Star Micronics LC24-15II User Manual

LC24-15II

MULTI-FONT

USERS MANUAL

NOT INTENDED FOR SALE

XBL 80825605

VDE Statement

This device carries the VDE RFI protection mark to certify that it meets the radio interference
requirements of the Postal Ordinance No. 243/1991. The additional marking “Vfg. 243/P”
expresses in short form that this is a peripheral device (not operable alone) which only
individually meets the Class B RFI requirements in accordance with the DIN VDE 0878
part 3/11.89 and the Postal Ordinance 243/1991.

If this device is operated in conjunction with other devices within a set-up, in order to take
advantage of a “General (Operating) Authorization” in accordance with the Postal Ordinance
243/1991, the complete set-up must comply with the Class B limits in accordance with the
DIN VDE 0878 part 3/11.89, as well as satisfy the preconditions in accordance with § 2 and
the prerequisites in accordance with § 3 of the Postal Ordinance 243/1991.

As a rule, this is only fulfilled when the device is operated in a set-up which has been type­tested and provided with a VDE RFI protection mark with the additional marking “Vfg 243”.

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

The above statement applies only to printers marketed in Germany.

Trademark Acknowledgements

LC24-15II, LC24-15, NB24-15, IS-8XL, SF-15DJ, PT-15XJ: Star Micronics Co., Ltd.
IBM-PC, PS/2, PC-AT, Proprinter XL24E/XL24, PC-DOS: International Buisiness

Machines Corp.

Microsoft BASIC, MS-DOS: Microsoft Corporation
LQ-1050, LQ-1060: Seiko Epron Corp.

NOTICE

• All rights reserved. Reproduction of any part of this manual in any form whatsoever
without STAR’s express permission is forbidden.

• 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 press.
However, shoulld any errors be detected, STAR would greatly appreciate being
informed of them.

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

HOW TO USE THIS MANUAL

This manual is organized into eleven chapters. To learn how to make the best
use of your printer you are urged to read through chapters 1 through 6. Chapters
7 through 11 may be treated as a refernce guide for programming operations,
etc. It assumes a degree of knowledge of the operation of computers. The
chapters are as follows:

Chapter 1

-

Introduction

This chapter indicates the primary features of your ptinter, the names and
functions of the printer components, and an actual example of the many font
styles that your printer can produce.

Chapter 2

-

Setting Up the Printer

This chapter explains how to get the printer unpacked and set up. Read this
chapter before you do anything else.

Chapter 3

-

Paper Installation and Use

This chapter describes the instructions for printing such as selecting paper
types, adjusting the printing gap, and installing paper .

Chapter 4

-

Control Panel Operations

There are a number of controls on the front panel which perform various
functions related to paper handling, print modes and font selection.

After performinng the setup of the printer, read this chapter and try out the
procedures to find out how the printer works.

Chapter 5

-

Default Settings - EDS mode

This chapter explains how to set the Electronic DIP Switch (EDS) mode to
make your printer match your system and software needs.

Chapter 6 - Troubleshooting

This section shows a list of check points to follow if your printer is not working
properly . It also includes details of some routine maintenance operations you
can perform yourself. It is not, however, a complete service manual. Call
your authorized service center if you are unsure of your ability to carry out
any maintenance or servicing operatioins on the printer .

Chapter 7

-

Optional Accessories

This chapter explains the optional accessories that are available for your
printer, and how to install and use them.

Chapter 8

-

Printer Control Commands

This chapter explains the software commands that are used to drive your
printer. This section is of use if you are writing or modifying programs to
take advantage of the printer’s features.

Chapter 9

-

Download Characters

This chapter explains the procedures to create your own characters.

Chapter 10

-

MS-DOS and Your Printer

Since the PS/2 or PC-AT family of computers running under MS-DOS is
currently the most popular configuration of microcomputer, we have included
a few hints and tips to help you use your printer with such systems.

