Epson LQ-870 manual

LQ-870/1170 U s e r’ s M a n u a I 4000377 rn* “A[...]

EPSON ® LQ-870/1170 No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, 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. [...]

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 an[...]

Tips for printing on single sheets There are a few things you should know about printing on single sheets as opposed to continuous paper. When you print on single sheets, you may notice that your printer prints the first page of your file correctly but then prints too low on the next page, or that it prints the last few lines from one page onto the[...]

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 Consumer Resource Center at (800) 922-8911: P Assistance in locating your nearest Authorized Epson Rese[...]

Contents Introduction 1 Features ........................................................................................ 1 Options ........................................................................................ 2 Finding Your Way Around.. ...................................................... 3 Warnings, Cautions, and Notes ..............[...]

Chapter 4 Using the Printer Options 4-1 Cut-sheet Feeder ..................................................................... 4-2 Additional Tractor Unit ......................................................... 4-13 Interface Card .......................................................................... 4-16 Chapter 5 Maintenance and Transportat[...]

Introduction Your new Epson ® 24-pin dot matrix printer combines a compact design and high performance with a wide range of features. Features These features make your Epson printer an outstanding value: Fast printing speed. Print up to 330 characters per second in 12 cpi draft mode. Easy paper handling. Four paper paths to suit your printing need[...]

Introduction If you’re an experienced printer user, you may also want to order the Epson ESC/P Referrence Manual for complete programming information. Call the number above to purchase the reference manual. Options For additional information on these options, see Chapter 4. Single-Bin Cut-Sheet Feeder (C806371 for LQ-870, C806391 for LQ-1170) Thi[...]

Introduction Finding Your Way Around This manual provides fully 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. Chapters 2 and 3 include important information on paper handling and day-t[...]

Introduction Printer parts paper guide edge guides front cover paper tension unit tractor paper thickness lever AC inlet fl front rant edge guide paw 1 Note: In some countries, the power cord is attached. I 4 Introduction[...]

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS 1. Read all of these instructions and save them for later reference. 2. Follow all warnings and instructions marked on the product. 3. Unplug this product from the wall outlet before cleaning. Do not use liquid cleaners or aerosol cleaners. Use a damp cloth for cleaning. 4. Do not use this product near water. 5. Do not[...]

10. If an extension cord is used with this product, make sure that the total of the ampere ratings on the products plugged into the extension cord does not exceed the extension cord ampere rating. Also, make sure that the total of all products plugged into the wall outlet does not exceed 15 amperes. 11. Never push objects of any kind into this prod[...]

Chapter 1 Setting Up the Printer Unpacking the Printer.. .......................................................... 1-2 Checking the parts.. ............................................................. 1-2 Removing the protective material.. ................................... 1-3 Choosing a Place for the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .[...]

Unpacking the Printer Checking the parts When you unpack the printer, make sure that you have all the parts shown below and that none has been damaged. Paper guide Printer Power cord Note: In some locations, the power cord is attached to the printer. Store the packing materials in case you ever need to transport your printer. CAUTION: It is not pos[...]

Unpacking the Printer Removing the protective materials To prevent damage during shipping, several pieces of protective material are packed with your printer. You must remove these before you put your printer together. Follow the directions on the Notice Sheet inserted in your printer when removing the protective material. Note: l Make sure you rem[...]

Choosing a Place for the Printer When selecting a place to set up your printer, keep the following in mind: l Place the printer on a flat, stable surface. l Place the printer close enough to the computer for the printer cable to reach. l Leave adequate room around the printer to allow for easy operation and maintenance. CAUTION: Avoid locations tha[...]

Choosing a Place for the Printer Note: If you plan to use a printer stand, follow these guidelines: l Use a stand that supports at least twice the weight of the printer. 17.8 kg (39.3 lbs) for the IQ-870 24.6 kg (54.2 lbs) for the LQ-1170 l Never use a stand that tilts the printer at an angle of more than 15 degrees from horizontal. If you install [...]

Assembling the Printer After choosing a good place for your printer, you install the ribbon cartridge and paper guide. _ Installing the ribbon cartridge Before installing the ribbon cartridge, make sure that the printer is not plugged into an electrical outlet. 1. Lift the printer cover straight up and off. _. 2. Grasp the tabs on each side of the [...]

Assembling the Printer CAUTION: Never move the print head while the printer is turned on or you might damage the printer. Also, if you just used the printer, the print head may be hot; let it cool for a few minutes before touching it. 4. Turn the ribbon-tightening knob in the direction of the arrow to remove any slack in the ribbon. Next, hold the [...]

Assembling the Printer 6. Slide the print head from side to side to make sure it moves smoothly. Also check that the ribbon is not twisted or creased. - 7. Replace the paper-tension unit by placing it on the printer’s mounting pegs; then lowering it into place. Press down both ends of the paper-tension unit firmly until you feel it snap click int[...]

Assembling the Printer Attaching the paper guides Your printer comes with two paper guides so you can load single sheets from the top or front of the printer. Top paper guide Place the notches on the paper guide straight down into the mounting slots on the printer. You can stand the paper guide in an upright position or lower it back to lie flat on[...]

Testing the Printer Before connecting your printer to a computer, use the built-in self-test function to see that the printer is working properly. Plugging in the printer 1. Make sure the printer is turned off. 2. Check the label on the back of the printer to make sure the voltage required by the printer matches that of your electrical outlet. CAUT[...]

Testing the Printer Running the self test You can run the self test with either continuous paper or single sheets. Also, you can load paper for the test 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 full details on paper handling. The printer prin[...]

Testing the Printer - 3. Move the left edge guide until it locks in place next to the arrow guide mark. Then adjust the right edge guide to match the width of your paper. CAUTION: Run the self test using paper at least 210 mm (8 i inches) wide for the LQ-870 or 360 mm (14 inches) wide for the LQ-1170; otherwise the print head prints directly onto t[...]

Testing the Printer The self test prints the current DIP-switch settings, followed by font samples for each of the printer’s available fonts. 5. The self test continues until the paper runs out or until you press the PAUSE button. When the printer beeps, you can load another sheet of paper to continue printing font samples. When you wish to stop [...]

