For details, refer to the pages given in parentheses.
PRINT/ALARM indicator (for the UP-20) (61) Lights while the printer is printing in green. Lights in orange when the ink ribbon or paper is exhausted, the paper jams, or another problem occurs.

Front Panel

UP-21MD
C Remote sensor (12) Aim the head of the remote control unit toward this sensor. D Printer window display (only for the UP-21MD) Displays messages that also appear along the bottom edge of the monitor screen. The printer window display has a narrower display range and shows only a limited number of characters. Also displays the menu screen line at which the cursor is positioned. If an error occurs, a corresponding error message is displayed. The contrast of the printer window display can be adjusted on the SYSTEM SETUP menu. (Adjusting the Brightness of the Printer Window Display (Only for the UP-21MD) on page 53.) E STOP button (18) Press this button to stop continuous printing. The printer stops printing after finishing the printing item currently being printed.
MULTI PICTURE button (25) Press this button to select the desired printout type on the regular screen. When you press this button, the currently selected printout type is displayed for a few seconds. Each time you press this button, the type is switched in the following sequence: 1, 2, 4, 1. The setting of MULTI PIX on the LAYOUT SETUP menu changes linked with the press of this button. PRINT QTY (quantity) button (20) Press this button to set the number of copies on the regular screen. You can set any number up to 9. When you press this button, the currently selected number is displayed for a few seconds. The setting of PRT QTY on the PRINTER SETUP menu changes linked with the press of this button. You can change the number even when the printer is printing. MEMORY PAGE button (22, 25, 36) Press to select the memory page.
A PRINT indicator (for the UP-21MD) Lights while the printer is printing. POWER indicator (for the UP-20) Lights in green while the printer power is on. B ALARM indicator (for the UP-21MD)(61) Lights in orange when the ink ribbon or paper is exhausted, the paper jams, or another problem occurs.

Transparent tape

Insert the hole of the handle of the ink ribbon over the protruberance of the printer.
Turn the spools in the direction of the arrow to remove any slack until the transparent tape cannot be seen.

Loading Paper

To load paper on the paper tray, follow the procedure below. Be careful not to touch the printing surface.
Close the front panel by pushing the point marked with PULL OPEN.
Use only paper recommended. Failing to do so is likely to result in malfunctions such as paper jams. (See Recommended Ink Ribbon and Paper on page 57.)
Be sure to close the front panel completely. If you do not, a paper jam or a malfunction may occur while you are printing or cleaning the internal thermal head.
Take out the paper tray. Then, open the cover of the paper tray and place the paper in the paper tray so that the printing surface faces up with the protection sheet on top. When the UPC-21L printing pack is used: Lay the partition down. When the UPC-21S printing pack is used: Raise the partition.
Push the point marked with PULL OPEN.
When storing ink ribbon cartridge: Avoid placing the ink ribbon in a location subject to: high temperatures high humidity excessive dust direct sunlight Store a partially used ink ribbon in its original packaging.
The paper tray holds up to 50 sheets of paper when the UPC-21L printing pack is used and 80 sheets of paper when the UPC-21S printing pack is used. When handling the paper, do not touch the printing surface. Dust or finger prints are likely to cause unsatisfactory printing or malfunction of the head. Grasp the paper by the printing surface protection sheet. When loading the paper, load the paper so that it lays flat in the paper tray. If the paper is curled, it will overflow from the paper tray and paper may not be fed properly. Be sure to riffle the paper along with the protection sheets before attempting to place the paper in the paper tray. Do not place different types of paper in the tray at the same time.
Selecting the Input Signal
Set the paper securely under the tab.
Before printing, select the appropriate input signal (the input connector to which the signal to be printed is being input) VIDEO, S VIDEO, or RGB.
Riffle the paper with the protection sheet.

2, 5 2, 4, 5

Place the paper along with the protection sheet in the paper tray with the printing surface facing up.

To queue another memory page, repeat steps 1, 2 and 3.
The available memory pages appear in white.
Press the CAPTURE button at the instant the image you want to print appears on the screen.
Making Variations of Printouts
You can capture various kinds of images in memory and make variations of printouts using the images captured in memory.
Frame mode: An image is captured in a memory area. Printouts with high resolution can be obtained.
Printout of a full-size image
Printout of two reduced images
Printout of four reduced images The image displayed on the video monitor is captured in memory page A.

