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9-Pin Dot Matrix Printer User's Guide 4012023-00 XXX Control Panel Buttons and Lights Tear Off lights** q f f when continuous paper is in the tear-off position, otherwise the lamps indicate the selected font. LF/FF button Feeds paper line by line when pressed and released. q Ejects a single sheet or advances continuous paper to the next top-of-form position when held down. q Paper Out light On when no paper is loaded in the selected paper source or paper is not loaded correctly. q Flashes when paper has not been fully ejected or a paper jam has occurred. q Load/Eject button Tear Off button** q Advances continuous paper to the q Loads a single sheet of paper. tear-off position. q Feeds continuous paper backward q Ejects a single sheet of paper if a sheet is from the tear-off position to the toploaded. of-form position. q Loads continuous paper from the standby position. q Feeds continuous paper backwards to the standby position. Pause button Stops printing temporarily, and resumes printing when pressed again. When pressed for three seconds, turns on the micro adjust mode.* To turn off, press again. Pause light q On when the printer is paused. q Flashes when the printer is in the micro adjust mode.* q 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 topof-form or tear-off position. See Chapter 2, "Using the Printer." **Font select In 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 © 2000 by SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION, Nagano, Japan. User's Guide 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. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause interference to radio and television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures. Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help. WARNING The connection of a non-shielded equipment interface cable to this equipment will invalidate the FCC Certification of this device and may cause interference levels which exceed the limits established by the FCC for this equipment. It is the responsibility of the user to obtain and use a shielded equipment interface cable with this device. If this equipment has more than one interface connector, do not leave cables connected to unused interfaces. Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the manufacturer could void the user's authority to operate the equipment. For Canadian Users This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003. Cet appareil numérique de la classe B est conforme à la norme NMB-003 du Canada. ii DECLARATION of CONFORMITY According to 47CFR, Part 2 and 15 for Class B Personal Computers and Peripherals; and/or CPU Boards and Power Supplies used with Class B Personal Computers: We: Located at: EPSON AMERICA, INC. MS 6-43 3840 Kilroy Airport Way Long Beach, CA 90806-2469 Telephone : (562)290-5254 Declare under sole responsibility that the product identified herein, complies with 47CFR Part 2 and 15 of the FCC rules as a Class B digital device. Each product marketed, is identical to the representative unit tested and found to be compliant with the standards. Records maintained continue to reflect the equipment being produced can be expected to be within the variation accepted, due to quantity production and testing on a statistical basis as required by 47CFR §2.909 Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation. Trade Name: Type of Product: Model: EPSON Dot Matrix Printer P170A iii iv Contents Getting to Know Your Printer Important Safety Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Print Head Caution Symbol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 ENERGY STAR Compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 For United Kingdom Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Use of options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Safety information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Warnings, Cautions, and Notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Chapter 1 Setting Up the Printer Unpacking the Printer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2 Choosing a place for the printer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3 Assembling the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5 Installing the paper-feed knob . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5 Attaching the paper supports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6 Installing the ribbon cartridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7 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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17 Installing the software in Windows 95, 98, or NT 4.0 . . . . . 1-18 Installing the software in Windows 3.1 or NT 3.5x . . . . . . . 1-19 For DOS programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-20 Chapter 2 Using the Printer Using the Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2 Lights and buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2 v Selecting fonts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . About Your Printer's Default Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Changing default settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Installing and Using Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cut-sheet feeder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pull tractor unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Roll paper holder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Color upgrade kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4 2-5 2-5 2-8 2-10 2-10 2-15 2-17 2-20 2-20 2-21 2-21 2-22 2-23 2-24 2-25 2-30 2-32 2-32 2-35 2-37 2-39 Chapter 3 Using the Printer Software Using the Printer Driver With Windows 95 and 98 . . . . . . . . . . Accessing the printer driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Printer driver settings overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Using the Printer Driver With Windows 3.1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Accessing the printer driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Printer driver settings overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Using the Printer Driver With Windows NT 4.0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . Accessing the printer driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Printer driver settings overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Using the Printer Driver With Windows NT 3.5x . . . . . . . . . . . . Accessing the printer driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Printer driver settings overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . About the EPSON Status Monitor 3 Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2 3-2 3-3 3-9 3-9 3-10 3-12 3-12 3-13 3-18 3-18 3-19 3-21 vi Accessing EPSON Status Monitor 3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-21 Using the EPSON Remote! Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23 Installing EPSON Remote! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23 Accessing EPSON Remote! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23 Chapter 4 Troubleshooting Problems and Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2 Power Supply. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2 Power is not being supplied . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2 Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3 The printer does not print . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3 The print is faint or uneven. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4 Dots are missing in printed characters or graphics . . . . . . . 4-5 Printed characters are not what you expected . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5 The print position is not what you expected . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6 Paper Handling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6 Single sheets do not feed properly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6 Continuous paper does not feed properly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7 Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-8 When you use the cut-sheet feeder, the paper does not feed properly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-8 Switching between the cut-sheet feeder and the push tractor does not work properly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9 Using the pull tractor with the push tractor, continuous paper does not feed properly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10 With color upgrade kit installed, printer does not operate properly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10 Appendix A Cleaning the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-2 Transporting the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-3 Printer Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-4 Mechanical. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-4 Electrical. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-6 Environmental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-6 vii Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Printable area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paper alignment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Safety approvals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CE marking. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Command Lists. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . EPSON ESC/P control codes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IBM 2380 Plus emulation control codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Contacting Customer Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . For North American Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . For United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland Users . . . . . . For Australian Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . For Singapore Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . For Hong Kong Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . For Philippines Users. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-7 A-10 A-12 A-13 A-13 A-14 A-14 A-18 A-19 A-20 A-21 A-24 A-25 A-26 A-27 Index viii Getting to Know Your Printer Your EPSON® LX-300+ 9-pin dot matrix printer provides highquality printing and great performance in a compact design. Features include: A variety of paper paths to suit your printing needs 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. High-speed printing of up to 300 characters per second at 10 characters per inch Your printer also comes with printer driver software, the EPSON Status Monitor 3 utility for Microsoft® Windows® 95, 98, or NT 4.0 that lets you check the status of your printer quickly and easily, and other software. In addition, many options are available to suit your individual needs. Getting to Know Your Printer 1 Important Safety Instructions Read all of these instructions and save them for later reference. 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. Place the printer on a flat surface. The printer will not operate properly if it is tilted or at an angle. Do not block or cover the openings in the printer's cabinet. Do not insert objects through the slots. Use only the type of power source indicated on the printer's label. 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. Do not use a damaged or frayed power cord. 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 the total of all devices plugged into the wall outlet does not exceed the wall outlet's ampere rating. Unplug the printer before cleaning, and clean it with a damp cloth only. Do not spill liquid on the printer. Except as specifically explained in this guide, do not attempt to service the printer yourself. 2 Getting to Know Your Printer Unplug the printer and refer servicing to qualified personnel under the following conditions: If the power cord or plug is damaged; if liquid has entered the printer; if the printer has been dropped or the cabinet damaged; or if the printer does not operate normally or exhibits a distinct change in performance. Adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating instructions. 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. If you plan to use the printer in Germany, observe the following: To provide adequate short-circuit protection and overcurrent protection for this printer, the building installation must be protected by a 16 amp circuit breaker. Note for German-speaking users: Bei Anschluß des Druckers an die Stromversorgung muß sichergestellt werden, daß die Gebäudeinstallation mit einem 16 AÜberstromschalter abgesichert ist. Print Head Caution Symbol K The symbol on the print head indicates that this part 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. Getting to Know Your Printer 3 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. 