Epson QX-10 manual

EPSON ® QX-10™ OPER ATIONS MANUAL[...]

FCC Compliance Statement for American Users This equipment generates and uses radio frequency energy and if not installed and used properly, that is, in strict accordance with the manufacturer’s instruc- tions, may cause interference to radio and television reception. It has been type tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B compu[...]

CONTENTS 1. Getting Started .................................. . 1 Unpacking ...................................... . 1 Getting Hooked Up ............................. . 3 Power .......................................... . 8 Booting ........................................ . 10 Warm and Cold Booting. .................... . 10 Drive A/Drive B ......[...]

3. Installing External Devices and Option Cards. .... . 25 Installing External Devices. ...................... . 25 External Device Ports. ....................... . 26 Checking the Cable. ........................ . 26 Plugging In ................................ . 27 Powering Up. .............................. . 27 Installing Option Cards. ........[...]

Chapter 1 Getting Started Getting started with your QX-10™ won’t take very long at all. Even though there’s a good deal of material to go through, this chapter is simple and straightforward. In fact, you’ll probably be up and running in half an hour or less! In that short time you’ll learn everything you need to know about unpacking your [...]

3. Environmental conditions. It’s important to keep your com- puter shielded from extremes in temperature, humidity, dust, and smoke. You’d be amazed at how smoke of any kind- cigarette, cigar, pipe, or even woodstove-can affect the in- tegrity of your diskettes. Like dust, smoke particles adhere to the magnetic surfaces of your diskettes and c[...]

Getting Hooked Up Now that all the boxes are unpacked, it’s time to put the parts together into a working system. Start with the main unit. That’s the one that looks like this: Place it on the flat surface with the front facing you, as shown. Remove the disk drive protector sheets from the two disk drives (marked A and B) by pressing the button[...]

The power switch is on the right side of the main unit, around the corner from the power outlet. It has two positions: ON and OFF. Important: Be sure the power switch is OFF before you hook up the QX-10. Plug the rectangular end of the power cord into the QX-10 power receptacle on the back of the main unit and the other end into a 3-prong, l20-volt[...]

The monitor cable is fairly short, with a cylindrical plug on either end. These are called DIN plugs. The monitor cable DIN plugs differ only in the number of pins inside: the end that connects to the back of the monitor has seven pins and the end that con- nects to back of the main unit has eight pins. TO MONITOR 5[...]

Insert the 7-pin plug into the outlet on the monitor and the other end into the round outlet on the back of the main unit, marked MONITOR. CABLE Now turn the main unit and monitor around so that they’re fac- ing you. The keyboard cable is coiled and looks like a phone cord. Both ends of this cable have the same DIN connector: each has eight pins [...]

PLUGGING IN KEYBOARD CABLE Some people like to use the QX-10 with the keyboard on their laps and others like to set it on a firm surface, but your options don’t end there. You can also adjust the angle of the keyboard. Changing the angle of the keyboard is simple. First, turn it over. Embedded in the upper corners on the bottom of the keyboard ar[...]

Turn the keyboard right side up and try it for comfort. If the angle seems too steep, you can try the midway position by pushing each leg one notch further until it locks again. Experiment to find the position that is most comfortable for you. Now everything is connected, and it’s almost time to turn on your QX-10! Power Don’t touch that power [...]

Once you’ve powered up the computer, the small red light near the top right corner of the front of the main unit comes on and the cooling fan starts up (you can hear it). You may also notice that a number of small red lights on your keyboard blink on and off. This indicates that your QX-10 is performing an internal self- diagnostic test. The smal[...]

Booting Booting is the term used to describe the process of loading or transferring the operating system from the diskette into memory. Warm and Cold Booting A cold boot occurs when you power up the machine, or when you push the RESET button after inserting a new system diskette in drive A. The RESET button is located just under the door to drive B[...]

computer needs to run Valdocs. Data diskettes are where you store the information you created using the software on your system diskette. If you create a document (a letter or even a part of a novel!) using Valdocs, you store it on a data diskette. Caring For Your Diskettes Diskettes are wondrous things. Where else can you hold the equivalent of hu[...]