Connecting the Printer to Your Computer If the self test printed correctly, you are ready to connect your printer to the computer. Use a shielded twisted-pair parallel cable to connect your computer to your printer’s built-in parallel interface. Connect the parallel interface cable as described below: 1. Make sure both the printer and computer ar[...]

Configuring Your Software for the Printer Most application programs let you specify the type of printer you use so that the program can take full advantage of the printer’s features. Many of these programs provide an installation or setup section that presents a list of printers. Choosing from a menu Although you can use an application program ev[...]

Chapter 2 Paper Handling Selecting a Paper Feeding Method ....................................... 2-2 Setting the paper-release lever .......................................... 2-2 Using Single Sheets ................................................................ 2-3 Loading single sheets from the top .................................. 2-3 Loadin[...]

Selecting a Paper Feeding Method Your printer comes with four paper paths so that you can print on almost any type of paper: l Choose the top or front paper guide to print on single sheets l Choose the tractor unit to load continuous paper from the front, rear, or bottom. You can mount the tractor unit in three different positions to suit your part[...]

Selecting a Paper Feeding method l Single-sheet position For all single sheets, whether loaded from front, top, or either of the optional cut-sheet feeders. l Front push-tractor position For continuous paper with the tractor unit installed in the front. l Rear push-tractor position For continuous paper with the tractor unit installed in the rear. 0[...]

Using Single Sheets Your printer accommodates single sheets up to a maximum width of 257 mm (10.1 inches) on the LQ-870 and 420 mm (16.5 inches) on the LQ-1170. You can load single sheets from either the top or front of the printer. If the paper-tension unit is removed, you need to replace it before you print on single sheets. See page 1-8 in Chapt[...]

Using Single Sheets 3. Move the left edge guide until it locks in place next to the Move the left edge guide until it locks in place next to the arrow the paper guide. Next adjust the right edge guide to arrow the paper guide. Next adjust the right edge guide to match the width of your paper. match the width of your paper. 4. Slide a sheet of paper[...]

Using Single Sheets Loading single sheets from the front 1. Place the paper-release lever in the single-sheet position and open the front cover. 2. Turn on the printer. The POWER light on the control panel comes on. 3. Move the edge guide until you feel it click into place above the arrow mark on the paper guide. You can slide the edge guide to the[...]

Using Single Sheets 4. Align the left edge of the paper with the edge guide and insert the page firmly until it meets resistance. The printer loads the paper automatically. You are now ready to print. CAUTION: Use the knob on the left side of the printer only to clear paper jams when the printer is off. Otherwise you may damage the printer or lose [...]

Using Continuous Paper You can load continuous paper through either the front, rear, or bottom paper slot, depending upon the position of the tractor unit and the placement of your paper supply. Your printer can handle continuous paper up to 254 mm (10.0 inches) wide on the LQ-870 and up to 406 mm (16.0 inches) wide on the LQ-1170. To print on cont[...]

Using Continuous Paper Note: Make sure you align your paper supply with the paper loaded in the tractor so that the paper can feed smoothly into the printer. If you want to 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. Using the paper-path guide Y[...]

Using Continuous Paper 2. Press in the tractor’s lock tabs as you push the tractor into the printer’s mounting slot. To remove the tractor unit, press the tractor’s lock tabs, tilt the unit forward, and lift it out of the printer. See page 2-12 for instructions on loading continuous paper with the front push tractor. Installing the push-tract[...]

Using Continuous Paper See page 2-15 for instructions on loading paper with the rear-push tractor. To remove the tractor unit, press the tractor’s lock tabs, tilt the unit back, and lift it off the printer. Installing the pull-tractor You can also use the tractor unit as a pull-tractor. To do this, you remove the paper-tension unit and install th[...]

Using Continuous Paper Loading continuous paper with the front push-tractor 1. Make sure the printer is turned off and remove the front cover and the front paper guide. 2. Make sure the tractor is in the front push-tractor position and the paper-release lever is in the front push-tractor position. 2-12 Paper Handling[...]

Using Continuous Paper 3. Release the sprocket units by pushing the sprocket locks backward. 4. Slide the left sprocket unit to approximately 12 mm (0.5 inch) from the far left position and pull the lever forward to lock it in place. Now slide the right sprocket unit to approximately match the width of your paper, but do not lock it. Move the paper[...]

Using Continuous Paper 5. Make sure your paper has a clean, straight edge. Open both sprocket covers and fit the first four holes of the paper over the sprocket pins. 6. 7. Close the sprocket covers. Adjust the right sprocket to remove any slack in the paper. Lock the sprocket unit in place by pulling the sprocket lock forward. 8. Attach the front [...]

Using Continuous Paper Loading continuous paper with the rear push-tractor 1. Make sure the printer is turned off and the paper guide is removed. 2. Make sure the tractor is in the rear push-tractor position and the paper-release lever is in the rear push-tractor position. 3. Release the sprocket units by pulling the sprocket locks forward. Paper H[...]

Using Continuous Paper 4. Slide the left sprocket to approximately 12 mm (0.5 inch) from the far left position (use the alignment marks on the printer case). Push the 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 un[...]

Using Continuous Paper 6. Close the sprocket covers. 7. Adjust the right sprocket to remove any slack in the paper; then lock it in place. 8. Attach the paper guide in its flat position over the printer. Slide the edge guides to the center. 9. Turn on the printer. When the printer receives data, it loads the paper automatically before printing. Not[...]

Using Continuous Paper Loading continuous paper with the pull tractor 1. 2. 3. Make sure the printer is turned off and the printer cover and paper guide are removed. Make sure the tractor is installed in the pull-tractor position and the paper-release lever is set to the pull-tractor position. Release the sprocket units by pulling the sprocket lock[...]

Using Continuous Paper 4. Slide the left sprocket unit to approximately 12 mm (OS inch) from the far left position (use the alignment marks on the printer case). Push the sprocket lock 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[...]

Using Continuous Paper 6. Open the sprocket covers and fit the holes of the paper over the sprocket pins. 7. Close the sprocket covers. 8. Adjust the right sprocket unit to remove any slack in the paper; then lock it in place. 9. Attach the paper guide in the flat position. Then slide the edge guides to the center of the paper’s width. 10. Turn o[...]

