Page 2: Printer Parts
Printer Parts control panel front cover power switch sprockets* * front tractor unit parts paper supports* sprockets** top cover ribbon cartridge paper bail paper supports** print head ** rear tractor unit parts paper separator cover paper separator rear flap serial interface rear cover parallel interface...
Page 3 Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein. Neither SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION nor its affiliates shall be liable to the purchaser of this product or third parties for damages, losses, costs, or expenses incurred by the purchaser or third parties as a result of: accident, misuse, or abuse of this product or unauthorized modifications, repairs, or alterations to this product.
Page 4 FCC Compliance Statement For United States Users This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio or television reception.
Page 5: Declaration Of Conformity
Model: P970A Conforms to the following Directive(s) and Norm(s): Directive 89/336/EEC: EN 55022 Class B EN 61000-3-2 EN 61000-3-3 EN 50082-1 IEC 801-2 IEC 801-3 IEC 801-4 Directive 73/23/EEC: EN 60950 March 1998 Y. Ishii President of EPSON EUROPE B.V.
Page 6: Safety Information
Safety Information Important Safety Instructions Before using the printer, read all of these instructions to make sure you use the printer safely and effectively. Follow all warnings and instructions marked on the printer. Do not place the printer on an unstable surface or near a radiator or heat source.
Page 7 Gebäudeinstallation mit einem 16 A-Überstromschalter abgesichert ist. ENERGY TAR Compliance As an NERGY TAR Partner, EPSON has determined that this product meets the NERGY TAR guidelines for energy efficiency. The International NERGY TAR Office Equipment Program is...
Page 8: For United Kingdom Users
For United Kingdom Users Use of options Epson (UK) Limited shall not be liable against any damages or problems arising from the use of any options or consumable products other than those designated as Original EPSON Products or EPSON Approved Products by Epson (UK) Limited.
Page 9: Table Of Contents
Contents Introduction Features ....... . 0-1 Options ....... . 0-2 How to Use This Manual .
Page 10 For Windows NT 4.0 Users ..... 2-12 Installing the printer driver ....2-12 Accessing the printer driver .
Page 11 Using EPSON Status Monitor 2 Installing EPSON Status Monitor 2 ....5-2 Accessing EPSON Status Monitor 2 ....5-3 Checking the Printer Status .
Page 12 Chapter 6 Using Printer Options Using the Pull Tractor ......6-2 Installing the pull tractor ....6-2 Using the pull tractor with the front tractor .
Page 13 Appendix B Printer Commands and Character Tables EPSON ESC/P Control Codes ....B-2 Barcode commands ..... . . B-3 IBM 2381 Plus Emulation Control Codes .
Page 14 Customer Support ......C-4 Faxon EPSON ......C-5 EPtec - Bulletin Board Service for latest drivers and utilities C-5 World Wide Web .
Page 15: Features
Introduction The EPSON DFX-8500 printer is an advanced dot matrix printer designed for business applications. The printer combines high performance and reliability with a wide range of features, including high speed printing and automatic paper handling. Features High speed draft mode printing of up to 1120 characters per second (cps) at 10 characters per inch (cpi).
Page 16: Options
Chapter 4 describes how to use your printer’s control panel functions, change DIP switch settings, and use the paper memory feature. Chapter 5 explains how to use the EPSON Status Monitor 2 for Windows 95. Introduction...
Page 17: Warnings, Cautions, And Notes
Chapter 6 explains how to use optional accessories with your printer. Chapter 7 provides printer maintenance and transportation guidelines. Chapter 8 contains troubleshooting tips. If the printer does not operate properly or the printed results are not what you expect, see this chapter for a list of problems and solutions.
Page 18: If You Need Help
If You Need Help If you need assistance in setting up or using your printer, see Appendix C for guidelines on how to get customer support. Introduction...
Page 19: Setting Up The Printer
Chapter 1 Setting Up the Printer Unpacking the Printer ..... . . Choosing a Place for the Printer ....Installing the Ribbon Cartridge .
Page 20: Unpacking The Printer
Unpacking the Printer Because the printer weighs approximately 29 kg (64 lbs), you should not lift or carry it alone. Two people should carry it by the bottom, as shown here: Setting Up the Printer...
Page 21 In addition to this guide, your printer box should include two EPSON printer driver diskettes, two Status Monitor software diskettes, a Notice Sheet, and the following items: power cord printer screwdriver ribbon cartridge optional connector lock nuts Note: Depending on your printer model, the power cord may be permanently attached to the printer.
Page 22: Choosing A Place For The Printer
You must remove all protective materials packed around and inside your printer before you set it up and turn on the power. Follow the directions on the Notice Sheet to remove these materials. A screwdriver has been included for removing the transportation screw.
Page 23 Avoid electrical outlets controlled by wall switches or automatic timers. An interruption of power can erase information in the memory of your printer or computer. Avoid outlets on the same circuit as large motors or other appliances that can cause voltage fluctuations. Keep the entire computer system away from potential sources of electromagnetic interference, such as loudspeakers or the base units of cordless telephones.
Page 24: Installing The Ribbon Cartridge
Installing the Ribbon Cartridge Before installing the ribbon cartridge, make sure that the protective packing materials have been removed and that the power cord is not plugged into an electrical outlet. Remove the ribbon cartridge from the box and plastic bag. Then follow these steps: 1.
Page 25 2. Slide the print head to the open section of the paper bail as shown below. Position the print head here. 3. Remove the separator from the middle of the ribbon cartridge and discard it. Then detach the ribbon guide from the cartridge (but not from the ribbon) and turn the ribbon-tightening knob in the direction of the arrow to take up any slack in the ribbon.
Page 26 4. Hold the ribbon cartridge with both hands and lower it into the printer as shown below. Pulling the cartridge toward you, slide the notches nearest you over the two corresponding pins in the printer. Then push the cartridge down into position until the other two slots snap into place over the mounting pins in the printer.
Page 27 6. Insert the ribbon guide over the metal pins on each side of the print head as shown below. The smaller end of the guide should be on top, with its angled edge facing back toward the platen. Turn the ribbon-tightening knob again to remove any slack in the ribbon.
Page 28: Plugging In The Printer
8. Close the top cover. Plugging in the Printer 1. Make sure the printer is turned off. (The “ ” symbol on the power switch located on the lower right side of the printer should be pressed down.) 2. Check the label on the back of the printer to make sure the voltage matches that of your electrical outlet.
Page 29: Connecting The Printer To Your Computer
Connecting the Printer to Your Computer Your printer has two separate interface connections: ® a Centronics compatible parallel interface and an RS-232C- compatible serial interface. If you are not sure which one is required by your computer, check your computer manual. Note: Your printer has an auto interface mode function that allows you to connect to more than one interface at a time.
Page 30 Follow the steps below to connect a parallel or serial interface cable to the printer. 1. Make sure both the printer and computer are turned off. 2. Open the rear cover by grasping it on each side and pulling down. rear cover 3.
Page 31 4. If you are connecting the parallel interface, squeeze the wire clips together until they lock in place on either side of the connector. If your cable has a ground wire, connect it to the printer’s ground connector as shown below. If you are connecting the serial interface, fasten the screws on the cable connector.
Page 32 5. Open the plastic clamp to the right or left of the interface connectors by pulling out its top tab. Insert the cable in the plastic clamp and close the clamp, as shown below. 6. Close the rear cover. Caution: Always close the rear cover before using the printer.
Page 33 7. Plug the other end of the cable into the computer. (If there is a ground wire at the computer end of the cable, attach it to the ground connector at the back of the computer.) Before using the printer’s serial interface, you need to select serial communication by changing the printer’s DIP switch settings.
Page 34 1-16 Setting Up the Printer...
Page 35 Chapter 2 Setting Up Your Software For Windows 95 Users ..... . . Installing the printer driver using My Computer ..Installing the printer driver using plug-and-play .
Page 36: For Windows 95 Users
