic fanfold feeding ... 37 Manual sheet feeding ... 37 Clearing paper jams ... 38

Chapter 6: Optional Accessories ... 39

Appendix A: Troubleshooting ... 47

Appendix B: Speciﬁcations ... 58

Appendix C: Interface Pin Outs ... 60

Appendix D: Character Sets ... 61

Appendix E: Printer Control Codes ... 67

Appendix F: Glossary ... 72

Appendix G: Control Panel Operation Guide ... 73

Chapter 1: Printer Setup

This chapter contains important information on setting up your printer. Be sure to read this chapter carefully before using the printer for the first time. In this chapter you will learn about:

❏ Choosing a place for the printer ❏ Unpacking and setting up the printer ❏ Installing the platen knob ❏ Installing the ribbon cassette ❏ Loading paper ❏ Connecting to your computer

Choosing a place for the printer

Before actually unpacking the printer, you should take a few minutes to think about where you plan to use it. Remember the following points when doing this.

✓ Choose a ﬁrm, level surface where the printer will not be exposed to

vibration.

✓ The power outlet you plan to connect to for power should be nearby and

unobstructed.

✓ Make sure that the printer is close enough to your computer for you to

connect the two with your printer cable.

✓ Allow six inches (15 centimeters) of free space on either side of the printer .

If you are going to use fanfold paper, make sure that there is adequate space for paper behind the printer.

✓ Make sure that the printer is not exposed to direct sunlight. ✓ Make sure that the printer is well away from heaters. ✓ Make sure that the surrounding area is clean, dry, and free of dust. ✓ Make sure that the printer is connected to a reliable power outlet. It should

not be on the same electric circuit as copiers, refrigerators, or other appliances that cause power spikes.

✓ Use a power outlet that matches the power rating noted on the label afﬁxed

to the bottom of your printer.

✓ Make sure that the room where you are using the printer is not too humid.

2 Printer Setup

Unpacking the printer

Check to make sure that the carton contains each of the items shown in the following illustration.

Ribbon cassette

If anything is missing, contact the store where you bought the printer and ask them to supply the missing part. Note that it is a good idea to keep the original box and all the packing materials just in case you need to pack the printer up again and send it somewhere at a later date.

A serial-to-parallel interface converter (SPC-8K), an Automatic Sheet Feeder (SF-10DT) and ribbon cassettes (LC9W/LC9CL) are also available as options. Consult your dealer for details.

Important!

There are several versions of this printer designed for different voltages. It is not possible to change the voltage of a printer. If the voltage shown on the label on the bottom of your printer does not match the voltage for your ar ea, contact your dealer immediately.

3.5” Floppy disk

General guide

The following illustrations show the major components of your printer.

General guide 3

4 Printer Setup

Installing the platen knob

The platen knob is packed into a recess in the packaging material.

❏ Install the knob on the shaft located inside the large hole on the right side of

the printer. Make sure that the two splines of the platen shaft inside the printer fit into the slots inside the knob’s spindle. Press the knob carefully but firmly into place as far as it will go.

Opening the front cover

❏

Lift up on the front cover while pressing in gently on its sides.

Caution!

❏ To close the front cover, simply lower it back into place.

The tear assist edge is rather sharp. Take care to avoid injuring your hands.

Note:

Tension knob

You can completely remove the front cover from the printer or you can stand it up without removing it. You should normally leave the front cover closed, because it protects against objects getting into the printer, and it cuts down on printer noise.

Installing the ribbon cassette

❏

Make sure that the printer is unplugged from its power outlet.

Caution!

Never move the print head while the printer is turned on. Doing so can damage the printer. If you have just ﬁnished printing, let the print head cool for a few minutes before you touch it.

❏ Open the front cover of the printer. ❏ Remove the ribbon cassette from its package. ❏ Rotate the knob on the ribbon cassette counterclockwise to take up any

slack in the ribbon.

Installing the ribbon cassette 5

❏ Carefully place the cassette onto the cartridge holder making sure that the

spindle of the holder ﬁts into the socket on the bottom of the cassette. Also make sure that the side tabs ﬁt into the grooves on the sides of the cartridge holder.

6 Printer Setup

❏ While guiding the ribbon between the print head and print head shield,

press down gently but ﬁrmly on the cassette until the side tabs snap securely into place.

❏ Rotate the knob on the cassette again to take up any slack. ❏ Close the front cover of the printer.

Print head shield

Print head

Ribbon cassette

Note:

If you want to print with color, use an optional LC9CL color ribbon cassette. If you change to a color ribbon, be sure to mak e the required c hanges to the EDS settings (page 30).

Printing that is poor quality or too light is almost always due to a ribbon that is simply worn out or “used up.” Check the following points whenever print quality is not what you expect.

✓ Is your monochrome ribbon still in good shape? If the ribbon material

appears to be grey, it means that the black ink has been used up and it is time to replace the ribbon.

✓ Are you using a color ribbon to print mainly black text? Doing so can cause

the black part of the color ribbon to be used up too quickly. Switch to a monochrome ribbon whenever you plan to print mainly black text. Remember to make any necessary EDS changes when you change ribbon types.

✓ Are you getting muddy-looking colors from a color ribbon? The more

green, orange, and purple colors you use, the quicker the primary colors (blue, red, yellow) will become mixed with other colors. This will cause a drop in performance of the ribbon.

✓ Remember that changing the ribbon before it becomes frayed or completely

out of ink extends the life of your print head.

Removing the ribbon cassette

Use the following procedure to remove the ribbon cassette from the printer when you want to replace it with a new one.

❏ Make sure that the printer is unplugged from its power outlet.

Caution!

Never move the print head while the printer is turned on. Doing so can damage the printer. If you have just ﬁnished printing, let the print head cool for a few minutes before you touch it.

❏ Open the front cover of the printer. ❏ Lift up the front part (the part nearest the print head) of the ribbon cassette. ❏ Once it is free, carefully remove the cassette from the holder. ❏ Use the procedure under “Installing the ribbon cassette” on page 5 to install

a new cassette.

Removing the ribbon cassette 7

8 Printer Setup

Installing the paper guide

❏

Insert the two tabs on the bottom of the paper guide into the holes provided on the rear cover of the printer.

❏ To remove the paper guide from the printer, simply pull the tabs out of the

holes.

Note:

Lay the paper guide down ﬂat when using fanfold paper, and stand it up when using cut-sheet paper.

Connecting to a power outlet and turning power on and off

❏

Plug the power cord of the printer into a standard power outlet whose voltage matches the power rating noted on the label af ﬁxed to the bottom of your printer.

Caution!

If the voltage marked on the bottom of your printer does not match the voltage from the outlet you are using, do not plug in the power cord. Contact your dealer for assistance.

❏ Set the switch on the front of the printer to ON to turn power on, and to

OFF to turn power off.

Note:

W e recommend that you unplug the printer fr om the power outlet whenever you do not plan to use it for long periods. Because of the this, you should locate the printer so that the power outlet it is plugged into is nearby and easy to access.

At this point you may want to perform a test of the printer to make sure it is working properly. See “Testing the printer” on page 47 for details on how to perform tests.

Loading fanfold paper

This section tells you how to load fanfold paper. Note that you can also use cutsheet paper and multi-part form paper. For details on using other types of paper, see “Paper Handling” on page 35 of this manual.

❏ Remove the paper guide from the printer. ❏ Position the stack of paper behind the printer. ❏ Make sure printer power is turned off. ❏ Set the release lever to the fanfold position.

Loading fanfold paper 9

Cut-sheet

Fanfold

10 Printer Setup

❏ Grasping the two back corners of the printer with the palms of your hands,

press back on the two raised areas on the top of the rear cover until it opens.

❏ Swing the rear cover back and down until it stops.

Note:

You can also completely remove the rear cover by simply pulling it away from the back of the printer after you open it.

❏ Pass the fanfold paper through the space between the printer case and the

rear cover.

