Contents

Introduction

Options

HowtoUseThisManual. Warnings, Cautions, and Notes.

Chapter 1

Setting Up the printer 1-2 1-4 1-5 1-10 1-11 1-14 1-15 1-15 1-21 1-21
Choosing a Place for the Printer. Unpacking the Printer. Installing the Ribbon Cartridge. Plugging in the Printer. Running the Self Test. Connecting the Printer to Your Computer. Installing the Printer Driver. For Microsoft Windows Users. For DOS program users. DOS printer utilities.

Chapter 2

Paper Handling 2-2 2-4 2-4 2-7 2-9 2-9 2-13 2-27 2-30 2-30 2-31 2-32 2-32 2-33 2-34 2-35 2-36 2-36 2-36
Setting the paper release lever. Using Single Sheets. Loading single sheets with the paper guide. Loading single sheets from the front. Using Continuous Paper. Loading paper with the rear push tractor. Loading paper with the optional tractor unit. Loading paper with the push/pull tractor combination. Removing paper from the tractor. Switching Between Continuous Paper and Single Sheets. Switching to single sheets. Switching to continuous paper. Printing on Special Paper. Adjusting the paper thickness lever. Multipart forms. Labels. Envelopes. Postcards. Roll paper. Chapter 3 Using the Printer
Control Panel. Lights. Buttons. Other control panel features. Using the Default Setting Mode. Selecting an instruction sheet language. Changing the default settings. Printer functions. Using Quiet Mode. Using Micro Adjust. Using the Tear-Off Function. Using auto tear-off mode. Using the Tear Off/Bin button. Using Bid Adjustment. Printing Barcodes.
3-2 3-2 3-4 3-6 3-7 3-7 3-7 3-9 3-13 3-13 3-15 3-16 3-17 3-18 3-18

Chapter 4

Using Printer Options
Cut-Sheet Feeders. 4-2 Installing the high capacity cut-sheet feeder. 4-2 Loading paper with the high capacity cut-sheet feeder. 4-4 Installing the double bin cut-sheet feeder. 4-6 Switching between continuous paper and the cut-sheet feeder 4-7 Selecting single-sheets, postcards, or envelopes. 4-8 Pull Tractor. 4-9 Roll Paper Holder. 4-9 Interface Cards. 4-12 Installing an interface card. 4-12 The C82305* and C82306* serial interface cards. 4-14 Chapter 5 Maintenance and Transportation 5-2 5-3 5-4

Cleaning the Printer. Replacing the Ribbon. Transporting the Printer. Chapter

6 Troubleshooting

6-2 6-2 6-3 6-3 6-5 6-5 6-6 6-6 6-7 6-7 6-8 6-9 6-9 6-11
Power Supply. Power is not being supplied. Printing. The printer does not print. The print is faint or uneven. Dots are missing in printed characters or graphics. Printed characters are not what you expect. The print position is not what you expect. Paper Handling. Single sheets do not feed properly. Continuous paper does not feed properly. Options. The paper does not feed properly with the cut-sheet feeder. Continuous paper does not feed properly when using the tractors in a push/pull position.
Appendix Specifications, Command Summary, and Character Tab/es Printer Specifications. Printing. Paper. Paper alignment. Printable area. Mechanical. Electrical. Environmental. Safety approvals. CE marking. Interface specifications. Using Commands. Sending printer commands. Using the command summary. Commands Arranged by Topic. General operation. Paper feeding. Page format. Print position motion. Font selection. Font enhancement. Character handling. Spacing. Graphics. Bit image. Barcode. Character Tables. International Character Sets. Graphics Character Tables. A-2 A-2 A-4 A-7 A-8 A-9 A-10 A-11 A-11 A-12 A-12 A-17 A-17 A-17 A-18 A-18 A-18 A-19 A-20 A-21 A-23 A-24 A-27 A-27 A-28 A-29 A-32 A-32 A-32