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. Safety information w Warning: This appliance must be earthed. Refer to the rating plate for voltage and check that the appliance voltage corresponds to the supply voltage. Important: The wires in the mains lead fitted to this appliance are coloured in accordance with the following code: Green and yellow -- Earth Blue -- Neutral Brown -- Live 4 Getting to Know Your Printer If you have to fit a plug: As the colours of the mains lead of this appliance may not match coloured markings used to identify the terminals in a plug, please proceed as follows: The green and yellow wire must be connected to the terminal in the plug which is marked with the letter E or the Earth symbol (G). The blue wire must be connected to the terminal in the plug marked with the letter N. The brown wire must be connected to the terminal in the plug marked with the letter L. If damage occurs to the plug, replace the cord set or consult a qualified electrician. Replace fuses only with a fuse of the correct size and rating. 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. Getting to Know Your Printer 5 6 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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5 Installing the paper-feed knob . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5 Attaching the paper supports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6 Installing the ribbon cartridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7 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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17 Installing the software in Windows 95, 98, or NT 4.0 . . . . . 1-18 Installing the software in Windows 3.1 or NT 3.5x . . . . . . . 1-19 For DOS programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-20 1 Setting Up the Printer 1-1 Unpacking the Printer Besides this guide, your printer box should include an EPSON printer software CD-ROM, a Notice Sheet, and the following items: 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 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. 1-2 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 packaging or equivalent materials. 1 Choosing a place for the printer Follow the guidelines below when selecting a location for your printer. Place the printer on a flat, stable surface. The printer will not operate properly if it is tilted or at an angle. Place the printer where you can easily connect it to a network interface cable, if necessary. Leave adequate room around the printer for easy operation and maintenance. 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. Avoid places subject to shocks and vibrations. Place the printer near a wall outlet where you can easily unplug the power cord. Note for French-speaking users: Placez l'imprimante près d'une prise de contact où la fiche peut être débranchée facilement. Setting Up the Printer 1-3 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. Keep the entire computer system away from potential sources of electromagnetic interference, such as loudspeakers or the base units of cordless telephones. Use a grounded power outlet; do not use an adapter plug. Make sure the paper path is clear and unobstructed before you print on continuous paper. If you plan to use a printer stand, follow these guidelines: Use a stand that supports at least 8.8 kg (19.6 lb). Never use a stand that tilts the printer. The printer should always be kept level. 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. 1-4 Setting Up the Printer Assembling the Printer Follow the steps in this section to get your printer up and running. 1 Installing the paper-feed knob The first step in assembling the printer is installing the paper-feed knob. 1. Insert the knob into the hole on the printer's side and rotate it slowly until it slips onto the shaft. 2. Push firmly on the paper-feed knob until it fits against the printer case. Setting Up the Printer 1-5 Attaching the paper supports You should install the paper supports before you begin using the printer. 1. Raise the paper guide. Hold one of the paper supports and push the tips into the notches on the edge guide. 2. Repeat step 1 for the other paper support. Lower the paper guide. 1-6 Setting Up the Printer Installing the ribbon cartridge Before installing the ribbon cartridge, make sure the printer is not plugged into an electrical outlet. 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. Slide the print head to the middle of the printer. Setting Up the Printer 1-7 3. Turn the ribbon-tightening knob in the direction of the arrow to remove any slack from the ribbon so it is easier to install. 4. 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 5. 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 6. Slide the print head from side to side to make sure it moves smoothly. 7. Re-install and close the printer cover. When the 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 posts on the either side and taking it out of the printer. Setting Up the Printer 1-9 Plugging 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 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 The built-in self test function demonstrates that the printer is working properly. You can run the test with either continuous paper or single sheets; this section describes the easier way, with single sheets. 1. Make sure the printer is turned off and the paper-release lever is pushed back to the single-sheet position, as shown below. Raise the paper guide upright. 1 c Caution: You should use paper at least 210 mm or 8 1/4 inches 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. The PAUSE light flashes. 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. The printer 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 part of a typical self-test printout: Note: If the self test did not print satisfactorily, see Chapter 4, "Troubleshooting." If it prints correctly, go on to the next section. Setting Up the Printer 1-13 Connecting the Printer to Your Computer Your printer includes both a Centronics®-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 (6 feet) to use 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. Squeeze the wire clips together until they lock in place on either side of the connector. 1 Note: If there is a ground wire at the end of the cable, attach it to the ground connector at the right of the interface. 3. Plug the other end of the cable into the computer's parallel interface. (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 1. Turn off both the computer and the printer. 2. Plug the serial cable connector securely into the printer's serial interface. Tighten the screws on either side of the connector. Note: If there is a ground wire at the end of the cable, attach it to the ground connector to the right of the interface. 