❏ Unlock the two tractor covers by pushing their gray levers down, and slide

them so they are aligned approximately with the holes on the sides of the paper. Also move the center paper support so that it is approximately halfway between the two tractors.

❏ Open the covers of both tractors and insert the paper so the tractor pins ﬁt

into the holes of the paper.

❏ Close the tractor covers and make ﬁnal adjustments to the paper position by

moving the tractors. The paper should lie ﬂat with no buckling or bulging (tractors too close) or no stretching or elongation of the holes (tractors too

Note:

Loading fanfold paper 11

far apart). After making these adjustments, be sure that you re-lock the tractors by pulling the gray levers into the locked position.

❏ Close the rear cover and press down gently on it until it locks into place

with a click.

If you removed the rear cover, ﬁrst insert its two tabs into the holes provided in the back of the printer and then swing it closed.

❏ Install the paper guide so that it lays down ﬂat as shown below. In this

position, the paper guide keeps the printed paper separate from the unprinted paper.

❏ Turn on the printer.

The printer will beep a number of times to indicate that paper is not loaded properly. Also, the control panel’s POWER indicator flashes whenever paper is not loaded.

12 Printer Setup

❏ Pull the bail lever tow ard the front of the printer. This will feed the paper to

the starting position.

❏ After the paper is fully fed (indicated by the printer’s beeping), return the

bail lever back to its original position toward the back of the printer.

Important!

Never return the bail lever to its original position until the paper is fully fed. The printer will beep when you can return the bail lever to its original position.

LOAD

Printing on fanfold paper

When printing on fanfold paper, take care not to print too close to the perforations that separate each sheet. The following shows the recommended print area for fanfold paper and cut-sheet paper.

Fanfold forms Single sheets

22 mm (0.87")

18 mm (0.71")

25.4 mm (1.00")

70 mm (2.76")

18 mm (0.71")

Perforation

5 mm (0.20")

22 mm (0.87")

5 mm (0.20")

21 mm (0.83")

Parking fanfold paper

It is not necessary to remove fanfold paper currently loaded in the printer in order to print on cut-sheet paper. Instead, simply use the following procedure to park the fanfold paper.

❏ Tear off the paper at a perforation so there is no more than half a page

sticking out of the front cover of the printer. If necessary, you can press the control panel’s ON LINE button to put the

printer off-line. Then use the PAPER FEED button to feed the paper until a perforation is just past the front cover.

❏ Press the control panel’s ON LINE button to put the printer off-line. ❏ While holding down the control panel’s FONT button, press the PAPER

FEED button. The printer automatically reverse feeds the fanfold paper until it is no longer in contact with the platen, which is indicated by the printer beeping a number of times. Also, the control panel’s POWER indicator starts to ﬂash because paper is not loaded.

❏ Move the release lever to the cut-sheet position. ❏ Change the paper guide to its upright position.

You can now load cut-sheet paper into the printer using the procedures under “Manual sheet feeding” on page 37.

Parking fanfold paper 13

Unparking fanfold paper

After you are finished printing on cut-sheet paper, use the following procedure to unpark fanfold paper and make it available for printing.

❏ Remove all cut-sheet paper from the printer. ❏ Change the paper guide position so that it is laying down ﬂat. ❏ Move the release lever to the fanfold position. ❏ Pull the bail lever toward the front of the printer to feed the paper to the

starting position.

❏ After the paper is fully fed (indicated by the printer’s beeping), return the

bail lever back to its original position toward the back of the printer. The printer automatically goes back on-line at this time.

14 Printer Setup

Using the tear-off function

The following procedure makes it easy to tear off fanfold paper.

❏ Check to make sure that the printer is on-line. ❏ Press the FONT button to perform the long tear-off operation, or press the

PITCH button to perform the short tear-off operation. The long tear-off operation causes the paper to be fed automatically so the

tear assist edge of the printer cover is aligned with the paper’s next perforation.

The short tear-off operation causes the paper to be fed automatically so the tear assist edge of the printer cover is located just below the last line printed on the paper.

❏ Pull the paper against the tear assist edge to tear it off.

Connecting to your computer

The computer sends data to the printer through a cable. This printer does not come with a cable, so you must purchase one separately. You will probably want to use a standard parallel cable for connection, but note that you can also use an optional serial-to-parallel interface converter (SPC-8K).

Important!

The following instructions apply to the Centronics parallel cable that is used with an IBM-compatible personal computer. Note that they do not apply to all types of computers and cables. If you are unsure about what type of cable you should use to connect with your computer, consult your dealer.

For an IBM-compatible personal computer:

✓ Use a standard 36-pin Centronics parallel cable. ✓ The parallel cable should be no longer than six feet (two meters). Longer

Important!

Make sure that the printer and the computer are turned off before connecting them.

❏ Plug one end of the parallel cable into the parallel port of your computer.

❏ Plug the other end of the parallel cable into the socket on the side of the

Connecting to your computer 15

cables can result in poor transfer of information.

The parallel port should be labeled “Printer,” “Parallel,” “PRN,” “LPT1,” or something similar.

printer and secure it in place with the clips.

Note:

Consult your dealer for details on how to set up your computer when using the optional SPC-8K serial-to-parallel interface converter.

Chapter 2: Control Panel Operations

The control panel gives you push-button control over the printer’s operations. It includes indicator lights, which tell you the current status of the printer at a glance.

DRAFT

COURIER

SANSERIF FONT

QUIET

ALT

10CPI

12CPI

PROP

COND

PITCH

MACRO

This chapter describes control panel functions that can be performed while the printer is turned on and either on-line or off-line. The buttons perform different functions in the EDS and Dot Adjustment Modes. Functions of control panel buttons in these modes are described in the relevant sections covering them.

Switching between on-line and off-line

❏

Press ON LINE to switch the printer between being on-line and off-line.

❏ When the printer is on-line, the ON LINE indicator is lit and the printer can

receive data from the computer. You should make sure that the printer is online whenever you are trying to print.

❏ When the printer is in off-line, the ON LINE indicator goes out, which

means that the printer cannot receive any data.

❏ Note that you can also press ON LINE while a printing operation is in

progress to stop the printing.

MICRO FEED

QUIET

PAPER FEED

PARK

POWER

ON LINE

CLEAR

Important!

Make sure that the on-line/off-line setting of the printer is correct before performing a control panel operation.

Selecting a font

❏

Make sure the printer is off-line (ON LINE indicator is not lit).

❏ Press FONT to change the font selection. An indicator lights to the left of

the name of the font that is currently selected. The following shows the fonts that are available.

Lit Indicator Font Name

DRAFT Draft

COURIER Courier

SANSERIF Sanserif

Note:

The font setting you make with the above procedure can be changed if the software you are using overrides the setting from the control panel. You can prevent this by using the following procedure to put the printer into the Font Lock Mode when you turn it on.

Selecting a font 17

Entering the Font Lock Mode

When the printer is in the Font Lock Mode, the font settings you make on the control panel are used even if your software tries to override the font. Use the following procedure to enter the Font Lock Mode.

❏ Turn off the printer. ❏ While holding down FONT, turn printer power on.

The printer is now in the Font Lock Mode. You could enter the Font Lock Mode and Pitch Lock Mode (page 18) at the same time by holding down both FONT and PITCH when you turn on printer power.

To exit the Font Lock Mode, simply turn the printer off.

Important!

Font and pitch lock will not function if you are using Windows Truetype fonts.

18 Control Panel Operations

Setting the character pitch

The character pitch setting controls how many characters are printed per inch. Use the following procedure to select the pitch you want.

❏ Make sure the printer is off-line (ON LINE indicator is not lit). ❏ Press PITCH to change the pitch selection.

The following shows the meanings of the indicators that light on the control panel when you press PITCH.

