TransAct Technologies ITHERM 280 User Manual
®
iTherm
International Version
Programmer’s Guide
280
PN 28-07764, Rev C April 2009
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Change History
Rev A Initial Release
Rev B Sept 2007
Added Periodic status back
Added user defined code page description.
Added double byte code page support
Rev C April 2009
Revised Page mode section
Added several internal code pages
Added Multi-byte Code page support
28-07764 Rev C Page 1
Federal Communications Commission Radio
Frequency Interference Statement
The iTherm® 280 Printer complies with the limits for a Class A computing device in
accordance with the specifications in Part 15 of FCC rules. These regulations are
designed to minimize radio frequency interference during installation; however, there is
no guarantee that radio or television interference will not occur during any particular
installation. Interference can be determined by turning the equipment off and on while
the radio or television is on. If the printer causes interference to radio or television
reception, try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
1. Reorient the radio or television receiving antenna
2. Relocate the printer with respect to the receiver
3. Plug the printer and receiver into different circuits
If necessary, the user should consult their dealer or an experienced radio/television
technician for additional suggestions. The user may find the following booklet prepared
by the Federal Communications Commission helpful: How to Identify and Resolve
Radio/TV Interference Problems. This booklet is available from the US Government
Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. Ask for stock number 004-000-00345-4.
Canadian Department of Communications Radio
Interference Statement
The iTherm® 280 Printer does not exceed Class A limits for radio noise emissions from
digital apparatus set out in the Radio Interference Regulations of the Canadian
Department of Communications.
Regulatory Compliance
FCC Class A
ULc
CE Mark
UL 1950
TUV
Page 2 Rev C 28-07764
Disclaimer
NOTICE TO ALL PERSONS RECEIVING THIS DOCUMENT:
The information in this document is subject to change without notice. No part of this
document may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, for any purpose, without the express written permission of
TransAct Technologies, Inc. ("TransAct"). This document is the property of and contains
information that is both confidential and proprietary to TransAct. Recipient shall not
disclose any portion of this document to any third party.
TRANSACT DOES NOT ASSUME ANY LIABILITY FOR DAMAGES INCURRED,
DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, FROM ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS OR
DISCREPANCIES IN THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS DOCUMENT.
TransAct cannot guarantee that changes in software and equipment made by other
manufacturers, and referred to in this publication, do not affect the applicability of
information in this publication.
Copyright
© 2007-2009 TransAct Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Revision Level C
April 2009
Printed in USA
Trademarks
Some of the product names mentioned herein are used for identification purposes only
and may be trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies.
BANKjet, 50Plus, Insta-Load, Ithaca, "Made to Order. Built to Last", Magnetec, PcOS,
POSjet, PowerPocket, iTherm and TransAct are registered trademarks and Epic 950,
Flex-Zone, imPort, ithaColor, KITCHENjet, Momentum, QDT and TicketBurst are
trademarks of TransAct Technologies, Inc.
28-07764 Rev C Page 3
Table of Contents
Change History ............................................................................................................... 1
Federal Communications Commission Radio Frequency Interference Statement ........... 2
Canadian Department of Communications Radio Interference Statement ....................... 2
Regulatory Compliance ................................................................................................... 2
Disclaimer ....................................................................................................................... 3
Copyright ........................................................................................................................ 3
Trademarks ..................................................................................................................... 3
Table of Contents ............................................................................................................ 4
Figures ............................................................................................................................ 9
Tables ............................................................................................................................. 9
Introducing your iTherm® 280 Printer ........... 11
About your iTherm® 280 Printer ..................................................................................... 13
Who Should Read This Guide? ..................................................................................... 14
What Is Included in This Guide? ................................................................................... 14
Warranty Options .......................................................................................................... 14
Technical and Sales support ......................................................................................... 15
On-line Technical Support ..................................................................................... 15
Telephone Technical Support ................................................................................ 15
Return Materials Authorization and Return Policies ............................................... 16
Service Programs .................................................................................................. 16
Sales Support ........................................................................................................ 16
Contact Information ............................................................................................... 16
iTherm® 280 Specifications and Requirements
...................................................................... 19
iTherm® 280 Specifications and Requirements ............................................................. 21
iTherm® 280 Thermal Printer Models ........................................................................... 21
Standard Features ........................................................................................................ 21
Optional Features ......................................................................................................... 23
General Specifications .................................................................................................. 24
Printing Specifications ........................................................................................... 24
Physical Characteristics ................................................................................................ 24
Dimensions ........................................................................................................... 24
Weight ................................................................................................................... 25
Electrical Characteristics ............................................................................................... 26
Internal AC Powered ............................................................................................. 26
External Powered DC ............................................................................................ 26
Thermal Print Head ....................................................................................................... 26
Media Specifications ..................................................................................................... 27
Receipt Paper ....................................................................................................... 27
Buzzer .......................................................................................................................... 29
Cover Interlock .............................................................................................................. 29
Display Pass Through ................................................................................................... 29
Communications Interface............................................................................................. 30
Parallel Interface ................................................................................................... 30