Printout

You can also make printouts of multiple reduced images with white borders. (See Making a printout with white borders on page 30.)
Selecting the Memory Mode

Frame mode/field mode

To make printouts, it is first necessary to capture the image in memory. When capturing an image, there are two ways to use the memory, one is called frame mode and the other is called field mode.
A still subject can be printed with high resolution.
Field mode: A memory area is divided into two, and images can be captured in each. In this way a quickly moving subject can be printed with less blurring.
The image displayed on the video monitor is captured in memory page A1. Printout
A quickly moving subject can be printed with less blurring.
Selecting the memory mode
Select the desired memory mode by pressing the G or g button.
Switch the desired memory mode to green by pressing the G or g button.
Mode FRAME Contents We recommend that, whenever possible, you print in this mode. Select this mode to reduce blurring when you print a quickly moving image.
Press the MENU button and display the LAYOUT SETUP menu by pressing the F, f, G or g button.
Switch LAY to green by pressing the F, f, G or g button, then the LAYOUT SETUP menu appears.

Selecting a Memory Page

Memory page
A memory area in which an image is captured is called a memory page in this manual. The number of usable memory pages depends on the type of the reduced images selected and on the memory mode.

Symbols and words can be used to enter a caption
Display in the Function CAPTION menu INS DEL SP Inserts one character without erasing the highlighted character. Deletes a highlighted character and characters shift back by one. Puts one space at the position of the highlighted character by erasing that character. One space is left. Selects printing without a caption. Selects printing with a caption. Returns from the CAPTION menu to the LAYOUT SETUP menu. Selects either capital letters or small letters.

OFF ON EXIT SHIFT

Entering a Caption
Enter a caption as follows. The setting remains effective until you enter a new setting even if you turn the power off.
Printer window display (only for the UP-21MD)

4, 5, 8, 9

Indicates the character selected in the character entry area.

4, 6, 8, 9

ON: displayed when printing with a caption. OFF: displayed when printing without a caption. (OFF is displayed as the factory-setting.) Indicates the position where the character is to be input in the character display area.
Select CAPTION by pressing the F or f button.
Position the cursor at CAPTION by pressing the F or f button.
Example: Move the cursor to the left by two.
1 Highlight the G button in green. The cursor is currently positioned here (lit in green).
Press the g button. The CAPTION menu appears. Position the cursor (the line lit in green) at the point where you want to enter the character in the character display area. To move the cursor 1 Select the arrow corresponding to the direction in which you want to move the green cursor in the character display area, by pressing the F, f, G or g button. 2 Press the EXEC button. Each time you press the EXEC button, the cursor moves one position in the designated direction.
2 Press the EXEC button twice. The blinking cursor moves to this position.
Select the character you want to enter by pressing the F, f, G or g button. Example: Enter S.
Highlight S in green by pressing the F, f, G or g button. S blinks in green.

Press the EXEC button. The character selected in step 5 appears at the point where the green cursor is positioned in the character display area, after which the cursor moves to the next position.
The cursor moves to this position.
When you enter the wrong character in the above example 1 Select G by pressing the F, f, G or g button, then press the EXEC button. The cursor moves back by one and the character entered in step 5 is highlighted in green.
2 Select INS by pressing the F, f, G or g button. Then press the EXEC button. A single space is inserted between characters and the cursor is positioned at the space. 3 Enter the character to be added. When it is necessary to change the CAPTION ON/OFF setting, go to step 8. If not, go to step 9. Example: Add a character between A and B.
1 Move the cursor to B. (B is highlighted in green.)
1 Select ON by pressing the F, f, G or g button.
Highlight ON by pressing the F, f, G or g button. ON blinks in green.
2 Highlight INS. (INS blinks in green). Then, press the EXEC button.
Select OFF to make printouts without a caption. 2 Press the EXEC button. The display changes from OFF to ON.
The display changes from OFF to ON.
A single space is inserted between A and B and the green cursor is positioned at the space.

Cursor (lit in green)

After entering the caption, highlight EXIT by pressing the F, f, G or g button, then press the EXEC button. The entered characters are stored in memory. The LAYOUT SETUP menu appears.
10 Press the MENU button.

