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Epson LQ-2550 User Manual

Epson lq-2550: user manual
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  • Page 1 User’s Manual. _____--.--- EPSON” Y465ss127mo...
  • Page 2 ® EPSON L Q - 2 5 5 0 User’s Manual...

  • Page 3: Fcc Compliance Statement

    Epson America, Inc. shall not be liable against any damages or problems arising from the use of any options or any consumable products other than those designated as Original Epson Products or Epson Approved Products by Seiko Epson Corporation.

  • Page 4: Table Of Contents

    Printing on Special Paper ......Using the Printer ........
  • Page 5 Maintenance and Transportation ....Cleaning the Printer .......
  • Page 6 Introduction The LQ-2550 is the latest in the Epson@ line of advanced 24-pin impact dot matrix printers, combining high performance and reliability with a wide range of features. Features In addition to the high-quality printing and ease of operation you have...
  • Page 7 LQ-1500, LQ-800, LQ-1000, LQ-2500, LQ-850, LQ-1050 and LQ- 500 printers. Options A variety of printer options is available for use with your LQ-2550 printer. For detailed information on the installation and use of these options, see Chapter 7. Double-Bin Cut Sheet Feeder (#7343) The cut sheet feeder gives you easier and more efficient handling of single sheet paper or envelopes.

  • Page 8: About This Guide

    LQ Printer Software (DCB-LQ2) This package features a driver and high-resolution fonts for use with Microsoft@ Windows Presentation Manager version 2.0 and Windows/386 Presentation Manager. It lets you use your Epson LQ printer to print pages created under the Microsoft Windows operating environment.

  • Page 9: Where To Get Help

    Notes: contain important information and useful tips on the operation of your printer. Where to Get Help Customer support and service for Epson products are provided by a network of authorized Epson Dealers and Customer Care Centers throughout the United States. Epson America provides product information and support to its dealers and Customer Care Centers.

  • Page 10: Setting Up The Printer

    Assembling the Printer ........

  • Page 11: Unpacking The Printer

    Unpacking the Printer As you unpack the printer, check that you have all parts shown below and that none have been damaged during transportation. Cabfe cover ribbon Color cartridge Ribbon cartridge Cross-head screw driver Removing the protective materials The printer is protected during shipping by two screws, a print head protector, and white foam packing material.
  • Page 12 Open the printer cover and raise it to an upright position; then lift it up and off. Open the paper guide cover as shown in the illustration. Then raise the cover slightly and lift the cover away from the printer at a slight upward angle.
  • Page 13 3. Remove the print head protector and white foam packing material. 4. Slide the print head all the way to the middle Setting Up the Printer...
  • Page 14 5. Using the enclosed cross-head screwdriver, remove the two red transport screws as shown below. 6. Align the pins of the paper guide cover with the slots on the printer and attach the cover. Next, attach the printer cover. Setting Up the Printer...

  • Page 15: Choosing A Place For The Printer

    Be sure to keep the following tips in mind: Place the printer on a flat, stable surface. Place the printer close enough to the computer for its cable to reach. Leave adequate room around the printer to allow easy printer operation and maintenance.

  • Page 16: Assembling The Printer

    Assembling the Printer After you have decided on a location for your printer, it is necessary to install the platen knob, the ribbon cartridge, and the paper guide. Installation instructions for these three components are given below.
  • Page 17 1. Insert the platen knob into the hole on the printer’s side and rotate it until it slips onto the shaft. 2. Press firmly on the knob until it fits against the printer case. Using the platen knob to adjust the position of the paper...

  • Page 18: Installing The Ribbon Cartridge

    Install any of these ribbon cartridges as follows: 1. Open the printer cover and raise it to an upright position; then lift it up and off. 2. Open the paper guide cover as shown in the illustration. Then raise the rear of the cover slightly and lift the cover away from the printer at a slight upward angle.
  • Page 19 3. Slide the print head to the middle of the printer. 4. Turn the ribbon-tightening knob on the ribbon cartridge in the direction of the arrow. Setting Up the Printer 1-10...
  • Page 20 5. Hold the ribbon cartridge while gently squeezing the two ridged plastic tabs together; then lower it until it snaps into place. The side hooks in the printer should fit into the slots on each side of the ribbon cartridge.