Glossary

Your new EPSON 24-pin dot matrix printer offers high performance with a wide range of features in a compact design. You will find the same high-quality printing and ease of operation you have come to expect from EPSON printers, including: High speed draft mode printing of up to 300 characters per second (cps) at 10 characters per inch (cpi) Easy paper handling for both single sheets and continuous paper Eight barcode fonts and four scalable fonts, as well as one draft and nine letter quality bit-map fonts Multipart forms printing of one original plus up to three copies A convenient control panel that allows direct selection of fonts Support of advanced EPSON ESC/P2 commands and IBM@ 2390/2391 Plus emulation Large printable area; 68 lines with A4 size paper and 63 lines with letter size paper Software utilities, including a printer driver and a remote control panel utility that let you change printer settings quickly and easily.
The following options are available for your printer: Cut-sheet feeder (High capacity, C80673*; Second bin, C80674*), automatically feeds up to 150 sheets of paper or 25 envelopes (high capacity) without reloading. You can create a double bin cut-sheet feeder by combining the high capacity and second bin feeders. In this way you can preload up to 200 A4 or letter size sheets of paper, and you can use two different sizes. Pull tractor unit (C80032*), provides easy paper handling, which is useful for printing on multipart forms. You can also use this tractor as a front push tractor. Roll paper holder (#8310), allows you to use your printer with 8.5-inch roll paper like that used with telex machines. Interface cards, available to supplement the printers built-in parallel interface.

2 Introduction

How to Use This Manual
This manual provides illustrated, step-by-step instructions for setting up and operating your printer. Chapter 1 contains information on unpacking, setting up, testing, and connecting the printer. Be sure to read this chapter first. Chapter 2 explains how to load and use single sheets, continuous paper, and special paper in the printer. Chapter 3 describes the basic operation of your printer. Chapter 4 explains how to use optional accessories with your printer. Chapter 5 provides maintenance information, including transportation guidelines. Chapter 6 contains troubleshooting tips. If the printer does not operate properly or the printed results are not what you expect, see this chapter for a list of problems and solutions. The appendix lists the printers specifications, commands, and character tables. At the end of the manual youll find a glossary and an index.
Warnings, Cautions, and Notes
This guide uses the following conventions: Warnings must be followed to avoid bodily injury. Cautions must be observed to avoid damage to your equipment. Notes contain important information and useful tips on the operation of your printer.

4 Introduction

Chapter 1 Setting Up the Printer
Choosing a Place for the Printer. 1-2 Unpacking the Printer. 1-4
Installing the Ribbon Cartridge. 1-5 Plugging in the Printer. Running the Self Test. 1-10 1-11
Connecting the Printer to Your Computer. 1-14 Installing the Printer Driver. For Microsoft Windows Users. For DOS program users. DOS printer utilities. 1-15. 1-15. 1-21. 1-21

Setting Up the Printer

This chapter explains how to set up the printer and install the printer driver software.
Choosing a Place for the Printer
When selecting a place to set up your printer, be sure to follow these guidelines: Place the printer on a flat, stable surface, close enough to the computer for the interface cable to reach it. Leave adequate room around the printer for easy operation and maintenance. Avoid locations that are subject to direct sunlight, excessive heat, moisture, or dust. Use a properly grounded electrical outlet; do not use an adapter plug. Place the printer where you can easily unplug the power cord. Avoid electrical outlets controlled by wall switches or automatic timers. An interruption of power can erase information in the memory of your printer or computer. Avoid outlets on the same circuit as large motors or other appliances that can cause voltage fluctuations. Keep the entire computer system away from potential sources of electromagnetic interference, such as loudspeakers or the base units of cordless telephones.

Hold the cartridge so that the ribbon-tightening knob is facing up and is on the left. Place the bottom edge of the cartridge into the printer so that the notch on each end of the cartridge fits over the small peg on each side of the printer.
Lay the cartridge flat and press gently until it clicks into place on both ends. Lift the ribbon guide and insert it firmly over the metal pins behind the print head. Press down on the guide until it clicks into place. Make sure the ribbon is not twisted or creased and that it is in place behind the print head. Turn the ribbon-tightening knob to remove any slack in the ribbon.
Slide the print head from side to side to make sure it moves smoothly.
Replace the printer cover by first inserting the front tabs into the slots near the front of the printer; then lower it until it locks into place.
Insert the paper separator into the paper guide as shown below.
Note: You may find it easy to insert the paper separator one side at a time. You need not separate the paper guide and the paper separator, in case you need to ship the printer. 10. Attach the paper guide by sliding the slots on the bottom of the paper guide over the pegs behind the paper tension unit.
11. Lift the paper path guide, and rest it against the paper guide.
Note: Always close the printer cover before printing. The printer stops printing when the cover is open.