Note Note

After the EXEC button is pressed, the monitor screen may go dark for a moment.
If you turn off the printer before performing the operation in step 9, characters entered in steps 4 to 7 are cleared without being stored in memory.
Set the CAPTION ON/OFF function to ON.
Deleting Images Stored in Memory
You can delete images captured to memory pages, from either all of the memory pages or a single memory page, by using the CLEAR button. Whether the images of all memory pages or only a single memory page are deleted depends on the setting of CLEAR in the FUNCTION SETUP menu.
When you want to Delete images of all memory pages. Delete images of a single memory page. Deactivate the CLEAR button.

Settings ALL PAGE OFF

Setting the Function of the CLEAR Button
Select PRN SETUP by pressing the F or f button. Then, press the g button. The PRINTER SETUP menu appears. Once you set the function of the CLEAR button, the CLEAR button functions according to the setting until the function setting is changed.
Display the FUNCTION SETUP menu according to the operations of steps 1 to 3 described in Deciding which image is displayed on the video monitor screen after capturing an image on page 27. Select CLEAR by pressing the F or f button.
Position the cursor at CLEAR by pressing the F or f button.
To return to the regular screen Press the MENU button.
You cannot restore images once they have been deleted.
Deleting images in all memory pages simultaneously
Before deleting images in all memory pages Set CLEAR to ALL in the FUNCTION SETUP menu.

CLEAR button

Select the function of the CLEAR button by pressing the G or g button.
Switch the desired function to green by pressing the G or g button.
Press the CLEAR button. All images captured in the printer are cleared.
Even if you press the CLEAR button when the source image is displayed on the video monitor, the memory image appears without deleting images in the memory pages. In this case, press the CLEAR button again. All images stored in the printer are cleared. An image which is being printed and the images queued in the memories cannot be cleared.
Deleting images in a certain memory page
Before deleting images Set CLEAR to PAGE in the FUNCTION SETUP menu.
Erasing the Screen Display on the Video Monitor
You can erase characters displayed on the video monitor (Q1, A and so on) when, for example, it is hard to see the image that is hidden behind the screen display. The printer operation is the same, regardless of whether those characters are displayed on the video monitor. Since the same characters are displayed in the printer window display for the UP-21MD, perform operations watching them in the printer window display. For detailed information on displaying the type and remaining amount of the ink ribbon, see Displaying the Type and Remaining Amount of the Ink Ribbon on page 54.
Press the SOURCE/MEMORY button when the source image is displayed on the video monitor screen. The image captured in memory is displayed on the screen. Select the memory page from which images are to be deleted by pressing the MEMORY PAGE button. Press the CLEAR button. The image in the memory page selected in step 2 is deleted.
Press the DISPLAY button. The current setting appears. The video monitor screen is reset to the regular screen after a few seconds.

The currently selected setting is lit in green.
Select OFF. While the screen which appears in step 1 is displayed, press the DISPLAY button repeatedly until the color of OFF turns green on the video monitor, or until OFF is displayed in capital letters in the printer window display (for the UP-21MD).
Each time you press the DISPLAY button, the setting changes in the following sequence: ON t OFF t ON.

Switch OFF to green.

To display characters on the video monitor Select ON. To perform the setting for the monitor display on the menu You can also set whether characters are displayed on the video monitor by changing DISPLAY to ON or OFF in the OUTPUT SETUP menu. The setting of the DISPLAY button also changes according to the setting of DISPLAY in the OUTPUT SETUP menu, and vice versa. When you want to see an image that is hidden below a menu You can erase the menu temporarily while holding the DISPLAY button down.
The error messages are always displayed regardless of the setting of the monitor display.

Menu FUNCTION SETUP

Functions to be set Selecting the image which appears after storing the image into memory, the source image or the memory image Selecting the timing of the pulse signal input to the REMOTE 2 connector

Reference pages 27

Functions That Can be Set on Menus
You can set up the printer to meet various specifications. Once you have adjusted and stored the settings, the printer operates according to those settings until their values are modified. You can set up the printer according to its intended purpose, connected equipment, or your individual preferences. You can store up to three settings as a set of user settings, called user set 1, 2 and 3. Functions that can be set on those menus are as follows:
Assigning the function to 52 remote control units connected to the REMOTE 2 connector Setting the function of the CLEAR button INPUT SETUP Selecting the input signal 35 15
Compensating for the input 43 signals OUTPUT SETUP Erasing the screen display 36 Matching the video monitor 44 color to the printout color Selecting the output signal from the printer Selecting whether the printer synchronizes with the internal sync signal included in channel G of the RGB signals a) Selecting whether or not information about the ink ribbon is displayed a) Only for the UP-21MD 44 11

