Star Micronics LC-500 User Manual

USER’S MANUAL

LC-500

DOT MATRIX PRINTER

CFA10EC 80826160

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.

Trademark acknowledgments

LC-500: Star Micronics Co., Ltd. ESC/POS: Seiko Epson Corporation

Notice

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 going to press. However, should 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.

Contents

1. Printer Setup .............................................. 1

Choosing a place for the printer ....................................................... 1

Unpacking the printer ....................................................................... 2

Printer Components .......................................................................... 3

Installing the paper guide ................................................................. 4

Opening the printer cover ................................................................. 4

Removing the printer cover .............................................................. 5

Connecting the Power Cord and turning the power ON and OFF.... 6

Installing the ribbon cassette ............................................................ 7

Removing the ribbon cassette ......................................................... 10

Connecting to your computer using the parallel cable ................... 10

Ferrite Core Installation ................................................................... 11

2. Paper Handling ........................................ 13

Selecting paper types ...................................................................... 13

Cut-sheet paper ............................................................................... 13

Fanfold paper .................................................................................. 13

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Loading cut-sheet paper.................................................................. 14

Printing on cut-sheet paper ............................................................. 17

Loading fanfold paper .................................................................... 18

Printing on fanfold paper ................................................................ 22

Parking fanfold paper ..................................................................... 23

Unparking fanfold paper................................................................. 23

3. Control Panel Operations ....................... 24

Switching between on-line and off-line.......................................... 25

Control panel functions in on-line mode ........................................ 25

Control panel functions in off-line mode ....................................... 27

4. Using the EDS Mode................................ 30

About EDS Mode settings .............................................................. 30

Entering the EDS Mode.................................................................. 30

Selecting a EDS number ................................................................. 31

Selecting a bank .............................................................................. 31

Selecting a switch ........................................................................... 31

Changing a switch setting ............................................................... 31

Printing the current EDS settings ................................................... 31

Exiting the EDS Modes .................................................................. 31

5. Control Codes List................................... 42

< ESC/P-K mode> .......................................................................... 42

6. Troubleshooting ....................................... 45

Short test ......................................................................................... 45

Long test ......................................................................................... 46

Hexadecimal dump ......................................................................... 46

Adjusting the dot alignment ........................................................... 47

Troubleshooting guide .................................................................... 48

Appendix A. Specifications ............................... 53

Appendix B. Character Sets ............................. 56

Appendix C. Control Panel Operation Guide.... 67

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.

Choosing a place for the printer

Before unpacking the printer from the box, plan the installation location of your printer. Consider the following points.

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

vibr ation.

✓ 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 and in

the back of 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.

– 1 –

Unpacking the printer

Check that the package contains the following items.

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Ribbon cassette

Ferrite Core

Fastener

Printer

Paper guide

User,s manual

If any item 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 packing materials in case you need to transport the printer at a later date.

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 back of your printer does not match the voltage for your area, contact your dealer immediately.

– 2 –

Printer Components

The following illustrations show the major components of your printer.

Power switch

Paper guide

Printer cover

Adjustment lever

Control panel

Platen knob

Parallel interface connector

Power cord

– 3 –

Installing the paper guide

1. Hold the paper guide at a slight angle and slide the two slots on either side of the paper guide into the tabs provided on the printer case.

2. Press the paper guide firmly against the tabs until it clicks, and then lower the table to a horizontal position.

Opening the printer cover

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Pull on the left and right corners of the printer cover to and swing it down until it is fully open.

Printer cover

5 4

– 4 –

Removing the printer cover

Swing the printer cover so that it is at an angle as shown in the figure below and lift the cover to remove it. To replace the printer cover, lower the two slots on either side of the cover onto the tabs provided on the printer case.

– 5 –

Connecting the Power Cord and turning the power ON and OFF

1. Check that the power switch on the front panel of the printer is in the OFF position (O).

OFF

2. Plug the power cord to a power outlet whose voltage matches the power rating noted on the label affixed to the bottom of your printer.

Caution!

1. If the voltage marked on the rear 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.

2. We 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.

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3. To turn the power on, press the power switch to the ON position (|); to turn the power off, press the power switch to the OFF position (O).

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Installing the ribbon cassette

1. Turn the power on. The carriage moves to the left most position. You will hear beeps when the carriage reaches this position.

Caution!

Do not move the carriage by hand 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.

Carriage

2. Turn the power off.

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3. Set the adjustment lever to the highest position.

Adjustment lever

4. Open the printer cover.

5. Remove the ribbon cassette from the package and rotate the knob on the cassette counterclockwise to take up any slack in the ribbon.

Knob

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– 8 –

6. While holding the printer cassette at an angle, insert the two round tabs on either side of the ribbon cassette into the two slots inside the printer. Then, press the lower half of the cassette inward to a vertical position until it snaps securely into place.

Knob

7. Rotate the knob on the cassette counterclockwise so that the ribbon slides under the head.

8. Set the adjustment lever to position 1. Position 1 is for thin paper. You may need to set the adjustment lever to another position, if you are using a thick paper.

9. Close the printer cover.

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.

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Removing the ribbon cassette

When replacing the ribbon cassette, use the following procedure to remove the old ribbon cassette from the printer.

1. Open the printer cover.

2. Turn the power on. The carriage moves to the left most position. You will hear beeps when the carriage reaches this position.

Caution!

Do not move the carriage by hand 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.