Plugging in the Printer

1. 2. Make sure the printer is turned off. Check the label on the back of the printer to make sure the voltage matches that of your electrical outlet. Caution: If the rated voltage and your outlet voltage do not match, contact your dealer for assistance. Do not plug in the power cord. 3. 4. If the power cord is not attached to the printer, connect the appropriate end to the AC inlet on the printers rear panel. Plug the power cord into a properly grounded electrical outlet.
Before continuing, test the printer to make sure it is functioning properly as described in the next section. 1-10 Setting Up the Printer

Running the Self Test

You can run a self test on the printer in letter quality or draft mode, with either continuous paper or single sheets. You can load the paper from the rear, front, top, or bottom. The following steps describe how to run the test on single-sheet paper, loaded from the top. See Chapter 2 for more information on paper handling. The printer prints the self test in the currently selected font. 1. 2. Make sure the printer is turned off and the paper path guide is open. Move the paper release lever to the single-sheet position.
For a letter quality test, hold down the Load/Eject button while you turn on the printer. For a draft printing test, hold down the LF/FF button while you turn on the printer.

Paper Handling 2-9

Follow the steps below to load paper with the rear push tractor: 1. 2. 3. Make sure the printer is turned off. Remove the printer cover and paper guide. Make sure the paper release lever is set to the rear push tractor position. 2
Release the sprockets by pushing the sprocket locks forward. 2

2-10 Paper Handling

Slide the left sprocket to the left margin of the paper using the scale on the printer as shown below. (Printing starts at the 0 mark. See the Appendix for more information on the left margin position.) Then slide the right sprocket to match the width of your paper, but do not lock it. Also, move the paper support midway between the sprocket units.
Make sure your paper has a clean, straight edge. Then open the sprocket covers and fit the holes of the paper over the tractor pins.

Paper Handling 2-11

7. 8. 9.
Close the sprocket covers. Slide the right sprocket to remove any slack in the paper; then lock it in place. Attach the printer cover and paper guide.
10. Slide the left and right edge guides to the center of the paper exit path for smoother paper feeding. 11. Turn on the printer. When the printer receives data, it automatically loads the paper before printing. Note: Always close the printer cover before printing. The printer stops printing when the cover is open. You can also advance the paper to the loading position by pressing the Load/Eject button. As you print, make sure the paper advances behind the printer guide as shown below. Make sure the paper path guide rests against the paper guide. 2.
Caution: Do not use the knob on the right side of the printer except to clear paper jams when the printer is turned off. Otherwise, you may damage the printer or cause it to lose the top-of-form position.

2-12 Paper Handling

Loading paper with the optional tractor unit
The printers paper handling system allows you to load continuous paper through the front or bottom in addition to the rear, if you purchase the optional pull tractor unit:
Selecting the tractor position and paper path
The table below lists the different ways to feed continuous paper. Always set the paper release lever to the position indicated for the paper feed method you are using.
Note: The push/pull tractor combination is recommended for enhanced paper handling. The rear push tractor cannot be removed, but it is deactivated in some paper release lever positions Make sure you align your paper supply with the paper loaded in the tractor so the paper feeds smoothly into the printer.

Paper Handling 2-13

If you feed paper through the bottom paper slot, use a printer stand that has a large enough opening for paper to feed from the bottom without obstruction. Changing tractor positions You can use the optional pull tractor unit as either a front push tractor or a pull tractor; you just change the tractor position according to your paper feeding method. Installing the tractor in the front push position Before you can load continuous paper from the front tractor position, you must first purchase the optional pull tractor unit. You can use the optional pull tractor unit as a front push tractor. Follow the instructions below to install it. 1. 2. Make sure the printer is turned off. Open the front paper guide and remove it by grasping the fins on both sides and pulling it straight out of the printer. 2-

Note: When loading multipart forms that are bound on only one side by line gluing, always use the rear push tractor. This type of form
cannot be fed from the front push tractor.