Since virtually all PCs are sold with a Microsoft BASIC interpreter, we have
also included some hints, and a sample program in this language to demonstrate
the capabilities of the printer .

Chapter 1 1

-

Reference

This section provides refernces for your printer, such as specifications, the
pinout of interface connector, and the character tables.

The character table charts give the different character sets available.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION 1

Printer components 2
Summary of printer features 4
Font style example 6

Chapter 2 SETTING UP THE PRINTER 7

Printer placement 7
Unpacking and inspection 8
Setting up 9

Installing the platen knob 9
Installing the ribbon cartridge 10
Installing the paper guide 13
Connecting the interface cable 13
Configuring your software for the printer 15

Chapter 3 PAPER INSTALLATION AND USE 17

Selection of paper 17
Adjusting the printing gap 18
Loading single sheets 19
Loading and parking fanfold forms 22

Loading the paper 23
Paper parking 25
Paper unparking 26

Chapter 4 CONTROL PANEL OPERATIONS 27

Button and indicator functions 27

ON LINE 28
PAPER FEED 29
SET/EJECT 29
PITCH 30
FONT 30

Switch combination functions 31

Form feed 31
Top of form 32
Forward micro-feed 32
Reverse micro-feed 32

Changing the auto loading position 32
Clearing the buffer/All reset 33
Save macro definition 34

Power-up functions 35

Short test mode 35
Long test mode 36
Print area test mode 37
Pitch lock mode 37
Font lock mode 37
Font and Pitch lock mode 37
Dot adjustment mode 38
Hexadecimal dump 39

Conditions indicated by beep tones 40

Chapter 5 DEFAULT SETTINGS

-

EDS MODE 41

How to set the EDS mode 41
Functions of the EDS settings 42

Chapter 6 TROUBLESHOOTING 47

Maintenance 52

Chapter 7 OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES 53

Automatic Sheet Feeder 53

Setting up 54
Loading paper 57

Pull Tractor Unit 59

Setting up 60
Loading paper 61

Serial Interface Cartridge 63

DIP switch functions on the serial interface cartridge 64

Chapter 8 PRITNER CONTROL COMMANDS 65

Font control commands 66
Character set commands 71
Character size and pitch commands 74

vertical position commands 80
Horizontal position commads 86
Graphics commands 90
Download character commands 94
Other printer comands 97

Chapter 9 DOWNLOAD CHARACTERS 101

Defining your own characters with Standard mode 101

Assigning the character data 102
Assigning a value of character space 103
Sample program 104

Defining your own characters with IBM mode 106

Assigning the download character set 106
Assigning the character dot pattern 107
Assigning the Index T able data 108
Sample program 110

Chapter 10 MS-DOS AND YOUR PRINTER 113

Programming the printer with DOS commands 113
Programming with BASIC 116

Chapter 1 1 REFERENCE 123

Specifications 123
Pinout of interface connector 126

Parallel interface 126
Serial interface 127

Character sets 128

Standard character set #2 129
International character sets 131
IBM character set #2 132
Character set #1 139
IBM special character set 140

INDEX 141

COMMAND SUMMARY 145

1

C

hapter 1

INTRODUCTION

This printer has a full complement of features, making it an excellent partner
for a personal computer. It supports the Epson/IBM printer commands and
character sets, enabling it to print just about anything your computer can
generate, both text and graphics.

The selection of paper you can use is as varied as the types of document you
can produce. This printer accepts any of the following kinds of paper:

• Single sheets (cut forms) and stationery

• Fanfold forms (continuous forms)

• Multi-part forms (up to 3-ply)

• Preprinted forms

This Multi-font printer has the following resident (internal) fonts:

• Draft

• Roman

• Sanserif

• Courier

• Prestige

• Script

The control panel has five buttons and eleven indicators. The indicator display
and beep tones provide immediate, easy-to-understand feedback when you
press the buttons on the control panel.
The five buttons can operate in combinations to perform a surprising variety
of functions, including saving a micro.

