Star Micronics XB24-250 II User Manual

USER’S MANUAL

XB24-250

DOT MATRIX PRINTERS

2

ZB15

2

80825140

2

2



Trademark acknowledgments

IP-128XL, IS-8XL, LC-4511, LC-4521, PT-15XM, SF-15DM

Star Micronics Co. Ltd.

LQ-850, LQ-860, LQ-1050, LQ-1060 : Seiko Epson Corporation
IBM PC, IBM Proprinter X24E, IBM Proprinter XL24E, IBM Proprinter X24, IBM Proprinter XL24 :

International Business Machines Corporation.

MS-DOS : Microsoft Corporation

, SPC-8K, XB-2425, XB24-250, XB24-250

:

Notice

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

Copyright 1998 Star Micronics Co., Ltd.

About this manual

This manual describes how to set up, use, and care for the Star XB24-250
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

2

Appendix E Printer control codes
Appendix F Control panel operation guide

Chapter 1: Printer Setup ... 1

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

Chapter 2: Control Panel Operations ... 16

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

Chapter 3: Using the EDS Mode ... 24

About EDS Mode settings ... 24
Entering the EDS Mode ... 24
Selecting a bank ... 25
Selecting a switch ... 25
Changing a switch setting ... 25
Printing the current switch settings ... 26
Checking the settings of switches in a bank ... 26
Exiting the EDS Mode ... 26
EDS Mode Settings ... 27

Chapter 4: Using the Printer with MS-DOS ... 37

Setting up for printing with MS-DOS ... 37

Chapter 5: Paper Handling ... 38

Selecting paper types ... 38
Adjusting for paper thickness ... 39
Automatic fanfold feeding ... 40
Manual sheet feeding ... 40
Clearing paper jams ... 41

Chapter 6: Optional Accessories ... 42

Automatic Sheet Feeder (SF-15DM
Pull Tractor Unit (PT-15XM) ... 43
Serial Interface Cartridge (IS-8XL) ... 43
Buffered Parallel Interface Cartridge (IP-128XL) ... 44
Serial-to-Parallel Converter (SPC-8K) ... 44

2

) ... 42

Appendix A: Troubleshooting ... 46

Appendix B: Specifications ... 53

Appendix C: Interface Pin Outs ... 56

Appendix D: Character Sets ... 57

Appendix E: Printer Control Codes ... 69

Appendix F: Control Panel Operation Guide ... 79

1

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.

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 parallel interface unit (IP­128XL), a serial interface unit (IS-8XL), a pull tractor (PT-15XM), and an
Automatic Sheet Feeder (SF-15DM
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.

2

) are also available as options. Consult

General guide

The following illustrations show the major components of the your printer.

General guide 3

4 Printer Setup

Installing the platen knob

You can find the platen knob in the box of items that contains this manual.

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

❏

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

Opening the front cover

Lift up on the front cover 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.

Removing the front cover

Normally, you should leave the front cover connected to the printer, using the
procedure described above to open and close it as required. You can also
completely remove the front cover using the steps described below.

Lift up on the front cover and swing it up until it is a little more than half

❏

way open.
Carefully pull the front cover towards the back of the printer, moving it

❏

slightly up and down to work it free from the printer body.
To replace the front cover, reverse the two steps described above.

❏

Installing the ribbon cartridge

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

❏

Caution!

Never touch 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.

Removing the front cover 5

❏

Open the front cover of the printer.

❏

Remove the ribbon cartridge from its package.

❏

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

❏

Carefully place the cartridge onto the cartridge holder making sure that the
spindle of the holder fits into the socket on the bottom of the cartridge. Also

6 Printer Setup

make sure that the side tabs fit into the grooves on the sides of the cartridge
holder.

❏

❏
❏

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 conditio of the ribbon. If the black part looks gray and well-worn,
replace the ribbon with a new one.

While guiding the ribbon between the print head and print head shield,
press down gently on the cartridge until the side tabs snap securely into
place.

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

Removing the ribbon cartridge

Use the following procedure to remove the ribbon cartridge 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 touch 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.

❏

Using your thumb and forefinger to squeeze the two tabs on the ribbon
cartridge towards the center, carefully remove the cartridge from the holder.

❏

Use the procedure under “Installing the ribbon cartridge” on page 5 to
install a new cartridge.

Removing the ribbon cartridge 7

Installing the paper guide

You can find the platen knob in the box of items that contains this manual.
Insert the two pointed tabs on the bottom of the paper guide straight down into

the holes provided on the top back of the printer, and then lay the paper guide
down so the tabs inside the holes slip into the grooves on the paper guide tabs.