Using continuous Paper Adjusting the top-of-form position The top-of-form position is the position the printer feeds the paper to when it loads the paper or performs a form feed. This position is important because it determines where the printing begins on the page. You may need to adjust the top of form to a certain position for printing on ready-[...]

Switching Between Continuous and Single Sheets Even with continuous paper loaded in the printer, you can easily switch to single-sheet printing without removing the continuous paper from the tractor. This feature can be used whenever the tractor unit is installed on the front or the rear or when using both the front and rear (with the optional trac[...]

Switching Between Continuous and Single Sheets 3. Push the paper-release lever back to the single-sheet position. 4. You can now load single sheets from either the front or top as described in Using Single Sheets, earlier in this chapter. Paper Handling 2-23[...]

Switching Between Continuous and Single Sheets Switching to continuous paper You can also easily switch back to printing on continuous paper. 1. 2. 3. If you have a single sheet still in the printer, press the LOAD/EJECT button to eject it. Lift up slightly on the paper guide and then lower it until it lies flat on top of the printer. Slide the lef[...]

Printing on Special Paper In addition to printing on single sheets and continuous paper, your printer can also print on a wide variety of paper types, such as envelopes, labels, and multi-part forms. Before printing on special types of paper, you may need to change the paper-thickness setting. CAUTION: When printing on labels or multi-part forms, m[...]

Printing on Special Paper Use the following table to set the paper-thickness lever to match the thickness of your paper according to the table below: - Paper type* Lever position Ordinary (single sheets or continuous) 0 Ordinary (with film ribbon) -1 Thin paper -1 or0 Carbonless multi-part forms 2 sheets (original + 1 copy) 1 3 sheets (original + 2[...]

Printing on Special Paper Labels When printing labels, always choose the type mounted on a continuous backing sheet with sprocket holes for use with a tractor. Do not try to print labels as single sheets because labels on a shiny backing sheet do not feed properly. You can load labels from the front (push tractor or pull tractor), or bottom (pull t[...]

Printing on Special Paper Envelopes You can load envelopes individually using the single sheet loading feature from the top paper guide only. If you want to load several envelopes at the same time, you can install the optional single-bin cut-sheet feeder. See Chapter 4 for a description of loading envelopes with the cut-sheet feeder. Before loading[...]

Chapter 3 Using the Printer Control Panel.. ......................................................................... 3-2 Lights.. .................................................................................. 3-2 Buttons.. ............................................................................... 3-3 Other control-panel features .........[...]

Control Panel The indicator lights give you the current status of the printer. The buttons let you control many of the printer settings. Lights POWER (green) On when the power switch is on and power is supplied. DATA (orange) On when data is present in the printer’s memory buffer. MULTI-PART (green) On when the paper-thickness lever is set to pos[...]

Control Panel BIN 1 (green) On when bin 1 of the optional cut-sheet feeder is selected for paper feeding. BIN 2 (green) On when bin 2 of the optional cut-sheet feeder is selected for paper feeding. Font (green) Shows which font is selected. Pitch (green) Shows which pitch is selected. Buttons PAUSE Press this button to temporarily stop printing. Pr[...]

Control Panel ALT Holding down this button while pressing certain other buttons results in the following alternate functions: BUFFER CLEAR (ALT + PAUSE) Clears the printer’s buffer and initializes the printer settings, including top-of-form setting MICRO FEED: (ALT + LOAD/EJECT) Feeds paper forward in l/180-inch increments (ALT + LF/FF) Feeds pap[...]

Control Panel Other control-panel features The control panel also gives you access to two special functions. Self test: Data dump: Hold down the LF/FF (for LQ mode) or LOAD/EJECT (for Draft mode) button while you turn on the printer to perform the self test. The self test lets you check that your printer is operating properly and gives you a printo[...]

DIP Switches By changing the settings of the two sets of DIP switches, which are inside the compartment on the control panel, you can control various printer features, such as the character set and the page length. These new settings become effective when the printer is turned on, reset, or initialized. Changing a DIP-switch setting 1. Make sure th[...]

DIP Switches DIP-switch tables The tables below show the settings for each DIP switch function. The current settings appear on your self-test printout. Table 1 DIP Switch 1 setting International character sets/ character tables See tables 3 and 4 Table 2 DIP Switch 2 setting SW Description ON OFF 2-1 Page length (for continuous 2.2 paper) See Table[...]

DIP Switches Table 3 International character sets Table 4 Character tables Character table SW l-1 SW 1-2 SW 1-3 SW 1-4 Italic Set international character sets OFF according to Table 3 PC 437 (United States) ON ON ON ON PC 850 (Multilingual) ON ON OFF ON PC 860 (Portugal) ON OFF ON ON PC 863 (Canada-French) ON OFF OFF ON PC 865 (Norway) OFF ON ON ON[...]

DIP Switches DIP-switch functions This section describes the different features you can control with the printer’s DIP switches. International character sets You can choose from eight international character sets by setting DIP switches l-l, 1-2, 1-3, and 1-4, according to DIP-switch Table 3. See the Appendix for character samples. The character [...]

DIP Switches Print direction for graphics The printer ordinarily prints text bidirectionally for speed and prints graphics characters unidirectionally for precise vertical alignment. You can, however, change text printing to unidirectional with the software command ESC U 1. If you want to increase printing speed, you can change graphics character p[...]

DIP Switches Skip-over-perforation Turning DIP switch 1-8 on when you are using continuous paper enables the skip-over-perforation function. Use this function to leave a one-inch (25.4 mm) space between the last printable line on one page and the first printable line on the next page so that the printer skips over the perforation. Most application [...]

DIP Switches Auto line-feed When auto line feed is on (DIP switch 2-4 on), the printer follows each carriage-return code (CR) received with a line feed code (LF). If your printer is double spacing, turn DIP switch 2-3 off. If each line overprints the next, turn DIP switch 2-4 on. 3-12 Using the Printer[...]