  • Page 21: Attaching The Paper Guide

    (Do not try to slide the print head by grasping the ribbon cartridge.) Attaching the paper guide When you use single sheets, the paper guide functions to feed the paper smoothly and efficiently into the printer. Attach the paper guide using the following procedure. Setting Up the Printer...
  • Page 22 1. Insert the paper guide pegs into slots on the printer. 2. Lean the paper guide back until it slips into place. Setting Up the Printer 1-13...
  • Page 23 3. Align the pins of the paper guide cover with the slots on the printer and attach the cover. 4. Close the paper guide cover. Setting Up the Printer 1-14...

  • Page 24: Testing The Printer

    Be sure to perform this test to make sure that your printer was not damaged during shipping and to ensure that the ribbon is correctly installed.

  • Page 25: Running The Self Test

    To plug in your printer, simply connect the power cable to the AC inlet on the printer’s rear panel. Then plug the power cable into a properly grounded electrical outlet. Running the self test The self test can be run in draft mode or Letter Quality mode, depending on which button you hold down as you turn on the printer.
  • Page 26 While holding down the LINE FEED button (draft mode) or the FORM FEED button (Letter Quality mode), turn on the printer. The printer beeps three times and the POWER and PAPER OUT lights come on. o PAPER OUT 2. Press the PAPER SELECT button until the FRICTION light comes on.
  • Page 27 4. Adjust the right edge guide to match the width of your paper. Next, slide a sheet down between the edge guides until it meets resistance. Run the self test using paper wider than A4 size (8.27 inches). Setting Up the Printer 1-18...
  • Page 28 5. Press the LOAD/EJECT button once to automatically load the paper. 6. Press the ON LINE button to start the self test. 1-19 Setting Up the Printer...
  • Page 29 Note: To clear a paper jam, it is recommended that you set the printer off line and use the FORM FEED or LINE FEED button. If it is necessary to use the platen knob to clear the jam, be sure to turn the printer off first.

  • Page 30: Left Margin

    Also, when the optional cut sheet feeder is installed, the self test printout is slightly different. For details, see the section on the cut sheet feeder in Chapter 7. Setting Up the Printer Roman lOCPI...

  • Page 31: Connecting The Printer To Your Computer

    Connecting the Printer to Your Computer Your LQ-2550 has two separate interface connections: a parallel interface and an RS-232C compatible serial interface. If you are not sure which one is required by your computer, check your computer manual for this information.
  • Page 32 (If you do not lock these clips into place, printed results may be incorrect.) 3. If your cable has a ground wire, attach it to the ground connector beneath the interface connector. Setting Up the Printer 1-23...

  • Page 33: The Serial Interface

    Note: The cable cover should always be attached when you use the printer. The serial interface Connect the serial interface cable as described in the following steps. Before connecting the serial interface cable, be sure that: The printer is turned off. The computer is turned off. 1-24 Setting Up the Printer...
  • Page 34 Plug the connector of the cable securely into the printer. WARNING: Do not plug more than one interface cable into the printer at one time. This may damage the printer. 2. Using a screwdriver, secure the connector by tightening the screw on each side of the connector.
  • Page 35 4. Plug the other end of the cable into the computer. (If there is a ground wire at the computer end of the cable, attach it to the ground connector of the computer.) 1-26 Setting Up the Printer...

  • Page 36: Setting Up Your Application Software

    Setting Up Your Application Software Now that you have set up and tested the LQ-2550, you should make sure that it works with the application programs you want to use. Most application programs let you specify the type of printer you are using so that the program can take full advantage of the printer’s features.

  • Page 37: Choosing From A Menu

    If you are printing in color, it is recommended that you choose LQ-2550 or LQ-2500. To use all the features of the LQ-2550, however, it is best to use a program with the LQ-2550 on its menu. If your program does not list this printer, contact the software manufacturer to see if an update is available.

  • Page 38: Paper Handling

    Chapter 2 Paper Handling Using Single Sheets ......... . 2-2 Loading a sheet .

