User manual EPSON LX-300+

Control Panel Buttons and Lights Tear Off (Font) lights** Flash when continuous paper is in the tear-off position; otherwise, the lights indicate the selected font. LF/FF button Feeds paper line by line when pressed and released. Ejects a single sheet or advances continuous paper to the next top-of-form position when held down. Paper Out light On when no paper is loaded in the selected paper source or when paper is not loaded correctly. Flashes when paper has not been fully ejected or a paper jam has occurred. Tear Off (Font) button** Advances continuous paper to the tear-off position. Feeds continuous paper backward from the tear-off position to the top-of-form position. Load/Eject button Loads a single sheet of paper. Ejects a single sheet of paper if a sheet is loaded. Loads continuous paper from the standby position. Feeds continuous paper backwards to the standby position. Pause button Stops printing temporarily, and resume printing when pressed again. When pressed fo three seconds, turns on the Micro Adjust mode*. To turn off, press again. Pause light On when the printer is paused. Flashes when the printe is in the Micro Adjust mode*. Flashes when the print head has overheated. *Micro Adjust mode When you hold down the Pause button for three seconds, the printer enters the micro adjust mode. In this mode, you can press the LF/FFD and Load/EjectU buttons to adjust the top-of-form or tear-off position. See Chapter 2, "Using the Printer." **Font select In the Micro Adjust mode, you can select the font to use for printing by pressing the Tear Off button. The Tear Off lights turn on, off or flash to indicate the selected font. ® 9-Pin Dot Matrix Printer All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION. The information contained herein is designed only for use with this EPSON printer. EPSON is not responsible for any use of this information as applied to other printers. 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, or (excluding the U.S.) failure to strictly comply with SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION's operating and maintenance instructions. SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION shall not be liable for any damages or problems arising from the use of any options or any consumable products other than those designated as Original EPSON Products or EPSON Approved Products by SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION. EPSON and EPSON ESC/P are registered trademarks of SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION. Microsoft, Windows, and Windows NT are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. General Notice: Other product names used herein are for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners. EPSON disclaims any and all rights in those marks. Copyright © 2001 by SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION, Nagano, Japan. User's Guide Contents Control Panel Buttons and Lights Getting to Know Your Printer Warnings, Cautions, and Notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Important Safety Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Print Head Caution Symbol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 ENERGY STAR ® Compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Chapter 1 Setting Up the Printer Unpacking the Printer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2 Choosing a place for the printer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3 Assembling the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4 Installing the paper-feed knob . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4 Attaching the paper supports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5 Installing or replacing the ribbon cartridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6 Plugging in the printer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10 Running the Self Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11 Connecting the Printer to Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14 Using the parallel interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14 Using the serial interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16 Installing the Printer Software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18 Installing the software in Windows Me, 98, 95, 2000, or NT 4.0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19 Installing the software in Windows 3.1 or NT 3.5x . . . . . . . 1-20 For DOS programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22 Contents 1 Chapter 2 Using the Printer Using the Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Selecting a built-in font. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . About Your Printer's Default Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Changing default settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Printing on Continuous Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Printing with the push tractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Removing a printed document from the push tractor. . . . Switching back to single sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Printing with the pull tractor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adjusting the top-of-form position. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Advancing the paper to the tear-off edge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Printing on Single Sheets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Loading single sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Printing on Special Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adjusting the paper-thickness lever. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Multipart forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Envelopes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Installing and Using Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cut-sheet feeder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pull tractor unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Roll paper holder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Color upgrade kit (LX-300+ only). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Print server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2 2-2 2-3 2-9 2-10 2-11 2-15 2-16 2-16 2-21 2-23 2-26 2-27 2-27 2-27 2-29 2-29 2-30 2-31 2-31 2-35 2-38 2-40 2-43 Chapter 3 Using the Printer Software Using the Printer Driver with Windows Me, 98, and 95 . . . . . . Accessing the printer driver from Windows applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Changing the printer driver settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Using the Printer Driver with Windows 3.1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Accessing the printer driver from Windows applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Changing the printer driver settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2 3-2 3-4 3-4 3-5 3-5 2 Contents Using the Printer Driver with Windows 2000 and NT 4.0 . . . . . 3-6 Accessing the printer driver from Windows applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6 Changing the printer driver settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8 Using the Printer Driver with Windows NT 3.5x . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9 Accessing the printer driver from Windows applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9 Changing the printer driver settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10 Printer Driver Settings Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11 About the EPSON Status Monitor 3 Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12 Setting up EPSON Status Monitor 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13 Accessing EPSON Status Monitor 3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14 Using the EPSON Remote! Utility (LX-300+ only) . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15 Installing EPSON Remote! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15 Accessing EPSON Remote! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-16 Chapter 4 Troubleshooting Using the Error Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2 Problems and Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4 Power Supply. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4 Power is not being supplied . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4 Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5 The printer does not print . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5 The print is faint or uneven. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6 Dots are missing in printed characters or graphics . . . . . . . 4-7 Printed characters are not what you expected . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7 The print position is not what you expected . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-8 Paper Handling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-8 Single sheets do not feed properly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-8 Continuous paper does not feed properly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9 Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11 When you use the cut-sheet feeder, the paper does not feed properly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11 Switching between the cut-sheet feeder and the push tractor does not work properly . . . . . . . . . 4-12 Using the pull tractor with the push tractor, continuous paper does not feed properly . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12 Contents 3 With the color upgrade kit installed, the printer does not operate properly (LX-300+ only) . . . . . . . . . . . 4-13 Appendix A Cleaning the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Transporting the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Printer Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mechanical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Electronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Electrical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Environmental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Printable area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paper alignment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Standards and approvals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Command Lists. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . EPSON ESC/P control codes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IBM 2380 Plus (for LX-300+)/ IBM 2381 Plus (for LX-1170) emulation control codes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Contacting Customer Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-2 A-3 A-4 A-4 A-6 A-8 A-8 A-8 A-14 A-17 A-17 A-18 A-18 A-19 A-20 Index Printer Parts 4 Contents Getting to Know Your Printer Your EPSON® LX-300+/LX-1170 9-pin dot matrix printer provides high-quality printing and superior performance in a compact design. Its features include: t A variety of paper paths to suit your printing needs. t The ability to handle a wide range of paper types, including continuous paper, multipart forms (with one original and up to four copies), labels, single sheets, and envelopes. t High-speed printing of up to 300 cps (characters per second) at 10 cpi (characters per inch). Your printer comes packaged with the printer driver and other software, including the EPSON Status Monitor 3 utility for Microsoft® Windows® Me, 98, 95, 2000, or NT 4.0. The EPSON Status Monitor 3 utility lets you check the status of your printer quickly and easily. Note: The illustrations in this manual are from LX-300+. LX-1170 is wider than LX-300+. However, the explanations are the same. Getting to Know Your Printer 1 Warnings, Cautions, and Notes This guide uses the following conventions: w c Warnings must be followed to avoid bodily injury. Cautions must be observed to avoid damage to your equipment. Notes contain important information and useful tips on the operation of your printer. Important Safety Instructions Read all of these safety instructions before using the printer. In addition, follow all warnings and instructions marked on the printer itself. t Do not place the printer on an unstable surface or near a radiator or heat source. t Place the printer on a flat surface. The printer will not operate properly if it is tilted or placed at an angle. t Do not block or cover the slots and openings in the printer's cabinet, and do not insert objects through the slots. t Use only the type of power source indicated on the printer's label. 