Star Micronics LC-1021 User Manual

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USER’S MANUAL

LC-1021

DOT MATRIX PRINTER

HA10H 80825080

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.

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

Ambient Noise Statement

IS-8H192, LC-10, LC-90, LC-100, LC-1021, NX-1000, NX-1010, NX-1040, PT-10HA, SF-10HA, SPC-8K :

Star Micronics Co. Ltd.

EX-800, FX-850 : Seiko Epson Corporation IBM PC, IBM Proprinter, IBM Proprinter 2 , IBM Proprinter 3

International Business Machines Corporation.

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-1021 printer. 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,

ribbon cassette installation, loading paper, connecting to your computer

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

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

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

thickness, manual sheet feeding, clearing paper jams

Chapter 6 Optional accessories that are available for your printer Appendix A How to deal with printing problems 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 Opening the front cover ... 4 Removing the protective materials ... 4 Installing the platen knob ... 6 Installing the ribbon cassette ... 6 Removing the ribbon cassette ... 8 Installing the paper guide ... 9 Standing up the paper guide ... 10 Connecting to a power outlet and turning power on and off ... 11 Loading fanfold paper ... 12 Printing on fanfold paper ... 16 Parking fanfold paper ... 17 Unparking fanfold paper ... 17 Using the tear-off function ... 18 Connecting to your computer ... 18

Chapter 2: Control Panel Operations ... 20

Switching between on-line and off-line ... 20 Selecting a font ... 21 Entering the Font Lock Mode ... 21 Setting the character pitch ... 22 Entering the Pitch Lock Mode ... 22 Line feed ... 23 Paper eject (cut-sheet paper) ... 23 Form feed (fanfold paper) ... 23 Parking fanfold paper ... 23 Micro feed ... 23 Setting the top of form position ... 24 Tear-off function (fanfold paper) ... 24 Selecting the Quiet Print Mode ... 24 Changing the auto load position ... 25 Saving a macro ... 26 Clearing the printer’s buffer ... 26 Initializing the printer ... 27 Entering the Multi-part Mode ... 27

Chapter 3: Using the EDS Mode ... 28

About EDS Mode settings ... 28 Entering the EDS Mode ... 28 Selecting a bank ... 29 Selecting a switch ... 29 Changing a switch setting ... 29 Printing the current switch settings ... 30 Checking the settings of switches in a bank ... 30 Exiting the EDS Mode ... 30 EDS Mode Settings ... 31

Chapter 4: Using the Printer with MS-DOS ... 40

Setting up for printing with MS-DOS ... 40

Chapter 5: Paper Handling ... 41

Selecting paper types ... 41 Adjusting for paper thickness ... 42 Automatic fanfold feeding ... 43 Manual sheet feeding ... 43 Clearing paper jams ... 44

Chapter 6: Optional Accessories ... 45

Automatic Sheet Feeder (SF-10HA) ... 45 Pull Tractor Unit (PT-10HA) ... 46 Serial Interface Unit (IS-8H192) ... 46 Serial-to-Parallel Converter (SPC-8K) ... 48

Appendix A: Troubleshooting ... 49

Appendix B: Speciﬁcations ... 60

Appendix C: Interface Pin Outs ... 62

Appendix D: Character Sets ... 63

Appendix E: Printer Control Codes ... 73

Appendix F: Glossary ... 78

Appendix G: Control Panel Operation Guide ... 79

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

Platen knob

3.5"Floppy disk

Paper guide

Printer

User’s manual

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), a serial interface unit (IS8H192), a pull tractor (PT-10HA), and an Automatic Sheet Feeder (SF-10HA) 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.

General guide

The following illustrations show the major components of your printer.

Front cover

General guide 3

Paper guide

Mute cover

Control panel

Interface connector

Release lever

Power switch

Platen knob

4 Printer Setup

Opening the front cover

❏

Lift up on the front cover and swing it open until it stops.

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

❏

Caution!

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

Tear assist edge

Note:

You can completely remove the front cover from the printer or you can stand it up. You should normally leave the front cover closed, because it protects against objects getting into the printer, and it cuts down on printer noise.