RS-232 Serial Interface ......................................................................................... 31
USB Interface ........................................................................................................ 31
Page 4 Rev C 28-07764
Ethernet 10-Base-T adapter .................................................................................. 32
802.11b Wireless Interface .................................................................................... 32
Cash Drawer ......................................................................................................... 33
Interface Description ............................................................................................. 33
Cash Drawer Pin Assignments .............................................................................. 33
Vertical Wall Mount Kit Option ....................................................................................... 35
Setup Procedures .......................................... 37
Verifying the Configuration ............................................................................................ 39
Verify the Communications Interface Card ............................................................ 39
Changing Interface Cards ...................................................................................... 39
Removing the Old Interface Card .......................................................................... 39
Cash Drawer Configuration ................................................................................... 40
Configuring the Cash Drawer Interface .................................................................. 40
Installing Cables ............................................................................................................ 41
Connecting power ................................................................................................. 41
Connecting Communications Cables ..................................................................... 42
Verify the Firmware Configuration ......................................................................... 43
Installing Paper ............................................................................................................. 43
Printer Drivers and Printer Controls ............................................................................... 44
Definitions for terms you will see in this guide: ...................................................... 44
Getting Started – Questions to Ask ............................................................................... 45
Do you want to use USB and simulate a communication port? .............................. 45
Do you want to use an Ethernet interface and simulate a communication port? .... 45
Are you using OPOS (UnifiedPOS/UPOS)? .......................................................... 46
Do you want to print from a Windows application? ................................................ 46
Windows Printer Driver ................................................................................................. 47
PC Hardware ................................................................................................................ 47
GDI ............................................................................................................................... 47
OPOS driver ................................................................................................................. 48
PC Hardware ................................................................................................................ 48
USB driver .................................................................................................................... 49
Ethernet Virtual Serial driver ......................................................................................... 50
POSPrinter ActiveX Control (POSPrinter OCX) ............................................................. 51
PC Hardware ................................................................................................................ 51
Where to get more information .............................................................................. 52
How to Operate the iTherm® 280 Printer ....... 53
How to Operate the iTherm® 280 Printer ....................................................................... 55
* Button........................................................................................................................ 55
FEED Button ................................................................................................................. 55
Indicator Lights (LED) ................................................................................................... 56
Power Indicator (LED) ........................................................................................... 56
Error Indicator (LED) ............................................................................................. 56
Paper Indicator (LED) ............................................................................................ 56
Fault Indicators ............................................................................................................. 56
Testing the Printer Overview ......................................................................................... 58
Using Self-Test, Configuration, and Hex Dump Mode ........................................... 58
Hex-dump Mode .................................................................................................... 60
Level 0 Diagnostics ............................................................................................... 61
Boot Loader Mode ................................................................................................. 61
28-07764 Rev C Page 5
Configuring Your iTherm® 280 Printer ........... 63
Configuration Mode Overview ....................................................................................... 65
Most Frequent Configuration Incompatibilities ....................................................... 65
How to Change Configuration Settings ......................................................................... 65
Entering into Configuration Mode .......................................................................... 65
Using Configuration Mode ............................................................................................. 66
Remote Configuration ................................................................................................... 69
Setting up for Color Paper ............................................................................................. 69
Custom Color ........................................................................................................ 69
Programming Codes ...................................... 71
Control Codes Overview ............................................................................................... 73
Nomenclature................................................................................................................ 73
Standard Emulation ............................................................................................... 74
IPCL Codes ........................................................................................................... 74
EPOS Emulation ................................................................................................... 74
Axiohm .................................................................................................................. 74
Ithaca® Microline Emulation ................................................................................... 74
Application Development .............................................................................................. 74
Ithaca Control Codes and Commands .......................................................................... 75
PcOS Printer Control Codes .................................................................................. 75
Quick PcOS Reference Chart ................................................................................ 76
Low Level Paper Motion Control ............................................................................ 82
Horizontal Motion Control ...................................................................................... 83
Vertical Motion Control .......................................................................................... 85
Feed to Black Dot .................................................................................................. 91