The EPSON printer software that comes with your printer includes the printer driver software, plus a status monitor utility and paper memory utility for use with Windows 95. A printer driver is software that allows your computer to control the printer. You need to install the printer driver so your software applications can take full advantage of the printer’s capabilities.
Page 37: Installing The Printer Driver Using My Computer
3. Double-click the Setup.exe icon, then select your printer icon in the EPSON Printer Driver Setup dialog box shown below. Click OK and follow the on-screen instructions. After you install your printer driver for Windows 95, you can install the EPSON Status Monitor 2 utility program.
Page 38: Installing The Printer Driver Using Plug-And-Play
Installing the printer driver using plug-and-play If your computer has an IEEE-1284 compatible, bidirectional parallel port, you can install the printer driver using the Windows 95 plug-and-play feature. See your computer documentation for more information. 1. Make sure the printer is connected to your computer as described on page 1-11.
Page 39: Accessing The Printer Driver
Once you install your printer driver for Windows 95, you can install the EPSON Status Monitor 2 utility program. This utility monitors the status of your printer, alerts you when errors occur, and provides you with troubleshooting tips.
Page 40: Changing The Printer Driver Settings
Accessing the printer driver from Windows applications To access the printer driver from your Windows application, select Print Setup or Print from the File menu. The Printer or Print Setup dialog box appears. From the Print dialog box, choose Printer, Setup, Properties, or Options, depending on the options available in your application.
Page 41 Paper menu Paper size Select the size of the paper loaded in the printer. If you don’t see your paper size, use the scroll bar to scroll through the list. If your paper size is not included in the list, click Custom and enter the correct paper size in the dialog box that appears.
Page 42: For Windows 3.1 Users
3. Choose Run from the File menu. The following dialog box appears: 4. Type A:\SETUP. (If you inserted the driver disk in a drive other than “A”, substitute the appropriate letter.) Click OK. The EPSON Printer Driver Setup dialog box appears: Setting Up Your Software...
Page 43: Accessing The Printer Driver
Windows. 6. When the installation is complete, click OK to exit. Windows will now use the EPSON DFX-8500 printer as its default printer on port LPT1. If you need to change the default printer or the port assignment, use the Printers utility in the Control Panel.
Page 44 Accessing the printer driver from Windows applications To access the printer driver from your windows application, select Print Setup or Print from the File menu. If you choose Print Setup, you see your application’s Print Setup dialog box, where you can make settings for paper size, paper source, and orientation.
Page 45: Changing The Printer Driver Settings
Changing the printer driver settings Before printing, check that the printer driver settings are appropriate for the kind of document you want to print, and change the settings as needed. When you are finished making changes, click OK to apply the settings, or click Cancel to cancel your changes.
Page 46: For Windows Nt 4.0 Users
To access the following settings from your application, you may need to click Printer, Setup, Options, or some combination of these buttons. If you accessed the driver from the Control Panel, click Options to access these settings. Dithering You can leave this option set to Fine, which is the default setting, or select another dithering pattern depending on the kind of printout you want.
Page 47: Accessing The Printer Driver
3. Double-click the Setup.exe icon, then select your printer icon in the EPSON Printer Driver Setup dialog box shown below. Click OK and follow the on-screen instructions. Before you start printing, you should make sure that the printer driver settings match your document requirements.
Page 48 Accessing the printer driver from Windows applications To access the printer driver from your Windows application, select Print Setup or Print from the File menu. If you choose Print Setup, you see your application’s Print Setup dialog box. If you choose Print, you see your application’s Print dialog box. To access the printer driver from the Print dialog box, choose Printer, Setup, Properties, or Options, depending on the options available in your application.
Page 49: Changing The Printer Driver Settings
Changing the printer driver settings Before printing, check that the printer driver settings on the Page Setup and Advanced menus are appropriate for the kind of document you want to print, and change settings as needed. When you are finished making changes, click OK to apply the settings, or click Cancel to return the settings to their previous values.
Page 50: For Windows Nt 3.5X Users
Document Double-click Halftone Color Adjustment to Options open this dialog box. Click Print Quality and select Letter Quality or Draft Quality. Click Print Text as Graphics or Metafile Spooling and select On or Off in each list box. After you’ve checked your printer driver settings, you are ready to print.
Page 51: Accessing The Printer Driver
4. In the command line box, type A:\SETUP, and click OK. If you inserted the driver disk in a drive other than “A”, substitute the appropriate letter. 5. Select your printer icon in the EPSON Printer Driver Setup dialog box as shown below. Click OK and follow the on-screen instructions.
Page 52 Accessing the printer driver from Windows applications To access the printer driver from your Windows application, select Print Setup or Print from the File menu. The Print or Print Setup dialog box appears. Make sure that your printer is selected and then click Printer, Setup, Properties, or Options. You may need to click a combination of these buttons.
Page 53: Changing The Printer Driver Settings
3. Click the Details button, then click Job Default. You see the Document Properties dialog box, which includes the Form and Orientation settings described below. If you want to access the form source settings, click the Set Up button instead of the Details button. You see the Printer Setup dialog box, which includes the Forms Source and Forms Name settings described below.
Page 54 Document Properties dialog box Form Select the kind of form loaded in the printer. If you don’t see your form, select it from the Form list. Orientation Select Portrait or Landscape. The diagram on the screen changes according to the orientation you select.
Page 55: For Dos Program Users
Choose the EPSON DFX-8500 printer at the appropriate step in the procedure. If the list in your application does not include the DFX-8500 printer, choose the first available printer from...
Page 56 2-22 Setting Up Your Software...
Page 57 Chapter 3 Paper Handling Using the Two-Tractor System ....3-2 Positioning the paper supply ....3-2 What paper types you can use .
Page 58: Using The Two-Tractor System
Using the Two-Tractor System Your printer’s paper handling system consists of a front push tractor and a rear push tractor. Both tractors are easy to load and operate, and both accommodate a wide variety of paper types, including labels and multi-part forms. The printer automatically adjusts to the thickness of your loaded paper, so you don’t need to make any manual adjustments to the paper thickness settings.
Page 59: What Paper Types You Can Use
The following illustration shows three ways to position your printer and paper: with the front tractor loaded, with the rear tractor loaded, and with both tractors loaded. Note: Make sure that your stack of printed pages does not interfere with the rear tractor’s paper supply.
Page 60: Loading Paper Onto The Front Tractor
Loading Paper onto the Front Tractor Follow these steps to load paper onto the front tractor: 1. Turn off the printer, then open the printer’s front cover by lifting up the middle of its bottom edge until it locks in place, as shown below.
Page 61 3. Position the left sprocket so that the sprocket pins are to the left of the arrow mark on the scale. Lock it into place by pushing up the sprocket lock lever. arrow mark on the scale 4. Now slide the right sprocket to approximately match the width of your paper.
Page 62 5. Slide the two paper supports so that they are spaced evenly between the two sprockets. paper supports 6. Open both sprocket covers. sprocket cover Paper Handling...
Page 63 7. Be sure your paper has a clean, straight edge, and then fit the first five holes in the paper over the sprocket pins as shown below. The side of the paper that you want to print on should be facing you. Now close the sprocket covers. 8.
Page 64 9. Pull the printer’s front cover out slightly and lower it until it is closed. Caution: Do not push the front cover directly down; always pull it out slightly before closing. Before turning on the printer, be absolutely sure you have removed all protective materials.