An additional useful feature is the ability to switch easily between printing
on fanfold paper and printing on single sheets. A simple control panel operation
lets you “park” the fanfold paper, so that you do not have to remove the
fanfold paper from the printer. When you want to resume printing on the
fanfold paper, you can simply “unpark” it.

T o get acquainted with the printer’s components and capabilities, refer to the
information on the pages that follow .

2

PRINTER COMPONENTS

3

Component Description

Paper guide Aligns single sheets (cut forms) to help the printer

detect when paper is inserted.

Release lever Releases pressure on the paper. This lever must

be back for cut forms ( ), and forward for fanfold
forms ( ).

Front cover Protects the print head and other internal compo-

nents of your printer.

Rear cover Protects the tractor feed unit and separates in-

coming and outgoing fanfold forms.
Entry slot For inserting single sheets of paper .
Control panel Indicates printer status and makes control of printer

functions simple and convenient.
Power switch Switches power on or off.
Platen knob For advancing the paper manually.
Interface connector Connects the computer to the printer .
Print head Has a high resolution dot matrix (24-wire) com-

position for outstanding print quality.
Ribbon cartridge Contains the printer ribbon.
Adjustment lever Controls print darkness by adjusting for the

thickness of forms being printed.
Tractors Control the movement of fanfold forms.
Clamp lever Clamps the tractor in place.
Bail lever Opens and closes the paper bail which holds the

paper against the platen.

4

SUMMAR Y OF PRINTER FEATURES

Feature Function

Dot matrix (24-wire) Draft and Letter-Quality printing.
impact printing

Extensive software The printer is compatible with the Epson and IBM
support standards, and works with any software that

supports those printers.

Multi-font support This printer includes Draft, Roman, Sanserif,

Courier, Prestige, and Script fonts.

Carriage size A wide carriage that prints on cut forms up to 420

mm (16.5 inches) wide and fanfold forms up to
406 mm (16 inches)wide.

Multi-speed printing In Draft mode, prints at speeds up to:

• 300 CPS in 15 pitch

• 240 CPS in 12 pitch

• 200 CPS in 10 pitch
In Letter-Quality mode, prints at speeds up to:

• 100 CPS in 15 pitch

• 80 CPS in 12 pitch

• 67 CPS in 10 pitch.

Charactor spacing Prints in 10, 12, 15, 17, and 20 CPI, as well as

proportional spacing.

Control panel Button control for fonts, pitches, paper movement,

and paper park functions.

Font/Pitch Lock Ignores font and pitch selections sent from your

computer , and stays on the font and pitch selected
from the control panel.

Quiet mode Reduces printing noise by approximately 50%.

However , printing speed is also reduced.

Graphics printing Standard graphics printing with resolution of up

to 360 x 360 dots per square inch. It also supports
the NEC graphics commands.

5

Feature Function

Paper parking Parks fanfold paper. You can print on cut sheet

paper without unloading the fanfold forms.
Print styles Highlighting capability with the following em-

phasis styles:

• Double-high • Double-strike • Double-wide

• Emphasized • Italics • Outline

• Overlining • Shadow • Subscript

• Superscript • Underlining.

T ear off function Fanfold forms can be removed without advancing

blank forms.
Multi-part forms Prints up to three-part forms.
Ribbon cartridge Contains the printer ribbon.
EDS mode Electronic DIP Switch (EDS) mode allows you

to easily change the default settings of your printer

to match your system and software needs.

6

FONT STYLE EXAMPLE

The following example shows the many font styles your printer can print.

7

C

hapter 2

SETTING UP THE PRINTER

This chapter describes the following procedures for setting up your new
printer. If you have optional accessories, refer to Chapter 7 after setting up
the printer .

