EPSON LQ-300

Character fonts:

n----7 paper supports

EPSON Roman EPSON Sans Serif EPSON Courier EPSON Script Draft condensed
Roman-T Sans Serif-H EPSON Prestige Draft
Character tables: One italic and 8 graphic character tables. (15 graphic character tables are available in certain areas.) Character sets: / switch 14 international character sets and 1 legal character set Print ribbon shifting Black, Magenta, Cyan, and Yellow
Color printing (optional): Method Ribbon color

Couriers 0

amsuifo 0
Single sheets (CSF): Width: Length: Thickness: Weight: 182 to 216 mm (7.2 to 8.5 inches) 210 to 364 mm (8.3 to 14.3 inches) 0.07 to 0.12 mm (0.0028 to 0.0047 inch) 64 to 91 g/m2 (18 to 24 lb) Cl Use 90 g/m2 (24 lb) paper only under normal temperature and humidity conditions. 148 to 257 mm (5.8 to 10.1 inches) Max. 364 mm (14.3 inches) 0.065 to 0.14 mm (0.0025 to 0.0055 inch) 52.3 to 90 g/m2 (14 to 24 lb) paper under normal conditions. 0 Use 90 g/m2 (24 lb) paper only under normal temperature and humidity conditions. 101 to 254 mm (4 to 10 inches) Four sheets (one original plus three copies) 0.065 to 0.32 mm (0.0025 to 0.012 inch) total 52.3 to 82 g/m2 (14 to 22 lb) for one sheet 40 to 58.2 g/m2 (12 to 15 lb) per sheet in multi-part forms a Use only two- or three-part carbonless multi-part forms fed with the tractor. Q When using side-crimped multi-part forms, raise the paper guide to keep the printing position accurate. a When using the push tractor, the printing position for the last page may not be accurate because the page comes off the tractor.

Printer Specifications

Printing
Print method: Print speed: 24-pin impact dot matrix Width: Length: Thickness: Weight:
Single sheets (manual insertion):

Le4terQuatity

12 is 10 12
The paper-thidoress lever posltbn or an oveftmmd Pttnt head may slowdcwnthephtiarg~.

Printing direction:

Bidirectional logic-seeking for text and graphics. Unidirectional for graphics can be selected with the Printer setting mode or a software command. l/6 inch, l/8 inch, or programmable in increments of l/360 inch.
Continuous paper: Width: Copies: Thickness: Weight:

Line spacing

Paper feed speed 80 ms per l/6-inch line; 3.3 inches/second with continuous feed. Printable columns: 80 characters at 10 cpi 96 characters at 12 cpi 120 characters at 15 cpi 137 characters at 17 cpi 160 characters at 20 cpi 8KB 10KB
Input buffer: Download memory:

Dot Matrix Printers

10/2/94

EPSON LQ-300-1

Note: Use recycled paper under normal conditions only. If ribbon consumption or paper jamming increase, use a higher grade of paper Labels: size: 101 to 254 mm (4.0 to 10.0 inches) width for backing sheet 63.5 x 23.8 mm (2.50 x 0.94 inches) minimum for a label 0.07 to 0.09 mm (0.0028 to 0.0031 inches) for backing sheet 0.16 to 0.19 mm (0.0063 to 0.0075 inches) total 68 g/m2 (17 lb) for label only 0 Use only continuous type labels and usethemonlywiththetractor. P Use labels only under normal temperatureand humidity conditions. No.6 166x92mm (6.5~3.6inches) No. x 104 mm (9.5 x 4.1 inches) 0.16 to 0.52 mm (0.0063 to 0.0197 inches) 45 to 91 g/m2 (12 to 24 lb) 0 Use envelopes only under normal temperature and humidity conditions.

Continuous paper

Thickness:

Weight:

A TheminimumtopandbottommPrginsaboveandbekwthepertoration~ 9.0 mn (0.35 inch). B Themlnimuml~aMJrlgMmarghs~13mm(0.51inch). The maximum printaWe wklth is 203 mm (6.0 inches).

Mechanical

Paper-feed methods: Friction Push tractor Pull tractor Push-pull tractor (with optional pull tractor unit C800301). Cut-sheet feeder (option C806371)
Envelopes: size: ThiCkMSS: Weight

Ribbon:

Printable area: Single sheets and envelopes

4ooopower~hours

Print head life:

l3iXbdOnS

and weight: (Without tractor unit) Electrical
A Theminlnwmtapmat$n&55mm(02inch). 6 The minillmnn bit margin is 3 mm (0.12 inch). Theminimomti@tmarghis3mm(0.12inch). HtmBver,the- prlntrblew#his203mm(8inches). C The minimum bottom matgln is 9.0 mm (0.35 inch).
200 million strokes/wire (black) 100 million strokes/wire (color and film) 366 mm (14.4 inches) Width 275 mm (10.8 inches) Depth: 141 mm (5.6 inches) Height: Approx. 4.3 kg (9.5 lb) weight:
Rated voltage AC 120 V Input voltage range Rated frequency range Input frequency range Ratedcurrent Power consumption AC 103.5 to 132 V 50 to 60 Hz 49.5 to 60.5 Hz 1.1 A Approx. 30 W (during self-test printing in Draft mode at 10 cpi)

EPSON LQ-300-2

Environmental
Temperature: Operation: 5 to 35OC (41 to 95F)
Serial interface specifications
The serial interface has the following characteristics. Bit rate: Word length: Data format Start bit Parity bit Stop bit Handshaking: Parity check: Connector: 300,600,1200,2400,4800,9600,19200 (selectable) 7 or 8-bit (selectable) 1 bit Odd, even, or none (selectable) 1 bit DTR protocol, XON/XOFF protocol ETX/ACK protocol (selectable) Odd, even, or no panty bit (selectable) ETA standard, 25pin, D-SUB, female

COMector

Operation (film ribbon): 15 to 35OC (59 to 95OF) Operation (envelopes, labels, or recycled paper): 15 to 25OC (59 to 77OF) Storage: -20 to 55OC (-4 to 13lOF)
Humidity (without condensation): Operation: 5 to 80% RH
Synchronization: Asynchronous
Operation (film ribbon): lOtow%RH Operation (envelopes, labels, or recycled paper): 2oto6o%RH Storage: 5 totE%RH
Serial pin assignments The following table lists the serial connector pin assignments and describes their respective interface signals. ~PlnNaIsgml
1 Rateah hIld (ffi) TmmiIWData(TXCWD).