Page 65 11. Check the Tractor Select indicator to see which tractor is selected: If the front tractor arrow light is red, press the LF/FF Load button to load the paper. If the rear tractor arrow light is red, press the Front/Rear button to switch to the front tractor. When the printer switches tractors, it also loads the paper automatically.
Page 66: Loading Paper Onto The Rear Tractor
Loading Paper onto the Rear Tractor Follow the steps below to load paper onto the rear tractor. (You do not need to remove the paper from the front tractor first.) 1. Turn off the printer. 2. Open the printer’s top cover as shown below. 3.
Page 67 4. Release the sprocket lock levers on the rear tractor’s right and left sprockets by pushing each lever back. sprocket lock lever Caution: Do not try to pull on or remove the elastic cord from the tractor. 5. Position the left sprocket so that the sprocket pins are to the left of the arrow mark on the scale.
Page 68 6. Now slide the right sprocket to approximately match the width of your paper. (Do not lock it in place yet.) 7. Slide the two paper supports so they are spaced evenly between the two sprockets. paper supports 3-12 Paper Handling...
Page 69 8. Open both sprocket covers. sprocket cover 9. Make sure your paper has a clean, straight edge. With the side of the paper you want to print on facing down, insert your paper through the opening at the rear of the printer. Note: You may find it easier to load the paper by standing to the side.
Page 70 10. Fit the first five holes in the paper over the sprocket pins as shown below. Now close the sprocket covers. 11. Slide the right sprocket to remove any slack in the paper. Make sure the paper is straight and has no wrinkles. Pull the sprocket lock lever forward to lock the sprocket in place.
Page 71 12. Close the top cover and the rear flap. The paper is now loaded in the standby position. 13. Turn on the printer. The print head moves to the left and the Power and Paper Out lights come on. Also, either the front or rear tractor arrow on the Tractor Select indicator lights up, depending on which tractor was selected when the printer was turned off last.
Page 72 14. Check the Tractor Select indicator to see which tractor is selected: If the rear tractor arrow light is red, press the LF/FF Load button to load the paper. If the front tractor arrow light is red, press the Front/Rear button to switch to the rear tractor. When the printer switches tractors, it also loads the paper automatically.
Page 73: Adjusting The Paper Position
Adjusting the Paper Position You can adjust the top-of-form position as well as the printing position at any point on the page by using the TOF and Micro Feed buttons. The printer then remembers the new top-of-form position. When you use the optional pull tractor, you can adjust the paper position as described below.
Page 74 You can set the top-of-form position from 2.6 mm (0.1 inch) to 33.9 mm (1.33 inch) below the top edge of the paper. The factory setting is 5.8 mm (0.2 inch). Follow the steps below to reset (permanently change) the top-of-form position.
Page 75 4. Use the Micro Feed buttons to feed the paper to the desired top-of-form position. The red line on the ribbon protector shows you where the bottom edge of your first line of text will print. This position is based on the first printable line of text.
Page 76: Adjusting The Printing Position
Adjusting the printing position You may need to adjust the printing position in the middle of a page, or to adjust the top-of-form position when using labels. When you move the printing position, you temporarily change the top-of-form position by the same amount. For example, if you adjust the printing in the middle of the page so that it falls a half-inch lower, the next page will begin printing a half-inch lower as well.
Page 77: Tearing Off The Printed Pages
Tearing Off the Printed Pages After you finish printing, you can use the tear-off feature to advance continuous paper on the push tractor to the tear-off edge of the printer. You can then easily tear off printed sheets. When you resume printing, the printer automatically feeds paper back to the loading position.
Page 78 Follow these steps to select tear-off mode: 1. Make sure the printer is turned off. 2. Turn DIP switch 3-1 on. 3. Turn the printer on. When tear-off mode is on and you print on continuous paper on the push tractor, the printer advances the final printed page to the tear-off position.
Page 79: Using The Tear Off Button
Using the Tear Off button Whether or not the printer is in tear-off mode, you can use the Tear Off button to advance continuous paper to the tear-off position by following the steps below. 1. Make sure printing has finished. Then press the Tear Off button.
Page 80 3. Press the Tear Off button to enter the tear-off mode. The Tear Off light comes on and the printer feeds the paper’s perforation to the printer’s tear-off edge. 4. If the paper is not aligned with the tear-off edge, press the Micro Feed buttons to feed the paper forward or backward in 1/216-inch increments.
Page 81 5. Tear off the page using the tear-off edge on the printer’s top cover. 6. Press the Tear Off button to feed the paper back to the top-of-form position. You are now ready to print your next document. Caution: Always tear off the printed document before you feed the paper back to the top-of-form position.
Page 82: Switching Between Front And Rear Tractors
Switching Between Front and Rear Tractors You can easily switch between paper loaded on the front tractor and paper loaded on the rear tractor. The instructions below explain how to switch from the front tractor to the rear tractor, but you can follow the same steps to switch from the rear tractor to the front tractor.
Page 83 2. If you have a printed document or excess paper still in the printer, use the tear-off feature described in the previous section to tear off the document or excess paper. Caution: Always tear off the printed document and any excess paper before switching tractors.
Page 84: Changing The Paper
Changing the Paper This section describes how to change paper on the front tractor, but you can follow the same steps when you change the paper on the rear tractor. Before you start, make sure the printer is turned on and the front tractor is selected.
Page 85 2. Press the Front/Rear button to switch to the rear tractor. The front-loaded paper automatically feeds back to the standby position. 3. Open the printer’s front cover. (To change the rear-loaded paper, open the printer’s top cover and the rear flap.) 3-29 Paper Handling...
Page 86 4. Open the sprocket covers and remove the paper from the tractor. sprocket cover 5. Load the new paper as described in steps 2 through 11 on page 3-4 (or for rear-loaded paper, steps 4 through 14 beginning on page 3-11). 3-30 Paper Handling...
Page 87: Printing On Multi-Part Forms And Labels
Printing on Multi-Part Forms and Labels Your printer can print on both single-sheet and continuous multi-part forms, as well as on labels. You can print on various types of paper, including multi-part forms and labels. Your printer can also handle a variety of paper thicknesses, from thin paper to seven sheets (or six sheets on the rear tracor) including the original.
Page 88: Using Multi-Part Forms
When you use the paper memory feature described in Chapter 4, the DFX-8500 can print on multi-part forms that vary in thickness, such as forms with labels on them or forms that overlap slightly where they are glued together. These forms are thicker in the label area and in the places where they overlap or are joined together, as shown below.
Page 89: Using Labels
Using labels When selecting labels for printing, always choose the type mounted on continuous paper with sprocket holes for use with a tractor. Load labels in the front tractor only, following the instructions for loading continuous paper. See “Loading Paper Onto the Front Tractor” on page 3-4. Caution: Never use the Tear Off, Front/Rear, or reverse-feeding (bottom) Micro Feed button when labels are loaded in the...
Page 90 3-34 Paper Handling...
Page 91 Chapter 4 Using the Printer Control Panel ......4-2 Lights ....... 4-2 Buttons .
Page 92: Control Panel
Control Panel The control panel consists of indicator lights and buttons, and gives you access to several powerful features. Lights Power On when the power switch is on and power is supplied to the printer. On when the printer is out of paper. Paper Out Comes on when there is no paper positioned behind the print head, even...
Page 93 The font selection status is displayed by Font two font lights on the control panel: Super Draft Draft Roman Sans serif n =On, o =Off Pitch The pitch selection status is displayed by three pitch lights on the control panel: 10 cpi o o n 12 cpi...
Page 94: Buttons
On when the front tractor is selected. The Tractor Select light is green when paper is loaded (even Front if the paper is in the standby position), and red when the tractor is out of paper. On when the rear tractor is selected. The Tractor Select light is green when paper is loaded (even Rear...