Functions to be set

Reference pages
COLOR ADJUST LAYOUT SETUP
Adjusting the printout color 45 (color intensity and contrast) and sharpness Selecting the memory mode 24 Selecting the type of printout Selecting whether or not white borders are added to multiple reduced images 25 30
WINDOW SETUP CAPTION PRINTER SETUP
Eliminating the black lines produced on the printout Entering a caption Setting the print quantity Adjusting the tone of the printout Selecting the print speed Confirming whether or not the memory image is blurred

COLOR BALANCE

Adjusting the color balance 48
SYSTEM SETUP Adjusting the brightness of 53 the printer window display a) Setting the baud rate for computer communication 54
Selecting whether or not the 53 operation and error tones sound Compensating for the level of the input signal Registering user settings USER NAME Editing the user name 54

Menu Tree

Regular screen COLOR ADJUST menu WINDOW SETUP menu

Press the MENU button.

LAYOUT SETUP menu

CAPTION menu

For reference pages of each menu, see the table on Functions That Can be Set on Menus on page 38. PRINTER SETUP menu SYSTEM SETUP menu

INPUT SETUP menu

USER NAME menu

OUTPUT SETUP menu

FUNCTION SETUP menu

COLOR BALANCE menu

Basic Menu Operations
In this section, in addition to the video monitor display, the printer window display is also introduced. Since the UP-20 is not equipped with a printer window display, ignore the advice pertaining to the printer window display when you use the UP-20.
When the cursor is not positioned on the top line (where you can select the desired menu): Move the cursor to the top line by pressing the F or f button.
The cursor is not positioned on the top line.

2, 3, 4 1

EXEC button
Press the MENU button. The previously selected menu appears.
The menu currently displayed on the screen is lit in green.
Display the desired menu by pressing the G or g button. Example: To display the PRINTER SETUP menu
Switch PRN to green by pressing the G or g button, then the PRINTER SETUP menu appears.
The name of the menu currently displayed appears in capital letters.
Display PRN in capital letters by pressing the G or g button. The PRINTER SETUP appears.
Select the desired item by pressing the F or f button. Example: To select PRN SPEED on the PRINTER SETUP menu
Position the cursor at PRN SPEED by pressing the F or f button.
Example: To select HIGH of the PRN SPEED item on the PRINTER SETUP menu
Switch HIGH to green by pressing the e G or g button.
Display HIGH in capital letters by pressing the G or g button.
Press the F or f button until PRN SPEED appears.
Change the setting by pressing the G or g button. To change the selection: Switch the desired selection to green by pressing the G or g button.
When ****** is displayed at the selection: ****** is displayed when changing the selection is ineffective. The following table lists the case where the selection is ineffective.
Selected item Item can not to be changed (when ****** is displayed at the selection) SEPARATE (LAYOUT SETUP menu) MOTION CHK (PRINTER SETUP menu)
When / is displayed at both ends of a selection or at either the right or left end, there are more selections in this direction. Press the G or g button to display more selections.

When you want to change the contrast of printouts without changing the contrast of the video monitor, compensate for the level of the input signal using the IRE item in the SYSTEM SETUP menu.
Items to be used when adjusting the contrast of printouts
To adjust the color intensity, hue, contrast and brightness
Adjustment Menu Button to be pressed and adjustment result of the operation item G button Hue HUE

a), b)