• Printer placement

• Unpacking the printer

• Installing the platen knob

• Installing the ribbon cartridge

• Connecting the printer to your computer

• Configuring your software for the printer

PRINTER PLACEMENT

Before you start setting up your printer, meke sure that you have a suitable
place on which to locate it. By “a suitable place”, we mean:

• A firm, level surface which is fairly vivration-free

• Away from excessive heat (such as direct sunlight, heaters, etc)

• Away from excessive humidity

• Away from excessive dust

• A steady power supply that is not subject to power surges should be

connected to the printer .
For example, do not connect the printer to the same circuit as a large,
noise-producing appliance such as a refrigerator or an air conditioner .

• Make sure the line voltage is the voltage specified on the printer’s

identification plate.

• If you are connecting your printer with a parallel interface, make sure that

the cable is within 2m (6ft) of the printer . An RS-232 connection using the
optional IS-8XL interface cartridge can be made over longer distances.

8

UNPACKING AND INSPECTION

Now check each item in the box against Figure 2-1 to make sure that you
have everything (there sholud be five items).
If any of these items are missing, contact your supplier.

Figure 2-1.

Check to make sure you have all five items: 1) Printer , 2) Paper guide, 3) Platen knob, 4) Ribbon

cartridge, and 5) User’s manual.

The optional accessories which you may have ordered with your printer are:

• Serial interface cartridge (IS-8XL)

• Automatic sheet feeder (SF-15DJ)

• Pull tractor unit (PT-15XJ)

For details of the optional accessories, refer to Chapter 7.

9

SETTING UP

Place the printer in the desired location, and remove all packing material
from the printer . This packing material is intended to prevent damage to the
printer while in transit.
You will want to keep all the packing material, along with the printer carton,
in case you have to move the printer to a new location.

Installing the platen knob

The platen knob is packed into a recess of the packing material which held
your printer inside the printer carton. Be careful to remove the knob before
disposing of the package.

Mount the knob on the platen shaft, which is located on the right-hand side
of the printer. Rotate the knob on the shaft before pushing the knob fully into
position.

Figure 2-2.

Installing the platen knob.

10

Installing the ribbon cartridge

Now install the ribbon by the following procedure.

1. Remove the front cover by lifting the front (using the two grips at the
sides), and pulling towards you.

Figure 2-3.

Remove the front cover to install the ribbon cartridge.

2. Take up the slack in the ribbon by turning the tension knob on the ribbon
cartridge clockwise as shown by the arrow.

Figure 2-4.

Take up the slack in the ribbon by turning the tension knob on the ribbon cartridge.

11

3. Guide the ribbon between the print head and the silver print head shield,
making certain that the spindles on the cartridge holder fit into the sockets
on the cartridge itself.

Figure 2-5.

Install the ribbon cartridge.

4. Make sure that the ribbon is positioned between the print head and the
print head shield as shown in Figure 2-5.

5. Take up the slack in the ribbon again by turning the tension knob.

Figure 2-6. Make sure that the ribbon is positioned correctly.

12

6. Hold the front cover upright and engage the tabs at the back. Then swing
the front edge down until the cover is closed.

Figure 2-7.

Swing down the front cover after inserting the tabs into the slots of the printer case.

Leave the front cover closed during normal operation. The cover keeps out
dust and dirt and reduces the printer’s operating noise. Open the cover only
to change the ribbon or make an adjustment.

13

Installing the paper guide

Follow the procedure below to install the paper guide:

1. Insert the two slots on either side of the paper guide into the two tabs on
the rear cover, as shown in Figure 2-8.

Figure 2-8.

Install the paper guide.

2. Place the paper guide horizontally when using fanfold paper, or vertically
when using single sheets.

Connecting the interface cable

The printer and computer are connected by a cable along which the computer
transmits the documents that you want to print. A cable is not supplied as
standard equipmemt with this printer. There are two sorts of cable that you
can use: a standard 36-pin Centronics parallel cable or the serial cable that
you can purchase as an option with the printer.