  • Page 39: Using Single Sheets

    The paper guide is attached, and the paper guide cover is attached and closed. 1. Be sure that the printer is off line. If it is not, press the ON LINE button to set the printer off line. 0 POWER...
  • Page 40 3. Slide the left edge guide until it rests against the guide mark. Next, adjust the right edge guide to match the width of your paper. 4. Slide a sheet of paper down between the edge guides until it meets resistance.
  • Page 41 Note: If the platen turns without loading the paper, completely remove the paper and re-insert it more firmly; then press the LOAD/EJECT button again. Press the ON LINE button to set the printer on line. WARNING: except in the case of a paper jam or other paper feed problem.

  • Page 42: Using Continuous Paper

    Using Continuous Paper The tractor built into the LQ-2550 is remarkably easy to load and operate. Its low-profile design takes up little space and can handle paper widths from 4 to 16 inches.

  • Page 43: Loading Continuous Paper

    Be sure to align your paper supply with the paper loaded in the tractor so that the paper feeds smoothly into the printer. Loading continuous paper Before loading continuous paper, be sure that: The printer is turned on. The printer cover is attached.
  • Page 44 Be sure that the printer is off line. If it is not, press the ON LINE button to set the printer off line. Then press the PAPER SELECT button until the TRACTOR light comes on. Release the sprocket lock levers and slide the left sprocket unit all the way to the left and lock it in place.
  • Page 45 3. Slide the paper support to a point midway between the sprocket units. 4. Open the sprocket covers. Paper Handling...
  • Page 46 5. Fit the first four holes in the continuous paper over the pins of the sprocket units. 6. Close the sprocket covers. Paper Handling...
  • Page 47 Note: Make sure the first sheet of paper has a clean, straight edge so that the paper can feed smoothly into the printer. 8. Reattach the paper guide. Then slide the edge guides together so that they meet at about the middle of the paper’s width.
  • Page 48 9. Pull the paper guide in the direction of the arrow in the illustration. 10. Push down the paper guide. Note: The paper guide prevents outgoing continuous paper from being pulled back into the printer. 2-11 Paper Handling...
  • Page 49 11. Close the paper guide cover. 12. Press the LOAD/EJECT button to feed the paper to the loading position. Note: If you press the LOAD/EJECT button when continuous paper is already loaded, the paper is reversed to the standby position. 2-12 Paper Handling...

  • Page 50: When You Have Finished Printing

    13. Press the ON LINE button to set the printer on line. The printer remembers this loading position and advances each page to the same position. Never adjust the loading position using the platen knob. If you need to adjust the loading position, use the micro- adjustment feature.

  • Page 51: Reversing The Paper To The Standby Position

    Reversing the paper to the standby position After you have tom off the last page of printed paper, if you wish to reverse-feed the paper remaining in the printer to the standby position, follow the steps below. When continuous paper is in the standby position, the holes at the top of the first sheet stay fitted over the pins of the sprocket unit.
  • Page 52 The printer is turned on. The TRACTOR light on the control panel is on. Check to see that the printer is off line. If it is not, press the ON LINE button to set the printer off line. 2. Press the LOAD/EJECT button once. This feeds the loaded paper backward to its standby position.

  • Page 53: Switching Between Continuous And Single Sheets

    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. Switching to single sheets When you are finished printing on continuous paper, you can reverse- feed the paper to a standby position so you can switch to printing with single sheet paper.
  • Page 54 Press the PAPER SELECT button until the FRICTION light comes on. The continuous paper is fed backward automatically to a standby position. Raise the paper guide until it locks into place. Paper Handling 2-17...
  • Page 55 3. Close the paper guide cover. 4. Slide the left edge guide until it rests against the guide mark. Next, adjust the right edge guide to match the width of your paper. 2-18 Paper Handling...