2 Getting to Know Your Printer t Connect all equipment to properly grounded power outlets. Avoid using outlets on the same circuit as photocopiers or air control systems that regularly switch on and off. t Do not use a damaged or frayed power cord. t If you use an extension cord with the printer, make sure the total ampere rating of all devices plugged into the extension cord does not exceed the cord's ampere rating. Also, make sure that the total ampere of all devices plugged into the wall outlet does not exceed the wall outlet's ampere rating. t Unplug the printer before cleaning it, and always clean it with a piece of damp cloth only. t Do not spill liquid onto the printer. t Except as specifically explained in this guide, do not attempt to service the printer yourself. t Unplug the printer and refer servicing to qualified personnel under the following conditions: i. If the power cord or plug is damaged. ii. If liquid has entered the printer. iii. If the printer has been dropped or the cabinet damaged. iv. If the printer does not operate normally or exhibits a distinct change in performance. t Adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating instructions. t K Printer parts marked with this symbol may be hot. Turn off the printer and let it cool for a few minutes before you touch any printer part marked with this symbol. Getting to Know Your Printer 3 t If you plan to use the printer in Germany, observe the following: To provide adequate short-circuit protection and over-current protection for this printer, the building installation must be protected by a 10- or 16-amp circuit breaker. Print Head Caution Symbol This symbol is placed on the print head to indicate that the print head may be hot. Never touch the print head just after the printer has been used. Let the print head cool for a few minutes before touching it. K ENERGY STAR ® Compliance As an ENERGY STAR® partner, EPSON has determined that this product meets the ENERGY STAR® guidelines for energy efficiency. The International ENERGY STAR® Office Equipment Program is a voluntary partnership with the computer and office equipment industry to promote the introduction of energy-efficient personal computers, monitors, printers, fax machines, copiers, and scanners in an effort to reduce air pollution caused by power generation. 4 Getting to Know Your Printer Chapter 1 Setting Up the Printer Unpacking the Printer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2 Choosing a place for the printer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3 Assembling the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4 Installing the paper-feed knob . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4 Attaching the paper supports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5 Installing or replacing the ribbon cartridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6 Plugging in the printer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10 Running the Self Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11 Connecting the Printer to Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14 Using the parallel interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14 Using the serial interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16 Installing the Printer Software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18 Installing the software in Windows Me, 98, 95, 2000, or NT 4.0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19 Installing the software in Windows 3.1 or NT 3.5x . . . . . . . 1-20 For DOS programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22 1 Setting Up the Printer 1-1 Unpacking the Printer Besides the items shown in the illustration below, the printer box should include an EPSON printer software CD-ROM and a Notice Sheet. Check that everything has been included in the package. printer paper supports paper-feed knob power cord ribbon cartridge Note: Depending on your printer model, the power cord may be permanently attached to the printer. Also, the shape of the power cord plug varies depending on the country of purchase; be sure the plug you have is the right one for your location. c 1-2 Caution: There are several models of the printer designed for different voltages, and it is not possible to adjust the printer for use with another voltage. If the label on the back of the printer does not show the correct voltage for your country, contact your dealer. Setting Up 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 (packed with the printer) to remove these materials. Save all packing and protective materials in case you need to ship the printer in the future. It should always be transported in its original packing materials. 1 Choosing a place for the printer Follow the guidelines below when selecting a location for your printer. t Place the printer on a flat, stable surface. The printer will not operate properly if it is tilted or placed at an angle. t Place the printer where you can easily connect it to a network interface cable, if necessary. t Leave adequate room around the printer for easy operation and maintenance. t Avoid using or storing the printer in places subject to rapid changes in temperature and humidity. Keep it away from direct sunlight, strong light, heat sources, or excessive moisture or dust. t Avoid places subject to shocks and vibrations. t Place the printer near a wall outlet where you can easily unplug the power cord. t Avoid electrical outlets controlled by wall switches or automatic timers. An interruption in power can erase information in the memory of your printer or computer. Also avoid outlets on the same circuit as large motors or other appliances that can cause voltage fluctuations. Setting Up the Printer 1-3 t Keep the entire computer system away from potential sources of electromagnetic interference, such as loudspeakers or the base units of cordless telephones. t Use a grounded power outlet; do not use an adapter plug. If you plan to use a printer stand, follow these guidelines: t Use a stand that supports at least 20 kg. t Never use a stand that tilts the printer. The printer should always be kept level. t Position your printer's power cord and interface cable so they do not interfere with paper feeding. If possible, secure the cables to a leg of the printer stand. Assembling the Printer This section provides you with information on how to get your printer up and running. See "Printer Parts" on the last page of this manual for the names of the individual printer parts. Installing the paper-feed knob The first step in assembling the printer is installing the paper-feed knob. Follow these steps to install the paper-feed knob: 1-4 Setting Up the Printer 1. Insert the knob into the hole on the printer's side and rotate it slowly until it slips onto the shaft. 