Lit Indicators Meaning

10CPI 10 characters per inch (Pica)

12CPI 12 character per inch (Elite) 10CPI + COND 17 characters per inch (Condensed Pica) 12CPI + COND 20 characters per inch (Condensed Elite) 10CPI + PROP Pica Proportional 12CPI + PROP Elite Proportional

10CPI + COND + PROP Condensed Pica Proportional 12CPI + COND + PROP Condensed Elite Proportional

Note:

The pitch setting you make with the above procedure can be changed if the software you are using overrides the setting from the control panel. You can prevent this by using the following procedure to put the printer into the Pitch Lock Mode when you turn it on.

Entering the Pitch Lock Mode

When the printer is in the Pitch Lock Mode, the pitch settings you make on the control panel are used even if your software tries to override the pitch. Use the following procedure to enter the Pitch Lock Mode.

❏ Turn off the printer. ❏ While holding down PITCH, turn printer power on.

The printer is now in the Pitch Lock Mode. You could enter the Pitch Lock Mode and Font Lock Mode (page 17) at the same time by holding down both FONT and PITCH when you turn on printer power.

To exit the Pitch Lock Mode, simply turn the printer off.

Important!

Font and pitch lock will not function if you are using Windows Truetype fonts.

Line feed

❏

Make sure the printer is off-line (ON LINE indicator is not lit).

❏ Press PAPER FEED once to feed paper one line. Holding down PAPER

FEED continually feeds paper, one line at a time, until you release the

button.

Paper eject (cut-sheet paper)

❏

Make sure the printer is off-line (ON LINE indicator is not lit).

❏ While holding down PAPER FEED (which means the line feed operation

is being performed), press ON LINE and then release the two buttons. The printer will automatically eject the sheet of paper that is in the printer.

Line feed 19

Form feed (fanfold paper)

❏

Make sure the printer is off-line (ON LINE indicator is not lit).

❏ While holding down PAPER FEED (which means the line feed operation

is being performed), press ON LINE and then release the two buttons. The printer will automatically feed the paper to the top of the next page.

Parking fanfold paper

❏

Make sure the printer is off-line (ON LINE indicator is not lit).

❏ While holding down the control panel’s FONT button, press the PAPER

FEED button.

❏ The printer automatically reverse feeds the fanfold paper until it is no

longer in contact with the platen.

20 Control Panel Operations

Micro feed

Use the following operation to feed the paper in very small increments. This makes it possible to align the print head exactly where you want it.

❏ Make sure the printer is off-line (ON LINE indicator is not lit). ❏ While holding down ON LINE, press PAPER FEED to feed the paper

forward or PITCH to feed the paper backward.

Setting the top of form position

The current position of paper loaded in the printer is automatically set as the top of the page whenever you turn power on. You can also use the following procedure at any time to specify a different position as the top of the page.

❏ Make sure the printer is off-line (ON LINE indicator is not lit). ❏ Use the micro feed operations (see above) to move the paper so that the

print head is located where you want the new top of form position to be.

❏ While holding down PITCH, press PAPER FEED.

The printer will beep once to indicate that a new top of form position has been set.

Tear-off function (fanfold paper)

This procedure feeds fanfold paper to a position where it can be torn off easily.

❏ Check to make sure that the printer is on-line. ❏ Press the FONT button to perform the long tear-off operation, or press the

PITCH button to perform the short tear-off operation. The long tear-off operation causes the paper to be fed automatically so the

tear assist edge of the printer cover is aligned with the paper’s next perforation.

The short tear-off operation causes the paper to be fed automatically so the tear assist edge of the printer cover is located just below the last line printed on the paper.

❏ Pull the paper against the tear assist edge to tear it off.

Selecting the Quiet Print Mode

The Quiet Print Mode lets you print with less noise than that produced with normal printing. Use the following procedure to enter and exit the Quiet Print Mode.

Important!

Though the Quiet Print Mode prints more quietly, it also causes printing to take considerably longer than normal printing.

❏ Make sure the printer is on-line (ON LINE indicator is lit). ❏ Press PAPER FEED, to toggle between the Quiet Print Mode and normal

printing. The QUIET indicator is lit when the Quiet Print Mode is selected, and is not

lit when normal printing is selected.

Changing the auto load position

Normally the printer automatically feeds paper to a standard position, based on the printable area specified in the EDS Mode (page 29). This is called the auto load position. You can use the following procedure to specify a different auto load position.

❏ Make sure the printer is off-line (ON LINE indicator is not lit). ❏ While holding down ON LINE, press FONT and then release the two

buttons. The printer will automatically eject the cut-sheet that is in the printer, or

reverse feed fanfold paper until it is no longer in contact with the platen. Also, all the font and pitch indicators on the control panel will light.

❏ Pull the bail lever towards the front of the printer to feed the paper to the

starting position.

❏ After the paper is fully fed, return the bail lever back to its original position

toward the back of the printer.

❏ Feed the paper so the print head is located where you want the new auto

load position to be. Press P APER FEED to feed the paper forward and PITCH to feed the paper

backward. This is the micro feed operation. If the end of the paper comes close to coming out of the bail roller while you

are feeding the paper backward, the printer will beep. If this happens, pull the bail lever towards the front of the printer.

Selecting the Quiet Print Mode 21

22 Control Panel Operations

❏ After you have the paper at the position you want, hold down ON LINE

and press PAPER FEED to make the current print head position the new auto load position. The printer will beep twice to indicate that the new auto load position is set.

❏ To clear the new auto load position and return to the one that you set

previously (using the above procedure), press ON LINE. To clear the currently set auto load position and return to the position speciﬁed by the EDS Mode (page 29), hold down ON LINE and press FONT.

Note:

The auto load position you set remains in effect until you turn the printer of f . If you want to save the auto load position in memory, press PITCH instead of PAPER FEED while holding down ON LINE in the above step.

Saving a macro

Normally, any settings you make on the control panel are cleared when you turn the printer off. Use the following procedure to save the current control panel settings so that they are used whenever you turn the printer on.

❏ Make the control panel settings you want. ❏ Use ON LINE to put the printer off-line (ON LINE indicator is not lit). ❏ Hold down FONT and then PITCH. Keep both b uttons held do wn until the

printer beeps twice. The font setting indicator will change to the next font when you press

FONT, but this procedure saves the font setting that was shown by the indicator before you pressed FONT.

This procedure saves the following settings.

• Current font and pitch settings

• Current print color

• Quiet mode status These items can be set separately for the Standard mode and the IBM mode.

❏ To clear saved control panel settings repeat the above procedure, but keep

FONT and PITCH depressed after the printer beeps twice. Soon the printer will beep again three times to indicate that the saved control panel settings have been cleared.

Clearing the printer’s buffer

When the printer receives data from a computer, it temporarily stores it in a memory called a buffer. If you stop a printing job partway through, there is the chance that some data will remain in the buffer. The following procedure clears the printer’s buffer by deleting any data that might be there.

❏ Execute the necessary command in the program you are using to stop the

print job.

Important!

Be sure to stop the print job before taking the printer off line. Otherwise, the print job will resume from where you interrupted it when you put the printer back on-line.

❏ Use ON LINE to take the printer off line (ON LINE indicator is not lit). ❏ Hold down FONT and then ON LINE. Keep both buttons held down until

the printer beeps once, which indicates that the buffer is cleared.

Initializing the printer

Clearing the printer’s buffer 23

The following procedure initializes the printer to its power-on settings. If you have control panel settings stored in memory, this procedure sets up the printer using them.

❏ Use ON LINE to take the printer off line (ON LINE indicator is not lit). ❏ Hold down FONT and then ON LINE. Keep both buttons held down until

the printer beeps once (indicating the printer buffer is cleared) and then beeps again three times, which indicates that the printer is reset.

Chapter 3: Using the EDS Mode

The letters “EDS” stand for “Electronic DIP Switches.” Just like the small DIP switches that are used by many computers, printers, and other devices, the EDS lets you configure the printer so that it matches your system and software needs. This chapter describes how to enter the printer’s EDS Mode and provides details about available settings and how to change them.