  • Page 56: Switching Back To Continuous Paper

    6. Press the LOAD/EJECT button once to automatically load the paper. 7. Press the ON LINE button to set the printer on line. Switching back to continuous paper It is also easy to switch back to printing with continuous paper.
  • Page 57 Before switching back, be sure that: The printer is off line. The paper guide cover is open as shown in the illustration. 1. Press the PAPER SELECT button until the TRACTOR light comes on. If a single sheet is loaded, it is ejected automatically and the continuous paper is fed to the loading position.
  • Page 58 2. Slide the edge guides together so that they meet at about the middle of the paper’s width. 3. Lower the paper guide onto the back of the printer. 2-21 Paper Handling...

  • Page 59: Printing On Special Paper

    4. Close the paper guide cover. 5. Press the ON LINE button to set the printer on line. Printing on Special Paper In addition to using single sheets and continuous paper, your printer can also print on a wide variety of paper types, including multi-part forms, labels, and envelopes.

  • Page 60: Labels

    WARNING: Never feed labels backward through the printer. Labels can easily come off the backing and jam the printer. Also, never use the LOAD/EJECT button to eject labels. If a label does become stuck in the printer mechanism, see your authorized Epson dealer for assistance.
  • Page 61 To eject the labels from the printer, follow these steps: 1. Raise the paper guide cover as shown in the illustration. 2. Remove the paper guide. 2-24 Paper Handling...
  • Page 62 3. Tear off the sheet of labels at the perforation behind the push tractor. 4. Press the ON LINE button to set the printer off line. Then press the FORM FEED button to eject the labels. (Remember not to use the LOAD/EJECT button to eject labels.)

  • Page 63: Envelopes

    When loading an envelope, you may have to press down on it slightly. Then press the LOAD/EJECT button to load the envelope. If it is necessary to eject the printed envelope, press the ON LINE button to set the printer off line. Then press the LOAD/EJECT button. 2-26 Paper Handling...
  • Page 64 WARNING: When you print on envelopes, be sure that your application program settings keep the printing entirely within the printable area shown below. 3 m m (0.22”) Note: If the printed results are faint, use the PLATEN GAP ADJUST button to adjust the distance between the print head and the platen. Paper Handling more 8.5 mm...

  • Page 65: Using The Printer

    Chapter 3 Using the Printer Operating the Control Panel ........3-2 The display .

  • Page 66: Operating The Control Panel

    Operating the Control Panel The LQ-2550 control panel is made up of three elements: the buttons, indicator lights, and Liquid Crystal Display (LCD). The buttons let you control all of the main printer settings and paper handling functions, and the indicator lights and display let you monitor the current status of the printer.

  • Page 67: The Lights

    MICRO FEED (orange): Using the Printer ON LINE FORM FEED LINE FEE0 LOAOIEJECT On when the printer is turned on and power is supplied. On when the printer is ready to accept input data. This light flickers while data is received.

  • Page 68: The Buttons

    O N L I N E F O R M F E E D L I N E FEED LOAOIEJECT This button controls the printer’s on line/ off line status. When the printer is on line, the ON LINE light on the left side of the control panel is on and the printer can receive and print data from the computer.
  • Page 69 LINE FEED: LOAD/EJECT: FONT: PITCH: Using the Printer When the printer is off line, this button feeds the paper one line, or held down, feeds the paper continuously. In SelecType mode, this button changes the SelecType settings. When the printer is off line, this button loads or ejects the paper.
  • Page 70 Press the ON LINE (4 ) button to widen the gap between the platen and print head. Press the LOAD/EJECT ( b) button to narrow the gap. An increasing number of ) ‘s indicates a narrowing gap. Using the Printer...
  • Page 71 OFF option with SelecType. See the short tear-off section in this chapter for more information. When the printer is off line, press this button to select the paper handling system. The selected system is shown on the display. The paper handling system is selected in the...

  • Page 72: Selectype Settings

    Self test: Data dump: SelecType Settings SelecType on the LQ-2550 brings a new dimension to printing. With SelecType you can control almost every aspect of printer operation. SelecType lets you: Use four preset macros - stored groups of settings that you can...
  • Page 73 II::::::) I I , . , . . I ! Ur::::r X. E::!: ~~~~~. ~ ~ II,P,,II MACRO #3 Smith 1. Jones L. Williams Using the Printer word where want also i n c l u d i n g ::ii..