Page 95 Selects the characters per inch for printing. Pitch Press the button until the light appears next to the desired pitch. (Your software setting overrides this setting.) Lets you print the document darker. This Copy button is available in SuperDraft and Draft mode only and is disabled if you use the status monitor utility and select a paper number from 1 to 8.
Page 96 This button can also be used to run the printer’s NLQ self test. See “Printing a Self Test” in Chapter 8. Caution: Never press the Tear Off button when labels are loaded in the printer. Use the LF/FF Load button to feed the printed labels to a point where they can be torn off.
Page 97 To reset the tear-off position, press the Tear Off button to enter tear-off mode and feed the paper to the tear-off position. Then use the Micro Feed buttons to move the paper to the desired position. See “Adjusting the tear-off position” in Chapter 3.
Page 98: Other Control Panel Features
Other control panel features Self test By holding down the LF/FF Load or Tear Off button while you turn on the printer, you can start the printer’s self test. The self test prints the characters in the printer’s ROM (Read Only Memory). See “Printing a Self Test”...
Page 99: Using Dip Switches
Using DIP Switches Your printer has five sets of DIP switches which control printer functions such as page length and printing speed. DIP switch settings are shown in the DIP switch tables starting on page 4-11. Descriptions of all the DIP switch functions are provided beginning on page 4-16.
Page 100 4. Open the DIP switch cover. 5. Use a pointed instrument, such as the tip of a ballpoint pen, to turn the switch either on or off. A DIP switch is on when it is up, and off when it is down. Note: Always make sure that the printer is turned off before changing any DIP switches.
Page 101: Dip Switch Tables
DIP switch tables The following tables list the settings for each DIP switch. For more information about each feature, see the explanations following the tables. DIP switch 1 Switch Description Character table See Tables A-1 and Table A-2 Skip over perforation Active Inactive Print direction...
Page 102 DIP switch 3 Switch Description Auto tear off Active Inactive Zero slash Active Inactive Auto line feed Active Inactive Buzzer (beep) Inactive Active Auto CR (IBM 2381 Plus) Active Inactive IBM character table Table 1 Table 2 Auto cut mode Active Inactive Software...
Page 103: Using The Printer
Table A-1 Character table (standard model) Character table SW 1-1 SW 1-2 SW 1-3 SW 1-4 SW 1-5 SW 1-6 PC437 (US, Standard Europe) PC850 (Multilingual) PC860 (Portuguese) PC861 (Icelandic) PC863 (Canadian-French) PC865 (Nordic) Abicomp BRASCII Roman 8 ISO Latin 1 Italic U.S.A Italic France Italic Germany...
Page 104 Character table SW 1-1 SW 1-2 SW 1-3 SW 1-4 SW 1-5 SW 1-6 PC855 (Cyrillic) PC857 (Turkish) PC866 (Russian) PC869 (Greek) MAZOWIA (Poland) Code MJK (CSFR) ISO 8859-7 (Latin/Greek) ISO Latin 1T (Turkish) Bulgaria (Bulgarian) Estonia (Estonia) PC774 (LST 1283:1993) ISO 8859-2 PC866LAT.
Page 105 Table B Page length for front tractor Page length for SW 2-1 SW 2-2 SW 2-3 SW 2-4 front tractor 11 inches 4 inches 5.5 inches 6 inches 7 inches 8 inches 8.5 inches 70/6 inches 12 inches 14 inches 17 inches Table C Page length for rear tractor...
Page 106: Dip Switch Functions
Table D I/F (interface) mode I/F mode SW 4-3 SW 4-4 Auto Parallel I/F Serial I/F Optional I/F Table E Serial parity Serial parity SW 4-5 SW 4-6 None Even Ignore Table F Serial baud rate Serial baud rate SW 4-7 SW 4-8 19200 09600...
Page 107 Skip over perforation When DIP switch 1-7 is on, the printer inserts a one-inch margin between the last line printed on one page and the first line printed on the next page. By adjusting your top-of-form position, you can get half the margin at the bottom of one page and half at the top of the next page.
Page 108 Auto line feed When DIP switch 3-3 is on, the printer adds a line feed (LF) command to every carriage return (CR) code sent by the application program software. When the switch is off, line feeds occur only when the software sends line feed commands to the printer.
Page 109 Software When DIP switch 3-8 is on, the printer operates in IBM 2381 Plus emulation mode. When this DIP switch is off, the printer operates in EPSON ESC/P mode. Input buffer The printer’s input buffer provides additional memory to free up the computer more quickly when you print large amounts of text or graphics.
Page 110 Auto I/F (interface) wait time When the printer is in the auto interface mode and it receives no data from the currently selected interface for the amount of time specified with this setting, it determines which interface is receiving data and switches to that interface. You can specify 10 seconds when DIP switch 4-2 is off.
Page 111 Serial baud rate If your computer is set up for serial communication you may need to change the serial bit (also known as baud) rate setting. The serial baud rate is the rate at which the printer receives data from the computer. DIP switches 4-7 and 4-8 control the serial baud rate.
Page 112: Using The Paper Memory Feature
Using the Paper Memory Feature When you use multi-part forms that overlap, or forms with labels on them, you can use the paper memory feature for better print quality. It automatically adjusts the gap between the print head and the platen based upon the type of paper set in memory.
Page 113: Saving Paper Memory Settings
Saving paper memory settings This procedure requires setting several DIP switches. See the section on changing DIP switch settings earlier in this chapter. 1. Make sure the printer is turned off. 2. Turn DIP switch 5-4 off to save your settings for memory a or on for memory b.
Page 114 4. Select the paper type by turning DIP switches 5-1, 5-2, and 5-3 on or off as shown below. Overlapping multi-part forms SW 5-1 Inactive Active Multi-part forms with labels SW 5-2 Inactive Active Skip over binding SW 5-3 Inactive Active 5.
Page 115 6. Open the printer cover. Warning: If you have been using the printer, the print head may be hot; let it cool for a few minutes before touching it. 7. Move the pointer (the point where the two lines intersect) to the label’s upper left corner.
Page 116 10. Press the TOF button. The printer beeps twice. If the settings are not correct, the printer beeps five times. If this happens, repeat step 9. 11. Close the printer cover. The printer saves the continuous forms with labels information in the memory area you selected.
Page 117: Using Epson Status Monitor 2
Using EPSON Status Monitor 2 Installing EPSON Status Monitor 2 ....Accessing EPSON Status Monitor 2 ....
Page 118: Installing Epson Status Monitor 2
Note: If you installed the Status Monitor before the driver, install the printer driver, then install the Status Monitor again. 2. Insert Disk 1 of the EPSON Status Monitor 2 software in a disk drive. 3. Click START, then Run.
Page 119: Accessing Epson Status Monitor 2
Before using the Status Monitor, be sure to read the README file in the Epson folder on your hard drive. This file contains the latest information on the Status Monitor. Accessing EPSON Status Monitor 2 To open the EPSON Status Monitor 2 window, double-click the background monitoring icon.
Page 120: Checking The Printer Status
“Using the Printer Status window” on page 5-8. Using the EPSON Status Monitor 2 window The main features of the EPSON Status Monitor 2 window are described below. Installed Printers list This list displays information on the EPSON printers connected directly to your computer.
Page 121 This menu allows you to get detailed information on printer and print job status for any printer you select in the Installed Printers list. Click the Printer menu on the EPSON Status Monitor 2 window to access the following settings: Printer Status...
Page 122 View menu This menu lets you control the appearance and content of the EPSON Status Monitor 2 window and the Installed Printers list. Click the View menu on the EPSON Status Monitor 2 window to access the following settings: Toolbar/Status...
Page 123 Click the Settings menu on the EPSON Status Monitor 2 window to access the following settings: Monitoring Opens the Monitoring Preferences Preferences dialog box, where you can adjust the monitoring interval and change the background monitoring settings for the selected printer. For more information, see “Turning on background...
Page 124: Using The Printer Status Window
If you point to a toolbar button, the corresponding menu command appears briefly on your screen, and an explanation of the button’s function appears in the status bar at the bottom of the EPSON Status Monitor 2 window. Using the Printer Status window The Printer Status window shown below provides detailed information on the status of a selected printer.
Page 125 Printer Information menu If your printer is connected to your computer through a network, this menu provides information on network connections and other printer resources. Using EPSON Status Monitor 2...
Page 126: Setting Monitoring Preferences