2-14 Paper Handling

Push the tractor into the printers mounting slots as shown below.
You are now ready to load continuous paper with the front push tractor. See Loading paper with the front push tractor on page 2-21 or Loading paper with the push/pull tractor combination on page 2-27 for instructions. Removing the tractor from the front push position If you want to use the tractor in another position, follow the directions below to remove it. Then see the appropriate section for installation instructions. 1. 2. Make sure the printer is turned off. Remove any paper that is in the feed path.
Open the front paper guide and remove it by grasping both sides and pulling it straight out of the printer. 2-
Press the tractors lock tabs, tilt it up, and lift it out of the printer. 2-

2-16 Paper Handling

5. Replace the front paper guide by sliding it along the track until it locks in place.
Close the front paper guide.
lnstalling the tractor in the pull posifion Before you load continuous paper using the pull tractor position, you must first purchase the optional pull tractor. 1. 2. Make sure the printer is turned off. Lift the printer cover and paper guide up and off the printer.

Paper Hand 1 ing

Press the tabs on both ends of the clear plastic paper-tension unit, raise the front of the unit, and lift it off the printer. 2-:
4. Place the tractors tabs into the printers mounting slots, then press the tractor back until it locks into place. 2-1
Note: Check the paper thickness lever position to ensure that it wasnt moved during pull tractor installation. See Adjusting the paper thickness lever on page 2-33 for the correct lever position.

2-18 Paper Handling

Replace the paper guide.
You are now ready to load continuous paper with the pull tractor. See Loading paper with the pull tractor on page 2-24 or Loading paper with the push/pull tractor combination on page 2-27 for more details. Removing the tractor from the pull position If you want to use the tractor in another position, follow the directions below to remove it. Then see the appropriate section for installation instructions. 1. 2. 3. 4. Make sure the printer is turned off. Remove any paper that is in the feed path. Remove the printer cover and paper guide. Hold down the tractors lock tabs, tilt it forward, and lift it off the printer.

Input buffer

The input buffer stores data sent from your computer. The input buffer can store up to 64KB of data, so you can free your computer for other tasks while the printer prints. When the buffer is off, the buffer cannot store data, so the computer must wait for the printer to print each character before sending the next.

Skip over perforation

This feature is available only when continuous paper is selected. When you turn on this feature, the printer provides a one-inch (25.4 mm) margin between the last line printed on one page and the first line printed on the next page. Because most application programs set their own top and bottom margins, you should use this feature only if your program does not provide them. Auto fear-off When you use continuous paper with the front or rear push tractor, this feature advances the paper perforation to the tear-off position, where you can then easily tear off the printed page. When the printer again 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 auto tear-off is disabled (off), you must perform the tear-off function manually by pressing the Tear Off/Bin button. See Using the Tear Off Function later in this chapter for more information.

Auto line

When auto line feed is on, the printer accompanies each carriage return (CR) code received with a line feed (LF) code.

Auto carriage return

When the auto carriage return feature is on, each line feed (LF) code or ESC J (n/180-inch line feed) code is accompanied by a carriage return (CR) code and the printer moves the next print position to the left margin. When this feature is off, you must send the CR code after the line feed code to move the print position to the left margin. This feature is available in IBM emulation mode only.

Alternate Graphic

Mode (AGM)
When AGM is on, the printer can use some advanced graphics commands like those available in ESC/P2 mode. When you select IBM 2390/2391 mode, this setting is available. The default setting is off. 0 slash The zero character has a slash (0) when this setting is on; it has no slash (0) when the setting is off. This allows you to easily distinguish between an uppercase 0 character and a zero. Buzzer (Beep) The printer beeps when some errors occur. See Troubleshooting in Chapter 6 for more information. If you do not want the printer to beep, turn this setting off.