All switch settings, except for D6, are ON when the printer is shipped from the factory.

About EDS Mode settings

EDS Mode settings are grouped among six “banks” (representing banks of switches) that are identified by the letters A through F. Each bank contains a number of “switches” numbered 1 through 6 that you can turn on and off to configure the printer.

Entering the EDS Mode

❏

Make sure that paper is loaded in the printer.

❏ Turn off the printer. ❏ While holding down the control panel’s FONT, PITCH, and PAPER

FEED buttons, turn the printer back on. This causes the following message to be printed, which indicates the printer

is in the EDS Mode.

Selecting a bank

❏

While in the EDS Mode, use the control panel’s FONT button to select a bank. When the DRAFT indicator ﬂashes, the font and pitch indicators show which bank is currently selected.

Lit Indicator Selected Bank

COURIER A

SANSERIF B

QUIET C

12CPI D

PROP E COND F

Selecting a switch

❏

While in the EDS Mode, use the control panel’s PITCH button to select a bank switch. When the 10CPI indicator ﬂashes, the font and pitch indicators show which switch is currently selected.

Selecting a bank 25

Lit Indicator Selected Switch

COURIER 1

SANSERIF 2

QUIET 3

12CPI 4 PROP 5 COND 6

Changing a switch setting

❏

After selecting a bank and switch, press the control panel’s PAPER FEED button to turn the switch on and off. The current setting of the switch is shown by the ON LINE indicator: the indicator is lit when the switch is on, and is not lit when the switch is off.

26 Using the EDS Mode

Printing the current switch settings

❏

To print the current EDS switch settings while in n the EDS Mode, press and hold the control panel’s ON LINE button and then press the PAPER FEED button. Asterisks on the printout show whether a switch is turned on or off.

Exiting the EDS Mode

❏

T o sa v e EDS settings you ha v e made and e xit the EDS Mode, press the ON LINE button.

EDS Mode Settings

The following details all of the settings you can program in the EDS Mode. You can print out a detailed overview of all the settings by performing a short test of the printer (page 48).

BANK A

Switch 1: Emulation

Selects Standard emulation (ON) or IBM emulation (OFF). Standard emulation causes the printer to act like the Epson ESC/P (9-pin), while IBM emulation makes it act like the IBM Proprinter III.

Switch 2: Character Table

The function of this switch depends on whether you are using IBM or Standard emulation.

Emulation

Standard

IBM

Switch 2

Setting

ON Graphics: IBM Character Set #2

OFF Italics: Italic character table used

ON IBM Character Set #2

OFF IBM Character Set #1

Description

EDS Mode Settings 27

Switch 3: RAM Usage

Specifies whether RAM should be used as an input buffer (ON) or as a download buffer (OFF). Selecting input buffer (ON) tells the printer to use available RAM to store data it receives from the computer, which speeds up the printing. Selecting download buffer (OFF) tells the printer to use available RAM to store character patterns.

Switch 4: Automatic Sheet Feeder

Specifies whether the optional SF-10DT Automatic Sheet Feeder is installed (OFF) or not installed (ON).

Switch 5: Paper Out Detector

Specifies whether the printer’s paper out detector is enabled (ON) or disabled (OFF). When the paper out detector is enabled (ON), the printer automatically stops printing whenever it senses there is no more paper. When it is disabled (OFF), the printer continues printing as long as there is data. Selecting disabled (OFF) makes it possible to print right up to the bottom of a page, but it also creates the danger of printing when there is no paper loaded in the printer, which can damage the print head and platen.

Switch 6: CR Centering

Specifies whether the printer’s CR centering feature is enabled (OFF) or disabled (ON). When CR centering is enabled (OFF), the carriage moves to the center of the platen before fanfold paper is fed or while printing is being performed near a perforation. The printer automatically stops printing whenever it senses there is no more paper. When it is disabled (ON), the carriage does not move before the paper is fed. If CR centering is enabled (OFF), be sure that you set the page length of the fanfold paper you are using to the correct value. Otherwise, CR centering will be performed at the wrong time.

28 Using the EDS Mode

BANK B

Switch 1: NLQ Direction

Selects uni-directional (ON) or bi-directional (OFF) printing for NLQ (Near Letter Quality) printing. Bi-directional printing (OFF) is faster, while unidirectional (ON) printing generally provides better print quality.

Switch 2: Auto Tear-off (Long)

Specifies whether the printer’s auto tear-off (long) feature (page 20) is enabled (OFF) or disabled (ON). Note that this setting controls the application software’s tear-off function only. It does not affect the manual tear-off function that is performed using the control panel buttons as described on page 14. The manual tear-off function is always enabled.

Switch 3: Line Spacing

Selects 1/6-inch (ON) or 1/8-inch (OFF) spacing between lines.

Switch 4: Auto LF with CR

Specifies whether auto LF with CR is enabled (OFF) or disabled (ON). When auto LF with CR is enabled (OFF), the printer automatically performs a line feed whenever it receives a carriage return from the computer. When it is disabled (ON), the computer must send both a line feed code and a carriage return code at the end of each line. Most applications do this automatically. Note the following checkpoints when trying to figure out which setting to use here:

✓ If you ﬁnd that your output is double-spaced when it should not be, turn

this switch ON (Disabled).

✓ If you ﬁnd that lines are printing over each other, turn this switch OFF

(Enabled).

Switch 5: Zero Style

Specifies whether a normal zero (ON) or a slashed zero (OFF) will be used. Selecting Normal (ON) prints zeros without lines running through them, while Slashed (OFF) prints zeros with a diagonal slash running through them.

Switch 6: Reserved

BANK C

EDS Mode Settings 29

Switch 1: Print Mode

Selects Draft (ON) or NLQ (OFF) as the print mode. NLQ (OFF) provides near letter quality output, while Draft (ON) provides draft quality. Draft quality printing may be less attractive than near letter quality, but the printing operation is faster.

Switch 2: Printable Area

Selects Type-A (OFF) or Type-B (ON) as the printable area. Type-A (OFF) causes the print area to start 1/6-inch from the top of the paper and end 1/4-inch from the bottom of the paper. Type-B (ON) causes the print area to start one inch from the top of the paper and end 1/4-inch from the bottom of the paper.

Switches 3, 4, 5: Print Pitch

Turn these switches on or off to form the pattern that matches the print pitch setting you want to make.

Print Pitch SW3 SW4 SW5

10cpi ON ON ON 12cpi OFF ON ON 17cpi ON OFF ON

20cpi OFF OFF ON Proportional 10cpi ON ON OFF Proportional 12cpi OFF ON OFF Proportional 17cpi ON OFF OFF Proportional 20cpi OFF OFF OFF

Switch 6: Quiet

When the Quiet Mode is enabled (OFF), the printer prints with less noise than normal printing. Though the Quiet Mode prints more quietly, it also takes considerably longer than normal printing.

30 Using the EDS Mode

BANK D

Switches 1, 2, 3, 4: Page Length

Turn these switches on or off to form the pattern that matches the Page Length setting you want to use.

Page Length SW1 SW2 SW3 SW4

11”/Letter ON ON ON ON

8” OFF ON ON ON

11.7”/A4 ON OFF ON ON 12” OFF OFF ON ON

8.5”/Letter ON ON OFF ON 14”/Legal OFF ON OFF ON

10.5”/Executive ON OFF OFF ON

7.25”/Executive OFF OFF OFF ON

3.5” ON ON ON OFF

5.5” OFF ON ON OFF

Switches 5, 6: Ribbon Select

Turn these switches on or off to form the pattern that matches the ribbon you are using.