Removing the protective materials

Two small pieces of packing material are inserted into the printer to protect components during shipping. Be sure to remove them before using the printer.

Open the rear cover by pushing it back so that the cover swings back and

❏

down.

Removing the protective materials 5

❏

Remove the two white pieces of packing from inside the printer as shown in the illustration.

A piece of cardboard is inserted into the printer to protect components during shipping. Be sure to remove it before using the printer.

Open the front cover.

❏

Remove the cardboard from the inside of the front cover as shown in the

❏

illustration.

In addition, remove the cardboard from the back of the paper guide.

Remove the tape.

❏

Remove the cardboard from the paper guide as shown in the illustration.

❏

6 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 left 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.

Installing the ribbon cassette

Make sure 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.

Remove the front cover of the printer.

❏

Remove the ribbon cassette from its package.

❏

Installing the ribbon cassette 7

❏

Rotate the knob on the ribbon cassette clockwise to take up any slack in the ribbon.

Tension knob

❏

By hand, move the cartridge holder to the left side where there is a cut-out in the top guide to allow easy installation and removal of the ribbon cassette.

❏

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.

Ribbon cassette

Cut-out

8 Printer Setup

❏

While guiding the ribbon between the print head and print head shield, press down gently but ﬁrmly on the cartridge 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

Ribbon

Print head

Important!

Printing that is poor quality or too light is almost always due to a ribbon that is simply worn out or “used up.” If you experience problems with print quality, check the condition of the ribbon. If the black part looks gray and well-worn, replace the ribbon with a new one.

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.

❏

By hand, move the cartridge holder to the left side where there is a cutout in the top guide to allow easy installation and removal of the ribbon cassette.

Using your thumb and foreﬁnger to squeeze the two tabs on the ribbon

❏

cassette towards the center, carefully remove the cassette from the holder.

❏

Use the procedure under “Installing the ribbon cassette” on page 6 to install a new cassette.

Installing the paper guide

Insert the two tabs on the rear cover of the printer into the holes in the

❏

bottom of the paper guide.

Installing the paper guide 9

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

❏

holes.

10 Printer Setup

Standing up the paper guide

❏

You can move the paper guide so that it is at angles of 50 or 70 as sho wn in the illustrations below. The correct angle depends on the type of the paper you are using.

Paper guide

50-degree angle (Fanfold paper)

70-degree angle (Cut-sheet paper)

Paper guide

50°

70°

The following table shows the correct angle to use for each type.

Paper Type Paper Guide Angle

Fanfold 50 degrees

Cut-sheet 70 degrees

Connecting to a power outlet and turning power on and off 11

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 left of the printer to 1 (ON) to turn power on, and to 0

(OFF) to turn power off.

Caution!

Whenever you turn off the power, wait for at least ﬁve seconds before turning it back on. Otherwise you may damage the printer. We also recommend that you unplug the printer from the power outlet whenever you do not plan to use it for long periods. Because of 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 49 for details on how to perform tests.

12 Printer Setup

Loading fanfold paper

This section tells you how to load fanfold paper. Note that you can also use cutsheet paper. For details on using other types of paper, see “Paper Handling” on page 41 of this manual.

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

Cut-sheet

Fanfold

❏ 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.

Note:

Caution!

Loading fanfold paper 13

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

Metal edge

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

The metal edge of the cover is rather sharp. Take care to avoid injuring your hands when handling it.

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

rear cover.

❏ Unlock the two tractor covers by pulling their gray levers up, 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.

14 Printer Setup

❏ Close the tractor covers. At this point you can mak e ﬁnal adjustments to the

paper position by releasing the gray levers and 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 far apart). After making these adjustments, be sure that you re-lock the tractors by pushing the gray levers back into their original positions.

❏ Before printing, make sure that the leading edge of the fanfold paper

extends about 0.8 inch (two centimeters) past the front the paper chute, as shown in the illustration below.

Caution!

0.8”(2cm)

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

with a click.