1-16 Setting Up the Printer 3. Plug the other end of the cable into the computer's serial interface; then tighten the screws on either side 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 Printer Setting mode to change the baud rate or parity bit if necessary. See "About Your Printer's Default Settings" on page 2-25. 1 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: 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. EPSON Status Monitor 3 (Windows 95, 98, or NT 4.0 only) The EPSON Status Monitor 3 notifies you of printer errors and displays printer status information. To install the printer software, see "Installing the software in Windows 95, 98, or NT 4.0" on page 1-18 or "Installing the software in Windows 3.1 or NT 3.5x" on page 1-19. If you are using DOS, see "For DOS programs" on page 1-20. Setting Up the Printer 1-17 Installing the software in Windows 95, 98, or NT 4.0 Follow the steps below to install the printer software in Windows 95, 98, or NT 4.0: Note: Installing the printer software for Windows NT 4.0 may require administrator privileges. Ask your administrator for more information. If you wish to make a diskette version of the printer software on your CD-ROM, insert the CD and run the EPSETUP program. In the dialog box that appears, click the Driver disk creation utility button and follow the on-screen instructions. If you are using the diskette version of the EPSON software, make a backup copy of the EPSON printer software disk or disks before you begin installation. 1. Make sure Windows 95, 98, or NT 4.0 is running and the printer is off. 2. Insert the printer software CD-ROM in the CD-ROM drive. The Install dialog box appears. (If you are using diskettes, insert the diskette in a disk drive, then double-click the Drive icon and double-click the Setup.exe icon.) 3. Click Install to start the printer software installation, and follow the instructions. Note: If the New Hardware Found screen or any other wizard appears when you turn on your computer, click Cancel and follow the steps above. Installation time varies depending on your computer. 1-18 Setting Up the Printer For information on opening and using the software, see Chapter 3, "Using the Printer Software." After you install the printer driver for Windows 95, 98, or NT 4.0, you can install the EPSON Status Monitor 3 utility program. See "About the EPSON Status Monitor 3 Utility" on page 3-21 for information on installing and using the Status Monitor. 1 Installing the software in Windows 3.1 or NT 3.5x Follow the steps below to install the printer software in Windows 3.1 or NT 3.5x systems. Note: Installing the printer software on Windows NT 3.5x may require administrator privileges. Ask your administrator for more information. 1. Make sure Windows is running and the Program Manager window is open. 2. Insert the printer software CD-ROM shipped with your printer in the CD-ROM drive. (If you are using diskettes, insert Disk1 of your printer software in a disk drive.) 3. Choose Run from the File menu. The Run dialog box appears. In the Command Line box, type D:SETUP. (If your CD-ROM drive has a drive letter other than "D", or if you are using a diskette, substitute the appropriate drive letter.) Then click OK. Setting Up the Printer 1-19 If you wish to make a diskette version of the printer software on your CD-ROM, type EPSETUP instead of SETUP. In the dialog box that appears, click the Driver disk creation utility button and follow the on-screen instructions. 4. The installation program begins copying the printer software files. 5. When the installation is complete, click OK to exit the installation program. The installation program automatically selects the LX-300+ as the default printer for Windows applications. For information on opening 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+ 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+ printer, choose the first available printer from this list: 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. Note: If your application does not list a suitable alternative, contact the software manufacturer to see if an update is available. 1-20 Setting Up the Printer Chapter 2 Using the Printer Using the Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2 Lights and buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2 Selecting fonts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4 Printing on Continuous Paper. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5 Printing with the push tractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5 Removing a printed document from the push tractor . . . . 2-8 Switching back to single sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10 Printing with the pull tractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10 Adjusting the top-of-form position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15 Advancing the paper to the tear-off edge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17 Printing on Single Sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-20 Loading single sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-20 Printing on Special Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-21 Adjusting the paper-thickness lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-21 Multipart forms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-22 Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-23 Envelopes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-24 About Your Printer's Default Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-25 Changing default settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-30 Installing and Using Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-32 Cut-sheet feeder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-32 Pull tractor unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-35 Roll paper holder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-37 Color upgrade kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-39 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 and the current font. Lights and buttons Pause light When the orange Pause light is on, the printer is in pause mode and cannot print. To print, press the Pause button. The Pause light turns off. To enter the micro adjust mode, hold down the Pause button for three seconds. The Pause light will flash, indicating the printer is in micro adjust mode. Pause button Press the Pause button to stop the printer temporarily during printing or the self test. Press it again to resume activity. To enter the micro adjust mode, hold down the Pause button for three seconds. The Pause light will flash, indicating the printer is in micro adjust mode. Paper Out light The Paper Out light turns on when there is no paper in the printer. 