Safety approvals

Safety standards:.-\ US model European model RFk US model European model FCC part 15 subpart B class B Vfg 243 (VDE 0878 part 3, part 30) EN 55022 (CISPR Pub. 22) Class B UL1950 with D3, CSA22.2 No.950 with D3 EN 60950 (TUV) IEC 950 (SEMKO, DEMKO, NEMKO, SETI)

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The Control Panel

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Interface Specifications

Your printer is equipped with an ETA-232D serial interface and a Centronics@~ompatible parallel interface. The printer switches automatically to the appropriate interface when it receives data.
Parallel interface specifications
The parallel interface has the following characteristics. Data format: 8-bit Synchronization: STROBE pulse Handshaking: Signal level: Connector: BUSY and ACKNLG signals TTL compatible 36-pin 57-30360 Amphenol connector or equivalent
You can control simple printer operatio-uch 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 printers status and the current font.

EPSON LQ-300-3

Lights and buttons

Pause Light

Character Fonts
The orange Pause light is on when the printer stops
printing. Each time you turn on the printer, the light flashes briefly. When the printer is out of paper, the light flashes and the beeper sounds three times. The light also flashes when you can tear off the last sheet of continuous paper at the edge of the printer cover. The POUS light goes on and the beeper sounds ifan error occurs.
To choose one of the seven internal fonts listed on the control panel, press the Fo$ button. The two font lights come on (0), go off(O), or flash (0) to show the current. selection. Press the button repeatedly to cycle through all of the available selections; stop when you reach the desired font Your Action 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 Font lights appear for each selection.
Font LigW EPSON Roman EPSON Sans Setif EPSON Courier EPSON PrWige EPSON Sctipt EPSON Dmlt DfaBoimdmmd O=on l
Font 1 and Font 2 lights The green Font lights, 1 and 2, indicate the current font

setting-

Font button
. through the printer fonts listed on the control panel. When you press the button, the Font lights change to indicate your current selection.
Press the Font button during normal operation to cycle

0 is is

If you hold down the Font button while you turn on the
printer, you enter the Printer Setting mode, where you can change many of the printers settings. During normal operation, you can press this button briefly to feed paper line by line. Hold it down to load a single sheet, or to advance continuous paper to the next top-of-form position. You can also press LF/FF to *a

LF/FF button

=ofi 6sflashing
If you want to make sure the printer is working correctly, you can also use this button to run the self test To start the self test, hold down the U=/FF button while you turn on the printer.
Printer Settings Your printer has internal settings that control simple functions such as the page length and character set. These settings take effect each time you turn on the printer, so they are also called default settings. For most users, the factory sett@s are best, but you can changethesesettingsifnecessary. The table on the next page lists all the settings you can change.

Pause button

Press the POW button to stop the printer temporarily during printing or the self test. Press it again to resume activity. Paper Park Press the Font arsd LF/FF buttons together to feed continuous paper backward to the paper-park position. Micro Adjust While in this mode, you can adjust the loading position by pressing the LF/FF button or the Font button.

EPSON LQ-300-4

Graphic print direction You can choose unidirectional or bidirectional as the print direction for graphics. The printer usually prints text and graphics bidirectionally for fast printing. To print graphics unidirectionally for precise vertical alignment of print dots select unidirectional printing. software You can select the kind of printer commands used by your printer. When you select ESC/P 2, the printer emulates an EPSON ESC/P 2 printer. When you select IBM@ X24E, the printer operates as an IBM Proprinter X24E. If possible, choose an EFSON ESC/P 2 printer in your software programs. This will allow you to use the most advanced font and graphics handling available. (Emulation means that the printer can understand and respond to commands as if it were an X24E.) AGM (Alternate Graphics Mode) When AGM is set to On, the printer can use high-resolution 24pi.n graphics commands. The default setting is off. When you select IBM X24E, this setting is available. Auto line feed When the auto line feed feature is on, each carriage return (CR) code is accompanied by a line feed (LF) code. If your printed text is unexpectedly double-spaced, set this feature to Off. If text lines print on top of each other, set it toon. Interface When this feature is set to Auto, the printer determines which interface is receiving data and switches to that interface until the end of the print job (when no data is received from the selected interface for the amount of time specified), You can specify either 10 seconds or 30 seconds. Set this option to Parallel only if you want the printer to ignore data from the serial interface or to Serial only if you want the printer to ignore data from the parallel interface. Bit rate, parity bit, data length, and ETX/ACK These options are available only when the interface is set to Serial. See your computer manual for the appropriate settings. State reply For normal operation leave this option set to Off (default).

Incerteinareas,Ulefdlowing~ertaM~,are~e:
Pc437, Pc050, Pc864, Pu37GLeek, Pc8s2,Pctl53, Pcass, Pc857, PO866, PC869, IS0 Latin IT, IS0 88597, code MJK, MAZOWIA, Bulgaria
Note: Because @ware settings always ommide the printer0 dejblt settings, use your sojbare program to control the printer, if possible. See your @ware documentatim~ more ittformafion. Character table ,*.-. Character tables contain the characters and symbols used in different languages. Your printer includes a wide variety of character tables. Page length This option is available only when you use continuous paper with the tractor. You can set the page length to 8.5, 11,12, or 70/6(the length of A4 paper) inches. Skip-over-perforation When you turn on this feature, the printer skips over the perforations of continuous paper, providing a l-inch marginbehyeenthelastiineprintedono~pageandthe first line printed on the next. Because most software programs set their own top and bottom margins, you should use this feature only if your program does not provide them. This feature does not affect single-sheet paper* Auto tear off When you use continuous paper with the push tractor, this feature advances the paper perforation to the tear-off position where you can easily tear off the printed pages. When the printer receives data, it automatically reverses the paper to the top-of-form position and starts prinsoyoucanuseallofthenextsheet.Whenyouusethe tractor to print on labels, set this feature to off. *--.