Since printing with an open rear cover may cause paper feeding problems, be sure to close the rear cover before printing.

Loading fanfold paper 15

❏ Install the paper guide so that it is standing up (at a 50-degree angle) as

shown on page 10. In this position, the paper guide keeps the printed paper separate from the unprinted paper. Then slide the right and left paper guides apart so they do not interfere with the fanfold paper feeding.

❏ 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.

❏ Press the SET/EJECT/PARK button to feed the paper to the starting

position.

16 Printer Setup

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, cut-sheet paper and label paper.

Perforation

18 mm (0.7")

Perforation

Bottom of Form

Fanfold paper

4 mm (0.16")

25.4 mm (1")

110 mm (4.3")

First page

18 mm (0.7")

Last page

Cut-sheet paper

4 mm (0.16")

5 mm (0.2")

8 mm (0.31")

* The accuracy of the paper feed cannot be guaranteed within 20 mm (0.79") from bottom of the page.

Label

2.54 mm (0.1") min.

Label

C : 2.54 mm (0.1") min.

6.35 mm (0.25")min.

5 mm

Perforation

6.35 mm (0.25")min.

(0.2")

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. and then use the LINE 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. ❏ Press the control panel’s SET/EJECT/PARK 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 43.

Unparking fanfold paper

Parking fanfold paper 17

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. ❏ Move the paper guide so that it is at a 50-degree angle. (Refer to page 10.) ❏ Move the release lever to the fanfold position. ❏ Press the SET/EJECT/PARK button to feed the paper to the starting

position. The printer automatically goes back on-line at this time.

18 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 FORM FEED button to perform the long tear-off operation, or

press the LINE FEED 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) or an optional serial interface unit (IS-8H192).

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.

cables can result in poor transfer of information.

Connecting to your computer 19

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

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

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

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 or the IS-8H192 serial interface unit.

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.

HS-DRAFT/DRAFT

ROMAN

SANSERIF

COURIER

PRESTIGE

ORATOR

EDS c BANK

BANK

FONT

10 CPI

12 CPI

COND

PROP

PITCH

SWITCH

SET/EJECT

PARK

STATUS

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.

FORM FEED

ON/OFF

MICRO FEED

LINE FEED

POWER

ON LINE

EXIT

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. HS-Draft is selected when all font indicators are off.

Lit Indicator Font

DRAFT Draft

ROMAN Roman

ROMAN + COURIER Sanserif

COURIER Courier

COURIER + ORATOR Prestige

ORATOR Orator

(All off) HS-Draft

Note:

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

Selecting a font 21

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 22) 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 lock will not function if you are using Windows Truetype fonts.

22 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 characters per inch (Elite) 10CPI + COND 17 characters per inch (Condensed Pica) 12CPI + COND 20 characters per inch (Condensed Elite)

PROP 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 21) 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!

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 LINE FEED once to feed paper one line. Holding down LINE 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).

❏ Press SET/EJECT/PARK to eject the paper. ❏ After the paper is ejected, the printer will beep and the POWER indicator

will ﬂash to indicate there is no paper in the printer.

Form feed (fanfold paper)

❏

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

❏ Press FORM FEED and the printer will automatically feed the paper to the

top of the next page.

Line feed 23

Parking fanfold paper

❏

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

❏ Press the control panel’s SET/EJECT/PARK button. ❏ The printer automatically reverse feeds the fanfold paper until it is no

longer in contact with the platen.

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 LINE FEED to feed the paper

forward or FORM FEED to feed the paper backward.

24 Control Panel Operations

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 FONT, press SET/EJECT/PARK.

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 FORM FEED button to perform the long tear-off operation, or

press the LINE FEED 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. ❏ When you resume printing, the printer reverse feeds the paper to its former

position.

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 SET/EJECT/PARK, to toggle between the Quiet Print Mode and

normal printing. The printer emits one short beeps when the Quiet Print Mode is selected, and

two short beep when normal printing is selected.

Changing the auto load position

Normally the printer automatically feeds paper to a standard position (1/6-inch from the top of the paper). 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 SET/EJECT/PARK 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.