Micro Feed The micro-feed feature allows you to move the paper forward or backward in 1/180-inch increments. You can use this feature to adjust the loading and tear-off positions. When you make adjustments to the loading or tear-off positions for continuous paper, the printer remembers the new position even if you turn off the printer. The printer [...]

Micro Feed 2. While holding down the ALT button, press the LOAD/EJECT button to feed the paper forward or press the LF/FF button to feed the paper backward, as indicated by the arrows above the buttons. Adjusting the loading position The loading position is the position of the paper after it is automatically loaded by the printer. If your printing [...]

Micro Feed 3. While holding down the ALT button, press the LOAD/EJECT button to move the loading position down on the page, or press the LF/FF button to move the loading position up on the page. The printer remembers the new loading position and advances all subsequent pages to the new position. Note: l The printer has a minimum and maximum loading[...]

Tear Off After you finish printing, the tear-off feature advances continuous paper to the tear-off edge of the printer. You can then easily tear off printed sheets. When you resume printing, the printer automatically feeds paper back to the loading position. This feature lets you save the paper normally lost between documents. You can use the tear-[...]

Tear Off 3. Print on continuous paper loaded on the front or rear tractor (as described in Chapter 2). When you finish printing, the printer advances the final printed page to the tear-off position. 4. Tear off all printed pages. Note: If the perforation does not meet the tear-off edge, you can adjust the tear-off position using the micro-feed feat[...]

Tear Off Adjusting the tear-off position If the paper’s perforation does not meet the tear-off edge, follow the steps below to adjust the tear-off position: 1. Make sure the paper is in the tear-off position and the TEAR OFF light is on. 2. While holding down the ALT button, press the LOAD/EJECT button to move the tear-off position down on the pa[...]

Typestyles You can produce a wide range of typestyles by selecting different character fonts, widths, and other enhancements from the control panel. The font names on the control panel are meant as guides only; your actual printed results may differ slightly in appearance. Note: The settings you select from the control panel remain valid even after[...]

Typestyles Roman AA AAAA A Sans serif A A AAAAA There are two printing speeds for the draft font; high-speed draft and normal draft, controlled by the DIP switch 1-6 setting. The following shows sample characters for each font. Normal Draft (DIP switch l-6 OFF) '"#$%&'()*+,-./0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJK ILMN~Pc~RsTuVWXYZ[[...]

Typestyles Epson Sans Serif !“#$%&‘()*+,-./0123456789:;<=>?gABCDEFGHIJK LMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ[]^-‘abcdefghijklmnopqrstuv WX~~{:}-~CU~~BBB~~~~~~~~A~~~&~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Epson Sans Serif proportional !“#$%&‘()*+,-./0123456789:;c=>?@ABCDEFGH I JK LMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ[]^-‘abcdefghijklmnopqrstuv wxyz{t}-p~Ue~LBBB~g9ei”i~~A~~~~~~~~[...]

Typestyles Character pitch You can select a character pitch from the control panel. To select a pitch, press the PITCH button until the indicator light next to the desired pitch comes on. The table below shows the character pitches available for each font. Script-C 00 0 0 0 Orator 0 0 0 0 Orator-S 0 0 0 0 OCR-B 0 0 0 0 In the lo-, 12-, 15-, 17-, or[...]

Data Dump Mode Data dump mode is a special feature that allows experienced users to find the cause of communication problems between the printer and application programs. In data dump mode, the printer produces an exact printout of the codes it receives. To use data dump mode, follow these steps: 1. Make sure the printer is off. 2. Hold down the LO[...]

Chapter 4 Using the Printer Options Cut-Sheet Feeders.. ................................................................. 4-2 Installing a cut-sheet feeder .............................................. 4-2 Loading paper with the single-bin cut-sheet feeder.. .... 4-3 Loading paper or envelopes with the high-capacity cut-sheet feeder.. ............[...]

Cut-Sheet Feeders Two cut-sheet feeders are available for use with your printer: Printer Single-bin High-capacity LQ-870 C806371 C806381 LQ-1170 C806391 C806401 The single-bin cut-sheet feeder holds up to 50 single sheets of paper. When this cut-sheet feeder is installed alone, you can still manually insert single sheets using the paper guide. The [...]

Cut-Sheet Feeder 3. Make sure the paper-release lever is in the single-sheet position. 4. Hold the cut-sheet feeder in both hands. Press down on the latch levers and fit the notches in the cut-sheet feeder over the mounting posts on the printer. Release the latch levers to lock the cut-sheet feeder in place. 5. Replace the printer cover by first in[...]

Cut-Sheet Feeder 2. Slide the left paper guide so it is aligned with the triangle mark. Next, slide the right paper guide to roughly match the width of your paper. Slide the paper support midway between the paper guides. 3. Pull the paper-set levers all the way forward until the paper guides retract and lock open. 4. Take a stack of paper and fan i[...]

Cut-Sheet Feeder CAUTION: Do not use envelopes multi-part forms, carbon paper, or labels in the single-bin cut-sheet feeder. 5. 6. 7. 8. Insert up to 50 sheets of paper along the left paper guide. Adjust the position of the right paper guide so that it matches your paper’s width. Make sure the position of the guide allows the paper to move up and[...]

Cut-Sheet Feeder Loading paper or envelopes with the high-capacity cut-sheet feeder 1. Pull the lock levers forward on the left and right paper guides to release them. 2. Slide the left paper guide until it is aligned with the triangle mark; then lock it in place by pushing back on its lock lever. Next, slide the right paper guide to roughly match [...]

Cut-Sheet Feeder 3. Pull the paper-set levers all the way forward until the paper guides retract and lock open. 4. Take a stack of paper and fan it. Next, tap the side and bottom of the paper on a flat surface to even up the stack. CAUTION: Do not use multi-part forms, carbon paper, or labels in the cut-sheet feeder. 5. Insert up to 150 sheets of p[...]

Cut-Sheet Feeder 7. If you are loading envelopes, push the envelope levers back. - - 8. Push the paper-set levers back to clamp the paper or envelopes against the guide rollers. Note: You can also insert single sheets using the front paper slot or the slot between the paper guide and stacker. The cut-sheet feeder automatically loads paper when you [...]