1 2. Push firmly on the paper-feed knob until it fits against the printer case. Attaching the paper supports You should install the paper supports before you begin using the printer. Follow these steps to attach the paper supports onto the printer: 1. Pull the paper guide backward. Raise it up, and then push it firmly until it fits in place. Setting Up the Printer 1-5 2. Hold one of the paper supports and push the tips into the notches on the edge guide. 3. Repeat step 2 for the other paper support. Installing or replacing the ribbon cartridge Before installing the ribbon cartridge, make sure that the printer is not plugged into an electrical outlet. Follow these steps to install or replace the ribbon cartridge: 1-6 Setting Up the Printer 1. Open the printer cover to the upright position, then pull it up to remove it. 1 w Warning: Never move the print head while the printer is turned on; this can damage the printer. Also, if you have just used the printer, let the print head cool for a few minutes before you touch it. 2. For LX-1170 users, remove the paper tension unit by squeezing the tension unit's lock tabs gently and pull the tension unit away from the printer. 3. Slide the print head to the middle of the printer. Setting Up the Printer 1-7 4. Turn the ribbon-tightening knob in the direction of the arrow to remove any slack from the ribbon so it is easier to install. 5. Insert the ribbon cartridge into the printer as shown; then press both sides of the cartridge firmly to fit the plastic hooks into the printer slots. 1-8 Setting Up the Printer 6. Use a pointed object, such as a ball point pen, to guide the ribbon between the print head and ribbon guide. Turn the ribbon tightening knob to help feed the ribbon into place; it should not be twisted or creased. 1 7. Slide the print head from side to side to make sure it moves smoothly. 8. For LX-1170 users, reinstall the paper tension unit. 9. Reinstall and close the printer cover. When printing becomes faint, you need to replace the ribbon cartridge. To remove the old ribbon cartridge, first move the print head to the center of the printer. Then remove the cartridge by lifting the both ends and taking it out of the printer. Setting Up the Printer 1-9 Plugging in the printer Follow these steps to plug in the printer: 1. Make sure the power switch on the printer is turned off. It is off when the N side of the switch is pressed down. 2. Check the label on the back of the printer to make sure the voltage required by the printer matches that of your electrical outlet. c Caution: If the rated voltage on the printer and your outlet voltage do not match, contact your dealer for assistance. Do not plug in the power cord. 3. If the power cord is not attached to the printer, connect it to the AC inlet on the printer. 4. Plug the power cord into a properly grounded electrical outlet. 1-10 Setting Up the Printer Running the Self Test Use the built-in self test function to check that the printer is working properly. You can run the test with either continuous paper or single sheets. The procedure below describes the test using single sheets, which is the easier way. Follow these steps to run the self test: 1. Make sure the printer is turned off. Also make sure that the paper-release lever is pushed back to the single-sheet position and the paper guide is in the upright position, as shown below. 1 c Caution: For LX-300+: You should use paper at least 210mm wide to run the self test; otherwise, the print head prints directly on the platen. For LX-1170: You should use paper at least 376mm wide to run the self test; otherwise, the print head prints directly on the platen. Setting Up the Printer 1-11 2. While holding down the LF/FF button, turn on the printer. 3. Slide the left edge guide until it locks in place at the guide mark. Next, adjust the right edge guide to match the width of your paper. 1-12 Setting Up the Printer 4. Slide a sheet of paper down firmly between the edge guides until it meets resistance. The printer loads the sheet automatically and begins printing the self test. 1 5. To stop printing temporarily, press the PAUSE button. 6. To end the self test, make sure the printer is not printing. Press LF/FF to eject the sheet; then turn off the printer. Here is a part of a typical self-test printout: Note: If the self test did not print satisfactorily, see Chapter 4, "Troubleshooting." If it prints correctly, proceed to the next section. Setting Up the Printer 1-13 Connecting the Printer to Your Computer Your printer includes both an IEEE-1284-compatible parallel interface and an EIA-232D serial interface. Before you begin, place the printer upright, as shown below. (This makes it easier to connect the cable.) Connect your computer to the desired interface as described below. Note: You can connect a cable to both interfaces; the printer switches automatically to the appropriate interface when it receives data. Using the parallel interface You need a shielded, twisted-pair cable no longer than 2 meters to use the parallel interface. Follow these steps to connect the printer to the computer using the parallel interface: 1. Turn off both the computer and the printer. 1-14 Setting Up the Printer 2. Plug the parallel cable connector securely into the printer's parallel interface port. Squeeze the wire clips together until they lock in place on both sides of the connector. 1 Note: If there is a ground wire at the end of the cable, attach it to the ground connector located to the right of the parallel interface port. 3. Plug the other end of the cable into the computer's parallel interface port. (If there is a ground wire at the end of the cable, attach it to the ground connector at the back of the computer.) Setting Up the Printer 1-15 Using the serial interface You need a serial cable that has a DB-25 male connector on the printer side to use the serial interface. Follow these steps to connect the printer to the computer using the serial interface: 1. Turn off both the computer and the printer. 2. Plug the serial cable connector securely into the printer's serial interface port. Tighten the screws on both sides of the connector. 