3. Turn the power off.

4. Pull the lower half of the cassette outward so that the ribbon slides out from under the printer head. Then, lift up the cassette to remove it from the printer.

Connecting to your computer using the parallel cable

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You printer comes equipped with a parallel port. Since the printer does not come with cables, you must purchase an

appropriate cable that matches your computer. Below is an illustration of a typical parallel cable.

Important!

The following instructions apply to the Centronics parallel cable that is suitable for use 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, 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 cables can result in poor transfer of information.

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Ferrite Core Installation

1. Strap the fastener into the parallel interface cable as shown in the

illustration below.

2. Cut off the surplus part of the fastener.

Ferrite Core

12 to 15 cm

Fastener

3. With a regular screwdriver, unlatch and open the ferrite core.

4. Attach the ferrite core onto the cable as shown in the illustration below.

Cable

Ferrite Core

– 11 –

Important!

Make sure that the printer is unplugged from the AC outlet and that the computer is turned off before connecting the parallel cable.

Note:

1. Connect one end of the parallel cable to the parallel port of your computer. The parallel port is usually labeled “Printer,” “Parallel,” “PRN,” “LPT1,” or something similar.

2. Connect the other end of the parallel cable into the socket on the back of the printer and secure it in place with the clips.

If your computer is located to the right of the printer, run the cable under the computer through the groove at the bottom of the printer. This will prevent the cable from interfering with the fanfold paper. You can also run the power cord under the printer.

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This chapter describes the different types of paper you can print on and how to setup the printer for each type.

Selecting paper types

Use the following information when selecting paper.

Cut-sheet paper

Width: 125 to 257 mm / 4.9 to 10.12 inches Length: 85 to 364 mm / 3.3 to 14.33 inches Paper Sizes: A6: 105 x 148 mm (Landscape)

Thickness

1-ply only: 0.05 to 0.18 mm Multi-ply: 0.05 to 0.35 mm

Weight

1-ply only: 52 to 156 g/m Multi-ply: 40 to 52 g/m

2. Paper Handling

B6: 128.5 x 182 mm (Portrait, Landscape) A5: 148 x 210 mm (Portrait, Landscape) B5: 182 x 257 mm (Portrait, Landscape) A4: 210 x 297mm (Portrait) B4: 257 x 364mm (Portrait)) Executive: 7.25 x 10.5 inches (Portrait) Letter: 8.5 x 11 inches (Portrait) Legal: 8.5 x 14 inches (Portrait)

/ 14 to 42 lbs / 45 to 135kg

/ 11 to 14 lbs / 34 to 45kg

Fanfold paper

Width: 139.7 to 254 mm / 5.5 to 10 inches Length: Min. 5.5 inches Thickness

1-ply only: 0.07 to 0.11 mm Multi-ply: Max. 0.35 mm

Weight

1-ply only: 52 to 82 g/m Multi-ply: 40 to 52 g/m

– 13 –

/ 14 to 22 lbs / 45 to 70kg

/ 11 to 14 lbs / 34 to 45kg

Loading cut-sheet paper

This section describes the procedure for loading cut-sheet paper. You can also use fanfold paper. For details on using fanfold paper, see “Loading fanfold paper” on page 18. If the fanfold paper is currently loaded, first park the fanfold paper using the procedures described in “Parking fanfold paper” on page 23.

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

2. Set the adjustment lever to the value that matches the thickness of the paper you are using. The setting for normal paper is 1. Set the lever to a larger value for thicker paper, or to a smaller value for thinner paper.

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5 4 3 2 1

Adjustment lever

– 14 –

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.

Important!

Continuous use of the wrong adjustment lever setting can drastically reduce the print head life. Position “–” is used only when the print quality is too light. Setting the lever to position “–” when you are using thin paper may damage the print head.

3. Adjust the paper edge to the desired position. The ▼ mark of the guide

Paper Type Weight Per Sheet Thickness

64 g/m 90 g/m

156 g/m

0.05 mm 1

0.08 mm 1

0.12 mm 1 to 2

0.19 mm 2

0.13 mm 2

0.20 mm 3

0.26 mm 5

0.32 mm 6

Single-sheet 30 g/m

Multi-part 2-ply 40 to 52 g/m

3-ply 40 to 52 g/m 4-ply 40 to 52 g/m 5-ply 40 to 52 g/m

indicates where the left margin of the printing will be.

Paper edge

Recommended

Position

– 15 –

4. Insert the paper from the front of the printer as far as it will go, sliding the left side of the paper against the paper edge. Insert the paper facing up, with the top towards the printer.

Control panel

Paper

Peper guide

Adjustment lever

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The paper will automatically be fed into the printer.

5. Start the printing operation from your software application.

After the printing is complete, the paper is ejected from the same position as you inserted the paper.

– 16 –

Printing on cut-sheet paper

The following shows the recommended print area for cut-sheet paper.

Cut-sheet paper

4.23 mm

3 mm

6.35 mm

Max. 203.2 mm (Max. 8 inches)

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Loading fanfold paper

This section describes the procedure for loading fanfold paper. You can also use cut-sheet paper. For details on using cut-sheet paper, see “Loading cut-sheet paper” on page 14.

1. Position the stack of paper behind the printer. The following figure

Important!

To protect against paper jams, make sure that the fanfold paper is stacked in a position that is lower than the printer.

To decrease paper jams, be sure that the perforations do not get caught in anything in the paper path.

2. Make sure that the printer is turned off.

3. Set the release lever to the fanfold position.

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shows the correct path for fanfold paper.

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