Make Backup Copies Often There’s no better way to protect your data than to have a spare copy tucked away in a safe place. If it’s particular- ly important data, you might want to have more than one copy. Some peo- ple even keep their backups in a safe deposit box. Important: You should make two copies of your system diskette. Put the original [...]

the end of each day, all you have to do is take the disk marked for that day and copy your data onto it. For specific backup in- structions, refer to the user’s guide for your system. If you’re still unconvinced, just remember Murphy’s Law: If anything can go wrong, it will. There are all sorts of ways to lose important data. Lightning might [...]

Beware of the Magnetic Field Remember that diskettes store their data magnetically, just like tapes. You probably won’t be running a horseshoe magnet over the surface of the diskette, but you should be aware that there are many sources of magnetism in and around your home or office. A paperclip from a magnetic paperclip holder, strategically drop[...]

If your QX-10 is not already turned ON, turn it ON now by press- ing the ON/OFF switch on the right side of the main unit. When the INSERT DISKETTE message appears on the screen, gently slide the system diskette into drive A, with the oval-shaped win- dow first and the label facing up. Slide the diskette in as far as it goes easily. Don’t bend it[...]

Chapter 2 QX-10 Components If you’ve worked with computers before, much of the informa- tion in this manual probably comes as no surprise. If, on the other hand, you are new to computers, you may wonder if you have what it takes to master the QX-10. Relax, and rest assured that you do. In fact, it will be fun to look back in a week or so, after y[...]

A bit is a unit of computer information. Physically, it consists of a microscopic electrical switch that can be closed or open, representing the alternatives of yes or no, on or off, and so forth. The word bit is derived from the words binary digit. You would need to wrestle with complicated computer theory to fully com- prehend bits, but for our p[...]

The QX-10 uses RAM-random access memory-which can be both written into and read. Normally RAM is lost when a com- puter is switched OFF, but the QX-10 has 2K of CMOS RAM, which enables it to retain some data when you turn OFF the power. (More about CMOS RAM later.) Programs Almost everyone who has heard of a computer has also heard the terms progra[...]

form as labelled. For example, when you press COPY DISK, the system copies the information on one disk to another disk. The DRAW key lets you create pie charts, bar graphs, and so on. The Video Monitor Your QX-10 has a special high-resolution green monochrome video monitor (also called a CRT, for cathode ray tube). The video monitor has what’s ca[...]

The video screen, in character mode, is 25 lines deep by 80 characters across. When in graphics mode, the screen gains very fine resolution. (Graphics displays are composed of tiny dots called pixels-for picture elements-and the QX-10 screen can display 640 pixels horizontally by 400 pixels vertical@, producing a sharp, clear graphics image.) Besid[...]

Serial Port One serial port is available to connect external devices to the QX-10. The port is a standard RS-232C port; however, it can be changed under software control, by selecting the serial port op- tion from the SETUP program in either CP/M or Valdocs. Devices such as serial printers, single-line modems, additional monitors, and other compute[...]

Light Pen Interface Another convenient feature is an interface for a light pen, which is a device used for tracing a diagram or object and producing the image on the screen, or for choosing a menu option on the screen. Option Cards The QX-10 has space for five peripheral, or option cards. These are special printed circuit boards that you can instal[...]

Chapter 3 Installing External Devices And Option Cards External devices such as printers, modems (for computer-to- computer communication over telephone lines), and speech syn- thesizers are all connected to the QX-10 through ports (outlets) built into the back of the main unit. Installing External Devices Before you begin to install any external d[...]

External Device Ports There are three external device ports on the back of the main unit: a light pen port, a Centronics-compatible parallel port (la- belled PRINTER), and an RS-232C serial port. The RS-232C port may also be used for a printer, but because it relays data at a slower rate than the parallel connection, it is generally not the preferr[...]

Plugging In Plug in the male end. Be careful! Connector prongs are easily bent. If the cable end doesn’t go in easily, it is probably upside down. Make sure you have the cable end right side up and try it again. Once the cable end is in, push it gently to make sure that it is in all the way. If you’re attaching a parallel cable, fasten the wire[...]

Make sure you have: 1. The option card 2. The option card manual 3. A Phillips screwdriver. Powering Down Powering Down First, turn the power switch OFF. Then unplug the power cord from the wall outlet and turn the main unit around so that the back is facing you. WARNING: Never open the QX-10 while it is plugged into a wall outlet! Removing the Opt[...]

the front end. After the top is raised as far as it will go, you can lift it off. Set the cover aside. 29[...]