When you resume printing, the printer automatically feeds the paper back to the loading position and begins printing. If the perforation does not meet the tear-off edge, you can adjust the tear-off position using the Micro Adjust feature as described in the previous section.
You can leave auto tear-off mode on even when you are using single sheets because the mode is disabled when you move the paper release lever to the single-sheet position. Note: Set auto tear-off mode to off in the Default Setting mode, or avoid touching the Tear Off/Bin button when using the pull (top) tractor.
Using the Tear Off/Bin button
Except when using the pull (top) tractor, you can use the Tear Off/Bin button to advance continuous paper to the tear-off position by following the steps below: 1. Make sure printing has finished. Then press the Tear Off/Bin button until the two lights on the control panel start flashing. The printer advances the paper to the tear-off edge. Tear off all printed pages. If the perforation is not aligned with the tear-off edge, adjust the tear-off position using the Micro Adjust feature. See Using Micro Adjust, earlier in this chapter. When you resume printing, the printer feeds the paper back to the loading position and begins printing. (You can also manually feed the paper back to the loading position by pressing the Tear Off/Bin button.)

Using Bi-d Adjustment

When using bidirectional printing, you may notice that the lines in your printout are not properly aligned. To correct this problem, use the printers Bi-d Adjustment mode as follows: 1. 2. Make sure continuous paper is loaded in the printer. Hold down the Pause button while you turn on the printer. The instructions for adjusting Bi-d alignment are printed, along with the first set of alignment patterns. Follow the instructions on the printout. After completing Bid adjustment, turn off the printer.

Printing Barcodes

Your printer has powerful barcode printing capabilities and includes the following resident barcode fonts: EAN-13, EAN-8, Interleaved 2 of 5, UPC-A, UPC-E, Code 39, Code 128, and POSTNET. See the Appendix for more information about the Barcode Print command.
Cut-Sheet Feeders. Installing the high capacity cut-sheet feeder. Loading paper with the high capacity cut-sheet feeder. Installing the double bin cut-sheet feeder. Switching between continuous paper and the cut-sheet feeder. Selecting single-sheets, postcards, or envelopes. Pull Tractor.

To keep your printer operating at its best, you should clean it thoroughly several times a year. Follow these steps: 1. Make sure the printer is turned off. Then remove any paper as well as the paper guide. Also remove the optional tractor and cut-sheet feeders, if installed. Use a soft brush to carefully brush away all dust and dirt from the outer case. If the outer case or paper guide is still dirty, clean it with a soft, clean cloth dampened with mild detergent dissolved in water. Keep the printer cover in place and close the paper-guide cover to prevent water from getting inside the printer. Warning: Be careful not to get water on the printer mechanism or electronic

components.

Caution: Never use alcohols or thinners to clean the printer; these chemicals can damage the components and the case. Do not use a hard or abrasive brush. Do not spray the inside of the printer with lubricants; unsuitable oils can damage the mechanism. Contact your dealer if lubrication is needed.

Replacing the Ribbon

When printing becomes faint, you need to replace the ribbon cartridge. Use the EPSON ribbon cartridge or pack listed below for best results. A ribbon pack, containing ribbons only, is also available. The ribbons are used to replace the worn ribbons in the cartridge. Genuine EPSON ribbons are designed to work properly with your EPSON printer; their high quality ensures proper operation and a long life for the print head and other printer parts. Using any other ribbon may damage your printer.
Printer model LQ-2070 Ribbon cartridge so15086 Ribbon pack so10033
To replace the ribbon cartridge, follow the steps in Installing the Ribbon Cartridge in Chapter 1. Warning: If the printer has been used recently, the print head may be hot. Let it cool before attempting to replace the ribbon. Note: The ribbon pack can be replaced only four times, after which you must replace the ribbon cartridge itself: The availability of the ribbon pack varies by county. Do not use a ribbon cartridge designed for 9 pin printers.

Transporting the Printer

If you need to transport your printer some distance, carefully repack it using the original box and packing materials, as described below: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Turn off the printer. Unplug the power cord from the electrical outlet; then disconnect the interface cable from the printer. Remove the paper guide. Remove the optional tractor, cut-sheet feeder, or roll-paper holder if installed. Remove the ribbon cartridge. Remove the paper-tension unit. Attach the protective locking clips to the paper-tension unit, and then replace the paper-tension unit. Replace the transportation screw. Repack the printer, ribbon cartridge, paper guide, and power cord in the original packing materials and place them in the printers original box.