Ribbon Type SW5 SW6

Color (LC9CL) ON ON

Monochrome (LC9W) OFF ON Monochrome (LC9/LC9HD) ON OFF Monochrome (LC9/LC9HD) OFF OFF

BANK E

EDS Mode Settings 31

Switches 1, 2, 3, 4, 5: Code Page/International Character Set

If your EDS settings specify IBM emulation (Bank A, Switch 1 OFF) with either character table (Bank A, Switch 2), or Standard emulation (Bank A, Switch 1 ON) with the graphics character table (Bank A, Switch 2 ON), use the Bank E switches to select the default character code page you want to use.

Code Page SW1 SW2 SW3 SW4 SW5

#437 IBM-PC ON ON ON ON ON #850 Multi-Lingual OFF ON ON ON ON #852 Latin-2 OFF OFF OFF OFF ON #860 Portuguese ON OFF ON ON ON #861 Icelandic OFF OFF ON ON ON #863 Canadian French ON ON OFF ON ON #865 Nordic OFF ON OFF ON ON #866 Russian ON OFF OFF ON ON #3840 IBM-Russian OFF OFF OFF ON ON #3841 Gost-Russian ON ON ON OFF ON #3843 Polish OFF ON ON OFF ON #3844 CS2 ON OFF ON OFF ON #3845 Hungarian OFF OFF ON OFF ON #3846 Turkish ON ON OFF OFF ON #3847 Brazil-ABNT OFF ON OFF OFF ON #3848 Brazil-ABICOMP ON OFF OFF OFF ON

32 Using the EDS Mode

If your EDS settings specify Standard emulation (Bank A, Switch 1 ON) with the italic character table (Bank A, Switch 2 OFF), use the Bank E switches to select the international character set you want to use. This setting determines the assignment of 14 character codes in the Standard Italic character set.

International

Character Set

U.S.A. ON ON ON ON ON France OFF ON ON ON ON Germany ON OFF ON ON ON England OFF OFF ON ON ON Denmark-1 ON ON OFF ON ON Sweden OFF ON OFF ON ON Italy ON OFF OFF ON ON Spain-1 OFF OFF OFF ON ON Japan ON ON ON OFF ON Norway OFF ON ON OFF ON Denmark-2 ON OFF ON OFF ON Spain-2 OFF OFF ON OFF ON Latin America ON ON OFF OFF ON Korea OFF ON OFF OFF ON Ireland ON OFF OFF OFF ON

SW1 SW2 SW3 SW4 SW5

BANK F

Note:

Legal OFF OFF OFF OFF ON

Switch 1: NLQ Font Selection

Selects Courier (ON) or Sanserif (OFF) as the default font to use for near letter quality printing.

Bank C Switch 1 must be in the correct position before this setting has any effect.

Chapter 4: Using the Printer with MS-DOS

This chapter contains information about how to use the printer with applications software running under MS-DOS. In this chapter, you will learn about:

❏ How to set up for printing with MS-DOS

Setting up for printing with MS-DOS

To print from an application running under MS-DOS, you must first select the printer from within the application. Typically, the program will feature an INSTALL or SETUP command for selection of printers. Refer to the manual for the application you are using for details on how to select a printer for it.

Note:

Remember that you must select a printer for each individual application before you can print from it.

❏ Start up the application and use the correct procedure for that application to

select a printer. The following is a list of printers that can be used. If your application lists more than one of these, select the printer that is nearest to the top of this list. You should also use the EDS mode or User Setup Utility to select Standard emulation (page 26).

Star LC-1011C / LC-100+ Colour

Star NX-1040 / LC-100 Colour Star NX-1020 / LC-200 Colour

Epson EX-800

Epson FX-850*

Star NX-1000 / LC-10 Colour

* Does not support color printing.

34 Using the Printer with MS-DOS

If none of the printers listed above are available in the application, choose one of the printers listed below. Once again, you should choose the printer that is nearest to the top in the following list. For these printers, you should use the EDS Mode or User Setup Utility to select IBM emulation (page 26).

* Does not support color printing.

❏ To print, follow the instructions given in the manual of the application you

are using. Typically, you would select the application’s PRINT command, make any necessary changes in the window that appears (such as the number of copies to be printed), and then press the Enter key to start printing.

IBM Proprinter III*

IBM Proprinter II*

IBM Proprinter*

Chapter 5: Paper Handling

Your printer is designed to print on a variety of paper types. This chapter tells you everything you need to know about paper, and how to set the printer up for manual paper feed. In this chapter, you will learn about:

❏ Selecting the best type of paper ❏ Adjusting for paper thickness ❏ Manual sheet feeding ❏ Clearing paper jams

Selecting paper types

Use the following information when selecting paper.

Cut-Sheet Paper (Manual Feed)

Width: 5.5″ to 8.5″ / 140 to 216mm Length: 5.5″ to 14″ / 140 to 356mm Thickness: 0.00276” to 0.00472” / 0.07 to 0.12mm Weight: 14 to 24 lbs / 52 to 90g/m2 / 45 to 77 kg

Selecting paper types 35

Cut-Sheet Paper (with Optional Automatic Sheet Feeder)

Width: 7.17″ to 8.5″ / 182 to 216mm Length: 10.12″ to 14″ / 257 to 356mm Thickness: 0.00315” to 0.00472” / 0.08 to 0.12mm Weight: 16 to 24 lbs / 60 to 90g/m2 / 52 to 77 kg

Fanfold Paper

Width: 4″ to 10″ / 101.6 to 254mm Thickness: 0.00276” to 0.00433” / 0.07 to 0.11mm (1-ply)

0.00984” / 0.25mm max. (total thickness of multi-ply)

Weight: 14 to 22 lbs / 52 to 82g/m2 / 45 to 70 kg (one-ply)

11 to 14 lbs / 40 to 52g/m2 / 34 to 45 kg (multi-ply)

Copies: Original + 2

36 Paper Handling

Adjusting for paper thickness

Paper comes in different weights, normally expressed as gsm (grams per square meter) or lbs (pounds). Some types of forms have multiple pages that make them quite thick. Use the following procedure to change the gap between the print head and the platen and adjust for paper thickness.

❏ Move the adjustment lever to one of its four settings. Position 2 is most

suitable for single-sheet paper.

The following table provides a general guide for setting the adjustment lever. Experiment with different settings until you find the one that gives you the print quality you want.

Paper Type Weight Per Sheet Thickness

Single-sheet 52 gsm to 90 gsm 0.07 to 0.12mm 2 or 3

2-ply 40 gsm to 52 gsm 0.12 to 0.14mm 2 or 3

Multi-part

3-ply 40 gsm to 52 gsm 0.18 to 0.21mm 3 or 4

Recommended

Position

Continuous use of the wrong adjustment lever setting can drastically reduce print head life!

Automatic fanfold feeding

❏

See “Loading fanfold paper” on page 9 for details on using fanfold paper.

Manual sheet feeding

You can use the following procedure to manually feed single sheets of paper into the printer.

❏ Make sure that there is no fanfold paper in the printer. If there is, use the

procedure under “Parking fanfold paper” on page 13 to park the fanfold paper and prepare for manual sheet feeding.

❏ Set the release lever to the cut-sheet position.

Automatic fanfold feeding 37

Cut-sheet

Fanfold

❏ Reposition the paper guide so it is standing up and adjust the guides to

match the width of the paper.

LOAD

38 Paper Handling

❏ Insert a sheet of paper into the paper guide, with the side you want to print

on facing the back of the printer. Gently push the paper down into the printer until you feel it stop.

❏ Pull the bail lever tow ard the front of the printer. This will feed the paper to

the starting position.

❏ After the paper is fully fed (indicated by the printer’s beeping), return the

bail lever back to its original position toward the back of the printer.

Important!

Never return the bail lever back to its original position until the paper is fully fed. The printer will beep to let you know when you can return the bail lever to its original position.

❏ If you want to move the paper to another position, use the micro feed

function described under “Micro feed” on page 20.

❏ Start the printing operation from your software application.

Clearing paper jams

Use the following procedure to clear paper jams from the printer.