❏ Press SET/EJECT/PARK to feed the paper to the starting position. ❏ Feed the paper so the print head is located where you want the new auto

load position to be. Press LINE FEED to feed the paper forward and FORM FEED to feed the

paper backward. This is the micro feed operation.

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

and press LINE FEED to mak e the current print head position the ne w 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 standard position (1/6-inch from the top of the paper), hold down ON LINE and press SET/EJECT/ PARK.

Changing the auto load position 25

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, pr ess FORM FEED instead of LINE FEED while holding down ON LINE in the above step.

26 Control Panel Operations

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. Pressing FONT normally changes the font setting, so when you press it in

the above step the indicator for the next font lights. Pressing PITCH, however, returns the font setting to what it was before you pressed FONT.

This procedure saves the following settings.

• Current font and pitch settings

• Quiet Print 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 print 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 FORM FEED. Keep both buttons held down

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

Initializing the printer

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 FORM FEED. 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.

Entering the Multi-part Mode

When the printer is in the Multi-part Mode, the print head prints with greater impact. It should be noted, however, that printing in the Multi-part Mode also reduces the life of the print head. Because of this, you should use the Multi-part Mode only for printing on four or five-ply paper. Return to the normal mode for printing on one to three-ply paper.

Use the following procedure to enter the Multi-part Mode

❏ Turn off the printer. ❏ While holding down the control panel’s SET/EJECT/PARK button, turn

the printer back on.

❏ To exit the Multi-part Mode, Simply turn the printer off and back on again.

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 mode 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 F-2, 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 ON LINE, LINE FEED, and

FORM 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 BANK button to select a bank. When the BANK indicator flashes it indicates the current bank selected.

Lit Indicator Selected Bank

Selecting a switch

❏

While in the EDS Mode, use the control panel’s SWITCH b utton to select a bank switch. When the SW indicator ﬂashes it indicates the current switch selected.

Selecting a bank 29

A B C D E F

Lit Indicator Selected Switch

2 3

C D

Changing a switch setting

❏

After selecting a bank and switch, press the control panel’s ON/OFF b utton to turn the switch on and off. The current setting of the switch is indicated by the ON LINE indicator: the indicator is lit when the switch is on, and is not lit when the switch is off.

1 2 3 4 5 6

30 Using the EDS Mode

Printing the current switch settings

❏

In the EDS Mode, press the control panel’s PRINT button to print out the current switch settings. Asterisks on the printout show whether a switch is turned on or off.

Checking the settings of switches in a bank

❏

After selecting a bank, press the control panel’s STATUS button to view the status of each switch in that bank. The control panel’s font indicator is lit when the switch is on, and is not lit when the switch is off.

Lit Indicator Selected Switch

1 2 3 4 5 6

Exiting the EDS Mode

❏

Press the control panels EXIT button to exit the EDS Mode.

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 test of the printer (page 49).

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.

EDS Mode Settings 31

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

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-10HA 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.

32 Using the EDS Mode

Switch 6: Multi-Part Mode

Specifies whether the printer’s Multi-Part Mode is enabled (OFF) or disabled (ON). When the Multi-Part Mode is enabled (OFF), the impact of the print head is increased, but head life is decreased. Enable the Multi-Part Mode when printing on 4 to 5-ply paper. Disable the Multi-Part Mode when printing on 1 to 3-ply paper.

BANK B

Switch 1: Graphics Direction

Selects uni-directional (OFF) or bi-directional (ON) printing for graphics. Bidirectional printing (ON) is faster, while uni-directional (OFF) printing generally provides better print quality in the graphics mode.

Switch 2: Auto Tear-off (Long)

Specifies whether the printer’s auto tear-off (long) feature (page 24) 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 18. 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 check points 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 33

Switches 1, 2: Print Mode

Turn these switches on or off to select the print mode you want to use.

Print Mode SW1 SW2

Draft ON ON NLQ ON OFF

HS-Draft OFF ON

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 select.

Print Pitch SW3 SW4 SW5

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

Proportional ON ON 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.