Cut-Sheet Feeder Assembling the double-bin cut-sheet feeder You can attach the single-bin cut-sheet feeder and high-capacity cut-sheet feeder to create a double-bin cut-sheet feeder. Follow these steps: 1. Remove the gear cover from the back of the high-capacity cut-sheet feeder and store it in a safe place. 2. Hold the single-bin cut-sheet feeder [...]

Cut-Sheet Feeder 3. Press the two cut-sheet feeders together while pushing firmly on the tab locks. Make sure the two cut-sheet feeders are securely locked together. 4. Install the assembled double-bin cut-sheet feeder on the printer. See Installing a cut-sheet feeder in this chapter. 5. Load paper into each bin. See the sections on loading paper i[...]

Cut-Sheet Feeder Switching between continuous paper and the cut-sheet feeder This printer allows you to switch easily between the cut-sheet feeder and the tractor-feeding system without removing either the feeder or the continuous-paper supply. Switching to continuous paper 1. If a single sheet is in the paper path, press the LOAD/EJECT button to e[...]

Cut-Sheet Feeder Switching to the cut-sheet feeder 1. If any printed sheets remain in the printer, press the TEAR OFF button to advance the continuous paper to the tear-off position. 2. Tear off the printed pages. 3. Press the LOAD/EJECT button. The printer feeds the continuous paper backward to the standby position. The paper is still attached to [...]

Additional Tractor Unit You can improve the performance of continuous paper handling by using two tractor units at the same time. An additional tractor unit is available as an option. This is especially useful for continuous pre-printed forms, multi-part forms, and labels. Use of two tractor units at once is also recommended to print the highest qu[...]

Additional Tractor Unit Using two tractor units in combination 1. Install one tractor unit in the pull-tractor position as described in Chapter 2. Install another one in the front or rear position. 2. Place the continuous paper on the sprocket units of the front or rear push-tractor unit (see Using Continuous Paper in Chapter 2). 3. Turn on the pri[...]

Additional Tractor Unit 7. If there is slack in the paper between the push and pull tractors, place the paper-release lever in the pull-tractor position and use the micro-feed feature to advance the paper until slack is removed. Then place the paper-release lever back in its original position. 8. 9. See that the paper is not crooked or wrinkled and[...]

Interface Card _. You can use optional interface cards to supplement your printer’s built-in parallel interface. The Epson interfaces below are compatible with your printer. I Model number I Name I If you are unsure whether you need an optional interface or would like to know more about interfaces, contact your dealer. Note: These interfaces are [...]

Interface Card 2. Remove the screws from the interface cover and remove it. 3. Insert the interface card into the slots on both sides of the interface compartment. Slide the card in firmly until the connector at the rear of the interface card fits into the printer’s internal socket. 4. Replace the cover and secure the screws to complete installat[...]

Interface Card The C823051 serial interface card If you are using an optional interface, it may be necessary for you to alter the communication protocol of the printer or computer so they can communicate properly. In most cases, you should use the information in your optional interface manual or your computer’s manual to match the computer with t[...]

Chapter 5 Maintenance and Transportation Cleaning the Printer ............................................................... 5-2 Replacing the Ribbon Cartridge.. .......................................... 5-3 Transporting the Printer ........................................................ 5-4 Maintenance and Transportation 5-1[...]

Cleaning the Printer To keep your printer operating at its best, you should clean it thoroughly several times a year. 1. Make sure the printer is turned off. Then remove the paper guide, printer cover, tractor unit, and any installed options. 2. Use a soft brush to carefully clear away all dust and dirt. 3. If the outer case or paper guide is dirty[...]

Replacing the Ribbon Cartridge When your printing becomes too faint, you need to replace the ribbon cartridge. The following Epson replacement ribbon cartridges are recommended: Printer Standard fabric Film LQ-870 # 7753 # 7768 LQ-1170 # 7754 # 7770 To replace the ribbon cartridge, follow the steps described in Installing the ribbon cartridge in Ch[...]

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. Turn off the printer. 2. Remove the paper guide and any installed options. 3. Unplug the power cord from the electrical outlet; then disconnect the interface cable from the printer. 4[...]

Chapter 6 Troubleshooting Problems and Solutions.............. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2 H Power Supply .......................................................................... 6-3 Printing ..................................................................................... 6-4 Paper Handling .........[...]

Problems and Solutions This chapter presents solutions to possible printer problems. If you have difficulty achieving the desired printing result, first locate the problem in the list below and then see the appropriate page for the solution. Power supply . Power is not being supplied. See 6-3 Printing l The printer does not print. See 6-4 l The pri[...]

Power Supply Power is not being supplied. l The POWER light does not go on. Check that the power cable is plugged into the electrical outlet properly. If the electrical outlet is controlled by an outside switch or automatic timer, use a different outlet. Plug another electrical device into the outlet to determine whether the outlet is operating pro[...]

Printing The printer does not print. The PAUSE light is on. Press the PAUSE button. The PAUSE light is off but nothing is printed. Check that the software is installed properly for your printer. Check the software’s printer settings. Check both ends of the interface cable between the printer and the computer. Make sure the cable meets both the pr[...]

Printing l The PAUSE light is flickering and printer does not print or it stops printing abruptly. The print head is overheated. Wait a few minutes; the printer resumes printing automatically when the print head cools. The print is faint or uneven. l Printed characters have parts missing at the bottom. The ribbon cartridge may not be installed prop[...]

Printing l The font selected by the control panel does not print. Your software may be overriding your panel setting. Check the font setting in your application program. l The wrong characters are printed. ._ The wrong character table or the wrong international character set may be selected. Check the DIP-switch settings. See page 3-8. The print po[...]

Printing l Regular gaps occur in the printout. One-inch skip-over-perforation may be set. Set DIP switch 1-8 off. l Skip-over-perforation is set, but the perforation does not fall in the center of the skip. Adjust the top-of-form position as described in Chapter 2. Make sure the DIP-switch settings match your required paper length. See page 3-8. If[...]

Paper Handling The following section guides you through problems in handling single sheets and continuous paper. If you are having problems using the optional cut-sheet feeder, see the section on options starting on page 6-10. Single sheets do not feed properly. l When you insert single-sheet paper, the platen does not rotate and paper does not fee[...]