Chapter 6

Troubleshooting
Power Supply. 6-2 Power is not being supplied. 6-2 Printing. The printer does not print. The print is faint or uneven. Dots are missing in printed characters or graphics. Printed characters are not what you expect. The print position is not what you expect. 6-3 6-3 6-5 6-5 6-6 6-6
Paper Handling. 6-7 Single sheets do not feed properly. 6-7 Continuous paper does not feed properly. 6-8 Options. 6-9 The paper does not feed properly with the cut-sheet feeder 6-9 Continuous paper does not feed properly when using the tractors in a push/pull position. 6-11

Troubleshooting 6-1

Most printer problems have simple solutions. First, you should check the operation of your printer using the self test, as described in Chapter 1. If the self test works properly, the problem probably lies in the computer, software, or interface cable. If the self test does not work, contact your dealer or qualified service person for assistance. Note: If you are an experienced user or a programmer, you can print a hexadecimal dump to isolate communication problems between the printer and computer. To print a hex dump, turn off the printer. Next, hold down the LF/FF and Load/Eject buttons while you turn on the printer. Then send data from your computer. The printer prints all the codes it receives in hexadecimal format.

Power Supply

This section explains solutions for problems related to the power supply.
Power is not being supplied
The lights on the control panel do not light up. If your power cord is not permanently attached to the printer, check that the power cord is properly plugged into the printer. Check that the power cord is properly plugged into the electrical outlet. If the electrical outlet is controlled by an outside switch or automatic timer, use a different outlet. Plug another electrical device, such as a lamp, into the outlet to determine whether the outlet is operating properly.

6-2 Troubleshooting

The lights come on briefly and then go off. The lights stay off even when the power is turned on again. Check that the printers voltage rating matches the voltage of your electrical outlet. If the voltages do not match, unplug the printer and contact your dealer immediately. Do not reconnect the power cord to an electrical outlet.

A line of dots is missing in the printout. Print the self test as described on page 1-11. If the self test prints correctly, check the ribbon cartridge. The print head may be 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 in Chapter 1.

Troubleshooting 6-5

Printed
characters are not what you expect
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 Setting Up Your Printer Driver in Chapter 1. The font selected on the control panel does not print. Your software may be overriding your control panel setting. Select the font in your software program.
The print position is not what you expect
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. You can adjust the loading position using the LF/FF button in the micro-adjust mode. See Using Micro Adjust in Chapter 3. 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 using the Default Setting mode. See Changing the default settings in chapter 3. Regular gaps occur in the printout. Skip-over-perforation may be on. Set skip-over-perforation to off in the default setting mode. See Changing the default settings in Chapter 3. 6-6 Troubleshooting
See this section if a paper problem occurs.
Single sheets do not feed properly
Paper does not feed. Continuous paper may be left in the printer. Remove the continuous paper. Set the paper release lever to the singlesheet position and insert a new sheet. Paper feeding is crooked or the paper jams. Turn off the printer and pull out the paper. Make sure the edge guides are set correctly. Insert a new sheet straight into the paper guide. Be sure youre using the right type of paper. See the paper specifications in the Appendix. Make sure that the printer cover is closed. Make sure the paper release lever and paper thickness lever are set correctly. Paper does not eject completely. Use the LF/FF button to eject the page. Make sure the printer cover is closed. The paper may be too long. Use paper that is within the specified range. See the paper specifications in the Appendix.

Printer busy signal and reverse

DataBit-3,7

AckDataReq/
channel transfer data bit 3 or 7.
Acknowledge data request signal
and reverse channel transfer data

DataBit-2,6

Xflag/

bit 2 or 6. DataBit-1,5

Out In
X-flag signal and reverse channel transfer data bit 1 or 5.

HostBusy

DataAvail/
Host busy signal. Not used.
Data available signal and reverse
channel transfer data bit 0 or 4.

DataBit-0,4

Pin no. 36

1284-Active

GND 30
Description 1284 active signal.

Logic-H

+5V Chassis
A high signal indicates that all other
signals sourced by the peripheral
are in a valid state. This line is pulled up to +5 V through

resistor.