The selected IRE is displayed in three digits.
When Resetting to the standard adjustment The printout is a little whitish. The printout is whitish. The printout is very whitish. Note IRE value 10 t t t t 130
g button The hue becomes greenish. The color intensity strengthens. The contrast strengthens. Becomes brighter.
The hue becomes purplish.
Color intensity Contrast Brightness
COLOR b), c) The color intensity weakens. GAIN d) OFFSET The contrast weakens. Becomes darker.
Do not compensate for the input signal too much. Doing so results in the whole of the printout becoming dark.
a) In PAL mode, no HUE adjustment is provided on the INPUT SETUP menu.
Matching the Video Monitor Color to the Printer Color
To match the color of the monitor image to that of the printout, adjust the monitor and printer colors such that the monitor color is the same as that of the printout. The printer outputs either of two kinds of video signals based on the printer settings. EE (E to E): Signals are output to the monitor after being processed by the printers circuitry. THRU (THROUGH): Signals are output to the monitor as is. Adjustment on the video monitor The monitor color may not be adjusted correctly even if the printer color is correctly adjusted. Check the color of the video monitor before adjusting the printout color. In such a case, use the THRU signal by setting SOURCE to THRU on the OUTPUT SETUP menu or turning off the power of the printer to send out the through signal from the video equipment to the video monitor. After adjusting the color of the video monitor using video monitor controls, adjust the color of the printers output signal. Adjustment on the printer
Capture a new image in memory and make a printout. Adjust the settings on the printer side by comparing the printout with the image on the monitor, as follows. Display the OUTPUT SETUP menu again. Adjust the monitor while comparing the printout with the image on the monitor.

Displaying the Type and Remaining Amount of the Ink Ribbon
You can always display the type of the ink ribbon and the amount remaining on the video monitor.
Use the ribbon remaining display as a criterion. The correct amount remaining may not be displayed when you replace the ink ribbon that has been partially used. Also, when you load the ink ribbon and paper supplied with the printer, the display is not correct.
Display the OUTPUT SETUP menu. Select the RBN REMAIN item, then select whether or not the type of ink ribbon and the amount remaining are to be displayed on the monitor.
When you want to Display the type of ink ribbon and the amount remaining. Erase the information about the ink ribbon. Setting ON OFF
If the user set is changed, all images stored in memory will be cleared.
Display the SYSTEM SETUP menu from the PRINTER SETUP menu. If you want to name a user set, go to step 2. If you do not want to name a user set, go to step 4. Select the USER NAME item, then press the g button. The USER NAME menu appears.
For detailed information on how to enter characters, see Entering a Caption on page 31. You can use up to 16 characters.
To copy the existing user set You can copy an existing user set to another user set number.
Select EXIT by pressing the F, f, G or g button on the USER NAME menu, then press the EXEC button. The user name is stored, and the SYSTEM SETUP menu appears again. Select the SAVE USER item, then select the desired user set number. Press the EXEC button. All data currently set and adjusted are registered in the user set number selected in step 4. When you name a user set in step 2, the user name is also registered at the same time.
Select the source user set number from the LOAD USER item on the PRINTER SETUP menu. Press the EXEC button to execute the selected user set. Select the target user set number with SAVE USER on the SYSTEM SETUP menu. Press the EXEC button. The set values of the source user set, selected in step 1, are copied to the target user set number selected in step 3.
The printer operates according to this registered data unless you recall another user set. Also, if you modify the settings, the modified data remains effective until another user set is recalled, even if you turn off the power. To make another user set Perform all required settings and adjustments using the menus, then register them with another user set number. To recall the user set and print Select the desired user set by using the LOAD USER item on the PRINTER SETUP menu, then press the EXEC button to execute the selected user set. The printer operates according to the recalled user set. If you modify the set value, the printer operates according to the modified data until you recall another user set. To retain the originally set values Example: Modify the settings made for user set 1. Retain the original settings of user set 1 and register the modified set values as user set 2.