EPSON LQ-300-5

Changing the printer settings
If you cannot use your software program to change the printers settings, you can use the Printer Setting mode. Heres how: El To print the help text, use paper at least 210 mm (8.3 inches) w&for single Sheets or 240 kn (9.5 inches) for wntinuous~ paper; otherwise the print heud prints directly on the platen. Also make sure you have enough sheets qf paper because the printer prints several pages #help text. 1. Turn off the printer. Make sure the paper is loaded correctly. 2. Hold down the Font button while you turn on the printer. If you are using single sheets, insert a sheet of paper. The printer automatically loads the paper and prints out a table of languages from which you can choose. You can print instructions in Eqlish, French, German, Italian or Spanish, as shown in Table A below. Table A

Font lights 1

Table B

Caution:

EXT/ACK -tareply

Table E TableE 4

0=on,*=otf,~=nashing

Wifurge

0 English
ti French.Gamafl llaliall spanll
For example, if you want to change the Interface setting, press Font or LF/FF until Font 1 is flashing, Font 2 is off, and the Pause light is flashing. The printer beeps once each time you press the button while in Table B. When you reach the setting that you want to change, press the Pause button once. The printer beeps twice and enters a submenu table for that setting. For example, if you choose Interface and then press Pause, you enter Table H. See the appropriate table in your help text. Press the Font button to move through the se&ngs in the table. The printer beeps twice each time you press the Font button while in a submenu table. When the control panel lights match your desired setting, press the Pause button to make your selection. The printer saves the new setting and returns to Table B. lO.ReFt steps 6 through 9 for each additional setting you want to change, or skip to step 11 to exit the Printer Setting mode. ll.Whenyouarefinished,tumtheprinteroff.Anysettings you have made remain in effect until you change them again. ,--.

O=on,O=off, t5=lhshing

To choose a language, press the Font button repeatedly until the Font lights match your desired selection. For example, to choose Spanish, press the Font button until Font 1 is on and Font 2 is flashing. Press LF/R to select the language. The printer prints the current settings in the languae of your choice, and then

StOpS.

Press the Font button now to print help text that guides you through the operations. The printed instructions include submenu tables that list all of the settings you can change and show you how the control panel lights appear for each selection. After printing is finished, go on to step 6. If you have changed the printer settings bejke and do not need the help text, you can skip this step by pressing LF/FF instend #the Font buttan. 6. At this point, you are in Table B. Press the Font or LF/FF button to move through the printer m listed in Table B, and notice how the control panel lights change to indicate your position

EPSON LQ-300-6

Installing the Ribbon Cartridge
Before installing the ribbon cartridge, make sure the printer is turned off. 1. Open the printer cover to the upright position+ then pull it up to remove it.
4. Insert the ribbon cartridge into the printer as shown; then press both sides of the cartridge down firmly to fit the plastic hooks into the printer slots.

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.
wathg: 0 Never moue the print head while the printer is turned on; this
2. Slide the print head to the middle of the printer.
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.
6. Slide the print head from side to side to make sure it moves smoothly. 7. Re-install and close the printer cover. When your 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 grasp the ribbon cartridge handle on either side and lift it out of the printer.
3. Turn the ribbon-tightening knob in the direction of the arrow to remove any slack from the ribbon so it is easier toinstall.

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. la You should use paper at least 210 mm (8.3 inches) wide to run the self test; otheruise, the print heud prints directly on the pl&n.

EPSON LQ-300-7

1. Make sure the printer is turned off and the paper-release lever is pushed back to the single-sheet position. Raise the paper guide upright. 4. Slide a sheet of paper down firmly between the edge guides until it meets resistance. The printer loads the sheet automatically.
Caution: RI Always close the printer cover while the printer is printing.
While hokling down the LF/FF button turn on the printer. Release the button after the Pause light flashes. The beeper sounds three times, indicating the printer is out of paper* The printer cm& helps the paperfeed prqxrly. 5. To stop printing temporarily, press the Taupe button 6. To end the self test, make sure the printer is not printing. Press LF/FF to elect the sheet; then turn off the printer.

Setting Up Your software

Most software lets you specify the type of printer you use so that you can take full advantage of the printers features. Your software probably provides an mstallation or setup section that includes a list of printers.

Microsoft Windows 3.1 and all Windows progr;ilms
If Windows is installed on your computer system, follow the steps below to install the right driver for your printer. Your printer will work correctly for all your Windows programs, such as Word for Windows, Lotus l-2-3 for Windows, and CorelDRAW? If Windows is mt already installed on your system, run the Windows setup program as described in the documentation that comes with the program. Follow steps 4 through 10 below when you reach the section about choosing a printer. 1. In the Main window, double click the Control Panel icon. 2. Double click the Printers icon. 3. Choose the Ad&> button.
Slide the left edge guide until it locks in place at the triangular guide mark Next, adjust the right edge guide to match the width of your paper.

EPSON LQ-300-8

4. From the list of printers box, select LQ-300. If it is not available, choose the first available printer from the following list. If you plan to use color, you must choose either ActionPrinter 3260, LQ-150, LQ-860, LQ-2550. The other printers cannot use color. ActionPrinter~ 3260 LQ-150 w-860 LQ-2550 LQ-570+ Stylus &IO@ LQ-870 ActionPrinter 3250 Any LQ printer EPSON printer
Adjusting the Loading Position
If you want to adjust the position where printing begins on the page, follow these steps (these instructions also work when you use the pull or push tractor): With paper loaded, hold down the Pause button until the printer beeps once and the Font light begins to flash. Press the LF/FF button to feed the paper forward, or press the Font button to feed the paper backward. (Press either button as many times as necessary until you reach the desired position.) To complete the adjustment, press the Pause button or send data from your computer.
5. Choose the Install button. A dialog box may instruct you to insert a diskette. (If necessary, insert the diskette required.) 6. Choose the Setup button. 7. Select the appropriate resolution. 8. If you selected the LQ-860, LQ-2550, LQ-570+, or LQa70 printer, select Sheet Feeder - Bin 1 as the Paper Source. This step is very important for proper page breaks in your documents. 9. Choose the OK button. lO.Highlight EPSON LQ300 (or the printer you added) and click the button labeled Set As Default Printer. 11.Click the Close button. ,f---Y
Printing on Continuous Paper
Your printer can handle continuous paper with a width of 101 mm (4.0 inches) to 254 mm (10.0 inches). 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? If yes, use the tractor in the push tractor position. (The printer comes with the tractor installed in this positim) seethe following section. Are you printing on labels? If yes, use the tractor as a pull tractor. If your documents require a more precise print position, use the optional pull tractor (C800301) in addition to the built-in tractor in the push tractor position.