1-16 Setting Up the Printer Note: If there is a ground wire at the end of the cable, attach it to the ground connector located to the right of the serial interface port. 1 3. Plug the other end of the cable into the computer's serial interface port and then tighten the screws on both sides of the connector. (If there is a ground wire at the end of the cable, attach it to the ground connector at the back of the computer.) 4. Use the Default Setting mode to change the baud rate or parity bit, if necessary. See "About Your Printer's Default Settings" on page 2-3. Setting Up the Printer 1-17 Installing the Printer Software After you connect the printer to your computer, you need to install the software included on the EPSON printer software CD-ROM shipped with your printer. Your printer software includes: t Printer driver The printer driver is the software that runs, or "drives," your printer. With it, you can make printer settings such as print quality, resolution, and paper size. t EPSON Status Monitor 3 utility (Windows Me, 98, 95, 2000 or NT 4.0) The EPSON Status Monitor 3 utility notifies you of printer errors and displays printer status information. t EPSON Remote! (a DOS-based printer setup utility) (LX-300+ only) The EPSON Remote! utility allows you to easily change the printer's default settings from the computer screen. See "Using the EPSON Remote! Utility (LX-300+ only)" on page 3-15. To install the printer software, see "Installing the software in Windows Me, 98, 95, 2000, or NT 4.0" on page 1-19 or "Installing the software in Windows 3.1 or NT 3.5x" on page 1-20. If you are using DOS, see "For DOS programs" on page 1-22. Note: Printer software for Windows 3.1 and NT 3.5x is only provided for LX-300+. If you need to use LX-1170 on those operating systems, contact your dealer. 1-18 Setting Up the Printer Installing the software in Windows Me, 98, 95, 2000, or NT 4.0 Follow these steps to install the printer software in Windows Me, 98, 95, 2000, or NT 4.0: Note: t Installing the printer software for Windows 2000 or NT 4.0 may require administrator privileges. If you have problems, ask your administrator for more information. t If you wish to make a floppy disk version of the printer software on your CD-ROM, insert the CD-ROM and run the START.EXE program. In the dialog box that appears, click the Driver disk creation utility button and follow the on-screen instructions. t If you are using the floppy disk version of the EPSON software, make a backup copy of the EPSON printer software disk or disks before you begin installation. 1. Make sure that the printer and computer are switched off. 2. Switch the PC on. Windows starts automatically. Then switch the printer on. 3. Insert the CD-ROM containing the printer software into the CD-ROM drive. The AutoPlay function of the CD-ROM drive automatically starts the installation program on the CD-ROM. If the installation program does not start automatically, click on Start and then on Run. In the Run dialog box, enter the drive letter of your CD-ROM drive in the command line (e.g. E:\), followed by the command START.EXE (e.g. E:\START.EXE) and click on the OK button. Note: If your CD-ROM drive has a drive letter other than E, substitute the appropriate letter. 1 Setting Up the Printer 1-19 The installation program starts. The subsequent procedure is menu-driven, i.e., you can select the relevant options from a list simply by clicking with the mouse. The remainder of the installation is automatic and you do not need to enter any more information. 4. Select the desired options and follow the on-screen instructions. 5. After the printer software has been successfully installed, click on the button identified by a door icon to exit the installation program. Note: t If the New Hardware Found screen or any other wizard appears when you turn on your computer, click Cancel and follow the steps above. t Installation time varies depending on your computer. When you install the printer driver on Windows Me, 98, 95, 2000 or NT 4.0, the EPSON Status Monitor 3 utility will also be installed. For information on launching and using the software, see Chapter 3, "Using the Printer Software." Installing the software in Windows 3.1 or NT 3.5x Follow these steps to install the printer software in Windows 3.1 or NT 3.5x. Note: t Printer software for Windows 3.1 and NT 3.5x is only provided for LX-300+. If you need to use LX-1170 on those operating systems, contact your dealer. 1-20 Setting Up the Printer t Installing the printer software on Windows NT 3.5x may require administrator privileges. If you have problems, ask your administrator for more information. 1. Make sure Windows 3.1 is running and the Program Manager window is open. 2. Insert the EPSON printer software CD-ROM shipped with your printer in the CD-ROM drive. Note: If your system does not have a CD-ROM drive, you can make a floppy disk version from which to install the printer software. 3. From the File menu, choose Run. The Run dialog box appears. In the Command Line box, type E:\START and click OK. 1 Note: If your CD-ROM drive has a drive letter other than E , substitute the appropriate letter. The installation program starts. The subsequent procedure is menu-driven, i.e., you can select the relevant options from a list simply by clicking with the mouse. The remainder of the installation is automatic and you do not need to enter any more information. 4. Select the desired options and follow the on-screen instructions. Setting Up the Printer 1-21 5. After the printer software has been successfully installed, click on the button identified by a door icon to exit the installation program. The installation program automatically selects the LX-300+ as the default printer for Windows applications. For information on launching and using the software, see Chapter 3, "Using the Printer Software." For DOS programs To control the printer from DOS application programs, you need to select the printer you are using or another available printer from the printer list of your application. Choose the EPSON LX-300+/LX-1170 printer at the appropriate step in the setup or installation procedure of your DOS application program. If the list in your application does not include the LX-300+/LX-1170 printer, choose the first available printer from this list. For LX-300+ LX-300 LX-810/850 LX-80/86 FX-850 FX-86e/800 JX-80 EX-800 Any FX printer EPSON printer Draft printer If you plan to use color, you must choose either LX-300+, LX-300, JX-80, or EX-800. The other printers cannot use color. 