Character Pitch ..................................................................................................... 93
Character Font ...................................................................................................... 96
Character Sets and Code Pages ........................................................................... 98
Double-Byte and Multi-Byte Code Page Description Files ................................... 100
Code page selection ............................................................................................ 100
Page Mode .......................................................................................................... 113
Graphic Mode ...................................................................................................... 123
Graphics Compression ........................................................................................ 129
User Store (Graphic Save) .................................................................................. 129
User Macros ........................................................................................................ 137
Bar Codes ........................................................................................................... 139
Electronic Journal ................................................................................................ 149
Miscellaneous Control ......................................................................................... 161
Remote Power Control ........................................................................................ 169
Documented Extended Control commands ......................................................... 170
Printer Status ...................................................................................................... 171
Inquire Commands .............................................................................................. 172
ESC/POSTM Codes ..................................................................................................... 181
Differences between Epson TM T90 and iTherm® 280 ........................................ 181
Supported TM-T88 Commands ................................................................................... 183
Undocumented TM-T88 Commands ........................................................................... 186
Supported TM-T90 Commands ................................................................................... 187
TM-T88 / TM-T90 and ESC/POSTM Command Descriptions ....................................... 191
Print and Feed Commands ......................................................................................... 191
Line Spacing Commands ............................................................................................ 193
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Character Commands ................................................................................................. 193
Panel Button Commands ............................................................................................ 202
Paper Sensor Commands ........................................................................................... 203
Print Position Commands ............................................................................................ 205
Bit-Image Commands ................................................................................................. 209
Status Commands ...................................................................................................... 210
Printing Paper Command ............................................................................................ 216
Page Mode ................................................................................................................. 217
Bar Code Commands.................................................................................................. 220
Mechanism Control Commands .................................................................................. 223
Miscellaneous Commands .......................................................................................... 224
Macro Function Commands ........................................................................................ 230
User-defined Images and Graphics Commands .......................................................... 231
Ithaca® Specific iTherm® 280 Commands ................................................................... 236
Panel Button Commands ..................................................................................... 236
Paper Out/Low Sensor Commands ..................................................................... 236
iTherm® Citizen Emulation .......................................................................................... 238
iTherm® Star Emulation ............................................................................................... 238
iTherm® Axiohm Emulation ......................................................................................... 238
iTherm® 280 Color Graphics ......................... 239
Printing Graphics ........................................................................................................ 241
Character Graphics ............................................................................................. 241
APA Graphics ...................................................................................................... 244
iTherm® 280 Universal Color Graphics ........................................................................ 247
Print File Graphics ............................................................................................... 248
Store Graphics in the printer: ............................................................................... 249
How universal graphics is done ........................................................................... 250
How to use IPCL commands in text strings ......................................................... 250
Cautions .............................................................................................................. 251
Universal Color Command Descriptions .............................................................. 252
iTherm® 280 Coupon-Cut-Logo Feature ...................................................................... 254
Unicode and Fonts ....................................... 255
Unicode and Fonts ....................................... 257
Fonts ........................................................................................................................... 257
Character Generation .......................................................................................... 257
Character Definition ............................................................................................. 258
Internal Fonts ...................................................................................................... 260
Character Cache ................................................................................................. 260
Custom Fonts ...................................................................................................... 261
Stacked or Linked fonts ....................................................................................... 261
Font Storage ....................................................................................................... 261
Unicode....................................................................................................................... 262
Unicode Encoding ............................................................................................... 262
Bitmap Fonts ....................................................................................................... 265
File system and the POR.INI file ................................................................................. 268
Font Size and Spacing ................................................................................................ 273
Font Size and Spacing command interactions ..................................................... 274
Legacy Printer Features that Have Changed .............................................................. 280
Dynamic code page definition.............................................................................. 280
28-07764 Rev C Page 7
File System .................................................. 281
File System Interface .................................................................................................. 283
File System commands ....................................................................................... 283