Using non-Windows software
From the list of printers box, choose LQ-300. If it is not available, choose the first available printer from the following list. If you plan to use color, you must choose either ActionPrinter 3260, LQ-150, LQ-860, LQ-2!550. The other printers cannot use color. ActionPrinter 3260 LQ-150 LQ-860 LQ-2550 LQ-570+ Stylus 800 LQ-870 ActionPrinter 3250 Any LQ printer EPSON printer
Printing in the push tractor position
When using the push tractor, it is a good idea to set the Auto tear off feature in the Printer Setting mode to on. Heres how to load continuous paper using the push tractor: 1. Make sure the printer is turned off. Remove the paper guide and place the paper-release lever in the continuous paper position.
If your software does not list the LQ-300, you may want to contact the software manufacturer for an update.

EPSON LQ-300-9

2. Release the sprocket units by pulling the sprocket locks forward. 5. To separate the incoming paper from the printed paper, attach the paper guide by holding it horizontally and fitting its notches over the printers mounting posts as shown below. Then slide the paper guide toward the front of the printer until you feel it click. f----*
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. Rush 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.
6. Slide the left edge guide to the center until it stops at the diamond-shaped guide mark. Then slide the right edge guide to the opposite guide mark.
4. Make sure your paper has a clean, straight leading edge. Open~sprocketcwers.Fit~firstholesof~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. Note: a Do not use the knob tofeed pper, othemise the tqof$rm pition may be alteredfrom the next page. a Make sure your paper supply is positioned within I meter
7. Make sure the printer cover is closed. Then turn on the printer. When the printer receives data, it begins printing automatically. 8. When you finish printing (the printer receives no data for three seconds) the printer feeds the perforation of the continuous paper to the edge of the printer cover so that you can tear off the last sheet. The POUW light flashes.

(3 feet) of the printer.

P Set the auto tear o$@ature in the Printer Setting mode to on. Otherwise, the printer does notfeed the perforation to the edge of the printer cover. P If the perjkation and the edge of the printer cmer do not match, adjust the paper position byfillowing the steps in Adjusting the loading position, while the Pause light is flashing. When you send more data, the paper automatically feeds back to the loading position

EPSON LQ-300-10

Switching back to single sheets
To switch to single sheets, press the Font and LF/FF buttons at the same time; the printer feeds the paper backward into the paper-park position. Caution: ca Always tear off paper before back-feeding; back-feeding too many sheets can cause a paper jam. 4. Release the sprocket units by pulling the sprocket locks forward.
Printing in the pull tractor position
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 5. caution: a When using the pull tractor, set the auto tear offfeature in the Printer Setting mode to 8; otherwise the paper may jam. 1. Turn the printer off; then remove the paper guide. Pull the paper-release lever forward to the continuous paper position. 2. Squeeze the tractors lock tabs gently and pull the tractor away from the printer. Remove the printer cover. 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.
Note: Make sure your paper supply is positioned within I meter (3 feet) of the printer. 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 ri&t sprocket unit to match the width of your paper, but do not lock it. Move the paper support midway between the two sprocket units.
3. Lift the tractor forward to the mounting slot at the top of the printer and tilt it into place as shown below. Then push the tractor onto the posts until the notches snap into place.

_-Y---.

EPSON LQ-300-11
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.

Installing the Color Upgrade Kit
The optional Color Upgrade Kit (C832111) includes a color ribbon cartridge and a motor unit. Heres how to install the kit:
1. Turn off the printer and remove the printer cover. If the
original ribbon cartridge is installed, remove it. Then slide the connector cover on the printer and pull it out as shown below.
To separate the incoming paper from the printed paper, attach the paper guide. Hold it horizontally and fit its notches over the printers mounting posts. Then slide the paper guide toward the back of the printer until you feel it click Slide the left edge guide to the center until it stops at the diamond-shaped guide mark; slide the right edge guide to the opposite guide mark. 10. Attach the printer cover and adjust the paper position with the knob. Turn the knob until the perforation between pages is just above the print head. 11. Make sure the printer cover is closed. Then turn on the printer. When the printer receives data, it begins printing automatically. If you want to change the position where printing begins on the page, press LF/FF to advance the page to the next top-of-form position and then follow the steps to adjust the loading position. To eject the paper, tear off the paper enter@ the printer; then press the LF/FF button to feed the paper forward.
2. Install the motor unit in the right hand corner of the printer, with the gear facing the center of the printer. Push it down firmly to fit the metal pins into the slots.
3. Insert the motor unit plug into the connector on the printer.
4. Slide the print head to the middle of the printer. Remove the retaining tape from the cartridge and then slide the movable ribbon guide on the color ribbon to the center of the cartridge.

EPSON LQ-300-12

5. Turn the ribbon-tightening knob in the direction of the arrow to remove any slack in the ribbon. Note: When you print using the color ribbon, print speed may be reduced. To switch to the black ribbon, remove the color ribbon and then install the black ribbon To remove the color ribbon, press down on he motor unit and pull out the cartridge as shown below. You do not have to remove the motor unit.
6. 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.

Information Reference List
Engineering Change Notices NCWS Product Support Bulletins
None 7. Turn the ribbon-tightening knob to help feed the ribbon into place; it should not be twisted or creased. 8. Replace the printer cover. After you install the color ribbon cartridge, run the self test. If the top or bottom edge of the characters in the self test are a different color from the rest, adjust the ribbon angle with the color ribbon adjustment lever.
Technical Information Bulletins None Related Documentation
TM-LQ300 PL-LQEPSON LQ-300 Service Manual EPSON LQ-300 Parts Price List EPSON LQ-*300 Users Guide

EPSON LQ-300-13

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. No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of the information contained herein. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, Seiko Epson Corporation assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein. Neither Seiko Epson Corporation nor its affiliates shall be liable to the purchaser of this product or third parties for damages, losses, costs, or expenses incurred by 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 Corporations operating and maintenance instructions. Seiko Epson Corporation shall not be liable against 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 and EPSON Stylus and EPSON ESC/P 2 are trademarks of Seiko Epson Corporation. Action Printer is a trademark and EPSON Connection is a service mark of Epson America, Inc. CompuServe is a registered trademark of CompuServe Information Service CorelDRAW is a registered trademark of Core1 Systems Corporation. IBM Proprinter is a trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. Lotus and 1-2-3 are registered trademarks of Lotus Development Corporation. Microsoft is a registered trademark and Windows is a trademark of Microsoft 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 1994 by Seiko Epson Corporation, Nagano, Japan.