INPUT MISMATCH

NO INPUT

NO IMAGE

PRINTING MEMORY
PLEASE WAIT NOW PRINTING PLEASE WAIT HEAD IN COOLING

HEAD IN COOLING

Troubleshooting

If Damage is Suspected

The following troubleshooting checks will help you correct the most common problems you may encounter with your unit. Before proceeding with these trouble checks, first check that the power cord is firmly connected. Should the problem persist after you have applied the remedy, unplug the unit and contact your Sony dealer or local authorized Sony service facility.
Symptoms Nothing appears on the video monitor even if you press any of the operation buttons. Possible causes and remedies The POWER switch of the printer is not set to ON. tSet the POWER switch of the printer to ON. The POWER switch of the video monitor is not set to ON. tSet the POWER switch of the monitor to ON. Connections may not be correct. tCheck connections and rectify, if necessary. (See page 11.)
Symptoms The printer does not print.
Possible causes and remedies An error message appears on the display. tPerform the steps described in Error/Warning Messages on page 61. Paper that cannot be used with this printer has been loaded. tLoad the correct paper. Use only ink ribbons and paper for this printer. (See page 57.) The paper is not loaded correctly. tCheck which side of the paper is the printing side, then load the paper again. (See page 14.) Any portion for which there is no signal is printed in black. tAdjust the image area to be printed. (See page 47.) Then, capture a new image and print it. Any portion for which there is no signal is printed in black. tAdjust the image area to be printed. (See page 47.) Then, capture a new image and print it. Only part of the video signal has been stored. tAdjust the image area to be printed. (See page 47.) Then, capture a new image and print it. A quickly moving image has been stored. tSet the memory mode to FIELD by using the MEMORY FRM/FLD item on the LAYOUT SETUP menu, then print it. (See page 24.) The paper is not loaded correctly. tCheck which side of the paper is the printing side, then load the paper again. (See page 14.)
A black line appears on the printout.
The printer produces a printout with a black frame.
The printed image is partially cut out.
No message appears An incorrect signal is input. on the regular screen. tSelect another input signal on the INPUT SETUP menu. (See page 15.) Or, set the connected video equipment to playback mode, if it is currently set to another modes such as stop mode. No message or image If an image captured in memory appears on the regular appears when the SOURCE/ screen. MEMORY button is pressed, SOURCE on the OUTPUT SETUP menu is set to THRU. tChange the SOURCE setting to EE. (See page 44.) When the menu is displayed by pressing the MENU button, the DISPLAY setting of the video monitor is set to OFF. tSet the DISPLAY setting to ON by pressing the DISPLAY button. (See page 36.) No message appears The contrast of the printer display on the printer window window is not set correctly. display. (Only for the tAdjust the brightness of the UP-21MD) printer window display using the LCD. CNTR. item on the SYSTEM SETUP menu. (See page 53.) The contrast of the printer display window is set to OFF. tAdjust the brightness of the printer window display using the LCD. CNTR. item on the SYSTEM SETUP menu. (See page 53.)

Blur checking blur from the memory image 29 eliminating the blur 17
LAYOUT SETUP menu 24, 26 LOAD COLOR number recalling 46 selecting 45 storing 46 Location and function of parts and controls front panel 5 monitor display 7 rear panel 6
Caption CAPTION menu 31 entering 31 Cleaning cabinet 57 thermal head 57 COLOR ADJUST menu 45 COLOR BALANCE menu 48 Connections connecting the video monitor 11 connecting video equipment 10 for enabling remote control 12
Memory mode field mode 23 frame mode 23 selecting 24 Memory page about the memory page 24 selecting 25 Menu basic menu operation 40 CAPTION menu 31 COLOR ADJUST menu 45 COLOR BALANCE menu 48 FUNCTION SETUP menu 27, 35, 52 INPUT SETUP menu 15, 43 LAYOUT SETUP menu 24, 26 menu tree 39 OUTPUT SETUP menu 11, 44, 54 PRINTER SETUP menu 19, 21, 27, 29, 47 sub menus 42 SYSTEM SETUP menu 43, 53,
Deleting the images stored in memory pages deleting all images stored in the memory 35 deleting images in a certain memory page 36 setting the function of the CLEAR button 35 Display erasing the screen display on the video monitor 36 type and remaining amount of the ink ribbon 54
adjusting the printout color 45 compensating for the input signal 43 eliminating the blur 17 Printout quantity setting 20 Printouts note on storing 19 variations 23
Remote control using the automatic printing capabilities 59 Remote control unit using as a wired unit 12 using as a wireless unit 12
Setting up the printer on the menu adjusting the brightness of the printer window display 53 assigning the function to the remote control unit 52 displaying the type and remaining amount of the ink ribbon 54 functions that can be set on menu 38 selecting whether the operation tone and error tones sound 53 setting the baud rate for the computer communication 54 Specification 58 System overview 4 SYSTEM SETUP menu 43, 53, 54
Thermal head cleaning 57 releasing 56 securing 56 Troubleshooting 63
User set recalling 19, 55 registering 54
Warning messages 62 WINDOW SETUP menu 47

Sony Corporation