1-22 Setting Up the Printer For LX-1170 FX-1180 FX-1170 FX-1050 FX-1000 FX-105 FX-100+ FX-100 Any FX printer EPSON printer Draft printer 1 Note: If your application does not list a suitable alternative, contact the software manufacturer to see if an update is available. Setting Up the Printer 1-23 Chapter 2 Using the Printer Using the Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2 Selecting a built-in font . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2 About Your Printer's Default Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3 Changing default settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9 Printing on Continuous Paper. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10 Printing with the push tractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11 Removing a printed document from the push tractor . . . . 2-15 Switching back to single sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16 Printing with the pull tractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16 Adjusting the top-of-form position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-21 Advancing the paper to the tear-off edge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-23 Printing on Single Sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-26 Loading single sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-27 Printing on Special Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-27 Adjusting the paper-thickness lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-27 Multipart forms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-29 Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-29 Envelopes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-30 Installing and Using Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-31 Cut-sheet feeder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-31 Pull tractor unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-35 Roll paper holder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-38 Color upgrade kit (LX-300+ only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-40 Print server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-43 2 Using the Printer 2-1 Using the Control Panel You can control simple printer operations--such as line feeding, form feeding, loading and ejecting paper, and selecting fonts-- with the buttons on the control panel. The control panel lights show the printer's status. For information on the buttons and the lights on the control panel, see "Control Panel Buttons and Lights" on the first page of this manual. Selecting a built-in font Follow these steps to select a built-in font using the buttons on the printer's control panel: 1. Make sure that the printer is not printing. If it is, wait until printing is complete. 2. Hold down the Pause button for three seconds to enter the Micro Adjust mode. The Pause light begins to flash. The three Tear Off (Font) lights show the current font selection. 3. Press the Tear Off (Font) button repeatedly to cycle through all of the available selections; then stop when you reach the desired font with a pattern shown on the control panel. Your selection stays in effect until you change it again. Note: t Settings you make in your application programs usually override settings you make from the printer's control panel. For best results, use your application to select a font and pitch. t Barcode fonts cannot be selected via the control panel. 2-2 Using the Printer About Your Printer's Default Settings The default settings control many printer functions. While you can often set these functions through your software or printer driver, you may sometimes need to change a default setting from the printer's control panel using the Default Setting mode. The following table lists the default settings and the options you can select in the Default Setting mode. The settings are explained in detail after the table. For instructions on changing the default settings, see "Changing default settings" on page 2-9. Settings Page length for tractor* Options Length in inches: 3, 3.5, 4, 5.5, 6, 7, 8, 8.5, 11, 70/6, 12, 14, 17 On, Off On, Off On, Off Bi-D, Uni-D EPSON ESC/P, IBM 2380 Plus (for LX-300+)/IBM 2381 Plus (for LX-1170) 0, 0 On, Off Auto, Parallel, Serial 10 seconds, 30 seconds 19200, 9600, 4800, 2400, 1200, 600, 300 BPS None, Odd, Even, Ignore 8 bit, 7 bit 2 Skip over perforation Auto tear off Auto line feed Print direction Software 0 slash High speed draft I/F mode Auto I/F wait time Baud rate Parity Data length * The options available vary depending on the country of purchase. ** These settings take effect only when IBM 2380 Plus (for LX-300+)/IBM 2381 Plus (for LX-1170) emulation is selected. Using the Printer 2-3 Settings Parallel I/F bidirectional mode Packet mode Character table* Options On, Off Auto, Off Italic, PC 437, PC 850, PC 437 Greek, PC 853, PC 855, PC 852, PC 857, PC 866, PC 869, MAZOWIA, Code MJK, ISO 8859-7, ISO Latin 1T, Bulgaria, PC 774, Estonia, ISO 8859-2, PC 866 LAT, PC 866 UKR, PC APTEC, PC 708, PC 720, PC AR864, PC 860, PC 863, PC 865, PC 861, BRASCII, Abicomp, Roman 8, ISO Latin 1, PC 858, ISO 8859-15, PC 771 Italic U.S.A., Italic France, Italic Germany, Italic U.K., Italic Denmark1, Italic Sweden, Italic Italy, Italic Spain1 On, Off International character set for Italic table Auto CR (IBM 2380 Plus for LX-300+, IBM 2381 Plus for LX-1170)** Manual feed wait time 1 second, 1.5 seconds, 2 seconds, 3 seconds, Others On, Off On, Off Table 2, Table 1 Buzzer Roll paper IBM character table** * The options available vary depending on the country of purchase. ** These settings take effect only when IBM 2380 Plus (for LX-300+)/IBM 2381 Plus (for LX-1170) emulation is selected. 2-4 Using the Printer Page length for tractor This setting allows you to set the page length (in inches) for continuous paper. Skip over perforation This feature is available only when continuous paper is selected. When you select On, the printer provides a one-inch (25.4 mm) margin between the last line printed on one page and the first line printed on the next page. Because the program margin settings in most applications override margin settings made from the control panel, you should use this setting only if you cannot set your top and bottom margins using your application. 