Users 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 users authority to operate the equipment.

For Canadian Users

This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for radio noise emissions from digital apparatus as set out in the radio interference regulations of the Canadian Department of Communications. Le present appareil numrique n met pas de bruits radiolectriques dpassant les limites applicables aux appareils numriques de Classe B prescrites dans le rglement sur le brouillage radiolectrique dict par le Ministre des Communications du Canada.
Where to Get Help for United States Users
Epson America provides local customer support and service through a nationwide network of authorized EPSON dealers and Service Centers. Epson also provides the following support services through the EPSON ConnectionSM at (800) 922-8911: Assistance in locating your nearest Authorized EPSON Reseller or Service Center Technical assistance with the installation, configuration, and operation of EPSON products Sales of the ESC/P Reference Manual Epson technical information library fax service Product literature withtechnical specifications on our current and new products Sales of ribbons, supplies, parts, documentation, and accessories for your EPSON product Customer Relations

CompuServe@ on-line support
The fastest way to access helpful tips, specifications, drivers, application notes, and bulletins is through the Epson America Forum on CompuServe. If you are not currently a member of CompuServe, you are eligible for a free introductory membership as an owner of an EPSON product. This membership entitles you to: An introductory $15 credit on CompuServe Your own user ID and password A complimentary subscription to CompuServe Magazine, CompuServes monthly publication To take advantage of this offer, call (800) 848-8199 in the United States and Canada and ask for representative #529. In other countries, call (614) 529-1611 or your local CompuServe access number. If you are already a CompuServe member, simply type GO EPSON at the menu prompt to reach the Epson America Forum. iii

For United Kingdom Users

Epson product guarantee
Under the law, goods sold must comply with their description and must be of merchantable quality and fit for their purpose or correspond with any sample. This guarantee does not affect the sellers legal obligation or the rights of the consumer in the consumer transactions under any Statute, including Sections 12 to 15 of the Sales of Goods Act, 1979. All EPSON Products, other than OEM products, are fully guaranteed against faulty operation or performance for a period of ONE YEAR from date of purchase by the user of the product. All claims under this guarantee MUST be supported by evidence of purchase, normally the bill of sale invoice, and it is the responsibility of the claimant to furnish such proof. Epson (UK) Limited does not issue or operate any form of guarantee registration card. Claims are made by the user returning the product to the supplier from whom it was purchased or, if this is impractical, to any Epson supplier who also handles the same product. In the event of any difficulty, users are requested to contact the Service Co-ordinator Manager at Epson (UK) Limited. Epson (UK) Limited, or Epson Appointed Distributors, will at their discretion repair or replace part or all of the product to provide, in their judgement, a satisfactory performance of the product consistent with its age and apparent usage. This guarantee covers the cost of both the parts and labour required to correct any malfunction of the equipment, but specifically excludes: wear and tear, consumables, physical damage due to incorrect use or misuse and damage or faulty operation due to unauthorized and inexpert repair.
The guarantee is restricted to the performance of the product alone, and Epson (UK) Limited does not accept responsibility for any consequential loss or damage, nor claimed or implied performance, when the product is used in any combination with other equipment or program software. Product guarantee may be invalidated as a result of excessive or inappropriate use, use in an adverse environment or in conditions outside the specifications or if the product has been subjected to unapproved modifications. The guarantee does not cover visits to the users premises or the repair or commissioning of the product on site.

3-2 3-2 3-2 3-3 3-3 3-4 3-5 3-5 3-6 3-7 3-7 3-8 3-9 3-9 3-11 3-11
With the color upgrade installed, the printer does not operate properly. 3-11

Appendix

Printer Specifications. Printing. Paper. Mechanical. Electrical. Environmental. Safety approvals. Interface Specifications. Parallel interface. Serial interface. Command Summary. Sending printer commands. Using the command summary. General operation. Paper feeding. Page format. Print position motion. Font selection. Font enhancement. Spacing. Character handling. Bit image. Graphics. Color printing. Character Tables.
A-2 A-2 A-4 A-6 A-7 A-7 A-8 A-8 A-8 A-8 A-10 A-10 A-10 A-11 A-11 A-11 A-12 A-13 A-14 A-15 A-16 A-18 A-19 A-19 A-20

Features

Your EPSON 24-pin dot matrix printer offers these outstanding features: High-speed printing. Print up to 200 characters per second (cps) in 10-cpi draft mode. Quiet operation. Youll notice the benefit of quiet printing in your work environment. Simple control panel. Three buttons and three lights give you fingertip-access to most printer functions. Two built-in interfaces: parallel and EIA-232D serial. Detachable tractor unit that can be used as either a pull tractor or a push tractor. Print on single sheets without removing the continuous paper supply. Compact design. This printer fits neatly into available space in your home or office. Longer printable area. Print up to 66 lines on A4-size or 62 lines on standard letter paper. You can get custom results with the following options: Color Upgrade Kit (C83211*) adds visual interest to printed documents with a color ribbon cartridge. Pull Tractor Unit (CS0030*) for printing continuous paper and multi-part forms (used with the standard tractor). Single-bin Cut-Sheet Feeder (C80637*) loads up to 50 sheets of paper automatically.

Introduction 1

Energy Star Compliant
This printer complies with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys Energy Star program, which promotes the manufacture of energy-efficient printers, computers, and monitors. The EPA estimates that if all desktop computers, printers, and other peripheral devices met Energy Star standards, energy cost savings would exceed $1 billion annually and carbon dioxide emissions would be reduced by 20 million tons.
The Energy Star emblem does not represent EPA endorsement of any product or service.

Finding Your Way Around

This manual provides fully illustrated, step-by-step instructions for setting up and operating your printer. Chapter 1 describes how to unpack, set up, test, and connect the printer to your computer. Be sure to read this chapter first. Chapter 2 includes information on how to get the printing results you want and how to install options. Chapter 3 offers simple tips on solving printing problems. If printing results are not what you expect or the printer does not work properly, turn here for help. The Appendix covers the printers specifications and lists programming commands. An index at the back of the manual helps you find information on specific topics quickly.