8 Printer Setup

T o remove the paper guide from the printer , stand it up while gently pulling

❏

it towards the front of the printer, Next carefully lift the paper guide straight
up.

Adjusting the paper guide position

The paper guide has two positions: raised and lowered. You can use either

❏

position for printing.
To lower the paper guide, stand it up while gently pressing towards the

❏

back of the printer. Next, lift up slightly until the paper guide stops and then
lay it down towards the back of the printer.

To raise the paper guide, slowly stand it up until you feel it slide into a

❏

locked position.

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 affixed 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.

❏

Important!

Whenever you turn off the power, wait for at least five seconds befor e 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 the this, you should locate the printer so that the
power outlet it is plugged into is nearby and easy to access.

At this point you may want to perform a test of the printer to make sure it is
working properly. See “Testing the printer” on page 46 for details on how to
perform tests.

Set the switch on the front of the printer to ON to turn power on, and to
OFF to turn power off.

Loading fanfold paper

This section tells you how to load fanfold paper. Note that you can also use cut­sheet paper and multi-part form paper. For details on using other types of paper,
see “Paper Handling” on page 38 of this manual.

Remove the paper guide from the printer.

❏

Position the stack of paper behind the printer.

❏

Make sure printer power is turned off.

❏
❏ Set the release lever to the fanfold position.

Loading fanfold paper 9

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

Important!

You can also completely remove the rear co ver by lifting it straight up from the
printer while the cover is just past half way open.

lift up with your thumbs at the two thumb holds on either side of the rear
cover until it opens. Allow the rear over to swing open as far as it will go.

10 Printer Setup

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

rear cover, with the side you want to print on facing down.

❏ Unlock the two tractors by pulling up their gray levers, and slide the

tractors so they are aligned approximately with the holes on the sides of the
paper. Press the gray levers back down to lock the tractors into place.

❏ Slide the center paper support into position 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.
❏ Close the tractor covers. At this point you can make final adjustments to the

paper position by releasing the gray levers and sliding the tractors left and
right. The paper should lie flat with no buckling or bulging (tractors too
close) or no stretching or undue pulling on the holes (tractors too far apart).
After making these adjustments, be sure that you re-lock the tractors by
pressing the gray levers back into their original positions.

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

with a click.

Loading fanfold paper 11

❏ Install the paper guide so that it is standing up. In this position, the paper

guide keeps the printed paper separate from the unprinted paper.

❏ Turn on the printer.

The printer will beep a number of times if 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.

12 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 and cut-sheet paper.

Fanfold forms Single sheets

(*80 mm for Push Feed)

Perforation

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 40.

Parking fanfold paper 13

Unparking fanfold paper

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

❏ Remove all cut-sheet paper from the printer.
❏ Change the paper guide position so it is laying down flat.
❏ 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.

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.

14 Printer Setup

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 it is up to you to provide one. 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 interface
cartridge (IS-8XL or IP-128XL).

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

cables can result in poor transfer of information.

Important!

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

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

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

Note:

Connecting to your computer 15

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

printer and secure it in place with the clips.

Consult your dealer for details on how to set up your computer when using the
optional SPC-8K serial-to-parallel interface converter, the IP-128XL parallel
interface unit or the IS-8XL serial interface unit.

16

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.

SANSERIFA
COURIERB
PRESTIGEC
ORATOR

ROMAND
LQE
DRAFTF
HS-DRAFT

FONT PITCH

EDS BANK SWITCH STATUS ON/OFF PRINT EXIT

10 CPI1
12 CPI2
15 CPI3

COND4
PROP5
QUIET6

SET/EJECT

PARK FORM FEED LINE FEED

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. Y ou 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.

POWER

MICRO FEED

ON LINE

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.

Lit Indicator Font

LQ + ROMAN Roman

LQ + SANSERIF Sanserif

LQ + COURIER Courier

LQ + PRESTIGE Prestige

LQ + ORATOR Orator

HS-DRAFT HS-Draft

DRAFT 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 by using the following procedure to put the printer into the Font
Lock Mode when you turn it on.

Selecting a font 17

LQ OCR-B

Entering the Font Lock Mode

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

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

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

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

18 Control Panel Operations

Setting the character pitch

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

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

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

Lit Indicators Meaning

10CPI 10 characters per inch (Pica)
12CPI 12 characters per inch (Elite)

15CPI 15 characters per inch
10CPI + COND 17 characters per inch (Condensed Pica)
12CPI + COND 20 characters per inch (Condensed Elite)

PROP Proportional

COND+PROP Condensed proportional

Note:

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

Entering the Pitch Lock Mode

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

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

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

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

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 19

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.

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

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

previously (using the above procedure), press ON LINE. To clear the
currently set auto load position and return to the 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 21

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.