2-2 Using the Printer Tear Off lights The two green Font lights indicate the current font setting. For more about selecting fonts, see "Selecting fonts" on page 2-4. Both Font lights will flash when continuous paper is in the tear-off position. For more about the tear-off position, see "Adjusting the tear-off position" on page 2-18. Load/Eject button When using sheet fed paper, pressing the Load/Eject button will eject a sheet of paper. When using continuous paper with the push tractor, pushing the Load/Eject button will load the paper from the standby position, or return loaded paper to the standby position. LF/FF button You can press the LF/FF button briefly to feed paper line by line. Holding it down will eject single sheets, or advance continuous paper to the next top-of-form position. Tear Off button When using continuous paper with the push tractor, pushing the Tear Off button will advance the paper to the tear-off position. After tearing off the printed document, pushing this button again will return the continuous paper to the top-ofform position. Font After entering the micro adjust mode by holding down the Pause button for three seconds, you can change font settings with the Tear Off button. Micro Adjust 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/FF and Load/Eject buttons to adjust the top-ofform or tear-off position. Using the Printer 2 2-3 Selecting fonts After entering the micro adjust mode by holding down the Pause button for three seconds, you can change font settings with the Tear Off button. The two font lights come on (n) and go off (o) to show the current selection. Press the button repeatedly to cycle through all of the available selections; then stop when you reach the desired font. Your selection stays in effect until you change it again or turn off the printer. However, any font choices you make with your software will cancel your control panel selection. The table below shows how the Tear Off lights appear for each selection. Font FONT Light 1 EPSON Draft EPSON Draft condensed EPSON Roman EPSON Roman condensed EPSON Sans Serif EPSON Sans Serif condensed 2 Sample o o n n n f n f o n f o n = on o = off f = flashing 2-4 Using the Printer Printing on Continuous Paper Your printer can handle continuous paper from 101 mm (4.0 inches) to 254 mm (10.0 inches) wide. Depending on where you position the tractor, you can use it as a pull tractor or a push tractor. These guidelines can help you decide where to position the tractor: 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. 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 2-10 for instructions. 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 Printer Setting mode to on. See "About Your Printer's Default Settings" on page 2-25. Here's how 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 2-5 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. 2-6 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 knob on the left 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. 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. Using the Printer 2-7 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-ofform position" on page 2-15. c Caution: Never use the knob to adjust the top-of-form position; this may damage the printer or cause it to lose the top-of-form position. When you send more data, the paper automatically feeds back to the loading position. If you want to change the position where printing begins on the page, follow the steps in "Printing with the push tractor" on page 2-5 to adjust the loading position. Removing a printed document from the push tractor To remove the printed document, follow these steps: 1. Press the Tear Off button. Make sure the Tear Off lights are flashing. (This indicates your paper is at the current tear-off position.) 2-8 Using the Printer 2. Open the paper guide cover, then tear off the printed document using the tear-off edge of the paper tension unit. 2 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 2-18. c Caution: Never use the 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. 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 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. Using the Printer 2-9 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 2-20. 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. 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 below. If your tractor is already installed in this position, make sure the printer is off and skip to step 6. c Caution: Use the knob on the left 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. When using the pull tractor, set the Auto tear off feature in the Printer Setting mode to off; otherwise the paper may jam. 2-10 Using the Printer 1. Turn the printer off; then remove the printer cover and the paper guide. Then remove the paper tension unit by squeezing the tension unit's lock tabs gently and pull the tension unit away from the printer. Pull the paper-release lever forward to the continuous paper position. 2 2. Squeeze the tractor's lock tabs gently and rotate the tractor up and pull it away from the printer. Using the Printer 2-11 3. Move the tractor forward to the mounting slot at the top of the printer and tilt it into place as shown below. When you push the tractor onto the posts, you should feel the notches snap into place. 4. Release the sprocket units by pulling the sprocket locks forward. 2-12 Using the Printer 5. Insert the paper into the paper slot as shown below and pull it up. Position the paper using the scale on the printer as a guide. The printer prints to the right of the position marked 0. 2 6. Slide the left sprocket unit so that its sprockets match the position of the holes in the paper and lock the unit in place. Then slide the right sprocket unit to match the width of your paper, but do not lock it. Move the paper support midway between the two sprocket units. Using the Printer 2-13 7. 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. Note: Remove any remaining slack by gently pulling the paper from the rear or bottom. 8. To separate the incoming paper from the printed paper, attach the paper guide. Hold it horizontally and fit its notches over the printer's mounting posts. Then slide the paper guide toward the back of the printer until you feel it click. 9. Attach the printer cover and adjust the paper position with the paper-feed knob. Turn the knob until the perforation between pages is just above the print head. Then turn on the printer. 10. Make sure the printer cover is closed, but with the paper guide cover open. When the printer receives data, it begins printing automatically. 2-14 Using the Printer