Choose the Install button. A dialog box may instruct you to insert a diskette. (If necessary, insert the diskette required.) Choose the Setup button. Select the appropriate resolution.
If you selected the LQ-860, LQ-2550, LQ-570+, or LQ-870 printer, select Sheet Feeder - Bin 1 as the Paper Source. This step is very important for proper page breaks in your documents. Choose the OK button.
10. Highlight EPSON LQ-300 (or the printer you added) and click the button labeled Set As Default Printer. 11. Click the Close button.
Using non- Windows software
From the list of printers box, choose LQ-300. If neither printer is available, choose the first available printer from the following list. If you plan to use color, you must choose either ActionPrinter 3260, LQ-150, LQ-860, or LQ-2550. The other printers cannot use color. ActionPrinter 3260 LQ-150 LQ-860 LQ-2550 LQ-570+ Stylus 800 LQ-870 ActionPrinter 3250 Any LQ printer EPSON printer
If your software does not list the LQ-300, you may want to contact the software manufacturer for an update.
Using the Control Panel. Lights and buttons. Selecting fonts. Printing on Single Sheets. Loading single sheets. Getting the results you expect. Printing on Continuous Paper. Printing in the push tractor position. Printing in the pull tractor position. Printing on Special Paper. Adjusting the paper-thickness lever. Multi-part forms. Labels. Envelopes. Using the Printer Setting Mode. Printer setting descriptions. Changing the printer settings. Installing and Using Options. Single-bin Cut-Sheet Feeder Pull Tractor Unit. Color Upgrade Kit. 2-2 2-2 2-4 2-5 2-5 2-6 2-7 2-8 2-13 2-17 2-17 2-19 2-20 2-21 2-22 2-23 2-25 2-29 2-29 2-33 2-35

Using the Control Panel

You can control simple printer operationssuch as line feeding, form feeding, loading and ejecting paper, and selecting fontswith the buttons on the control panel. The control panel lights show the printers status and the current font.

Lights

and buttons
Pa use light The orange Pause light is on when the printer stops printing. Each time you turn on the printer, the light flashes briefly. When the printer is out of paper, the light flashes and the beeper sounds three times. The light also flashes when you can tear off the last sheet of continuous paper at the edge of the printer cover. The Pause light goes on and the beeper sounds if an error occurs. Font 1 and Font 2 lights The green Font lights, 1 and 2, indicate the current font setting. For more about selecting fonts, see page 2-4. While in the micro adjust mode, the Font lights flash. See Adjusting the loading position on page 2-5.

Font button Press the Font button during normal operation to cycle through the printer fonts listed on the control panel. When you press the button, the Font lights change to indicate your current selection. For more about choosing a font, see page 2-4. If you hold down the Font button while you turn on the printer, you enter the Printer Setting mode, where you can change many of the printers settings. For more about printer settings, see page 2-22. LF/FF button During normal operation, you can press this button briefly to feed paper line by line. Hold it down to load a single sheet, or to advance continuous paper to the next top-of-form position. You can also press LF/FF to eject a page. If you want to make sure the printer is working correctly, you can also use this button to run the self test. To start the self test, hold down the LF/FF button while you turn on the printer. For complete instructions, see page 1-10. Pause button Press the Pause button to stop the printer temporarily during printing or the self test. Press it again to resume activity. Paper Park Press the Font and LF/FF buttons together to feed continuous paper backward to the paper-park position. See Printing in the push tractor position on page 2-8. Micro Adjust While in this mode, you can adjust the loading position by pressing the LF/FF button or the Font button. See Adjusting the loading position on page 2-5. Using the Printer

Selecting fonts

To choose one of the seven internal fonts listed on the control panel, press the Font button. The two font lights come on (0), go off (), or flash (0) to show the current selection. Press the button repeatedly to cycle through all of the available selections; 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 Font lights appear for each selection.

O = on, = off,

= flashing
Printing on Single Sheets
You can use the paper guide to print on single sheets with a width of 182 mm (7.2 inches) to 257 mm (10.1 inches). Note:
You can install an optional cut-sheet feeder to load up to 50 sheets automatically. See page 2-29 for details.

Loading single sheets

You load single sheets as shown in Running the Self Test in Chapter 1. For normal use, turn on the printer without pressing any other buttons. The Pause light flashes briefly, and the printer loads the sheet automatically. When the printer receives data, it begins to print. Note:

Printing in the push tractor position
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 Changing the printer settings on page 2-25. Heres how to load continuous paper using the push tractor: 1. Make sure the printer is turned off. Remove the paper guide and place the paper-release lever in the continuous paper position.
Release the sprocket units by pulling the sprocket locks forward.
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.
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.
Do not use the knob to feed paper; Otherwise the top-of-form
position may be altered from the next page. Make sure your paper supply is positioned within 1 meter

(3 feet) of the printer.

Make sure the printer cover is closed. Then turn on the printer. When the printer receives data, it begins printing automatically.
8. When you finish printing (the printer receives no data for three seconds) the printer feeds the perforation of the continuous paper to the edge of the printer cover so that you can tear off the last sheet. The Pause light flashes. Note:
Set the auto tear off feature in the Printer Setting mode to on. Otherwise, the printer does not feed the perforation to the edge of the printcr cover. If the perforation and the edge of the printer cover do not match, adjust the paper position by following the steps in Adjusting the loading position, while the Pause light is flashing.
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 on page 2-5 to adjust the loading position. Switching back to single sheets To switch to single sheets, press the Font and LF/FF buttons at the same time; the printer feeds the paper backward into the paper-park position. Then follow the steps in Loading single sheets on page 2-5. Caution:
Always tear off paper before back-feeding; back-feeding too many sheets can cause a paper jam.

If you print on multi-part form without raising the paper guide,

the paper may jam.

labels
You must use the tractor as a pull tractor to print on labels. Keep these tips in mind: Choose labels mounted on a continuous backing sheet with sprocket holes made for use with a tractor. Do not print labels as single sheets, because the shiny backing sheet almost always slips a little. You load labels the same way you load continuous paper, except that the paper-thickness lever should be set to 1. See page 2-13 for loading instructions. Because labels are especially sensitive to temperature and humidity, use them only under normal operating conditions. Make sure the printing stays entirely within the printable area. (See the Appendix for specifications.) Do not leave labels loaded in the printer between jobs; they curl around the platen and may jam when you resume printing. To remove the labels from the printer, tear off the fresh supply at the rear of the printer; then press LF/FF to advance the remaining labels out of the printer.
Never feed labels backward through the printer; they can easily peel off the backing and jam the printer. If a label does become stuck in the printer, contact your dealer.