34 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

BANK E

Switch 5: Reserved Switch 6: Reserved

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.

EDS Mode Settings 35

Code Page SW1 SW2 SW3 SW4 SW5

#437 IBM-PC ON ON ON ON ON #850 Multi-lingual OFF ON ON ON 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

#852 Latin-2 OFF OFF OFF OFF ON #1001 Arabic ON ON ON ON OFF

#737 Greek OFF ON ON ON OFF

#851 Greek ON OFF ON ON OFF

#869 Greek OFF OFF ON ON OFF

#928 Greek ON ON OFF ON OFF #2001 Lithuanian-KBL OFF ON OFF ON OFF

#772 Lithuanian ON OFF OFF ON OFF

#774 Lithuanian OFF OFF OFF ON OFF #3001 Estonian-1 ON ON ON OFF OFF #3002 Estonian-2 OFF ON ON OFF OFF #3011 Latvian-1 ON OFF ON OFF OFF #3012 Latvian-2 OFF OFF ON OFF OFF #3021 Bulgarian ON ON OFF OFF OFF #3031 Hebrew OFF ON OFF OFF OFF #3041 Maltese ON OFF OFF OFF OFF

36 Using the EDS Mode

A code page is the set of symbols and characters that your printer can print. Your printer converts ASCII hexadecimal data according to a code page to print symbols and characters. By supporting different code pages, the printer can print in a variety of different languages. The following table shows detailed information about code pages.

Code Page Name Country Remarks

#437 IBM PC

#850 Multi-Lingual

#860 Portuguese Portugal #861 Icelandic Iceland

#863

#865 Nordic Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden Preferred by Microsoft

#866 Russian Russia Preferred by Microsoft #3840 IBM-Russian Russia, Bulgaria #3841 Gost-Russian Russia Gost: government standard #3843 Polish Poland Also called “Mazowia” #3844 CS2 Czech Republic Also called “Kamenicky” #3845 Hungarian Hungary #3846 Turkish Turkey #3847 Brazil-ABNT #3848 Brazil-ABICOMP

Canadian

French

United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, United States, Spain

Canada

Preferred by Microsoft

Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary,

#852 Latin-2

#1001 Arabic

#737 Greek Greece Almost 80%

#851 Greek Greece

Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia

Egypt, Saudi Arabia Mainly in Arabic speaking

Preferred by Microsoft

countries

EDS Mode Settings 37

Code Page Name Country Remarks

#869 Greek Greece

#928 Greek Greece For UNIX #2001 Lithuanian-KBL Lithuania Commonly used for DOS

#772 Lithuanian Lithuania New standard

#774 Lithuanian Lithuania #3001 Estonian-1 Estonia #3002 Estonian-2 Estonia Most often used #3011 Latvian-1 Latvia #3012 Latvian-2 Latvia Government standard #3021 Bulgarian Bulgaria #3031 Hebrew Israel #3041 Maltese Malta

38 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

Legal OFF OFF OFF OFF ON

BANK F

Note:

EDS Mode Settings 39

Switches 1, 2, 3, 4, 5: NLQ Font Selection

Turn these switches on or off to form the pattern that identifies the font you want to use for NLQ printing.

Font SW1 SW2 SW3 SW4 SW5

Roman ON ON ON ON ON

Sanserif OFF ON ON ON ON

Courier ON OFF ON ON ON

Prestige OFF OFF ON ON ON

Orator OFF OFF OFF ON ON

Bank C switches 1 and 2 need to be in the correct positions before the above setting will have 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.

❏ 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 to select Standard emulation (page 31).

Star LC-1021

Star LC-90/NX-1010

Star LC-100/NX-1040

Star LC-10/NX-1000

Epson FX-850 Epson EX-800

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 to select IBM emulation (page 31).

IBM Proprinter III

IBM Proprinter II

IBM Proprinter

❏ 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.