QX-l0 Interior: The Option Card Well The interior of the option card well looks like this: Removing the Shipping Brace The black metal plate is a shipping brace. It is easily removed by unscrewing the small Phillips screw on the inside. Store the screw and the brace in a safe place. You may want to use the brace later if you need to ship or transpo[...]

Selecting the Correct Slot For most option cards, it makes no difference which slot they are installed in. Occasionally, however, a card may require a specific slot. Check the option card manual to determine if your option card requires a specific slot. Some cards come with their own outlets. In a case such as this, the side with the outlet fits in[...]

Inserting the Option Card Slide the option card down into the proper slot, fitting the front end of the card into the corresponding notched guide on the front wall. Once the connector pins are seated in the connector slot, push a little more firmly to insert it fully. If the option card didn’t go in smoothly pull it out and try sliding it in agai[...]

main unit. Snap off the selected access slot while gripping the neighboring access slot(s) with your other hand. Now slide the remaining access slots back into place. Replacing the Cover With the cover in a vertical position, fit the two hinges into their holes on the front of the main unit, then lower the cover. It should fit snugly. Replace the s[...]

Powering Up Before you power up your QX-10, check to see that the power switch is OFF. Then plug the power cable into the wall outlet and turn the main unit around so that the front faces you. Now, unless your option card manual contains special instruc- tions, you’re ready to power up your QX-10. Caution: Always wait at least 5 seconds after swi[...]

Chapter 4 Troubleshooting Your QX-10 has been especially well-constructed, internally and externally, to be problem-free and damage-resistant. Occasionally though, even with the QX-10, things can go wrong. In many cases the problem is due to human factors-maybe you’re still mastering a new software package or option. Or, perhaps there is a bug in[...]

Does the second one work correctly? If so, the first one was prob- ably bad; save it and take it back to the supplier for a refund. But if the second (and all the rest) give the same undesirable results, go troubleshooting somewhere else-the odds are that you'll never buy a box of diskettes with more than one lemon in it. Booting Problems? Dri[...]

Here are a few ways to find out whether you’ve got a real bug or not: First, if you have tried this routine many times before, and always successfully, then most likely it’s not a bug. Look for another cause for the trouble. A good approach is to start over from the very beginning. Remove the diskette. Turn off the machine and then re-boot your[...]

DIP Switch Problems? There is a bank of eight DIP switches on the back of the main unit, between the monitor outlet and the speaker volume knob. Some software (such as Valdocs) might not work at all if the DIP switches are set incorrectly, or the software might give you a message on the monitor as to which switch(es) should be changed. Your softwar[...]

Options? If you have just installed an option card and you’re not getting the kind of results you expected, double-check the following: Is the option card inserted correctly? Did you follow the procedure in the option card manual? If you answer yes to both these ques- tions, you may be able to save a trip back to your dealer by first calling and [...]

1. When everything is A-OK, your screen reads: INSERT DISKETTE 2. When there is an abnormality somewhere, and it’s time to call your Epson service center, you11 hear a buzzer and see the message: DIAGNOSTIC CODE 0001 with a 3-character suffix or you’ll hear the buzzer and see the message: DIAGNOSTIC CODE 0002 3. When something is wrong with the[...]

Index Air circulation required for QX-10, 1 Application program, 19 Backup copies, 12-13 importance of making, 12 of system diskette, 12 system for making, 12-13 using to check disk, 35 Battery, 39 nickel-cadium, 22 Binary digit, see bit Bit, definition, 18 Booting, cold, 10 definition, 10 on power up, 10 problems when, 36 using drive A for, 10 war[...]

Human Applications Standard Computer Interface, see HASCI Humidity, excessive, avoiding, 2 If connector cable doesn’t go in easily, 27 If diskette doesn’t seem to go into drive correctly, 15 If option card doesn’t go in smoothly, 32 INSERT DISKETTE message, 9, 15, 40 Interface, light pen, 23 Internal self-diagnostic test, QX-10, 9 IN-USE ligh[...]

Printer, connecting to QX-10, 22, 26 problems with, 38 Problem, booting, 36 Problem, central processing unit, 40 Problem, DIP switch, 38 Problem, diskette, 35-36 checking against backup, 35 checking for, 35-36 copying, 35 faulty, 35 formatting, 35 with brand new, 35 Problem, hardware, 39-40 Problem, low battery, 39 Problem, option card, 39 Problem,[...]