❏ Turn the power off. ❏ Unplug the printer from its AC power outlet. ❏ Open the front cover of the printer. ❏ Carefully try to pull the jammed paper from the printer.

If necessary, change the release lever position or rotate the platen knob to remove the paper.

Chapter 6: Optional Accessories

This chapter explains how to install and use the following optional accessories that are available for this printer:

❏ Automatic Sheet Feeder (SF-10DT) ❏ Serial-to-Parallel Converter (SPC-8K)

Important!

Always make sure that printer power is turned off whenever installing or removing optional accessories.

Automatic Sheet Feeder (SF-10DT)

The Automatic Sheet Feeder (ASF) makes it possible for you to print on cutsheet paper. Before actually starting to install the ASF, be sure to check the contents of its package to make sure you have everything.

Note:

The Automatic Sheet Feeder is protected by packing and tape during shipment. Be sure to remove all protective material and tape before using the ASF.

40 Optional Accessories

Installing the Automatic Sheet Feeder

❏ Use the printer’s EDS Mode to change the setting of Bank A Switch 4 to

OFF (page 27), which tells the printer that the Automatic Sheet Feeder is installed.

❏ Open the front cover by lifting up on it while pressing in gently on its sides. ❏ Pull the bail lever towards the front of the printer.

❏ Lower the Automatic Sheet Feeder into position, making sure that its

mounting brackets clasp the shaft of the platen.

❏ Check to make sure that the mounting brackets on either side of the

Automatic Sheet Feeder are correctly engaged with the printer’s mechanism. If the roller inside the Automatic Sheet Feeder will rotate when you turn the printer’s platen knob, it means that the mounting brackets are correctly engaged.

Automatic Sheet Feeder (SF-10DT) 41

❏ Install the printer cover that comes with the Automatic Sheet Feeder.

❏ Install the hopper attachment as shown below.

❏ Install the stacker attachment by squeezing it so its hooked ends can ﬁt into

the grooves of the sheet feeder as illustrated below.

Stacker attachment

Groove

42 Optional Accessories

Now you can load paper into the hopper and use the Auto Sheet Feeder for printing.

Important!

Keep the printer’ s front cover and paper guide in a safe place in case you need to use them again in the future. To remove the Automatic Sheet Feeder fr om the printer, simply perform the above procedure in reverse.

Loading Paper

❏ If fanfold paper is already loaded in the printer, perform the paper parking

operation (page 13).

❏ Set the release lever to the cut-sheet position. ❏ Pull the Automatic Sheet Feeder’s paper loading lever towards the front of

the printer.

❏ Slide the left paper guide to the position you want.

Paper loading lever

Automatic Sheet Feeder (SF-10DT) 43

❏ Fan a stack of paper and tap its edges to make sure they are all even.

❏ Insert the stack of paper into the Automatic Sheet Feeder.

The Automatic Sheet Feeder can hold up to 50 sheets of 20 lb paper, and will not perform correctly if it is overloaded. Remove some paper if you seem to be having problems.

❏ Adjust the right paper guide to match the width of the paper you are using.

The paper guides should be adjusted to keep the paper from moving horizontally, while allowing it to slide up and down freely.

❏ Push the paper loading lever back to its original position.

44 Optional Accessories

Serial-to-Parallel Interface Converter

This section describes how to connect and set up the SPC-8K Serial-To-Parallel Interface converter.

Connecting the Interface Converter

❏ Unplug the printer from its AC power outlet. ❏ Set the DIP switches on the SPC-8K to the settings you want to use before

you connect it to your printer. See the following section for details on how to set the DIP switches

❏ Plug the interface converter’s Centronics connector into the socket on the

side of the printer and secure it in place with the clips.

Interface converter

❏ Plug one end of a serial cable into the serial interface connector’s 25-pin D-

TYPE connector.

Serial Cable

Serial interface Connector

❏ Plug the other end of the serial cable into your computer’s serial ports.

Serial ports are usually marked COM1, COM 2, etc. If your computer has only one serial port, it will be marked COM1.

Important!

❏ Make sure that the serial-to-parallel converter is resting on a stable, level

surface where it will not be subject to vibration or damage.

[CORRECT METHOD] [INCORRECT METHOD]

Setting the converter’s DIP switches

You should set the converter’s DIP switches so they match the settings you make on your computer. The table to the right shows the parameter that each DIP switch on the serial-to-parallel converter controls.

The tables below show all of the settings you can make with the serial-toparallel’s DIP switches to control certain parameters. The tables also include the matching settings you have to make in your MS-DOS AUT OEXEC.BAT file or with the Ports option of the Windows Control Panel. The highlighted cells in the tables indicate default settings for the serial-to-parallel converter.

Switch Function

1 Data length 2 Parity 3 Protocol 4 Protocol 5 Parity 6 Baud rate 7 Baud rate 8 Baud rate

46 Optional Accessories

Data Length

Switch 1 Data Length DOS/Windows Setting

ON 8 bits 8

OFF 7 bits 7

Parity

Switch 2 Switch 5 Parity DOS/Windows Setting

ON ON or OFF None N OFF ON Odd O OFF OFF Even E

Protocol

Switch 3 Switch 4 Protocol

ON ON DTR

Baud Rate

ON OFF XON/XOFF

OFF ON ETX/ACK

Switch 6 Switch 7 Switch 8 Baud Rate DOS/Windows Setting

OFF OFF OFF 150 bps 150 OFF OFF ON 300 bps 300 OFF ON OFF 600 bps 600 OFF ON ON 1200 bps 1200

ON OFF OFF 2400 bps 2400 ON OFF ON 4800 bps 4800 ON ON OFF 9600 bps 9600 ON ON ON 19200 bps 19200

Appendix A: Troubleshooting

The appendix will provide help if you experience problems with your printer. It tells you how to test the printer, how to check system software settings, and how to adjust the vertical alignment. In addition, there is information on actions to take for specific problems, and on the meanings of printer beep tones.

Warning!

The printer uses high voltage. Do not attempt any other r epair or maintenance except as expressly recommended in this appendix. Unauthorized repair and maintenance not only exposes you to the danger of electrical shock, it also may damage your printer and void your warranty.

Testing the printer

There are three different tests you can use: a short test, a long test and a hexadecimal dump.

Short test

❏ Make sure that paper is loaded in the printer. ❏ Turn the printer off. ❏ While holding down the control panel’s ON LINE button, turn the printer

on.

The short test prints the version number of the software contained in the printer’s ROM, followed by the current EDS settings of the printer.

Testing the printer 47

Note:

The short test prints across the entire width of the carriage. Make sure that the printer is loaded with the widest paper available in order to avoid damage to the print head and platen.

48 Troubleshooting

Long test

❏ Make sure that paper is loaded in the printer. ❏ Turn the printer off. ❏ While holding down the control panel’s PAPER FEED button, turn the

printer on.

The long test prints the title followed by seven lines of text. If you are using a color ribbon, each line of text is printed using a different color. This is followed by continuous printing of the entire character set using each font and pitch available. This sequence is repeated until you stop it by turning power off.

Since this test can generate many lines of text and graphics, it is a good idea to perform this test only when using continuous fanfold paper rather than single sheets.

Note:

The long test prints across the entire width of the carriage. Make sure that the printer is loaded with the widest paper available in order to avoid damage to the print head and platen. Also, the long text should be printed only on fanfold paper.

Hexadecimal dump

This procedure prints in hexadecimal format all codes (character codes and control codes) that are sent to the printer by the computer. The printer does not execute any control codes (such as 0A - linefeed), it just prints them out. The hexadecimal dump is useful when you are writing programs for printer control.

❏ Make sure that paper is loaded in the printer. ❏ Turn off the printer. ❏ While holding down the control panel’s PITCH and PAPER FEED

buttons, turn the printer back on to enter the Hex Dump Mode.

❏ T o exit the He x Dump Mode, ﬁrst press ON LINE to set the printer off-line,

and then turn the printer off.