iTherm® 280 Extended Printer Control ......... 289
Communications .......................................... 297
Protocol and Print Buffers ........................................................................................... 299
USB ............................................................................................................................ 302
USB Support ....................................................................................................... 302
TCP/IP ........................................................................................................................ 303
Print Server Features Standard Ethernet Connection .......................................... 303
Supported Protocols ............................................................................................ 303
User Interface/Configuration ................................................................................ 303
Other ................................................................................................................... 303
Parallel Port ................................................................................................................ 304
Parallel Port Protocol ........................................................................................... 304
Printer Buffer Size ............................................................................................... 305
Parallel Port Inquire and IEEE 1284 .................................................................... 305
Parallel Port Plug and Play .................................................................................. 307
Serial Port ................................................................................................................... 309
Serial Port Protocol ............................................................................................. 309
Print Buffer Flow .................................................................................................. 311
Printer Buffer Size ............................................................................................... 313
Serial Mode Plug and Play .................................................................................. 313
Using DSR .......................................................................................................... 313
Serial Device Identification .................................................................................. 314
Serial Port Inquire................................................................................................ 315
Display Pass Through ................................................................................................. 316
Remote Power Control ................................................................................................ 316
Remote Printer Reset.................................................................................................. 317
Reset in Serial Mode ........................................................................................... 317
Reset in Parallel Mode ........................................................................................ 317
Miscellaneous Communication Features ..................................................................... 318
Power-cycle Recovery ......................................................................................... 318
Data Pass-through .............................................................................................. 318
Multi-drop Configuration ...................................................................................... 318
Off-line Active ...................................................................................................... 319
Recovery from Mechanical Errors ............................................................................... 320
Programmer’s Notes ................................................................................................... 321
Appendix A: Internal Code Pages................. 323
Appendix B - ASCII Code Table .................... 324
Appendix C: Unicode Character Addresses ... 325
Appendix D: WGL4.0 Character Addresses ... 327
Appendix E: GB18030 Character Addresses . 331
Appendix F Windows 1252 Latin 1 ............... 338
Appendix G: Ordering Supplies .................... 341
Page 8 Rev C 28-07764
Index ........................................................... 343
Figures
Figure 1 Receipt Printing, Tear off Position .................................................................. 28
Figure 2 Cash Drawer Pin Definitions ........................................................................... 33
Figure 3 Cash Drawer Selection.................................................................................... 40
Figure 4 3-pin mini DIN plug.......................................................................................... 42
Figure 5 Windows Print Driver ....................................................................................... 47
Figure 6 OPOS or UPOS .............................................................................................. 48
Figure 7 USB Driver ...................................................................................................... 49
Figure 8 Ethernet Virtual Serial Driver ........................................................................... 50
Figure 9 POSPrinter OCX ............................................................................................. 51
Figure 10 Page Mode Entry Orientations .................................................................... 114
Figure 11 Page mode set printable area ..................................................................... 117
Figure 12 Default Page mode printed area .................................................................. 118
Figure 13 Defined Page mode printed area ................................................................. 119
Figure 14 Code 39 full 128 character encoding ........................................................... 141
Figure 15 Expanded Function coding .......................................................................... 143
Figure 16 Code 128 encoding values .......................................................................... 144
Figure 17 Example of Character Graphics .................................................................. 241
Figure 18 Example Commands for a Sample Receipt ................................................. 242
Figure 19 Sample Receipt ........................................................................................... 243
Figure 20 Receipt with graphics .................................................................................. 247
Figure 21 Typical POS System ................................................................................... 299
Figure 22 Host to Printer Link ...................................................................................... 300
Figure 23 Printer Communications Buffer Flow ........................................................... 301
Figure 24 Parallel-port Data Timing ............................................................................. 304
Figure 25 Parallel Port ACK Timing Options ............................................................... 305
Figure 26 Serial Port Flow Control Using DTR ............................................................ 309
Figure 27 XON/XOFF Serial Port Flow Control ........................................................... 310
Tables
Table 1 Standard Power Input Requirements ................................................................ 26
Table 2 Power Input Requirements with the 24-volt DC Power ..................................... 26
Table 3: Paper Grades-Monochrome ............................................................................ 27
Table 4 Parallel Interface Pin-outs ................................................................................ 30
Table 5 Serial Interface Pin-outs ................................................................................... 31
Table 6 Cash Drawer Pin Assignment ........................................................................... 34
Table 7 Serial interface pin out ...................................................................................... 42
Table 8 Parallel interface pin out ................................................................................... 42
Table 9 Error Blink Codes ............................................................................................. 57
Table 10 Character Pitch .............................................................................................. 94