2 Auto tear off When auto tear off is on and you are using continuous paper with the push tractor, the printer automatically advances the paper perforation to the tear-off position, where you can easily tear off the printed pages. When the printer receives the next print job, it automatically moves the unused paper back to the top-of-form position and starts printing, so you can use all of the next page. When auto tear off is off, you need to move the perforation to the tear-off position by pressing the control panel button. See "Using the Tear Off button" on page 2-24 for more information. Auto line feed When auto line feed is on, the printer accompanies each carriage return (CR) code received with a line feed code, and the print position moves to the next line. If the printer adds an extra line after every carriage return, select Off. Using the Printer 2-5 Print direction You can select bidirectional printing (Bi-D) or unidirectional printing (Uni-D). Printing is normally bidirectional for faster printing; however, unidirectional printing allows for precise vertical printing alignment, which is useful for printing graphics. Software When you select EPSON ESC/P, the printer operates in the EPSON EPSON ESC/P mode. When you select IBM 2380 Plus (for LX-300+)/IBM 2381 Plus (for LX-1170), the printer emulates an IBM printer. 0 slash The zero character has a slash (0) when this feature is turned on. It has no slash (0) when this feature is turned off. The slash allows you to easily distinguish between the uppercase letter O and a zero. High speed draft When you choose On, the printer prints up to 300 cps (characters per second) at 10 cpi (characters per inch). When you choose Off, the printer prints up to 225 cps at 10 cpi. I/F (interface) mode The printer comes with a built-in parallel interface and serial interface. If your printer is connected to only one computer, select Parallel or Serial for the interface mode, depending on the interface you use. If your printer is connected to two computers, select Auto (automatic) to allow the printer to automatically switch between interfaces depending on which one is receiving data. 2-6 Using the Printer Auto I/F (interface) wait time This setting takes effect only when I/F (interface) mode is set to Auto. This setting determines how long the printer waits when it no longer receives data from an interface before it checks whether a print job is being sent through the other interface. You can specify 10 seconds or 30 seconds for the auto interface wait time. 2 Baud rate Use this option to set the data transfer rate (baud) for the serial interface. The baud rate is measured in bits per second (bps). See your computer manual and software documentation for the proper setting. Parity When this option is set to None, parity checking is disabled. The parity bit, if used, provides a basic form of error detection. See your computer manual and software documentation for the proper setting. Data length Set the data length of the serial interface to 7 bit or 8 bit. See your computer manual and software documentation for the proper setting. Parallel I/F bidirectional mode The parallel interface bidirectional transfer mode is used when this feature is turned on. If bidirectional transfer mode is unnecessary, turn this off. Packet mode Select Auto to use the IEEE-1284.4 packet transfer mode. If packet transfer mode is unnecessary, or if you cannot connect, turn this off. Using the Printer 2-7 Character table You can select from among 38 standard character tables, depending on the country of purchase. See "Character tables:" on page A-7 for more information on the tables. International character set for Italic table You can select among several international character sets for the Italic character table. Each character set contains eight characters that vary depending on the country or language, so you can customize the Italic table to suit your printing needs. Auto CR (carriage return) This setting is available only in the IBM 2380 Plus (for LX-300+)/IBM 2381 Plus (for LX-1170) emulation mode. When auto carriage return is on, each line feed (LF) code or ESC J code is accompanied by a carriage return code. This moves the print position to the beginning of the next line. Manual feed wait time This sets the amount of wait time between the time paper is inserted into the paper guide and when it is fed. If the paper feeds before you can adjust its position to your satisfaction, you can increase the wait time. Buzzer (beeper) The printer beeps when an error occurs. (See "Using the Error Indicators" on page 4-2 for more information on printer errors.) If you do not want the printer to beep when an error occurs, turn this setting off. 2-8 Using the Printer IBM character table This setting is available only in IBM 2380 Plus (for LX-300+)/ IBM 2381 Plus (for LX-1170) emulation mode. When you select table 1, hex codes 80H to 90H of the character tables are used for the control codes. When you select table 2, hex codes 80H to 90H are used for characters. 2 Changing default settings Follow these steps to enter the Default Setting mode and change the printer's default settings: Note: t To print the language selection instructions and the Default Setting mode instructions, you need five or six sheets of A4 size single-sheet paper, or five or six pages of continuous paper that is at least 279 mm long and 210 mm wide. t If you use single sheets without an optional cut-sheet feeder, you need to feed a new sheet of paper each time the printer ejects a printed sheet. 1. Make sure paper is loaded and the printer is turned off. c Caution: Whenever you turn off the printer, wait at least five seconds before turning it back on; otherwise, you may damage the printer. 2. While holding down the Tear Off (Font) button, turn on the printer. The printer enters the Default Setting mode and prints the language selection instructions (one page). 3. Follow the instructions to select the language you want for the instruction pages. 4. Load the next sheet of paper, if necessary. The printer prints the current settings list (one page). Using the Printer 2-9 5. Press down the Tear Off (Font) button. The printer prints the Default Setting mode instructions (three or four pages) in the language you selected. The printed instructions list the default settings you can change, describe how to change them, and show you how the control panel lights help you make settings. 