If the Status Monitor is inactive, open the EPSON Status Monitor 2 window, as described on page 5-3. Then point to Background Monitoring on the Settings menu and click Monitor from restart or Monitor now to enable Status Monitor.
Page 127 Status Alert options. 5. Click the Status Alert options to specify when you want the Status Alert dialog box to appear. 6. Click OK to save your settings and close the Monitoring Preferences dialog box. 5-11 Using EPSON Status Monitor 2...
Page 128: Using The Background Monitoring Icon
Status Monitor is active. Double-clicking the background monitoring icon opens the EPSON Status Monitor 2 window. Right-clicking this icon opens a pop-up menu where you can choose whether the Status Alert dialog box will appear in front of other windows on the desktop.
Page 129: Accessing The Paper Memory Utility
Make sure the printer is ready to print. If the printer is in pause status, press the Pause button to return it to an active state. 2. Click Start, and point to Programs, and Epson, then click the Paper memory utility. Registering or changing your paper settings Follow these steps to register or change paper information: 1.
Page 130 If you use standard size paper, click Standard and select your paper size. Paper Type Select the type of paper you’re using. If you are using crimped multi-part forms, check Crimped. 5-14 Using EPSON Status Monitor 2...
Page 131 A yellow arrow appears beside the paper names that you loaded in the Loading Status setting. When you are finished using the paper memory utility, click Close. You can see this setting on the Printer status window’s consumables menu. 5-15 Using EPSON Status Monitor 2...
Page 132 5-16 Using EPSON Status Monitor 2...
Page 133 Chapter 6 Using Printer Options Using the Pull Tractor ......6-2 Installing the pull tractor ....6-2 Using the pull tractor with the front tractor .
Page 134: Using The Pull Tractor
Using the Pull Tractor The optional pull tractor (#8309) provides optimum continuous paper handling. The pull tractor is especially useful with continuous multi-part forms and labels. For best results, use the pull tractor with either the printer’s front or rear built-in tractor, as described in this section.
Page 135 2. Use a cross-head screwdriver to remove the two screws securing the paper separator to the printer. Then lift the paper separator off the printer. 3. Using the two screws you just removed from the printer’s original paper separator, install the paper separator that comes with the pull tractor.
Page 136 4. Close the paper separator cover and open the printer’s top cover. 5. Holding the pull tractor with its gears to the left, fit the tractor’s front notches over the mounting shaft of the printer. Using Printer Options...
Page 137: Using The Pull Tractor With The Front Tractor
6. Open the paper bail using the tab on its right side. Then tilt the pull tractor back until its rear latches click into place over the printer’s rear mounting pins. 7. Gently close the paper bail (do not apply excess pressure), and then close the printer’s top cover.
Page 138 2. Make sure paper is loaded on the front tractor to the top-of-form position. If paper is already loaded on the tractor but it is in the standby position, press the Front/Rear or LF/FF Load button (depending on which tractor is selected) to load the paper to the top-of-form position.
Page 139 6. Slide the two paper supports so they are spaced evenly between the two sprockets. 7. Fit the sprocket holes of the paper over the sprocket pins. If there is slack in the paper or if the holes in the paper do not align properly with the sprocket pins, pull the paper slightly and use the pull tractor knob to adjust the position of the paper as shown below.
Page 140 Close the sprocket covers. 9. Adjust the two sprockets until the paper is straight and smooth, and then lock the sprockets into place. Caution: Be sure the sprockets are not too far apart. Your paper could jam if they pull the paper too tightly or tear the edges of the paper holes.
Page 141: Using The Pull Tractor With The Rear Tractor
Using the pull tractor with the rear tractor If you are using labels or multi-part forms with more than six sheets (including the original), do not use the rear tractor; use the front tractor as described in the previous section. You can switch between the front and rear tractors at any time when you are using the pull tractor.
Page 142 3. Tilt the tractor forward so that its pins rest on the metal frame of the printer. 4. Load paper onto the rear tractor as described beginning on page 3-10, steps 3 through 11. 5. Open the paper bail by lifting the tab on its right side. Then tilt the pull tractor back until the rear latches click into place over the printer’s rear mounting pins.
Page 143: Removing The Pull Tractor
Removing the pull tractor To remove the pull tractor you’ll need a cross-head screwdriver and the paper separator that was originally installed on the printer. 1. Remove any paper installed on the tractor and turn off the printer. 2. Open the top cover and locate the levers that lock the pull tractor in place on the printer.
Page 144: Using The Perforation Cutter
4. Use a cross-head screwdriver to remove the two screws securing the paper separator to the printer. Then remove the paper separator that came with the pull tractor. 5. Using the two screws, reinstall the original paper separator and close the paper separator cover. Using the Perforation Cutter The optional perforation cutter (C81507 ) makes using...
Page 145: Installing The Perforation Cutter
The following illustration shows a way to position your paper with the rear tractor loaded. Installing the perforation cutter The steps below show you how to install the perforation cutter. You will need a cross-head screwdriver. Note: If you plan to use the perforation cutter with the built-in rear tractor, you need to load paper onto the rear tractor before you install the perforation cutter.
Page 146 2. Use a cross-head screwdriver to remove the two screws securing the paper separator to the printer. Then lift off the paper separator. Store the paper separator and screws for later use. 3. Close the paper separator cover and open the rear flap and remove it by lifting up to pull the pegs on the rear flap out of the notches at the back of the printer.
Page 147 5. Hold the perforation cutter by its handle with the connector facing to the right. Then lower the perforation cutter into the space at the back of the printer, fitting the pins on the sides of the perforation cutter into the notches in the printer. 6.
Page 148: Attaching The Perforated Paper Output Attachment And Output Tray
Attaching the perforated paper output attachment and output tray The perforation cutter comes with the perforated paper output attachment and the perforated paper output tray for stacking printed sheets. You can stack up to 200 sheets of paper or 100 multi-part forms on the output tray. Note: Stacked pages may be turned over on the output tray.
Page 149 2. Close the paper separator cover and position the output tray on the output attachment to accommodate the page length of paper you use: second step: less than 9 inches third step: 10 to 11 inches fourth step: 12 inches or more output tray You are now ready to use the perforation cutter as described in the next section.
Page 150: Paper Handling
DIP switchs (as described in Chapter 4). Note: EPSON recommends that the perforation between pages is folded when using the perforation cutter. The last page may not be ejected completely. If this happens, gently pull it out of the printer.
Page 151 Turn on auto cut mode with DIP switch 3-7; the perforation cutter will cut off each page automatically. See “Using DIP Switches” in Chapter 4. Select the printer’s tear-off mode as follows: 1. Make sure printing has finished. Open the paper separator cover.
Page 152: Removing The Perforation Cutter
Removing the perforation cutter To remove the perforation cutter, follow the steps below. After you remove the perforation cutter, store it in its original box and packing materials. 1. Cut off any printed document in the printer as described in the previous section.
Page 153 3. Unplug the paper cutter’s connector from the printer. 4. Open the top cover. Grasp the handle on the perforation cutter and lift the perforation cutter up and out of the printer. 6-21 Using Printer Options...
Page 154 5. Close the top cover and open the paper separator cover. 6. Reattach the paper separator using the two screws that you removed before. 6-22 Using Printer Options...
Page 155 7. Close the paper separator cover. 8. To reattach the rear flap, fit the pegs on the rear flap into the notches at the back of the printer. Then close the rear flap. 6-23 Using Printer Options...
Page 156: Using The Paper Cutter
Using the Paper Cutter The optional paper cutter (C81500 ) makes using continuous paper easier by cutting off your printed documents for you. When you use the paper cutter, be sure to set the page length to match your paper using either your software or the printer’s DIP switchs (described in Chapter 4).