Table 11 Inter-character Spacing .................................................................................. 95
Table 12 Language Table ID’s .................................................................................... 101
Table 13 Euro Character Substitution Matrix ............................................................... 103
28-07764 Rev C Page 9
Table 14 Paper Sensor Commands ............................................................................ 165
Table 15 Paper Sensor Commands ............................................................................ 166
Table 16 Supported TM-T90 Commands .................................................................... 185
Table 17 Undocumented TM-T90 Commands............................................................. 186
Table 18 Supported EPOS Commands ....................................................................... 187
Table 19 Select Character Font Table ......................................................................... 194
Table 20 International Character Sets ......................................................................... 195
Table 21 Character Code Pages ................................................................................. 197
Table 22 Character Code Table .................................................................................. 198
Table 23 Print Modes .................................................................................................. 199
Table 24 Rotation Modes ............................................................................................ 200
Table 25 Paper Sensor Commands ............................................................................ 203
Table 26 Paper Sensor Commands ............................................................................ 204
Table 27 Print Density Selection ................................................................................. 209
Table 28 Automatic Status Back (ASB) Values for <n> ............................................... 210
Table 29 Automatic Status Back (ASB) First Byte (Printer Information) ....................... 211
Table 30 Automatic Status Back (ASB) Second Byte (Error Information) .................... 211
Table 31 Automatic Status Back (ASB) Third Byte (Paper Sensor Information) .......... 212
Table 32 Automatic Status Back (ASB) Fourth Byte (Paper Sensor Information) ........ 212
Table 33 Paper Sensor Status (<n> = 1, 49) ............................................................... 212
Table 34 Drawer Kick-out Connector Status (<n> = 2, 50) .......................................... 213
Table 35 Values for the Status Function, <n>.............................................................. 213
Table 36 Printer Status (<n> = 1) ................................................................................ 213
Table 37 Off line Status (<n> = 2) ............................................................................... 214
Table 38 Error Status (<n> = 3)................................................................................... 214
Table 39 Paper Roll Sensor Status (<n> = 4) .............................................................. 214
Table 40 Peripheral Status (<n> = 0, 48) .................................................................... 215
Table 41 Paper Status ................................................................................................ 215
Table 42 Bar Code System Based on <m> ................................................................. 221
Table 43 Printing Position of HRI Characters .............................................................. 222
Table 44 Font for Human Readable Interpretation (HRI) Characters ........................... 222
Table 45 Horizontal size of the bar code ..................................................................... 222
Table 46 Printer ID ...................................................................................................... 224
Table 47 Type ID (<n> = 2 or 50) ................................................................................ 224
Table 48 Peripheral Device Bit Definitions .................................................................. 226
Table 49 Macro Control Bit Definitions ........................................................................ 230
Table 50 User-defined Bit-image Resolutions ............................................................. 235
Table 51 Character Pitch ............................................................................................ 279
Table 52 Parallel-port Timing ...................................................................................... 305
Table 53 Paper Ordering Information .......................................................................... 341
Table 54 Cables Ordering Information ........................................................................ 341
Page 10 Rev C 28-07764
chapter
1
Introducing your iTherm® 280 Printer
28-07764 Rev C Page 11
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Page 12 Rev C 28-07764
iTherm® 280 Programmer’s Guide About Your iTherm® 280 Printer
About your iTherm® 280 Printer
The Ithaca iTherm® 280 printer represents the very latest technology for use for thermal
receipt printing for point-of-sale and retail environments. It builds upon the architecture of
Ithaca’s proven thermal printers, together with a host of features specifically designed to
improve the performance of your receipt-printing applications, including:
• Crisp, clear receipt printing in either one or two colors
• Fast 8 inches per second print speed
• Rugged spill-resistant cover
• Large 4-inch paper roll capacity with drop-in loading
• Protected internal power supply
• Ethernet and USB interfaces
• Wireless option for reduced cable clutter
• Application-controllable buzzer
• Configurable cash drawer functionality
The iTherm® 280 also offers a wide range of programmable features, including color and
font control, APA graphics support, bar codes, and support for over 60 language
character sets. These features let you quickly and easily integrate more layout and
printing options than ever – while giving you the reliability, durability and uptime you
have come to expect from Ithaca printers.
28-07764 Rev C Page 13
About Your iTherm® 280 Printer iTherm® 280 Programmer’s Guide
Who Should Read This G uide?
This document provides information and programming specifications for operators who
will integrate the iTherm® 280 printer into their kitchen operations.
What Is Included in This Guide?
This Programmer’s Guide includes information on the features and programming
interface of the iTherm® 280 printer. It provides the following information to support your
programming and implementation efforts:
• Warranty and technical support information.
• Specifications and functionality description.
• Programming information, including documentation of low-level and high-level
command interfaces, as well as sample scripts to guide your own implementation
efforts.
We want you to have a trouble-free implementation with your Ithaca printer. For any
issues not covered in this guide, quality technical support is available on-line at
www.transact-tech.com, or by telephone at (607) 257-8901 or (877) 7ithaca. Consult
the following pages for more details about our support services.
Warranty Options
All iTherm® 280 printers come with a standard 24-month standard warranty covering
both parts and labor that starts upon shipment from the factory. An optional extended
warranty, covering both parts and labor for an additional 12 months, may be purchased
separately. For more information concerning the warranty options, please contact the
Sales Department at TransAct’s Ithaca facility. You are responsible for insuring any
product returned for service, and you assume the risk of loss during shipment to Ithaca.
C.O.D. packages are not accepted and warranty repairs are subject to the terms and
conditions as stated on the Ithaca warranty policy.
Page 14 Rev C 28-07764
iTherm® 280 Programmer’s Guide About Your iTherm® 280 Printer
Technical and Sales support
Your Ithaca printer is backed by the resources of TransAct Technologies, a global
technology firm with dedicated technical support and sales assistance. Here is how we
can help you:
On-line Technical Support
Our web site at www.transact-tech.com is your on-line portal to obtaining technical
assistance with your Ithaca printer. Click on Ithaca link and then the Technical Support
link to find documentation for your iTherm® 280 printer, including a current copy of this
Programmer’s Guide featuring:
o Command codes and descriptions.
o Character fonts.
o Printer features.
o Communication specifics.