Envelopes

You can feed envelopes individually using the paper guide. Before loading an envelope, set the paper-thickness lever to position 4 or 5. See page 2-18. To load an envelope, follow the steps used to load single sheets in Running the Self Test on page 1-10. Insert the wide edge of the envelope into the printer first, printable-side down. When you insert the envelope between the paper guides, push it firmly and hold it until it feeds into the printer.
Use envelopes only under normal temperature and humidity conditions. Make sure the printing stays entirely within the printable area. The print head must not go past the left or right edge of the envelope or other thick paper. (See the Appendix for specifications.) Its a good idea to print a test sample using a normal single sheet of paper before you print on the envelopes.
Using the Printer Setting Mode
Your printer has internal settings that control simple functions such as the page length and character set. These settings take effect each time you turn on the printer, so they are also called default settings. For most users, the factory settings are best, but you can change these settings if necessary. The table below lists all the settings you can change.

Function Character table* Page length Skip-over-perforation Auto tear off Graphic print direction Software AGM Auto line feed Interface Bit rate Parity bit Data length EXT/ACK State reply
Options PC437, PC850, PC860, PC863, PC865, PC861, BRASCII, Abicomp 11, 12, 8.5, 70/6 inches On, Off On, Off Unidirectional, Bidirectional
ESC/P 2, IBM X24E On, Off On, Off Auto (10 sec. wait), Auto (30 sec. wait), Parallel, Serial 300, 600, 1200, 2400, 4800, 9600, 19200 bps None, Odd, Even 7 bit, 8 bit Disable, Enable On, Off
* In certain areas, the following character tables are available: PC437. PC850, PC864, PC437 Greek, PC852, PC853, PC855, PC857, PC866, PC869, IS0 Latin IT, IS0 8859-7, Code MJK, MAZOWIA, Bulgaria
Because software settings always override the printer's default
settings, use your software program to control the printer, if possible.
See your software documentation for more information.

2-22 Using the Printer

Printer setting descriptions
This section describes all the settings available in the Printer Setting mode. Character table Character tables contain the characters and symbols used in different languages. Your printer includes a wide variety of character tables. See the Appendix for specific characters. Page length This option is available only when you use continuous paper with the tractor. You can set the page length to 8 1/2, 11, 12, or 70/6 (the length of A4 paper) inches. Skip-over-perforation When you turn on this feature, the printer skips over the perforations of continuous paper, providing a 1-inch margin between the last line printed on one page and the first line printed on the next. Because most software programs set their own top and bottom margins, you should use this feature only if your program does not provide them. This feature does not affect single-sheet paper. Auto tear off When you use continuous paper with the push tractor, this feature advances the paper perforation to the tear-off position where you can easily tear off the printed pages. When the printer receives data, it automatically reverses the paper to the top-of-form position and starts printing, so you can use all of the next sheet. When you use the tractor to print on labels, set this feature to Off.
Graphic print direction You can choose unidirectional or bidirectional as the print direction for graphics. The printer usually prints text bidirectionally for fast printing and prints graphics unidirectionally for precise vertical alignment of print dots. To print graphics faster, select bidirectional printing. Software You can select the kind of printer commands used by your printer. When you select ESC/P 2TM, the printer emulates an EPSON ESC / P 2 printer. When you select IBM X24E, the printer operates as an IBM ProprinterTM X24E. If possible, choose an EPSON ESC/ P 2 printer in your software programs. This will allow you to use the most advanced font and graphics handling available. (Emulation means that the printer can understand and respond to commands as if it were an X24E.) AGM (Alternate Graphics Mode) When A.GM is set to On, the printer can use high-resolution 24-pin graphics commands. The default setting is off. When you select IBM X24E, this setting is available. Auto line feed When the auto line feed feature is on, each carriage return (CR) code is accompanied by a line feed (LF) code. If your printed text is unexpectedly double-spaced, set this feature to Off. If text lines print on top of each other, set it to On.

Interface When this feature is set to Auto, the printer determines which interface is receiving data and switches to that interface until the end of the print job (when no data is received from the selected interface for the amount of time specified). You can specify either 10 seconds or 30 seconds. Set this option to Parallel only if you want the printer to ignore data from the serial interface or to Serial only if you want the printer to ignore data from the parallel interface. Bit rate, parity bit, data length, and ETX/ACK These options are available only when the interface is set to Serial. See your computer manual for the appropriate settings. State reply For normal operation, leave this option set to Off (default).
Changing the printer settings
If you cannot use your software program to change the printers settings, you can use the Printer Setting mode. Heres how:
Caution: To print the help text, use paper at least 210 mm (8.3 inches) wide for single sheets or 240 mm (9.5 inches) for continuous paper; otherwise the print head prints directly on the platen. Also make sure you have enough sheets of paper because the printer prints several pages of help text.
Turn off the printer. Make sure the paper is loaded correctly.
Hold down the Font button while you turn on the printer. If you are using single sheets, insert a sheet of paper. The printer automatically loads the paper and prints out a table of languages from which you can choose. You can print help text in English, French, German, Italian, or Spanish as shown in Table A below.

Table A

Font lights language English French German Italian Spanish on, = off, = flashing
To choose a language, press the Font button repeatedly until the Font lights match your desired selection. For example, to choose Spanish, press the Font button until Font 1 is on and Font 2 is flashing. Press the LF/FF to select the language. The printer prints the current settings in the language of your choice, and then stops. Press the Font button now to print help text that guides you through the operations. The printed instructions include submenu tables that list all of the settings you can change and show you how the control panel lights appear for each selection. After printing is finished, go on to step 6.
If you have changed the printer settings before and do not need the help text, you can skip this step by pressing LF/FF instead of

Using the Printer 2-33

Release the sprocket lock levers of the pull tractor and adjust the sprocket units to match the width of the paper. Be sure that the sprocket units on both the tractors are aligned so that the paper is not crooked. Open the sprocket covers. Fit the holes of the paper over the tractor pins of the sprocket units and adjust the sprocket units as necessary. (See Printing on Continuous Paper on page 2-7.) Close the sprocket covers. If there is slack in the paper between the push and pull tractors, turn the knob on the right side of the pull tractor to remove the slack.
See that the paper is not crooked or wrinkled and lock the sprocket units in place. Reinstall the printer cover and the paper guide.