Paper Handling 9 The paper feed is crooked or the paper jams. Turn off the printer and put the paper-release lever in the pull-tractor position. Pull out the paper and check the following two items: l Make sure the paper size is within the specified range. See page 7-4. l Make sure the paper is aligned with the edge guides. l The paper does not ful[...]

See that the holes on the sides of the paper are aligned with each other. Also, make sure the sprocket units are locked and their covers are closed. Check that the paper-thickness lever is set correctly for the paper you are using. See page 2-25. Check that the paper thickness is within the specified range. See page 7-6. l The paper does not eject [...]

Options Options When you use the cut-sheet feeder, the paper does not feed properly. l When a print command is sent from the computer, the platen rotates but paper does not feed. The cut-sheet feeder may be incorrectly installed on the printer. See that the paper-release lever is pushed back to the single-sheet position. Paper may be jammed near th[...]

Options When you use two tractor units in combination, continuous paper does not feed properly. l The paper feed is crooked or paper jams. Make sure that the sprocket units on both tractors are aligned. When you use an optional interface, the printer does not operate properly. l The printer does not print or the printout is not what you expected. Y[...]

Chapter 7 Technical Specifications Printer Specifications.. ............................................................ 7-2 Printing.. ............................................................................... 7-2 Paper.. ................................................................................... 7-4 Mechanical.. .....................[...]

Printer Specifications Printing Printing method: 24-pin impact dot matrix Printing speed: Quality Characters per inch High-speed draft 10 Characters/second/line 300 10 275 Draft 12 330 15 413 10 92 Letter quality 12 110 15 138 Printing direction: Bidirectional logic-seeking for text. Unidirectional for graphics. (Bidirectional for graphics can be s[...]

Printer Specifications Printable columns: Character size Maximum printed characters I I LQ-870 I LQ-1170 1 IO cpi 80 136 12 cpi 96 164 15 cpi 120 204 1 17 cpi (10 cpi condensed) 1 137 I 233 I 20 cpi (12 cpi condensed) 1 160 272 Character fonts: Font Point 7Pt 10spt Pitch 15cpi 1Ocpi 12cpi Proportional Epson Draft 0 0 0 Epson Courier 0 0 0 Epson Rom[...]

Printer Specifications Paper Paper size: Paper Single sheet W idth Top insertion LQ-870 LQ-1170 148 to 257 mm (5.8 to 10.1 inches) 182 to 257 mm (7.2 to 10.1 inches) max. 364 mm (14.3 inch) 148 to 420 mm (5.8 to 16.5 inches) 182 to 364 mm (7.2 to 14.3 inches) Front insertion Length 1 Multi-part form length 1 max. 297 mm (11.7 inches) 1 max. 364 mm [...]

Printer Specifications Continuous paper 9 mm (0. or more 35’1 9 01 mm (0. more .35’) I ‘I .I Printable area I’ I I’ M See the table below LQ-870 LQ-1170 Minimum left and right Paper width Paper width margin 101 to 241 mm 101 to 377.8 mm 13 mm (0.51 inch) (4 to 9.5 inches) (4 to 14.575 inches) 381 to 406 mm 15 mm (0.59 inch) - (15 to 16 in[...]

Printer Specifications Paper thickness: Single sheets top or front insertion multi-part Continuous multi-part Envelopes 0.065 to 0.14 mm (0.0025 to 0.0055 inch) (front insertion): 0.12 to 0.32 mm (0.0047 to 0.012 inch) 0.065 to 0.14 mm (0.0025 to 0.0055 inch) 0.12 to 0.32 mm (0.0047 to 0.012 inch) 0.16 to 0.52 mm (0.0063 to 0.0197 inch) Labels (inc[...]

Printer Specifications Mechanical Paper-feed methods: Friction (without or with optional cut-sheet feeder) Push-tractor (front- or rear-tractor) Pull-tractor Push-pull-tractor (optional) Ribbon: Fabric ribbon cartridge LQ-870: #7753, LQ-1170: #7754 Life expectancy In LQ, at 48 dots/character): 2 million characters Film ribbon cartridge LQ-870: #776[...]

Printer Specifications Electrical Rated voltage: Input voltage range: Rated current: Power consumption: Rated frequency range: Input frequency range: Insulation resistance: Dielectric strength (between AC line and chassis): AC 120 V AC 103.5 to 132 V 2.0 A (during self-test printing in draft mode, at 10 cpi) LQ-870: approx. 58 W LQ-1170: approx. 58[...]

Printer Specifications Environmental Temperature: Humidity: Operation: 5” to 35°C (41” to 95°F) Storage: -30" to 60°C (-22" to 140°F) Operation: 10% to 80% RH without condensation Storage: 5% to 85% RH without condensation Technical Specifications 7-9[...]

Interface Specifications Your printer is equipped with a parallel interface Specifications and pin assignments The built-in parallel interface has the following characteristics: Data format: B-bit parallel Synchronization: STROBE pulse Handshake timing: BUSY and ACKNLG signals Signal level: TTL compatible level Connector: 36-pin 57-30360 Amphenol c[...]

Interface Specifications Signal Return Pin Pin Signal Direction Description 11 29 BUSY OUT A HIGH signal indicates that the printer cannot receive data. The signal goes HIGH in the following cases: 1) During data entry (ea. char. time) 2) During printing 12 30 PE 13 - SLCT 3) When PAUSE botton is pressed 4) During printer-error state. OUT A HIGH si[...]

interface Specifications Note: l The column heading “Direction” refers to the direction of signal flow as viewed from the printer. . “Return” denotes the twisted-pair return, to be connected at signal ground level. For the interface wiring, be sure to use a twisted-pair cable for each signal and to complete the connection on the return side[...]

Interface Specifications Interface timing The figure below shows the timing for the parallel interface. BUSY AKm DA TA STROBE Technical Specifications 7-13[...]

Option Specifications Cut-sheet feeders Dimensions and weight Dimensions include the printer Bin capacity: Single sheets: C806371 and C806391 Up to 50 sheets of 22-lb (82-g/m2) paper C806381 and C806401 Up to 150 sheets of 22-lb (82-g/m’) paper Envelopes: C806381 and C806401 Up to 25 (plain and bond type) Up to 30 (air mail) MCBF: 100,000 cycles [...]