Page 157 1. Turn off the printer and open the paper separator cover. 2. Use a cross-head screwdriver to remove the two screws securing the paper separator to the printer. Then lift off the paper separator. Store the paper separator and screws for later use.
Page 158 4. Hold the paper cutter by its handle with the connector facing to the right. Then lower it into the space at the back of the printer, fitting the pins on the sides of the paper cutter into the notches in the printer. 5.
Page 159 6. Open the rear flap and remove it by lifting up to pull the pegs on the rear flap out of the notches at the back of the printer. Then plug the paper cutter’s connector securely into the connector inside the printer. 7.
Page 160: Paper Handling
Paper handling This section describes how to use the paper cutter with continuous paper. When you use the paper cutter, you need to set the page length to match your paper. Cutting off a printed document To cut off a printed document, follow the steps below: 1.
Page 161 3. If you loaded new paper onto the current tractor since the last time you cut off a document, you may need to adjust the cutting position. Open the paper separator cover and use the Micro Feed buttons to adjust the cutting position with the cutting line.
Page 162 5. Press the Pause button to turn off the Pause mode so the printer is ready to print. Note: The next printing position after the paper is cut depends on the cutting position and the top-of-form position, as described below. When the cutting position is above the top-of-form position, the printer starts printing at the top-of-form position on the same page.
Page 163 Switching tractors To switch tractors when the paper cutter is installed, follow the steps below: 1. Make sure the printer is turned on. If you are in the middle of printing a document, wait for the printer to finish printing before you switch tractors.
Page 164: Removing The Paper Cutter
Removing the paper cutter To remove the paper cutter, follow the steps below. After you remove the paper cutter, store it in its original box and packing materials. 1. Cut off any printed document in the printer as described in the previous section.
Page 165 4. To replace the rear flap, fit the pegs on the flap into the notches at the back of the printer. Then close the flap. 5. Open the top cover. Grasp the handle on the paper cutter and lift the paper cutter up and out of the printer. 6-33 Using Printer Options...
Page 166 6. Close the top cover and open the paper separator cover. 7. Reattach the paper separator using the two screws that you removed earlier. 8. Close the paper separator cover. 6-34 Using Printer Options...
Page 167: Interface Cards
Ethernet interface *The asterisk is a substitute for the last digit, which varies by country. If you are not sure whether you need an optional interface or would like to know more about interfaces, contact your EPSON dealer. Note: Your printer has an auto interface mode function that allows you to connect to more than one interface at a time.
Page 168: Installing An Interface Card
Installing an interface card Follow the steps below to install an optional interface card. Note: If you install an optional interface card, make sure your printer’s DIP switches are set for automatic or optional interface. See Chapter 4 for information on setting DIP switches. 1.
Page 169 5. Use a screwdriver to remove the screws securing the interface shield plate; remove the shield plate. 6. Slide the interface card into the grooves in the interface slot. Push it in firmly to make sure it connects to the printer’s internal socket.
Page 170: Using A Serial Interface Card (C82305 Or C82306 )
9. Plug the other end of the cable into your computer. 10. Close the interface cover. 11. Plug the power cord into your printer and an electrical outlet. Using a serial interface card (C82305 or C82306 To use a serial interface card (C82305 or C82306 ), see the sections below to set the correct baud rate, handshake timing,...
Page 171: Maintenance And Transportation
Chapter 7 Maintenance and Transportation Replacing the Ribbon Cartridge ....7-2 Cleaning the Printer ......7-4 Transporting the Printer .
Page 172: Replacing The Ribbon Cartridge
Replacing the Ribbon Cartridge When printing becomes too faint, you need to replace the ribbon. Use the #8766 EPSON replacement cartridge only. Warning: If the printer has been used recently, the print head may be hot. Let it cool before attempting to replace the ribbon.
Page 173 4. Pull up on the side of the ribbon cartridge as shown below to release it from the printer’s mounting pins. Remove the cartridge by lifting it up and away from you. Caution: Make sure you don’t pull on the flat gold cable beneath the ribbon cartridge.
Page 174: Cleaning The Printer
Do not use a hard or abrasive brush. Do not spray the inside of the printer with lubricants; unsuitable oils can damage the mechanism. Contact your EPSON dealer if you think lubrication is needed. Maintenance and Transportation...
Page 175: Transporting The Printer
Transporting the Printer If you need to transport your printer some distance, carefully repack it using the original box and packing materials as described below. Warning: Even when you need to carry the printer only a short distance, do not carry it by yourself. The printer should always be carried by two people holding the printer at the bottom.
Page 176 Maintenance and Transportation...
Page 177 Chapter 8 Troubleshooting Using the Error Indicators ..... Printing a Self Test ......Using the Hex Dump Mode .
Page 178: Troubleshooting
This chapter describes what you can do if you are having problems printing. It is divided into these sections: Using the Error Indicators. This section describes how to use the control panel lights as error indicators so you can diagnose and fix printer problems. Printing a Self Test.
Page 179: Using The Error Indicators
Using the Error Indicators You can identify many common printer problems with the lights on the control panel. If your printer stops working and the lights are on or flashing, use the following table of panel light patterns to diagnose the problem, then follow the recommended corrective measures.
Page 180: Troubleshooting
State of Beep Problem and solution panel light pattern n Pause The printer top cover is open. Close the cover and press the Pause button. The paper selected does not match the paper loaded in the printer. Load the correct paper or select the appropriate paper setting.
Page 181: Printing A Self Test
Printing a Self Test Running the printer’s self test helps you determine whether the problem comes from the printer or the computer: If the self test results are satisfactory, the printer is working properly and the problem is probably caused by your printer driver settings, application settings, computer, or interface cable.
Page 182: Using The Hex Dump Mode
3. To end the self test, press the Pause button to stop printing. Tear off the page if necessary, and then turn off the printer. Caution: Do not turn off the printer while it is printing. Always press the Pause button to stop printing and then turn off the printer.
Page 183: Problems And Solutions
By comparing the characters printed in the right column with the printout of the hexadecimal codes, you can check the codes being received by the printer. If characters are printable, they appear in the right column as ASCII characters. Nonprintable codes, such as control codes, are represented by dots.
Page 184: Power Supply
Power supply The lights come on briefly but then go off and stay off. Cause What to do The printer’s voltage rating Check the printer and the outlet may not match the voltage of voltage ratings. If the voltages do not your electrical outlet.
Page 185: Paper Handling
Paper handling The printer does not feed continuous paper properly. Cause What to do The wrong tractor may be Check if the correct tractor arrow is lit selected. on the Tractor Select indicator. If the wrong tractor is selected, be sure paper is loaded to the standby position on the tractor you want to use.
Page 186: Appendix A
The paper is not mounted on Check the paper on the sprockets to the sprockets correctly. be sure the paper’s sprocket holes fit correctly over the sprocket pins. The holes on the sides of the paper may not be aligned with each other. Reposition the paper on the sprocket pins.
Page 187 Skip over perforation does not work. Cause What to do You have turned on DIP To make any new DIP switch settings switch 1-7 when the printer effective, turn off the printer and then was on. turn it back on. Your application software Check that your application software’s may cancel the skip over...
Page 188 When you switch between front and rear tractors, the paper jams or the printer does not feed the paper back to the standby position. Cause What to do The printer may have reverse Use the tear off feature to tear off the fed too many pages.
Page 189: Operation