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: 7.0″ to 10.5″ / 178 to 267mm 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

Cut-Sheet Paper (with Optional Automatic Sheet Feeder)

Paper size: B5, A4, LT, Legal Thickness: 0.00315″ to 0.00472″ / 0.08 to 0.12mm Weight: 16 to 24 lbs / 60 to 90g/m2 / 52 to 77 kg Hopper: 50 sheets of 64g/m

30 sheets of 80g/m

Stacker: 30 sheets

Fanfold Paper

Width: 4″ to 10.0″ / 101.6 to 254mm Thickness: 0.00276″ to 0.00433″ / 0.07 to 0.11mm (1-ply)

0.01378″ / 0.35mm max. (total thickness of multi-ply, noncarbon)

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 + 1 or 2 (Normal Mode)

Original + 3 or 4 (Multi-Part Mode) Multi-part Mode and an optional pull tractor are

recommended when printing on 4 or 5-ply paper.

2 2

42 Paper Handling

Labels

Backing sheet: 4.5″ to 10.0″ / 114 to 254mm Thickness Backing sheet: 0.00276″ to 0.00354″ / 0.07 to 0.09mm Total: 0.0075″ / 0.19mm

• Use labels under normal temperature and humidity conditions only.

Adjusting for paper thickness

Paper comes in different weights, normally expressed as gsm (grams per square meter) or lbs (pounds). Some forms paper also 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.

1 2 3 4 5 6

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

suitable for single-sheet paper.

Automatic fanfold feeding 43

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

Cut-sheet 52 to 90 g/m

1-ply 52 to 90 g/m20.07 to 0.12mm 2 or 3 2-ply 40 to 52 g/m20.12 to 0.16mm 2 or 3

Fanfold

Labels (with backing sheet) — — 3 or 4

3-ply 40 to 52 g/m20.18 to 0.25mm 3 or 4 4-ply 40 to 52 g/m20.24 to 0.30mm 4 or 5 5-ply 40 to 52 g/m20.30 to 0.35mm 5 or 6

Important!

Continuous use of the wrong adjustment lever setting can drastically reduce print head life! The Multi-part Mode is only recommended when printing on 4 or 5-ply paper.

Automatic fanfold feeding

❏

See “Loading fanfold paper” on page 12 for details on using fanfold paper.

0.07 to 0.12mm 1 or 2

Recommended

Position

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 17 to park the fanfold paper and prepare for manual sheet feeding.

❏ Move the paper guide so that it is at a 70-degree angle. (Refer to page 10.) ❏ Set the release lever to the cut-sheet position.

44 Paper Handling

❏ Align the left paper guide with scale 0 mark. ❏ Adjust the right paper guide so there is enough space to insert the paper.

Important!

In order to pr event a paper jam, do not insert a sheet of paper with a width that would require the paper guides to be moved to the left of the l mark on the left end or to the right of the k mark on the right end.

020

❏ 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.

❏ Press the SET/EJECT/PARK button to feed the paper to the starting

position.

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

function described under “Micro feed” on page 23.

❏ Start the printing operation from your software application.

Clearing paper jams

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

❏ 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 introduces the following optional accessories that are available for this printer:

❏ Automatic Sheet Feeder (SF-10HA) ❏ Pull Tractor Unit (PT-10HA) ❏ Serial Interface Unit (IS-8H192) ❏ 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-10HA)

The automatic sheet feeder automatically feeds cut sheet paper into the printer.

Preparing the printer

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

OFF (page 31), which tells the printer that the automatic sheet feeder is installed.

Refer to the manual that comes with the automatic sheet feeder for further details on installation and operation.

46 Optional Accessories

Pull Tractor Unit (PT-10HA)

The pull tractor unit is recommended when printing with multi-part continuous forms.

Refer to the manual that comes with the pull tractor unit for further details on installation and operation.

Serial Interface Unit (IS-8H192)

Installing the serial interface unit provides serial data communications capabilities between the printer and your computer.