Optional Specifications Width C806371 C806391 C806381 C806401 Paper length Thickness Weight Paper storage conditions: Environmental Temperature: Humidity (without condensation): Single sheets 182 to 216 mm (7.17 to 8.50 in.) 182 to 420 mm (7.17 to 16.54 in.) 182 to 216 mm (7.17 to 8.50 in.) 182 to 420 mm (7.17 to 16.54 in.) 210 to 364 mm (8.27 to 1[...]

Optional Specifications Initialization - There are three ways that the printer can be initialized (returned to a fixed set of conditions): Hardware initialization When the power is turned on or when the printer receives an INIT signal from the parallel interface (pin 31 goes LOW). Software initialization When software sends the ESC @ (initialize th[...]

Chapter 8 Command Summary Using the Command Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-2 Commands Arranged by Topic ............................................. 8-3 General operation ................................................................ 8-3 Paper feeding ........................................................[...]

Using the Command Summary This printer uses the Epson ESC/P 2 printer control language. You can use these commands to produce high quality laser-like printouts. ESC/P 2 commands provide scalable fonts (Epson Roman and Epson Sans Serif) and enhanced graphics. The following section lists and describes all the commands by topic. If a command has param[...]

Commands Arranged by Topic General operation ASCII Dec. Hex. Description ESC @ 64 40 Initialize Printer ESC U l/O 85 55 Turn Unidirectional Mode On/Off ESC EM n 25 19 Control Paper Loading/Ejecting n = “1” Select bin1 of CSF n = “2” Select bin2 of CSF n = “R” Eject a sheet * For the ESC EM command the variables are the characters “1?[...]

Commands Arranged by Topic Page format ASCII Dec. Hex. Description ESC ( c nn ESC ( C nn ESC C n 67 ESC C 0 n 67 ESC N n 78 ESC 0 79 ESC 1 n 108 ESC Q n 81 40 99 40 67 28 63 28 43 43 43 4E 4F 6C 51 Set Page Format ESC(c 4 Oml m2nln2 m = ml+ m2 X 256 m: Top margin in defined units n = nl -I- n2 X 256 n: Bottom margin in defined units Set Page Length[...]

Commands Arranged by Topic Print position motion ASCII Dec. Hex. Description ESC $ nl n2 36 24 Set Absolute Horizontal Print Position n = nl i- n2 X 256 n: Specifies print position from left margin in defined units * Before you define unit, default is l/60-inch for this command ESC nl n2 92 SC Set Relative Horizontal Print Position n = nl i- n2 X[...]

Commands Arranged by Topic Font selection ASCII Dec. Hex. Description ESC k n 107 ESC X nn 88 6B Select Typeface r-l= 0: Roman 5: OCR-B 1: Sans Serif 7: Orator 2: Courier 8: Orator-S 3: Prestige 9: Script C 4: Script 58 Select Font by Pitch and Point ESC X m nl n2 m : Set pitch to 360/m cpi m = 0 : No change in pitch m = 1 : Select proportional M =[...]

Commands Arranged by Topic ASCII Dec. Hex. Description ESC 4 52 34 Select Italic Font ESC 5 53 35 Cancel Italic Font ESC E 69 45 Select Bold Font ESC F 70 46 Cancel Bold Font ESC ! n 33 21 Master Select To find the value of n add together the numbers of the typestyles you want to combine from the list below: n = 0: 10 cpi 1: 12 cpi 2: proportional [...]

Commands Arranged by Topic ASCII ESC w l/O ESC G ESC H ESC S 0 ESC S 1 ESC T ESC ( - nn Dec. Hex. Description ESC - 1/0 45 2D ESC q n 113 71 119 77 Turn Double-Height Printing On/Off 71 47 Select Double-Strike Printing 72 48 Cancel Double-Strike Printing 83 53 Select Superscript Printing 83 53 Select Subscript Printing 84 54 Cancel Superscript/Subs[...]

Commands Arranged by Topic Spacing ASCII Dec. Hex. Description ESC Sl’n 32 20 ESC ( U nn 40 85 28 55 Define Unit ESC c nl n2 99 63 Character handling ASCII Dec. Hex. Set Intercharacter Space n = number of units of space added to the space between characters (1-127) Units are l/l20 inch (draft) and l/180 inch (LQ and proportional) ESC ( U 1 0 n De[...]

Commands Arranged by Topic ASCII Dec. Hex. Description ESC t n 116 74 Select Character Table Select character table n assigned by - ESC ( t n = 0, 1, 2, 3, "0", "I", "2", or "3" n = 2: Remaps download characters from O-127 to 128-255 ESC R n 82 52 Select an International Character Set n = 0: USA 8: Japan 1: F[...]

ASCII Commands Arranged by Topic Dec. Hex. Description ESC 7 55 37 ESC ( n nn 4094 28 5E Bit image ASCII Dec. Hex. Enable Upper Control Codes Cancels ESC 6 Print Data as Characters ESC ( a nl n2 data n = nl •k n2 x 256 n: amount of data data: n byte data for printing as character Description ESC * nn 42 2A Select Bit Image ESC * m nl n2 data n = [...]

Commands Arranged by Topic Graphics Dec. Hex. Description ESC ( G nn 40 71 28 47 Select Graphics Mode ESC ( G 1 0 n n = 1, or 49 * Cancel Graphics mode with ESC @ ESC. nn 46 2E Print Raster Graphics ESC . c v h m nl n2 data c = 0: Full graphics mode 1: Compressed mode v = 10, 20: Dot density for vertical in 3600/v DPI h = 10, 20: Dot density for ho[...]

Appendix Character Tables ............................................ A-2 Italic character table.. .............................................................. A-2 Graphics character tables ..................................................... A-3 International Character Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... .[...]

Character Tables These character tables are selected by setting DIP switches l-l, 1-2, 1-3, and 1-4, or using the ESC t software command. For the graphics character tables, the ESC 6 and ESC 7 software commands let you select whether hex codes 80 to 9F are characters (ESC 6) or control codes (ESC 7). Italic character table CDDE0123456769ABCDEF 0 NU[...]