Color Upgrade Kit

The optional Color Upgrade Kit (C83211*) includes a color ribbon cartridge and a motor unit. Heres how to install the kit: 1. Turn off the printer and remove the printer cover. If the original ribbon cartridge is installed, remove it. Then slide the connector cover on the printer and pull it out as shown.
Install the motor unit in the right hand corner of the printer, with the gear facing the center of the printer. Push it down firmly to fit the metal pins into the slots.
Insert the motor unit plug into the connector on the printer.
Slide the print head to the middle of the printer. Remove the retaining tape from the cartridge and then slide the movable ribbon guide on the color ribbon to the center of the cartridge.
5. Turn the ribbon-tightening knob in the direction of the arrow to remove any slack in the ribbon.
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.
Turn the ribbon-tightening knob to help feed the ribbon into place; it should not be twisted or creased. Replace the printer cover.
After you install the color ribbon cartridge, run the self test as shown on page 1-10.
If the top or bottom edge of the characters in the self test are a different color from the rest, adjust the ribbon angle with the color ribbon adjustment lever. See page 3-12 for details.

Printing

The printer does not print
The Pause light is off but nothing is printed. Check that the software is installed properly for your printer, as described on page 1-16. Check the softwares printer settings. Check both ends of the interface cable. Make sure the cable meets both the printer and computer specifications. The Pause light is flashing and the printer beeps three times. The printer may be out of paper. Load paper in the printer. The printer sounds like it is printing, but nothing is printed. The ribbon cartridge may not be installed properly. See page 1-6. The ribbon may be worn out. Replace the ribbon cartridge.

Troubleshooting 3-3

The printer makes a strange noise, beeps once, and then abruptly stops printing. Turn off the printer and check for a paper jam, a ribbon jam, or other problems. Let the print head cool. Then try to print again. If the printer still does not print correctly, contact your dealer. The beeper sounds once and the Pause light comes on. An error has occurred. Turn off the printer and turn it on again. If the Pa use light stays on, check for a paper jam or ribbon jam. Turn the printer off and clear the jam. If an error occurs when you switch between single sheets and continuous paper, make sure the paper-release lever is in the correct position. If the printer still does not work correctly, turn off the printer and contact your dealer or qualified service person.
The print is faint or uneven
Printed characters have parts missing at the bottom. The ribbon cartridge may not be installed properly. See page 1-6. The printout is faint. The ribbon may be worn out. Replace the ribbon cartridge as described on page 1-6.

3-4 Troubleshooting

Dots are missing in
printed characters or graphics
A line of dots is missing in the printout. The print head is damaged. Stop printing and contact your dealer to have the print head replaced. Dots are missing in random positions. Either there is too much slack in the ribbon or the ribbon has come loose. Reinstall the ribbon cartridge as described on page 1-6.
Printed characters are not what you expected
The typestyles or characters you sent with your software did not print. Check that the software is correctly configured for your printer. For instructions, see page 1-16. The font selected on the control panel does not print. Your software may be overriding your control panel setting. Use the font setting in your software program.

Troubleshooting 3-5

The print position is not what you expected
Printing starts too high or too low on the page, or the bottom part of one page is printed at the top of the next page. See Getting the results you expect on page 2-6. It is also possible to adjust the loading position using the LF/FF button in the micro adjust mode. To use micro adjust, see " Adjusting the loading position on page 2-5. Page length does not match the length of the paper. Check the page length set by your software and adjust it if necessary. If you are using continuous paper, change the page length in the Printer Setting mode. See Changing the printer settings on page 2-25. Regular gaps occur in the printout. Skip-over-perforation may be on. Set skip-over-perforation to Off in the Printer Setting mode. See Changing the printer settings on page 2-25.

ESC. nn

Color printing

ESC r n

Select Printing Color The variable n selects the printing color according to the table below. n = 0: Black 4: Yellow 1: Magenta 5: Red 2: Cyan 6: Green 3: Violet

Character Tables

These character tables are selected with the Printer Setting mode or by using a command. All tables except the italic character table are the same as the PC437 table for hex codes 00 through 7F, so only the PC437 table is shown completely. The rest of the tables show only the characters for hex codes 80 through FF. The tables with an asterisk (*) after the table name are available in certain areas only. PC437 (USA, standard Europe)

PC850 (Multilingual)

PC860 (Portuguese)

PC863 (Canadian-French)

PC865 (Norwegian)

Appendix A-21

PC861 (Icelandic)
BRASCII (Braz. Portuguese)
Abicomp (Braz. Portuguese)

PC437 Greek (Greek)*

A-22 A p p e n d i x

PC869 (Greek)*

IS0 8859-7 (Latin/Greek)*

PC853 (Turkish)*

PC857 (Turkish)*

ISO Latin IT (Turkish)*

PC855 (Cyrillic)*

PC866 (Russian)*

PC852 (East Europe)*

ITALIC

No characters are available for hex code 15 in the italic character table.

A-26 Appendix

International

character

You can select one of the following international character sets with the ESC R command. For example, when you select Italic France, the characters in the France row on the table below are used in the italic character table.

Country

USA France Germany UK Denmark Sweden Italy Spain Japan Norway Denmark II Spain II

ASCII code hex

40 5B 5C 5D 5E 60 7B 7C 7D 7E

Latin America

Korea Legal

Appendix A-27

Characters available with the ESC ( ^ command
To print the characters in the table below, first send the ESC ( ^ command.

A-28 Appendix

Adjusting loading position, 2-5 paper-thickness lever, 2-17 AGM, 2-22, 2-24 Assembling printer, 1-4-9 Attaching paper supports, 1-5 Auto line feed, 2-22, 2-24 tear off, 2-22-23
Features, 1 Feeder, cut-sheet, 2-29-33 Finding your way around, 2 Font button, 2-23, 2-2228 lights, 2-2, 2-2228 Fonts, selecting, 2-4 Forms, multi-part, 2-19
Bit rate, 2-22, 2-25 Buttons, 2-2-3
Getting results you expect, 2-6 Graphic print direction, 2-22, 2-24
Changing printer settings, 2-2528 Character handling, A-16 table, 2-2223 Choosing a place for the printer, 1-3 Color Upgrade Kit, 1, 2-3538 Command summary, A-1019 Connecting printer to computer, 1-13-16 Continuous paper, 2-7-17 Control panel, 2-24 Cut-sheet feeder, 2-29-33