Connecting the printer to a computer using a parallel cable is generally simpler;
however, the length of the parallel cable should not be more than 6 feet,
otherwise the transfer of information between your computer and the printer
may be impaired. A serial connection can, for all practical purposes, be as
long as you like, but is a little more complicated to set up. Buy the type of
cable which will best suit your needs.

If you need to connect to a serial port, use the optional Serial interface
cartridge, IS-8XL.

14

The parellel cable which you can use has a 25-pin D-type plug at one end,
and a 36-pin Centronics connector at the other .

Follow the procedure below to connect the interface cable:

1. Turn off the power switch on both the printer and the computer.

2. Plug the cable’s Centronics connector into the socket on the side of the
printer as shown in Figure 2-9.
Make sure that you press the plug into the interface connector .

Figure 2-9.

Connector the interface cable.

3. Move both clips inside the extended prongs on the sides of the plug until
you hear a click.

Figure 2-10.

Move the clips until you hear a click.

4. Plug the 25-way plug into the parallel socket on your computer. This will

probably be labelled “Printer”, “Parallel”, “PRN”, “LPT1” or something
similar .

15

Configuring your software for the printer

Most application software programs let you specify the type of printer you
are using so that the software can take full advantage of the printer’s features.

Many of these software packages provide an installation or setup program
that presents a list of printers.

This printer is preset to emulate the Epson printer commands. If you want to
emulate the IBM printer commands, you can select IBM with the Electronic
DIP Switch (EDS) mode.

Choose one of the following (in the order of preference) according to your
selected Emulation mode:

# Standard (Epson) mode IBM mode
1 Star LC24-15II Proprinter XL24E
2 Star LC24-15 Proprinter XL24
3 Star NB24-15
4 Epson LQ-1060
5 Epson LQ-1050

If your software package does not mention printers by name, but asks instead
what features your printer is capable of, the most common questions are:
“Can your printer perform a backspace?” and “Can it do a hardware form
feed?” you should answer “Yes” to both these questions.

Make sure that the Electronic DIP Switch (EDS) is set for the correct printer
emulation, and that you have also selected the appropriate character set.
(Refer to Chapter 5 for detailed information on the EDS mode.)

NOTE:If you are in doubt about the configuration of your application

software, seek expert advice. Your software supplier will probably
be your most qualified reference.

16

MEMO

17

C

hapter 3

PAPER INSTALLATION AND USE

This chapter describes instructions for printing such as selecting paper types,
adjusting the printing gap, and installing paper .

SELECTION OF PAPER

You can use any of the following types of paper with your printer: single
sheets, fanfold paper and multi-part forms.

• Single sheets (cut forms) and stationery
Single sheets are simply individual, unconnected pieces of paper, and are
also sometimes referred to as cut sheets.
Up to fifty single sheets can be stacked and automatically fed into the
printer by using the optional Automatic Sheet Feeder (SF-15DJ).

• Fanfold forms
Fanfold forms are sheets of paper joined with perforations. Fanfold forms
usually have a column of holes punched into each edge which enables the
printer to grip the paper as it feeds it through. Fanfold paper is also
sometimes referred to as computer paper, continuous forms or sprocket
forms.
You can feed the fanfold forms from the rear of the printer as standard.
You can also use the optional Pull tractor unit (PT-15XJ) to feed fanfold
paper . Printing on or near the perforations of continuous fanfold forms
may reduce printing quality , misalign the fanfold forms, or cause a paper jam.

• Multi-part forms
Multi-part forms consist of several sheets, one on top of another, enabling
several copies to be made simultaneously . Multi-part forms may be joined
together, as fanfold stationery. If you want to use multi-part forms, use the
typethat has both side edges glued together. Do not use forms that have
more than three parts.
It is recommended that you load multi-part forms using the optional Pull
tractor unit.

Figure 3-1 shows the recommended print area for each type of paper .

18

Figure 3-1.

Recommended print area for acceptable types of paper.