Adjusting the dot alignment

You may never have to use the procedure described in this section, but after you have been using your printer for some time you may find that the dots of some graphics do not align correctly. For example, what should look like:

may come out looking like one of the following:

This is caused when mechanical parts of the printer get out of alignment. This happens only rarely and you may never experience it at all throughout the life of the printer. If you do have problems, use the following procedure to correct it.

❏ Make sure that paper is loaded in the printer. ❏ Turn off the printer. ❏ While holding down the control panel’s PITCH and ON LINE buttons,

turn the printer back on to enter the Dot Adjustment Mode. The printer will print something like the following.

Adjusting the dot alignment 49

or like this:

Draft-10/12 cpi CURRENT + 4

Note that the printer will feed the paper forward and back each time during this operation so you can view the printout.

❏ If the three lines do not align properly, use FONT to move the middle line

to the left or PITCH to move it to the right. The above step performs alignment for the Draft 10/12 cpi printing mode

only. You must make separate adjustments for the Draft 17/20 cpi, NLQ 10/ 12 cpi, NLQ 17/20 cpi, and Emphasize printing modes as well.

❏ Press PAPER FEED to change to another printing mode. ❏ Repeat the above steps for each printing mode, if necessary. ❏ After making changes to adjustments in all the printing modes you want,

press ON LINE to exit the Dot Adjustment Mode and register your adjustments.

50 Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting guide

Use the following table to help track down the causes of problems and to determine the best solution to deal with them.

Problem Possible Cause Recommended Action

The ON LINE indicator does not light.

Printer sounds like it is printing, but it is not.

Printing is weak.

Printer test works, but printer will not print out data from the attached computer.

The printer is not receiving power.

The ribbon is jammed, twisted, or not set correctly between the print head and the print head shield.

The printer is not set up correctly for the thickness of paper you are using.

The ribbon is worn out or “used up.”

Y our application progr am’s or system software’s printer selection is wrong.

The computer’s system software is not set up properly for the printer or for the port you are using.

Check whether the power cord is correctly plugged into the power outlet.

Check whether the power outlet is working by unplugging the printer and plugging in another device.

Make sure that the ribbon cassette is installed correctly.

Set up the printer for the paper thickness you are using. See “Adjusting for paper thickness” on page 36.

Replace the ribbon with a new one.

Check the printer selection of your application software.

Check the system software settings. Check the settings for LPT1, COM 1, or COM 2 if you are using the SPC-8K Serial Interface.

The interface cable is connected incorrectly or damaged.

Check to make sure that the printer interface cable is connected correctly. If it is, try a different cable.

Troubleshooting guide 51

Problem Possible Cause Recommended Action

Printer does not feed paper properly.

Line spacing is incorrect. Jamming paper. Set up the printer for the

Lines print over each other. Auto line feed with carriage

Jamming paper. Remove all paper from the

printer and then reload it.

The printer is not set up correctly for the thickness of paper being used.

The line spacing or leading selected in your application program is wrong.

Auto line feed with carriage return is enabled by the EDS setting.

return is disabled by the EDS setting.

Set up the printer for the paper thickness you are using. See “Adjusting for paper thickness” on page 36.

paper thickness you are using. See “Adjusting for paper thickness” on page 36.

Choose a different line spacing or leading setting from your application.

Use the EDS Mode to disable auto line feed with carriage return. See “Switch 4: Auto LF with CR” on page 28.

Use the EDS Mode to enable auto line feed with carriage return. See “Switch 4: Auto LF with CR” on page 28.

Jamming paper. Set up the printer for the

paper thickness you are using. See “Adjusting for paper thickness” on page 36.

Problem Possible Cause Recommended Action

Incorrect number of lines are printed on the page.

Text and graphics are malformed.

Print quality is poor.

Forms are smudged. Printing is too dark.

Auto line feed with carriage return is enabled by the EDS setting.

The line spacing or leading selected by your application program is wrong.

Dot adjustment is not correct.

The ribbon is worn out or “used up.”

The printer is not set up correctly for the thickness of paper being used.

The print head is damaged. Return the printer to your

The printer is not set up correctly for the thickness of paper being used.

Use the EDS Mode to disable auto line feed with carriage return. See “Switch 4: Auto LF with CR” on page 28.

Choose a different line spacing or leading setting from your application.

See “Adjusting the dot alignment” on page 49.

Replace the ribbon with a new one.

Set up the printer for the paper thickness you are using. See “Adjusting for paper thickness” on page 36.

dealer for repair. Set up the printer for the

paper thickness you are using. See “Adjusting for paper thickness” on page 36.

The ribbon is jammed, twisted, or not set correctly between the print head and the print head shield.

Print head shield is damaged or missing.

Make sure that the ribbon cassette is installed correctly. See “Installing the ribbon cassette” on page 5.

Return it to your dealer for repair.

Troubleshooting guide 53

Problem Possible Cause Recommended Action

Printer case is hot. The printer’s air vents are

blocked or obstructed.

Printer makes excessive noise.

Printer prints past the edge of the paper.

The front cover is removed. Replace the front cover. The printer is vibrating. Move any objects that are

Incorrect margin settings are selected by your application program.

The paper guide is not positioned correctly.

The ribbon is jammed, causing the print head to jam.

Switch off the printer and let it cool. Check the air vents on the bottom of the printer to see if they are blocked. Remove the obstruction if possible. If the problem persists, return the printer to your dealer for repair.

touching the printer. Make sure that the printer is

on a level steady surface. Choose different margin

settings from your application program.

Remove the paper and adjust the position of the paper guide. Reload the paper and try printing again.

Make sure that the ribbon cassette is installed correctly. See “Installing the ribbon cassette” on page 5.

Paper is jamming, causing the print head to jam.

Remove all paper from the printer and reload it. Try printing again.

Set up the printer for the paper thickness you are using. See “Adjusting for paper thickness” on page 36.

Problem Possible Cause Recommended Action

Left margin moves to the right during printing.

Some characters are printed incorrectly.

The paper is not loaded correctly, causing the print head to jam.

The ribbon cassette is not installed correctly, causing the print head to jam.

The printer is not set up correctly for the thickness of paper being used.

Inappropriate settings are selected by your application program.

Static electricity caused by interference from nearby electrical devices or by lowlevel humidity is affecting printer operation.

Remove all paper from the printer and reload it. Try printing again.

Make sure that the ribbon cassette is installed correctly. See “Installing the ribbon cassette” on page 5.

Set up the printer for the paper thickness you are using. See “Adjusting for paper thickness” on page 36.

Choose different settings in your application.

Make sure that the printer is not too close to any devices with electric motors or that raise the humidity level.

Inappropriate settings are selected by your application program.

Wires are missing from the print head.

Choose different settings in your application.

Return the printer to your dealer for repair.

Problem Possible Cause Recommended Action

Printer behaves erratically. Printing suddenly stops.

Automatic Sheet Feeder does not feed paper.

The interface cable is connected incorrectly or damaged.

Static electricity caused by interference from nearby electrical devices or by lowlevel humidity is affecting printer operation.

The EDS Mode setting for the Automatic Sheet Feeder is wrong.

Check to make sure that the printer interface cable is connected correctly. If it is, try a different cable.

Make sure that the printer is not too close to any devices with electric motors or that raise the humidity level.

Enter the EDS Mode and turn off Switch 4 in Bank A.

Checking system software settings in Windows

Whenever you have problems printing from a Windows application, you should check the following four sthings:

✓ Is the printer you are using set as the default printer? ✓ Is the drive setup correctly? ✓ Is the printer you are using correctly selected in your application? ✓ Is the correct port selected?

You should also refer to your Microsoft Windows User’s Guide for other information that might be helpful. If you still experience problems, consult your software dealer.