Speciﬁcations (IS-8H192)

Interface RS-232C-level only Synchronization Asynchronous Baud rate 150, 300, 600, 1200, 2400, 4800, 9600, 19200 BPS (selectable) Word length

Start bit 1 Data bits 7 or 8 (selectable) Parity bit Odd, even, none (selectable) Stop bits One or more

Signal polarity

Mark Logical 1 (–3V to –15V) Space Logical 0 (+3V to +15V) Handshaking DTR, XON/XOFF, ETX/ACK Data buffer 8 kbytes (standard)

Refer to the manual that comes with the serial interface unit for further details on installation and operation.

Serial Interface Unit (IS-8H192) 47

48 Optional Accessories

Serial-to-Parallel Converter (SPC-8K)

Connecting the serial-to-parallel converter to the printer’s parallel connector provides serial data communications capabilities between the printer and your computer.

Speciﬁcations

Interface RS-232C-level Synchronization Asynchronous Baud rate 150, 300, 600, 1200, 2400, 4800, 9600, 19200 BPS (selectable) Word length

Start bit 1 Data bits 7 or 8 (selectable) Parity bit Odd, even, none (selectable) Stop bits One or more

Signal polarity

Mark Logical 1 (-3V to -15V) Space Logical 0 (+3V to +15V) Handshaking DTR, XON/XOFF, ETX/ACK Data buffer 8 kbytes (standard)

Serial connector

Clear button

Parallel connector

Dip switch

Refer to the manual that comes with the serial-to-parallel converter for further details on installation and operation.

Appendix A: Troubleshooting

This appendix will help you 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.

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.

Note:

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

50 Optional Accessories

Long test

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

printer on.

The long test prints seven lines of text and then continues to print the entire character set for each font and pitch available.

❏ To stop demo printing, turn the printer off.

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.

● 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.

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 FORM FEED button, turn the

printer back on to enter the Hex Dump Mode.

❏ The printer will now print out the hexadecimal values of any data that is

subsequently sent to it from your computer.

❏ 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 FORM FEED 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 51

or like this

*** DOT ADJUSTMENT SETTING ***

DRAFT

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 printing mode only. You

must make separate adjustments for the HS-DRAFT, D-Density/Speed, DDensity P-Graph, NLQ, Quadruple Density, Normal Density, Plotter Graphics, CRT Graphics I, CRT Graphics II, and Double Density modes as well.

❏ Press SET/EJECT/PARK 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.

52 Optional Accessories

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.”

Your application program’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 42.

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 optional serial interface unit.

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 53

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.

return is disabled.

Set up the printer for the paper thickness you are using. See “Adjusting for paper thickness” on page 42.

paper thickness you are using. See “Adjusting for paper thickness” on page 42.

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 32.

Use the EDS Mode to enable auto line feed with carriage return. See “Switch 4: Auto LF with CR” on page 32.

Jamming paper. Set up the printer for the

paper thickness you are using. See “Adjusting for paper thickness” on page 42.

54 Optional Accessories

Problem Possible Cause Recommended Action

Incorrect number of lines are printed on the page.

Text and graphics are malformed. Print quality is poor.

Auto line feed with carriage return is enabled.

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 printer is not in the Multipart Mode when printing on multi-part forms with an original and three to four copies.

Use the EDS Mode to disable auto line feed with carriage return. See “Switch 4: Auto LF with CR” on page 32 .

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

See “Adjusting the dot alignment” on page 51.

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 42.

Use the EDS Mode to enter the Multi-part Mode. See “Switch 6: Multi-Part Mode” on page 32.

Forms are smudged. Printing is too dark.

The print head is damaged. Return the printer to your

dealer for repair.

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

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.

Set up the printer for the paper thickness you are using. See “Adjusting for paper thickness” on page 42.

Make sure that the ribbon cassette is installed correctly. See “Installing the ribbon cassette” on page 6.

Return it to your dealer for repair.

Troubleshooting guide 55

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 6.

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 42.

56 Optional Accessories

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 6.

Set up the printer for the paper thickness you are using. See “Adjusting for paper thickness” on page 42.

Choose different settings in your application.

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

Enter the EDS Mode and turn off Switch 4 in Bank A (see page 31).

58 Optional Accessories

Checking system software settings in Windows

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

✓ Is the printer you are using set as the default printer? ✓ Is the driver setup correct? ✓ 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 59

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 or optional serial interface unit, 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 or optional serial interface unit, 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 or optional serial interface unit.