ADJUSTING THE PRINTING GAP

Paper comes in different weights, normally quoted in gsm (grams per square
meter). Typical figures are 80 gsm and 100 gsm. Heavier paper is thicker.
Also, multi-part forms are generally thicker than single sheets or ordinary
fanfold paper .
The distance between the print head and the platen can be adjusted to suit the
paper thickness. The adjustment lever is located inside the printer’s main
body, at the right-hand end of the platen. There are five settings. Push the
lever up to narrow the gap between the print head and the platen, and down
to widen the gap. The top positon is referred to as position 1, and the lowest
position as position 5. Position 2 is the one most suited to single sheets.

Figure 3-2.

Location of the adjustment lever.

19

It is a good idea to try out different settings in order to ascertain which
setting gives the best results in terms of print quality.

NOTE: Printing with an inappropriate gap may drastically shorten the life

of the print head.

The table below gives recommended settings:

Paper Type

Weight(g/m

2

) Thickness(mm) Recommended

(Each sheet) (T otal) Lever position

Single 52 to 90 0.07 to 0.12 2 or 3

2-ply 40 t o 52 0.12 to 0.14 2 or 3
3-ply 40 t o 52 0.18 to 0.21 3 or 4

LOADING SINGLE SHEETS

This section will take you through the procedure for loading single sheets of
paper. If you are using the optional Automatic Sheet Feeder (SF-15DJ),
refer to Chapter 7.
The paper path fo rcut forms is shown in Figure 3-3.

Figure 3-3.

Paper path for cut forms.

20

1. Raise the paper guide vertically on the rear cover..

Figure 3-4.

Raise the paper guide vertically.

2. Turn ON the power at the switch located at the front of the printer. The
printer will beep, indicationg that there is no paper in position for printing.
The POWER indicator will also flash to confirm this.

3. Make sure that the release lever is at rear position ( ).
If fanfold paper is already mounted in the printer, press the SET/EJECT
button to park the paper in the off-line state, then move the release lever
toward the rear of the printer.

4. Adjust the left paper guide to the desired left position by moving it
horizontally in either direction.

5. Adjust the right paper guide to accommodate the width of the paper.
The guides should be adjusted to restrict the amount of horizontal play
while allowing the paper to slide up and down freely between the two
paper guides. The ideal distance between paper ream and paper guides is

0.25 mm (0.01”) on both sides at the narrowest part of the paper guides.

6. Place a single sheet between the guides, facing the side on which you want
to print towards the back of the printer . Gently push the paper down in the
guides until you feel it stop.

21

Figure 3-5.

Place a single sheet between the guides

7. Now press the SET/EJECT button. The paper will be fed into the printer
and adjusted past the print head to a position ready for printing.

8. If you want to set the paper to a different position, set the printer of f-line
by pressing the ON LINE button, then set the paper by using the micro­feed function. (For details, refer to Chapter 4.)

Now you are ready to start printing.

22

LOADING AND PARKING F ANFOLD FORMS

This printer accepts forms up to 16” wide.
The printer can feed fanfold forms using either the standard tractor unit or

the optional Pull tractor unit (PT-15XJ), as shown in Figure 3-6.

Figure 3-6.

Paper path for fanfold forms.

This section will take you through the procedures for loading, parking and
unparking fanfold forms.

23

Loading the paper

If you are going to load the paper with the optional Pull tractor unit, refer to
Chapter 7.

1. Place a stack of fanfold paper behind and at least one page-length below

the printer .

2. Turn the printer’s power OFF.

3. Push the release lever forward. This has the effect of releasing the paper

from the platen roller, and engaging the tractor feed.

4. Remove the rear cover. Grip it by its rear edge and lift upwards and

backwards as in Figure 3-7.

Figure 3-7.

Remove the rear cover.

5. With the tractor covers open, mount the paper by aligning holes with the

pins on the tracctor unit.

6. Adjust the spacing of the tractor units by sliding them along the bar,

using the clamp lever at the back of each unit to release them and lock
them in position. The unit is released when the clamp lever is down and
locked when the clamp lever is up.