To check the default printer selection

❏ Double-click the Control Panel icon in the Main window. ❏ Double-click the Printers icon. ❏ Check to see that the name of your Star printer is the default printer. If it is

not, double-click on the name of your printer in the list of installed printers.

❏ Click on Close to return to the Control Panel window.

To check the application printer selection

❏ Select Print from the application’ s File menu, and a windo w appears listing

available printers.

❏ Check to see that the name of your Star printer is selected. If it is not, select

it and try printing from your application again.

To check the driver Setup

❏ Double-click the Control Panel icon in the Main window. ❏ Double-click the Printers icon. ❏ Double-click on the name of your Star printer in the list of installed

printers.

❏ Click on Setup. ❏ Check resolution, paper source, etc. ❏ Click OK. ❏ Click on Close to return to the Control Panel window.

Checking system software settings in MS-DOS 57

To check the port

❏ Double-click the Control Panel icon in the Main window. ❏ Double-click the Printers icon. ❏ Double-click on the name of your Star printer in the list of installed

printers.

❏ Click on Connect. ❏ Make sure that your printer cable is connected to the port highlighted in the

list of ports. If you are using a parallel cable, you will probably be using LPT1. If you are

using the optional serial-to-parallel interface converter, you should be using COM1 or COM2. Click on the correct port name.

❏ Click OK. ❏ Click on Close to return to the Control Panel window.

Checking system software settings in MS-DOS

If you are using a parallel cable and cannot print a text file using the MS-DOS PRINT command, you may have a problem with your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. Open the file and look for the following line:

MODE LPT1:=COM1 or MODE LPT1:=COM2 These lines indicate you are using a serial cable connection, and so you should

delete them, save the AUTOEXEC.BAT file, reboot and try printing again. Of course, if you are having problems printing with the optional serial-to-

parallel converter, you should conversely check to make sure that one of the above lines is included in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. The file must also contain information on parameter settings. For details, see the user’s manual that comes with the optional Serial-to-Parallel Interface Converter.

If the above is not the problem or if you make the above changes and still experience problems printing using the MS-DOS PRINT command, refer to your MS-DOS Users’ Guide or consult your software dealer.

If you are successful in printing using the MS-DOS PRINT command but cannot print from an application, check to see what printer driver is selected in the application. See “Setting up for printing with MS-DOS” on page 33. If this does not help, consult your software dealer.

58 Specifications

Appendix B: Speciﬁcations

Printing System Serial Impact Dot-Matrix Printing Speed Pitch Draft (cps/dpi) NLQ (cps/dpi)

Pica (10 cpi) 160/120H 40/240H

Elite (12 cpi) 192/120H 48/240H Condensed pica (17 cpi) 137/240H 69/240H Condensed elite (20 cpi) 160/240H 80/240H

H: half-dot

Print Direction Draft: Bi-directional logic seeking

NLQ: Uni-directional or bi-directional logic seeking

(selectable)

Bit-Image: Uni-directional

Print Head Number of pins: 9

Life: 200 million dots/pin

Line Spacing 1/6″, 1/8

Font Styles Draft, NLQ (Courier, Sanserif) Character Matrix Pitch Draft NLQ

Environment Operating temperature: 41°F to 95°F (5°C to 35°C)

Paper Cut-sheet (manual feeding)

″

7/72″, n/72″, n/216″: software

Pica (10 cpi) 9

Elite (12 cpi) 9 × 9H 18 × 19H Condensed pica (17 cpi) 9 × 11H 18 × 12H Condensed elite (20 cpi) 9 × 9H 18 × 10H

H: half-dot

Storage temperature: -22°F to 149°F (-30°C to 65°C) Operating humidity: 30% to 80% (non-condensing) Storage humidity: 20% to 90% (non-condensing)

Paper width: 5.5″ to 8.5″ / 140 to 216 mm Paper length: 5.5″ to 14″ / 140 to 356 mm Paper thickness: 0.00276″ to 0.00472″ / 0.07 to 0.12 mm Paper weight: 14 to 24 lbs. / 52 to 90 g/m2 / 45 to 77 kg

Cut-sheet (with optional automatic sheet feeder)

Paper width: 7.17″ to 8.5″ / 182 to 216 mm Paper length: 10.12″ to 14″ / 257 to 356 mm Paper thickness: 0.00315″ to 0.00472″ / 0.08 to 0.12 mm Paper weight: 16 to 24 lbs. / 60 to 90 g/m2 / 52 to 77 kg

11H 18 × 23H

Checking system software settings in MS-DOS 59

Fanfold (with push tractor feeder)

Paper width: 4″ to 10″ / 101.6 to 254 mm Paper thickness: 0.00276″ to 0.00433″ / 0.07 to 0.11 mm (one-ply)

0.00984″ / 0.25 mm max. (total thickness of multi-ply paper)

Paper weight: 14 to 22 lbs. / 52 to 82 g/m2 / 45 to 70 kg (one-ply)

11 to 14 lbs. / 40 to 52 g/m2 / 34 to 45 kg (multi-ply)

Copies: Original + 2

Emulation (AEC) Standard Mode: EPSON ESC/P (9-pin)

IBM Mode: Proprinter III

Interface Standard: Centronics parallel

Option: RS-232C serial

Ribbon Type On-carriage, dedicated

Fabric monochrome ribbon LC9HD (standard) Color ribbon LC9CL (option) Long-life fabric monochrome ribbon LC9W (option)

Ribbon Life Fabric monochrome ribbon (LC9HD): 1 million characters (draft pica)

Color ribbon (LC9CL): 0.5 million characters (draft pica, black) Long-life fabric monochrome ribbon (LC9W): 2.5 million characters (draft pica)

Dimensions and Weight Width: 15.59″ / 396 mm

Depth: 11.85″ / 301 mm

″

Height: 4.72 Weight: 11.5 lbs. / 5.2 kg

Power Supply 110V AC ±10%, 120V AC ±10%, 230V AC +6%/-14%, 240V AC ±10%; 50/60Hz

(depending on country of purchase)

Power Consumption 34W during ASCII draft printing

8W during stand-by

Options SF-10DT Single-bin Automatic Sheet Feeder

SPC-8K Serial-To-Parallel Converter

/ 120 mm

Appendix C: Interface Pin Outs

Parallel Interface

Pin Name Function

1 STROBE Goes low for ≥0.5µs when active. 2 DATA0 These signals represent information for the 1st through 8th bit of parallel data, 3 DATA1 4 DATA2 5 DATA3 6 DATA4 7 DATA5 8 DATA6

9 DATA7 10 ACK 10µs low to acknowledge receipt of data. 11 BUSY Printer sets line low when ready to receive data. 12 PAPER High when paper runs out. 13 SELECT High when printer is on-line.

14-15 Not used.

16 SIGNAL GND Signal ground 17 CHASSIS Chassis ground (isolated from signal ground) 18 +5V +5V DC output from printer

19 - 30 GND Twisted pair ground return

31 32 ERROR Low when printing cannot continue due to error. 33 EXT GND External ground

34 - 36 Not used

RESET Printer is reset when this signal goes low.

respectively. Each signal is HIGH when data is logical 1, and LOW when logical

Optional Serial Interface

Pin Name Function

1 GND Printer chassis ground

2 TXD Data from printer

3 RXD Data to printer

4 RTS Always space

5 CTS Space when computer is ready to send data. Printer ignores this signal.

6 Not used.

7 GND Signal ground

8 - 10 Not used.

11 RCH Printer sets line to space when ready to receive data. Same signal as Pin 20.

12 - 19 Not used.

20 DTR Printer sets line to space when ready to receive data.

21 - 25 Not used.

Checking system software settings in MS-DOS 61

Appendix D: Character Sets

Standard Italic Character Set #2

International Character Set

The character codes shown in the table are hexadecimal.

62 Character Sets

IBM Character Set #2 Code Page #437 (IBM-PC)

Code Page #850 Multi-lingual

Other characters are the same as those for Code Page #437

Code Page #852 Latin-2