Operation The Pause light is off but the printer does not print. Cause What to do The interface cable is not Confirm that both ends of the cable plugged in securely. between the printer and the computer are fastened securely. If the cable is connected correctly, run a self test as described on page 8-5.
Page 190 The printer sounds like it is printing, but nothing prints. Cause What to do The ribbon cartridge is not Install the ribbon cartridge as installed properly. described in Chapter 1. The ribbon is worn out. Replace the old ribbon cartridge with a new one as described in Chapter 7.
Page 191: Printout
Printout Part of the printout is missing, or dots are missing in random positions. Cause What to do The ribbon cartridge is not Re-install the ribbon cartridge as installed properly. described in Chapter 1. There is too much slack in the Remove any slack from the ribbon or ribbon or the ribbon has replace the ribbon cartridge with a...
Page 192 Incorrect characters are printed. Cause What to do Your printer and the Make sure that you use the correct computer may not be interface cable and that the communicating correctly. communications protocol is correct. The wrong character table is Select the correct character table using selected in your software.
Page 193 All the text is printed on the same line. Cause What to do No line feed command is sent Make sure that auto line feed is set to at the end of each line of text. ON using DIP switch 3-3 so that the printer automatically adds a line-feed code to each carriage return.
Page 194: Options
Printing starts lower on the page than you expected, or the bottom of a page is printed at the top of the next page. Cause What to do The top and bottom margin Adjust them in your application settings in your application software.
Page 195: Clearing A Paper Jam
Paper jams, does not feed smoothly. Cause What to do The perforation cutter is not Remove the perforation cutter and correctly installed. then reinstall it, making sure the mounting notches and pins fit together properly. See “Installing the perforation cutter” in Chapter 6. You may not be using paper Be sure you’re using the right type of within specifications.
Page 196 8-20 Troubleshooting...
Page 197: Appendix A Specifications
Appendix A Specifications Printer Specifications ......Printing ......Paper .
Page 198: Printer Specifications
Printer Specifications Printing Printing method: 9-pin impact dot matrix Printing speed: Characters per inch Quality Characters/second/line 10 cpi High-speed draft 1120 10 cpi Normal draft 10 cpi Near letter quality 12 cpi Draft 1008 12 cpi Near letter quality Printing direction: Bidirectional logic seeking for text and graphics printing.
Page 199 EPSON Super Draft EPSON Draft 10, 12, 15 EPSON Roman (NLQ) 10, 12, 15, proportional EPSON Sans serif (NLQ) 10, 12, 15, proportional Character tables: One Italic and 10 graphical character tables. (26 graphical character tables are available in certain countries.) See Appendix B for more information on the available character tables.
Page 200: Paper
Paper Note: Use recycled paper, labels, envelopes, postcards, overlapping forms, and continuous forms with labels only under normal temperature and humidity conditions as follows: Temperature 15° to 25°C (59° to 77°F) Humidity 20% to 60% RH Continuous paper (including continuous multi-part forms) The sprocket hole must be a circle or notched circle.
Page 201 If you use continuous paper whose page length (A in the illustration) is under 101.6 mm (4 inches), make sure that the length between folds (B) is over 101.6 mm (4 inches). For continuous multi-part forms: The form sheets of continuous multi-part forms should be securely joined together along the left and right edges by crimping or spot-gluing.
Page 202 The binding area should be flat and should have no creases. The sprocket holes of all sheets in the form should be aligned properly. The binding position should be outside the printable area. Width 101 to 406 mm (4 to 16 inches) Length/page 101 to 431 mm (4 to 17 inches) Number of copies...
Page 203 Labels Labels should be securely attached to the backing sheet and the label surface should be flat. Labels should not peel off their backing sheet under the conditions below. label wrapping drum radius 27 mm wrapping angle wrapping time 24 hours ambient temperature 40 C 27 mm...
Page 204: Continuous Forms With Labels
Labels Size 63.5 mm W 23.8 mm H (2.5 inches W 15/16 inch H) 101 mm W 23.8 mm H (4 inches W 15/16 inch H) 101 mm W 27.0 mm H (4 inches W 17/16 inch H) Total thickness 0.19 mm (0.0075 inch) maximum The difference in thickness must be less than 0.12 mm (0.0047 inch).
Page 205 Area measurements A 13 mm (0.51 inch) B 55 mm (2.17 inches) C Total thickness : 0.53 mm (0.021 inch) maximum Printable area label printable area on a label Area measurements A 13 mm (0.51 inch) B 2.6 mm (0.1 inch) or more C 4.2 mm (0.165 inch) or more D 12.5 mm (0.49 inch) or more E 65 mm (2.56 inches) or more...
Page 206 Overlapping multi-part forms Same as continuous paper (multi-part) except for the following: (side view) backing sheet the top of overlapping form perforation the bottom edge of overlapping form the bottom edge of the glue point area Area measurements A 13 3 mm (0.51 0.12 inch) B 13.3 mm (0.52 inch) or less C From the perforation to the top of the next overlapping form: 3.3 mm (0.13 inch) or more...
Page 207 Area measurements A 19 mm (0.75 inch) or more B 21.2 mm (0.84 inch) or more C 4.2 mm (0.17 inch) or more Overlapping multi-part forms with labels Same as labels except for the following: (side view) the top of backing sheet label overlapping form...
Page 208 Printable area label printable area on a label Area measurements: A 19 mm (0.748 inch) or more B 21.2 mm (0.83 inch) or more C 12.5 mm (0.49 inch) or more D 65 mm (2.56 inches) or more E 2 mm (0.08 inch) or more F 5 mm (0.2 inch) or more G 4.2 mm (0.165 inch) or more Pre-printed paper...
Page 209: Mechanical
Before printing on pre-printed sheets, verify that the area your document will print on does not overlap the pre-printed area by printing separate sample sheets and comparing their printed areas. 12mm 12mm 12mm 12mm continuous paper Mechanical Push tractor (front and rear) Paper feed methods: Push-pull feed with optional pull tractor Total print volume:...
Page 210: Electrical
Electrical 120 V model: Rated voltage AC 120 V Input voltage range AC 99 to 132 V Rated frequency range 50 to 60 Hz Input frequency range 49.5 to 60.5 Hz Rated current 3.5 A (max. 7.5 A) Power consumption Approx.
Page 211: Safety Approvals
Safety approvals 120 V model: Safety standards UL1950 with D3 CSA C22.2 No. 950 with D3 FCC part 15 subpart B class B CSA C108.8 class B 230 V model: Safety standards EN 60950 (VDE, NEMKO) EN 55022 (CISPR pub. 22) class B AS/NZS 3548 class B Approx.
Page 212: Parallel Interface Specifications
Parallel Interface Specifications The printer comes with a bidirectional, 8-bit, parallel interface and a Type-B optional interface slot. Forward channel Transmission mode: 8-bit parallel, IEEE-1284 compatibility mode Adaptable connector: 57-30360 (Amphenol) or equivalent Synchronization: STROBE pulse Handshaking: BUSY and ACKNLG signals Signal level: TTL compatible (IEEE-1284 level 1 device) Reverse channel...
Page 213: Serial Interface Specifications
Serial Interface Specifications The DFX-8500 built-in serial interface is an RS-232C asynchronous interface with the following characteristics. Data format: 1 start bit Data word length: 8 bits Odd, even, no parity, or ignore 1 or more stop bit Signal level: Mark logical “1”...
Page 214 Environmental: Temperature Operation: 5° to 35°C (41° to 95°F) Storage: 30° to 60°C ( 22° to 140°F) Humidity (without Operation: 10% to 80% RH condensation) Storage: 5% to 85% RH Dimensions and weight Height: 130 mm (5.1 inches) Width: 510 mm (20.1 inches) Depth: 110 mm (4.3 inches) Weight: 6.4 kg (2.9 lb) A-18...
Page 215: Barcode Commands
Tables EPSON ESC/P Control Codes ....B-2 Barcode commands ..... . . B-3 IBM 2381 Plus Emulation Control Codes .
Page 216: Epson Esc/P Control Codes
EPSON ESC/P Control Codes Selecting EPSON ESC/P printer in your software allows you to use the most advanced font and graphics handling available. See the ESC/P Reference Manual for details. General operation: ESC@, ESC U, ESC EM Paper feeding: FF, LF, ESC 0, ESC 1, ESC 2, ESC 3, ESC A, CR...
Page 217: Barcode Commands
Barcode commands Your printer has powerful barcode printing capabilities and includes the following resident barcode fonts: EAN-13, EAN-8, Interleaved 2 of 5, UPC-A, UPC-E, Code 39, Code 128, and POSTNET. See the Barcode commands below: ESC ( B Select Barcode Printing Format: ASCII code: Decimal:...
Page 218 c: Control flag Bit 0 = Check digit 0: The printer does not add A check digit. 1: The printer adds A check digit. Bit 1 = Human readable character (HRC) 0: The printer adds the HRC. 1: The printer does not add the HRC. Bit 2 = Position of flag character (for EAN-13 and UPC-A only) 0: Center 1: Under...