19-30 15,34
* In/Out shows the direction of signal flow from the printers point of view
Using Commands Sending printer commands
Most actions your printer performs are controlled by your software. Software commands instruct the printer to print in a particular typeface, feed the paper a certain amount after printing each line, start printing on a particular place on the page, and so on. The commands your printer recognizes are listed in this command summary. Some software programs let you send these commands yourself. How you format commands depends on the software you are using. Some software programs accept only the decimal format, while others let you type in ASCII characters. (Some programs dont let you insert printer commands at all.) In addition, your software probably specifies certain punctuation you must use to enter the command. The software manual should explain the required format and punctuation.
Using the command summary
The following section lists and describes all the commands by topic. If a command has no parameters, it is merely listed. If it has parameters, they are explained. The parameters are indicated by lowercase italicized letters, usually n. The examples below show how the parameters are indicated. ESC @ is a command with no parameters. ESC U 1/0 is a command that uses 1 to turn the feature on and 0 to turn it off. ESC K n1 n2 is a command with two parameters. ESC D nn is a command with a variable number of parameters. For further information about using printer commands, see the comprehensive ESC/P Reference Manual published by EPSON.

Barcode Type EAN-13 EAN-8 Interleaved 2 of 5 UPC-A UPC-E Code 39 Code 128 POSTNET Number of valid characters 1 (HEX) 0D Number of valid characters 2 (HEX)
0C or to FF 2 to FF 6 or 0A or 0C

to FF 0C

2 to FF 0B 0B or to FF 2 to FF 5 or 9 or 0B
Number of valid characters 1: Control flag c b0=0 Number of valid characters 2: Control flag c b0=1
The valid data of each barcode type is described below. If invalid data is included in the barcode data string, the barcode is not printed.
Barcode Type EAN13 EAN-8 UPC-A UPC-E Interleaved 2 of 5 POSTNET Code 39 Code 128 Barcode Data 0-9 (Hex 30-39) 0-9 (Hex 30-39) 0-9 (Hex 30-39) 0-9 (Hex 30-39) 0-9 (Hex 3039) 0-9 (Hex 3039) 0-9 (Hex 3039). (Hex41-5A), (Hex 20.24,25, 2B,2D,2E,2F) Set A, Set B, Set C
The following conditions are required for barcode printing. Barcode printing is always performed unidirectionally. However, when it is mixed with raster bit image data, neither barcode nor raster bit image is printed. A barcode is not printed when part of the barcode extends beyond the right margin. When barcode data and text data are mixed in a data sequence, barcode and text are printed in the same place. The initial data of Code 128 (Set A, B, or C) is identified as the firstdata of Code 128, and must be hexadecimal (41,42, and 43 respectively). When Code 128 Set C and Interleaved 2 of 5 are selected, barcode data requires an even number data string. However, if an odd number string is sent, a 0 is automatically added, making it an even number data string. The barcode print start position is always 40/360 inch above the baseline.
Character Tables International Character Sets

Country

USA France Germany UK Denmark Sweden Italy Spain

ASCII code hex

40 5B 5C 5D 6E 60 7B 7C 7D 7E
Graphics Character Tub/es

PC 437 (United States)

ASCII American Standard Code for Information Interchange. A standardized coding system for assigning numeral codes to letters and symbols. auto line feed When this feature is selected in the default-setting mode, each carriage-return code (CR) is automatically followed by a line-feed (LF) code. bidirectional printing Printing in which the print head prints in both directions. This increases the speed of printing. buffer The portion of the printers memory used to store data before printing it. character table A collection of letters, numbers, and symbols that provides you with the characters used in a particular language. characters per inch (cpi) A measurement of the size of text characters. condensed Printing in which each character is approximately 60% of the width of standard characters. For example, condensed 10 cpi printing actually has 17 characters per inch. Useful for fitting wide table or spreadsheets onto the paper. continuous paper Paper that has sprocket-feed holes on both long edges, is perforated between pages, and is supplied in a folded stack. Also called fanfold paper. control code Special codes used to control printer functions such (as a carriage return or line feed) instead of printing characters. cpi See characters per inch. data dump See hex dump.