Character Tables Graphics character tables PC 437 (United States) CDDE0123456789ABCDEF 0 NUL SP 0 @ P l p(-gQ$LlL.~ 1 !lAQaqfiaiglfp+ 2 DC2 " 2BRbr&!16 r 1 3 #3CScsd6ti 4 DC4$4DTdtgid 5 §%SEUeu&bfi PC 850 (Multilingual) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F I 0123456789ABCDEF WL SP 0 @ P l pCfi&$LB(j- ! 1 A Q a q ii & i iii $glDg+ D[...]

Character Tables PC 860 (Portugal) CODE0123456789ABCDEF 0 NUL SP 0 @ P * p c fi 6 g L JL a E 1 !lAQaqfiAi$$lypf 2 DC2 " 2BRbr&&6 r 2 3 #3CScsb6ti 4 DC4$4DTdt&e,A PC 863 (Canada-French) CODE0123456789ABCDEF 0 NUL ::: ..i_. SPO @ P * p C E ( sis Ly a L ::: 1 !lAQaq(i&*sl~pf 2 DC2 " 2BRbr6*6# 3 #3CScs~~ii 4 DC4$4DTdtAli:"[...]

Character Tables PC 865 (Norway) CDDE0123456789ABCDEF 0 NUL SP 0 @ P - pCEd% L 1L a E 1 !lAQaqiiaei g I + p f 2 DC2 " 2BRbrelgZi r 1 3 #3CScsb6ti 4 DC4$4DTdtaifi 5 §%SEUeuhbfi 6 &6 FV 7 '7GWgw~hQ~ Characters available with ESC ( * 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F lo 171 To print the characters in the table Q) 5 0 !! + !I + 4 - on ;he [...]

Character Tables International Character Sets Country ASCII code hex DIP SW 23 24 40 58 5C 5D 5E 60 78 7C 7D 7E l-l 1-2 l-3 0 USA # $ @ [ 1 - t { i 1 - ON ON ON 1 France # $ b ’ q 5 A ’ d ii b *- ON ON OFF 2 Germany # $ 8 ;d tl ij * ’ ki ij ii fi ON OFF ON 3 U.K. f $ @ [ 1 - ’ { ; } * ON OFF OFF 4 Denmark # $ @ A 0 A * ’ a? 0 a% - OFF[...]

Glossary The following definitions apply specifically to printers. application program A software program that helps you carry out a particular task, such as word processing or financial planning. ASCII American Standard Code for Information Interchange. A standardized coding system for assigning numerical codes to letters and symbols. auto line fe[...]

character table A portion of the printer’s standard ASCII character set that you use for graphic symbols or italic characters. characters per inch (cpi) A measure of the size of text characters. Ten cpi is the printer’s default setting. condensed printing Printing in which each character is approximately 60% of the width of standard characters.[...]

default A value or setting that takes effect when the equipment is turned on, reset, or initialized. DIP switches Small switches in a printer that control various printer functions and set the default status of the printer when it is turned on or initialized. DIP stands for dual in-line package. dot matrix A method of printing in which each letter [...]

ESC/P 2 The enhanced version of the ESC/P printer command language. - Commands in this language give laser-like features: scalable fonts and enhanced graphics printing. font A font is a style of type designated by a family name. form feed A control code and a panel button that advance the paper to the next top of form position. high-speed draft One[...]

line feed A control code and a panel button that advance the paper one line space. loading position The position to which the paper is automatically loaded. It can be adjusted with the micro-feed feature. micro feed A feature that adjusts the paper loading and tear-off positions. parallel interface See interface. platen The black roller that provid[...]

subscript Printing in which each character is printed at about two-thirds the normal height in the lower part of the character space. superscript Printing in which each character is printed at about two-thirds the normal height in the upper part of the character space. tear off A feature that automatically feeds the perforation of continuous paper [...]

Index Command descriptions are not indexed here. For information on a specific command, see Chapter 8. A Adjusting the loading position 3-13--15 Application program, iii, 1-15 Assembling the printer, 1-6--9 Auto line-feed, 3-7, 3-12 Automatic loading, see Loading paper ALT, control panel, 3-4 B Baud rate, 4-18 Bidirectional printing, 3-7, 3-10, 7-2[...]

tables, 3-7--8 Draft, high-speed, 3-11 E Edge guides, 2-5 EJECT button, control panel, 3-3 Envelopes, cut-sheet feeder, 4-6--8 loading, 2-28, 4-6--8 specifications, 7-4--6 Epson Consumer Information Center, iv Error handling, 4-18 ESC/P 2, Intro 1, 8-1--12 commands, 8-1--12 F FF button, control panel, 3-3 FONT button, control panel, 3-4 Fonts, 3-19[...]

LF button, control panel, 3-3 Lines per page, iii LOAD button, control panel, 3-3 Loading paper, continuous paper, 2-7--24 cut-sheet feeder, 4-3--12 envelopes, 2-27 labels, 2-26 multi-part forms, 2-26 paper paths, 2-2--3 singles sheets, 2-4--7 Loading position, adjusting, 3-13-15 M Maintenance, 5-1--3 Manually, feeding single sheets, 2-4-7 MICRO-FE[...]

Pull tractor, 2-8, 2-10--11, 2-18--20 Installing, 2-11 loading paper, 2-18--20 optional, 4-13--15 removing, 2-11 Push tractor, 2-8--10, 2-12-17 installing, front, 2-9--10 rear, 2-10--11 loading paper, front, 2-12-14 rear, 2-15 -17 optional, 4-13--15 removing, 2-10, 2-11 R Rear push-tractor, 2-8, 2-10--11,2-15--17 Ribbon cartridge installing, 1-6, r[...]

U Unidirectional printing, 3-7, 3-10, 7-2 Unpacking the printer, 1-2 V Voltage, 1-2, 7-8 W Warnings, cautions, and notes, Intro 3 Weight, 7-7 Where to get help, iv Index IN-5[...]

Epson America, Inc. 20770 Madrona Avenue Torrance, CA 90503 Printed in Japan 92.01-50[...]