Other utilities available include a font utility, a color converter and a terminal application
for communicating with your printer, as well as the following drivers and utilities:
Windows 95/98/Me Print Driver with Documentation Part No. 100-9167
Windows NT 4.0 2K and XP Print Driver with Documentation Part No. 100-9170
OPOS Drivers with Documentation Part No. 100-9732
Master Character Set Definitions Part No. 100-9785
Our on-line support site also includes a convenient e-mail assistance request form,
where you can submit support requests 24 hours a day, and receive a return contact
from a TransAct support technician during regular business hours.
Telephone Technical Support
Live telephone support is available Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM Eastern
US time, excluding holidays. We can provide general information about programming for
your iTherm® 280 printer, technical support, documentation, or assistance in sending a
printer for service. To obtain telephone support, call TransAct's Ithaca Facility at (607)
257-8901 and ask for Technical Support. To help us serve you faster, please have the
following information ready when you call:
• The Model Number and Serial Number of the printer.
• A list of any other peripheral devices attached to the same port as the printer.
• What application software, operating system, and network (if any) you are using.
• What happened and what you were doing when the problem occurred.
• How you tried to solve the problem.
28-07764 Rev C Page 15
About Your iTherm® 280 Printer iTherm® 280 Programmer’s Guide
Return Materials Authorization and Return Policies
If the technical support person determines that the printer should be serviced at our
facility, and you want to return the printer for repair, we will issue you the Returned
Materials Authorization (RMA) number that is required before returning the printer.
Repairs are warranted for 90 days from the date of repair or for the balance of the
original warranty period, whichever is greater. Please prepare the printer being returned
for repair as follows:
• Pack the printer to be returned in the original packing material.
• Packing material may be purchased from TransAct's Ithaca Facility.
• Do not return any accessories unless asked to do so by a support technician.
• Write the RMA number clearly on the outside of the box.
Service Programs
TransAct Technologies Incorporated has a full service organization to meet your printer
service and repair requirements. If your printer needs service, please contact your
service provider first. If any problems still persist, you can directly contact the Ithaca
facility’s Technical Support Department at (607) 257-8901 or (877) 7ithaca for a return
authorization. International customers should contact your distributor for services.
TransAct offers the following service programs to meet your needs.
• Extended Warranty.
• Depot Repair.
• Maintenance Contract.
• Internet Support.
Sales Support
To order supplies, receive information about other Ithaca products, or obtain information
about your warranty, contact our Sales Department at the contact telephone or fax
numbers listed below. To receive information on International distribution, visit our web
site at www.transact-tech.com.
Contact Information
TransAct Technologies Incorporated
Ithaca Facility
20 Bomax Drive
Ithaca, NY 14850 USA
Telephone (877) 7ithaca or (607) 257-8901
Main fax (607) 257-8922
Page 16 Rev C 28-07764
iTherm® 280 Programmer’s Guide About Your iTherm® 280 Printer
Sales fax (607) 257-3868
Technical Support fax (607) 257-3911
Web site www.transact-tech.com
28-07764 Rev C Page 17
chapter
iTherm® 280 Specifications and Requirements
2
28-07764 Rev C Page 19
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Page 20 Rev C 28-07764
iTherm® 280 Programmer’s Guide Specifications and Requirements
iTherm® 280 Specifications and Requirements
iTherm® 280 Thermal Printer Models
• iTherm® 280-P: parallel interface printer
• iTherm® 280-S: serial interface printer
• iTherm® 280-USB: USB interface printer
Standard Features
The following features are common to the entire family of thermal printers:
• Print Speed for text is 8 inches per second (200 mm/sec) (monochrome)
• 8.0 inches per second paper feed speed
• 3.15 inch (80 mm.) print zone
• 44/57 characters per line
• Built-in self-ranging External Power supply
• Clam-shell paper loading
• Single RJ11 cash drawer driver with status (Single RJ12)
• Parallel (25 or 36 pin), serial (9 or 25 pin) RS232C, and USB interface
• Configurable receiver buffer
• Self diagnostics
• Set up and configuration utility program
28-07764 Rev C Page 21
Specifications and Requirements iTherm® 280 Programmer’s Guide
• CPI selections from 8 to 30 CPI1
• Paper Out sensor
• Multiple printer emulations: Ithaca PcOS and Epson Extended,
• Maximum 8K buffer (adjustable)
• 2 Megabytes Flash Memory
• 2 Megabytes RAM
• APA and Epson graphics
• Bar Codes: Code 39, Code 93, Code 128, Interleaved 2 of 5, UPC-A, UPC-
E, EAN-8, EAN-13, EAN- 14, PDF417 stacked symbology and Codabar
• WGL4.0 Character set.