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 40. If this does not help, consult your software dealer.

Appendix B: Speciﬁcations

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

Pica (10 cpi)

Elite (12 cpi) 360/120H 90/240H Condensed pica (17 cpi) 255/240H 127/240H Condensed elite (20 cpi) 300/240H 150/240H

H: half-dot

Print Direction Draft: Uni-directional/ Bi-directional logic seeking (selectable)

NLQ: Uni-directional/ Bi-directional logic seeking (selectable) Bit-image: Uni-directional/ Bi-directional logic seeking (selectable)

Print Head Number of pins: 9

Life: 200 million dots/pin (Normal Mode)

″

, 1/8

Line Spacing 1/6

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)

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: 7″ to 10.5″ / 178 to 267mm 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 size: B5, A4, LT, Legal 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 Hopper: 50 sheets of 64 g/m

Stacker: 30 sheets of 64 g/m

300/120H (Normal)

400/90H (HS)

100 million dots/pin (Multi-Part Mode)

9 × 11H (Normal)

9 × 8H (HS)

30 sheets of 80 g/m

2 2

75/240H

18 × 23H

Checking system software settings in MS-DOS 61

Fanfold (with push tractor feeder)

Paper width: 4″ to 10.0″ / 101.6 to 254mm Paper thickness: 0.00276″ to 0.00433″ / 0.07 to 0.11 mm (one-ply)

0.01378″ / 0.35 mm maximum (total thickness of multiply paper, non-carbon)

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 + 1 or 2 (Normal Mode)

Original + 3 or 4 (Multi-Part Mode) * Multi-Part Mode is recommended when using optional pull tractor unit.

Fanfold (with optional pull tractor feeder)

Paper width: 4″ to 10.0″ / 101.6 to 254mm

″

Paper thickness: 0.00276

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

Copies: Original + 1 or 2 (Normal Mode)

Labels

Backing sheet: 4.5″ to 10.0″ / 114 to 254mm Thickness Backing sheet: 0.00276″ to 0.00354″ / 0.07 to 0.09mm Total: 0.0075″ / 0.19mm max.

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

IBM Mode: Proprinter III

Interface Standard: Centronics parallel

Option: RS-232C serial

Ribbon Type On-carriage, dedicated

Monochrome (Y9WH), Black only

Ribbon Life 2.5 million characters (Draft 10 cpi) Dimensions and Weight Width: 17.6″ / 448mm

Depth: 13.9″ / 355 mm Height: 7.3″ / 186 mm Weight: 16.1 lbs. / 7.3 kg

Power Supply 120V AC +10%/–17%, 230V AC +14%/–13%; 50/60Hz

(depending on country of purchase)

Power Consumption 11W during standby / 50W during ASCII draft printing Options PT-10HA Pull Tractor Unit

SF-10HA Single-Bin Automatic Sheet Feeder IS-8H192 Serial Interface Unit SPC-8K Serial-To-Parallel Converter

to 0.00433″ / 0.07 to 0.11 mm (one-ply)

0.01378″ / 0.35 mm maximum (total thickness of multiply paper, non-carbon)

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

Original + 3 or 4 (Multi-Part Mode)

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 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 AFXT Printer ignores this signal 15 Not used. 16 S-GND Signal ground 17 F-GND Frame ground 18 +5V +5V DC output from printer

19 - 30 GND Twisted pair ground return

31 RESET Printer is reset when this signal goes low. 32 ERROR Low when printing cannot continue due to error. 33 EXT GND External ground

34 - 35 Not used

36 SELECT IN Printer ignores this signal

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

10µs low to acknowledge receipt of data.

Optional Serial Interface (IS-8H192 and SPC-8K)

Pin Name Function

1 F-GND Frame 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.

Appendix D: Character Sets

Standard Italic Character Set #2

International Character Set

The character codes shown in the table are hexadecimal.

64 Character Sets

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

Character Set #1

Other characters are the same as those for Character Set #2.