Page 219 The valid data of each barcode type is described below. If invalid data is included in the barcode data string, the barcode is not printed. Barcode type Barcode data EAN13 0-9 (Hex 30-39) EAN-8 0-9 (Hex 30-39) UPC-A 0-9 (Hex 30-39) UPC-E 0-9 (Hex 30-39) Interleaved 2 of 5...
Page 220: Ibm 2381 Plus Emulation Control Codes
IBM 2381 Plus Emulation Control Codes This printer emulates the IBM Proprinter with the following commands. For detailed information, see IBM’s 2381 Plus reference manual. General operation: NUL, DC3, ESC j, BEL, CAN, DC1, ESC Q, ESC [ K, ESC U, ESC [ F Paper feeding: FF, LF, ESC 5, ESC A, ESC 0, ESC 1, ESC 2, ESC 3, CR, ESC ] Page format:...
Page 221: Character Tables
Character Tables These character tables are selected with the DIP switches or by using a software command. Note: Characters for hex codes 00 through 7F for most tables are the same as those for PC437. Therefore, some tables may only list characters for hex codes 80 through Tables with an asterisk (*) after the table name are available only in some countries.
Page 222 PC437 (USA, standard Europe) PC850 (Multilingual) PC860 (Portuguese) Printer Commands and Character Tables...
Page 223 PC861 (Icelandic) PC863 (Canadian-French) PC865 (Nordic) Abicomp Printer Commands and Character Tables...
Page 224 Roman 8 BRASCII ISO Latin 1 B-10 Printer Commands and Character Tables...
Page 225 PC437 Greek PC852 (East Europe)* PC853 (Turkish)* PC855 (Cyrillic)* B-11 Printer Commands and Character Tables...
Page 226 PC857 (Turkish)* PC866 (Russian)* PC869 (Greek)* MAZOWIA (Poland)* B-12 Printer Commands and Character Tables...
Page 227 Code MJK (CSFR)* ISO 8859-7 (Latin/Greek)* ISO Latin 1T (Turkish)* Bulgaria (Bulgarian)* B-13 Printer Commands and Character Tables...
Page 228 Estonia (Estonia)* PC774 (LST 1283 : 1993)* ISO 8859-2* PC866 LAT. (Latvian)* B-14 Printer Commands and Character Tables...
Page 229 PC866UKR* PC APTEC (Arabic)* PC708 (Arabic)* PC720 (Arabic)* B-15 Printer Commands and Character Tables...
Page 230 PC AR864 (Arabic)* Italic No character is available for hex code 15 in the italic character table. B-16 Printer Commands and Character Tables...
Page 231: International Character Sets
International character sets You can select one of the following international character sets with the DIP switches or by sending the ESC R command. For example, when you select “Italic France,” the characters in the “France” row on the table below are used in the italic character table.
Page 232: Symbol Set
Symbol set Characters defined in the following symbol set can be printed using the ESC \ (characters) or ESC ^ (one character) software command. This is available in the IBM emulation mode. B-18 Printer Commands and Character Tables...
Page 233: Contacting Customer Support
Customer Support ......Faxon EPSON ......
Page 234: For United States And Canada Users
Software application(s) you normally use with your printer and their version number(s). For United States and Canada Users If you purchased your printer in the United States or Canada, EPSON provides customer support through the following services: Electronic support services...
Page 235: Automated Telephone Services
EPSON Accessories at (800) 873-7766 (U.S. sales only). In Canada, please call (800) 873-7766 for dealer referral. Note: If you need help using software with an EPSON product, see the documentation for that program for technical support information. Contacting Customer Support...
Page 236: For United Kingdom And The Republic Of Ireland Users
Service and Support Information booklet that came with your EPSON product. If this booklet is not available, details can be found on Faxon EPSON faxback service, EPtec Bulletin Board Service or on EPSON’s World Wide Web site. See below for details.
Page 237: Faxon Epson
Faxon EPSON will fax a copy of the document catalogue to your fax machine. When you have found the documents that you need in the catalogue, call Faxon EPSON again and enter the document ID numbers.
Page 238: For Australian Users
For Australian Users EPSON Australia wishes to provide you with a high level of Customer Service. As well as this User’s Guide, we provide the following sources for obtaining information: EPSON FAXBACK EPSON FAXBACK will fax you the latest specifications and pricing for most EPSON products offered in Australia.
Page 239: Epson Helpdesk
EPSON Helpdesk EPSON Helpdesk is provided as a final backup to make sure our clients have access to advice. Operators on the Helpdesk can aid you in diagnosing hardware and software problems. They can also advise you on the latest EPSON products and where the nearest dealer or service agent is located.
Page 240: Internet Home Page
Internet home page EPSON Hong Kong has established a local home page in both Chinese and English on the Internet to provide users with the following information: Product information Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Latest versions of EPSON printer drivers Users can access our World Wide Web home page at: http://www.epson.com.hk.
Page 241: Glossary
Glossary These definitions apply specifically to printers. application A software program that helps you carry out a particular task such as word processing or financial planning. ASCII American Standard Code for Information Interchange. A standardized coding system for assigning numerical codes to letters and symbols. baud rate A measure of the speed of data transmission.
Page 242 Abbreviation for EPSON Standard Code for Printers (read E-S-C-P), a system of commands that lets you control your printer using your computer’s software. The system is standard for all EPSON printers and supported by most software programs for personal computers.
Page 243 hex dump A troubleshooting feature that helps advanced users detect the cause of communication problems between the printer and computer. When the printer is in hex dump mode, it prints each code that it receives in hexadecimal notation and ASCII code. Also called data dump. high-speed draft One of three print qualities available on your printer.
Page 244 overlapping multi-part forms A kind of continuous paper that provides you with multi-part forms. The page length of the multi-part forms is longer than that of the backing continuous paper. So when extended, one page’s multi-part forms overlap the next page’s multi-part forms. The thickness of this overlapping area is thicker than the printable area.
Page 245 push tractor A device that feeds continuous paper through the printer. Both the front and rear built-in tractors are push tractors; they push the paper through the printer to the print head. Random Access Memory. The portion of the printer’s memory that is used as a buffer and for storing user-defined characters.
Page 246 GL-6 Glossary...
Page 247 Driver. See Printer driver Cables. See Interface cable Changing paper, 3-28–30 Character tables, B-7–18 Emulation, IBM, 4-19 Character table setting, 4-16 EPSON Status Monitor 2 utility, Choosing a place for the printer, 5-2–12 1-4–5 checking the printer status, 5-4–9 Cleaning the printer, 7-4 installing, 5-2–3...
Page 248 Features, printer, 1 Maintenance, 7-2–4 Font Micro Feed button, 4-6–7 button, 4-4 Multi-part forms lights, 4-3 printing on, 3-31–32 Front/Rear button, 4-7 setting, 4-21 using, 3-3, 3-32 Hex dump, 4-8, 8-6–7 Options, 2 interface cards, 6-35–38 paper cutter, 6-24–34 perforation cutter, 6-12–23 IBM character table setting, 4-18 pull tractor, 6-2–12 IBM emulation mode, 4-19, B-6...
Page 249 Paper size setting, 2-7, 2-11, 2-15 Problems and solutions, 8-7–19 Pull tractor Paper source setting, 2-7, 2-11, 2-15 Parallel interface specification, A-16 installing, 6-2–5 Pause removing, 6-11–12 button, 4-7 with the front tractor, 6-5–8 light, 4-3, 8-3–4 with the rear tractor 6-9–10 Perforation cutter attaching the output attachment and output tray, 6-16–17...
Page 250 8-13–14 options, 8-18–19 paper handling, 8-9–12 power supply, 8-8 printout, 8-15–18 problems and solutions, 8-7–19 self test, 8-5–6 Unidirectional (Uni-d) printing, print direction setting, 4-17 Unpacking the printer, 1-2–4 Utility, EPSON Status Monitor 2, 5-2–12 Paper memory, 5-12–15 IN-4...
Page 251 EPSON OVERSEAS MARKETING LOCATIONS EPSON AMERICA, INC. EPSON UK LTD. 20770 Madrona Ave. Campus 100, Maylands Avenue, P.O. Box 2842 Hemel Hempstead, Herts, Torrance, CA 90509-2842 HP2 7TJ, U.K. Phone: (800) 922-8911 Phone: (+44) 01442 261144 Fax: (310) 782-5220 Fax: (+44) 01442 227227 EPSON DEUTSCHLAND GmbH EPSON FRANCE S.A.

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C204001 - dfx 8500 b/w dot-matrix printer

Epson DFX-8500 User Manual

Chapter 1 Setting up the Printer

Chapter 2 Setting up Your Software

Chapter 3 Paper Handling

Chapter 4 Control Panel

Using the Printer

Chapter 5 Using EPSON Status Monitor 2

Using Printer Options

Chapter 6 Using the Pull Tractor

Chapter 7 Maintenance and Transportation

Troubleshooting

Chapter 8

Appendix A

Appendix A Specifications

Appendix B EPSON ESC/P Control Codes

Appendix C

Glossary

Quick Links

Troubleshooting

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Summary of Contents for Epson DFX-8500

This manual is also suitable for:

Table of Contents