• Metal receipt tear off
• 8 dots/mm. thermal print head resolution
• ON/OFF button located on front of printer
• Cable routing strain relief
• Power/Error/Paper LEDs
• Paper feed button
• Cover open button
• Settable cash drawer configurations (Ithaca, Epson, or Star)
• Spill proof design- vertical main PCB mounting
• 58 mm. or 80 mm. paper width – factory-settable
• 4.0 inch (101 mm.) Paper roll diameter
• Portrait/landscape printing under Windows
• Page mode printing
• Cover Open sensor
• Electronic journal capability
• Internal counters for hours on, cuts, print lines and errors
• 100 km print head life
• 60 million print line printer MCBF (excluding knife)
• Strong break-away paper cover
• 1,000,000 cuts cutter life (partial cut)
• Buzzer
• 2 color printing (4 inches per second print speed)
1
Character spacing is adjustable from 1 to 30 CPI. Typical values will be between 8 and 20 CPI
depending on the font selected. Values of 13.3, 14.86, or 17.3 are typical for each resident font.
2
CPI’s greater than 16 will not be supported in NLQ fonts
Page 22 Rev C 28-07764
iTherm® 280 Programmer’s Guide Specifications and Requirements
Optional Features
The following options are available on some of the models:
• Vertical Wall Mount Kit
• Adjustable paper low
• OCR TrueType font
• Chinese GB18030 Font.
• Custom interfaces and emulations
• DC powered version through Hosiden type connector
28-07764 Rev C Page 23
Specifications and Requirements iTherm® 280 Programmer’s Guide
General Specifications
Printing Specifications
Printing method: Thermal Sensitive Line Dot System
Vertical/Horizontal dot pitch: 0.125 mm.
Resolution: 8 dots per mm (203 DPI)
Line feed pitch: 3.2 mm. (.125 inches)
Print zone (maximum) 80 mm (3.15 inch)
Print speed (monochrome): 8 inches per second
Print Speed (two color): 4 inches per second
Number of print elements: 640 dots in-line
Physical Characteristics
Dimensions
Page 24 Rev C 28-07764
iTherm® 280 Programmer’s Guide Specifications and Requirements
Max Dimensions
W D H
Dimensions in
inches
6.25 8.50 5.87
Weight
Approximate weight: 4.6 lb.
Shipping weight: 6.0 lb.
28-07764 Rev C Page 25
Specifications and Requirements iTherm® 280 Programmer’s Guide
Electrical Characteristics
Internal AC Powered
The iTherm® 280 Printer is designed to be AC self-powered in domestic and
international markets. The printer is equipped with a universal input power supply that is
designed to operate worldwide without modification.
Supply
Voltage
Rating
(VAC)
100-240 90-264 47 – 63 45 .1A @ 120VAC
External Powered DC
Optionally, the iTherm® 280 Printer can be operated with 24-volt DC power supplied
from a host terminal or external supply. Connection to this printer version is made via a
three-pin Hosiden type connector.
Supply
Voltage
Rating
(VDC)
24
-5+10%
The iTherm® 280 can be configured to operate with various power supplies. If a DC
power supply with less capability is used, the printer must be configured for reduced
power and the printer will print slower.
Supply
Voltage
Range
(VAC)
Supply
Voltage
Range
(VDC)
22.8 –
26.42
Table 2 Power Input Requirements with the 24-volt DC Power
Frequency
(Hz)
Table 1 Standard Power Input Requirements
Frequency (Hz) Idle
DC 0.125 A
Rated Power
(watts)
Current
(amps)
Idle Current
(amps)
.05 A @ 240VAC
3.5 A (Printing maximum for < 1 minute)
2.0 A (Cash Drawer Fire)
4.8 A Peak (< 167 msec.)
Printing Current
(amps)
1.4 A @ 120VAC
.7 A @ 240VAC
Current (amps)
Thermal Print Head
Thermal Print Head Overview:
Number of heat elements: 640
Heat element pitch: 0.125 mm (8 dots/mm.)
Print width: 80 mm. +/- 0.2 mm.
Pulse Life: 100 million pulses
Abrasion Life: 100 km.
Vertical dot pitch 0.264 mm (0.0104 inch) or 96 DPI
Operating Temperature 5-45 degrees C
Humidity: 10-90 % RH (non-condensing)
Operation Precautions:
• Do not print without paper.
• Clean the head with ethyl-alcohol after power is removed from the printer. This will
remove foreign particles or paper dust which may degrade print quality.
• Be sure to set the paper width in the printer’s configuration to agree with the paper
being used (58 or 80 mm width).
2
For DC powered printers, the cash drawer is supplied directly from the DC input supply. The
cash drawer requirements may affect the allowable range of voltages.
Page 26 Rev C 28-07764
iTherm® 280 Programmer’s Guide Specifications and Requirements
• Once narrow paper has been used, some part of the print head always contacts the
platen. If 80 mm. paper is used after setting up and running 58 mm. paper, the head
or the cutter blade may be worn out. Never change the paper width from narrow to
wide (58 to 80 mm.) once you set the paper width to narrow (58 mm.).