6. Follow these instructions to change the default settings using the buttons on the printer's control panel. Note: The arrows on the instruction sheets indicate the printer's current settings. 7. When you finish making settings, turn off the printer and exit the Default Setting mode. Any settings you have made remain in effect until you change them again. Note: Turn off the printer when it has finished printing. Printing on Continuous Paper Your printer can handle continuous paper with the tractor. Depending on where you position the tractor, you can use it as a pull tractor or a push tractor. The following guidelines can help you decide where to position the tractor: t Do you want to switch between printing on single sheets and continuous paper without removing the paper supply? Will you tear off continuous paper sheet-by-sheet? Use the tractor in the push tractor position. (The printer comes with the tractor installed in this position.) See the following section. 2-10 Using the Printer t Are you printing on labels, multipart forms, or other documents that require a precise print position? Use the tractor as a pull tractor. See "Printing with the pull tractor" on page 2-16 for instructions. For specifications on the type of continuous paper you can use, see "Paper" on page A-8. 2 Printing with the push tractor When using the push tractor, it is a good idea to set the Auto tear off feature in the Default Setting mode to On. See "About Your Printer's Default Settings" on page 2-3. Follow these steps to load continuous paper using the push tractor: 1. Make sure the printer is turned off. Remove the printer cover and the paper guide and place the paper-release lever in the continuous paper position. Using the Printer 2-11 2. Release the sprocket units by pulling the sprocket locks forward. 3. Slide the left sprocket unit using the scale on the printer as a guide. The printer prints to the right of the position marked 0. Push the sprocket lock lever back to lock it in place. Then slide the right sprocket unit to match the width of your paper, but do not lock it. Move the paper support so it is midway between the sprocket units. 2-12 Using the Printer 4. Make sure your paper has a clean, straight leading edge. Open the sprocket covers. Fit the first holes of the paper over the sprocket pins and then close the sprocket covers. Slide the right sprocket unit to remove any slack in the paper and lock it in place. Now the paper is in the paper-park position. c 2 Caution: Use the paper-feed knob on the right side of the printer only to clear paper jams and only when the printer is turned off. Otherwise, you may damage the printer or cause it to lose the top-of-form position. Using the Printer 2-13 5. To separate the incoming paper from the printed paper, attach the paper guide by holding it horizontally and fitting its notches over the printer's mounting posts as shown below. Then slide the paper guide toward the front of the printer until you feel it click. 6. Turn on the printer. 7. Make sure the printer cover is closed. Press the LF/FF button to feed the paper to the loading position. When the printer receives data, it begins printing automatically. 8. After you finish printing, follow the steps in the next section to tear off your printed document. If the first printed line on your page appears too high or low, you can change its position by using the Micro Adjust feature. See "Adjusting the top-of-form position" on page 2-21. Caution: Never use the paper-feed knob to adjust the top-of-form position; this may damage the printer or cause it to lose the top-of-form position. c 2-14 When you send more data, the paper automatically feeds back to the loading position. Using the Printer Removing a printed document from the push tractor Follow these steps to remove the printed document: 1. Press the Tear Off (Font) button. Make sure the Tear Off (Font) lights are flashing. (This indicates that your paper is at the current tear-off position.) 2. Open the paper guide cover, then tear off the printed document using the tear-off edge of the paper tension unit. 2 c Note: If your paper's perforation is not properly aligned with the tear-off edge, you can adjust the tear-off position using the Micro Adjust feature. See "Adjusting the tear-off position" on page 2-24. Caution: Never use the paper-feed knob to adjust the tear-off position; this may damage the printer or cause it to lose the tear-off position. 3. Close the paper guide cover. Using the Printer 2-15 When you resume printing, the printer automatically feeds the paper back to the top-of-form position and starts printing. To feed continuous paper to the standby position where you can remove the paper, press the Load/Eject button. Then open the sprocket covers of the tractor and remove the paper. c c Caution: Always tear off your printed document before you press the Load/Eject button. Reverse feeding several pages at a time may cause a paper jam. Switching back to single sheets To switch to single sheets, press the Load/Eject button; the printer feeds the paper backwards into the standby position. Then, follow the steps in "Loading single sheets" on page 2-27. Caution: Always tear off your printed document before you press the Load/Eject button. Reverse feeding several pages at a time may cause a paper jam. Printing with the pull tractor To load continuous paper using the pull tractor, you must move the tractor to the pull tractor position, as described in steps 1 through 3 in this procedure. If your tractor is already installed in this position, make sure the printer is turned off and skip to step 4. 2-16 Using the Printer c Caution: t Use the paper-feed knob on the right side of the printer only to clear paper jams and only when the printer is off. Otherwise, you may damage the printer or cause it to lose the top-of-form position. t When using the pull tractor, set the Auto tear off feature in the Default Setting mode to Off; otherwise, the paper may jam. 2 1. Turn the printer off; then remove the printer cover and the paper guide. Next, remove the paper tension unit by squeezing the tension unit's lock tabs gently and pulling the tension unit away from the printer. Finally, pull the paper-release lever forward to the continuous paper position. Using the Printer 2-17