Media Specifications
Receipt Paper
Paper feed method Friction feed
Paper feed pitch Default - 1/8 inch
Paper width 80 mm: 79.5 +/- 0.5 mm. (3.13 +/- 0.02 inches)
58 mm: 57.5 +/- 0.5 (2.26 +/- 0.02 inches)
Roll diameter 101.6 mm. (4.0 inches) Max.
Paper thickness 0.06 to 0.09 mm. (.00225 to .0035 inches)
Roll paper core Inside diameter .445 to .635 inches
Outside diameter .730 to .860 inches
Roll footage 400 feet (min.)
Thermal Paper Grades (Monochrome)
Paper
Manufacturer
Basis Weight 14.1 lbs. 14.2 lbs. 14.5 lbs.
Caliper .00225 mils .00226 mils .00235 inches
Image color black Black Black
Brightness 85% 85% 87%
Activation Temp. Initial: 74+/-5°C
Smoothness (bekk) 325 sec. Ave. 325 sec.Ave. 200 (bekk).
Thermal Paper Grades (color)
Paper
Manufacturer
Basis Weight 14.6 lbs. 14.6 lbs. 15.6 lbs. 15.6 lbs.
Caliper .00227 mils .00227 mils .00235 mils .00235 mils
Brightness 87 % 87 % 89.5 % 87.8 %
Image color Red/Black: Blue/Black Red/Black: Blue/Black
Thermal
Response
Smoothness
(bekk)
Paper Usage Precautions:
• The life of the thermal head, when two-color paper is used, is reduced to half of the
life when single-color thermal paper is used.
Kanzaki P-300 Kanzaki P-310 Appleton Alpha 400-2.3
Initial:73 +/-5°C
Effective: 87 +/- 5°C
Optimum: 100 +/- 5°C
Table 3: Paper Grades-Monochrome
Kanzaki P-320 RB Kanzaki P-320 BB Appleton Dual RB Appleton Dual BB
Initial(Red):80 +/-5°C
Initial(B):98 +/-5°C
Effective(Red): 87 +/- 5°C
Effective(B): 116 +/- 5°C
Optimum(Red):100 +/-5°C
Optimum(B):130 +/-5°C
500 sec. ave. 500 sec. ave. 250 sec./min. 250 sec./min.
Initial(Blue):74 +/-5°C
Initial(B):90 +/-5°C
Effective(Blue): 80 +/- 5°C
Effective(B): 120 +/- 5°C
Optimum(Blue):90 +/-5°C
Optimum(B):130 +/-5°C
Table 8: Paper Grades-Color
Effective: 83 +/- 5°C
Optimum: 88 +/- 5°C
Initial(Red):77.8 +/-5°C
Initial(B):77.8 +/-5°C
Optimum(Red):90.5 +/-5°C
Optimum(B):103.3 +/-5°C
Initial:77.2°C
Optimum: 104.8 +/- 5°C
Initial(Blue):69.4 +/-5°C
Initial(B):69.4 +/-5°C
Optimum(Blue):82 +/-5°C
Optimum(B):118 +/-5°C
28-07764 Rev C Page 27
Specifications and Requirements iTherm® 280 Programmer’s Guide
• Use only specified thermal paper. If other paper is used, print quality, head life, and
cutter life may deteriorate.
Paper Out
A receipt paper out sensor is provided as a standard feature. It senses when there is
approximately .5 inches length of paper left on the paper roll.
Paper Low
A receipt paper-low sensor is provided as an optional feature. An operator adjustable
paper-low assembly will be provided to allow the printer to sense when the paper roll
diameter is between .94 to 1.29 inches (approximate). It is adjustable to compensate for
various paper core dimensions.
Paper Low Adjustment Settings Approximate Paper Remaining
(in feet)
UPPER LIMIT: 2 turns (counter clockwise) 29’ 1.29"
1 turn (counter clockwise) 23’ 1.203"
FACTORY SETTING 18' 1.115"
1 turn (clockwise) 13' 1.028"
LOW LIMIT: 2 turns (clockwise) 8.5‘ .940“
Notes:
• These measurements are approximate. Paper roll used for testing had paper roll
core outside diameter of .750 inches, and inside diameter is .625 inches. Results will
vary depending on core O.D./I.D. dimensions.
• Paper roll core should meet or exceed paper width.
• Results based on thermal paper .0025 inches thick.
• The receipt printable area is as shown in the following diagram.
Paper Roll Diameter
1.00”
2.83
3.15
Figure 1 Receipt Printing, Tear off Position
The paper tear off is positioned 1 inch from the last line of print
Page 28 Rev C 28-07764
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