  • Page 74: Using Selectype

    MACRO #4 There are no switches to reset or commands to send. In fact, the LQ-2550 has no DIP switches. You simply load the macro you want, then print. All these functions can be controlled through SelecType. Using SelecType To enter SelecType mode, simply press the SelecType button.
  • Page 75 Note that you must exit SelecType before printing a document. If you press the SelecType button after you set a macro but before you save it, those settings are temporarily used as current settings until the printer is turned off, but are cleared when the printer is turned back on.

  • Page 76: Selecting A Main Menu Mode

    Select one of the five main menu modes as follows: 1. Press the SelecType button. The display briefly shows: Next, the display changes to: 3-12 or V button. The F icon to the Selec Type SelecType MODE SLDfiDMfKRO or V button. The or V button. You Using the Printer...

  • Page 77: Load Macro

    The LOflD MfiCRO mode lets you load one of four preset macros or a macro you have created using the CHhNBE I’WICRO mode. In the following sample, the settings of the four preset macros were printed with the PRINT OUT SETTINGS mode. Using the Printer 3-13...
  • Page 78 COUNTRY PRINT DIR. COLOR When you turn the printer on, one. of the four macros is loaded as the default macro. When you load another macro, the new macro’s settings become the printer’s current settings. To load a macro, perform the following steps.

  • Page 79: Change Macro

    FONT PITCH CONDENSED FORM LENGTH* 1” SKIP fWTOTEfIROFF LEFT l”MRCiIN* Using the Printer MfKRO#nLOfiDED :LO~IDMFICRO Roman, Sans Serif, Courier, Prestige, Script, OCR-B, OCR-FI, Draft., Orator (optional), Orator-S (optional) 18 CPI, 12 CPI, 15 CPI*, Proportional* * Some fonts cannot be printed in proportional spacing.
  • Page 80 The changes settings (until you turn off the printer), but you can save the changes as any of the four macros. Changed macros that you save remain in effect even after you turn off the printer.
  • Page 81 Note: At this point you can again change the option at the left side of the display by pressing the A or V button. If you do this, begin again at step 3 to change the settings for the option. Using the Printer SCHCINGEMKRO :FONT...

  • Page 82: Change Defaults

    CHANGE DEFAULTS The defaults are the settings in effect when you turn the printer on. The following is a list of possible default settings for the LQ-2550. INTERFRCE BAUDRflTE* *Displayed only when the serial interface setting is selected...
  • Page 83 FlUTOLINEFEED DCl/DC3 DEFfYJLT MCR# *Displayed only when the serial interface setting is selected The LQ-2550 comes with preset default values, which can be printed out using the PRINT GLJT SETTINGS mode. These default values are shown below. INTERFACE BAUD RATE...
  • Page 84 If you are changing only one option, follow steps 1 - 4 and 13 - 17 only. The displays shown may be different if your printer’s preset settings have been changed. Note: Your new default settings do not take effect until you turn the printer off and then back on.
  • Page 85 2400 BPS. The display changes to: 9. Press the 4 button. The display changes to: 10. Press the V button to switch the display to PflRITY. The display shows: Using the Printer 4INTERFRCE ) 4 INTERFIXE :INTERFf%E :BFIUDRflTE 4BfOJD RF1TE...
  • Page 86 4 button.) If you saved the defaults, the display briefly shows: It then briefly changes to: This reminds you to turn your printer off and back on again to let the changes in default settings take effect. Finally, it changes to: You are now back at the SelecType main menu.

  • Page 87: Print Out Settings

    It also lets you verify changes you make to these settings with SelecType. To use this mode, make sure the printer is loaded with paper and is finished printing. Then follow the steps below.

  • Page 88: Using The Printer

    DEFAULT MACRO CLEAR ALL MACROS This mode allows you to return all of the current printer settings, macro settings, and default settings to the preset values. It also gives you the option of clearing only the macro settings or only the default settings.
  • Page 89 4 button.) If you clear the defaults, the display briefly shows: It briefly changes to: This reminds you to turn your printer off and back on again to let your changes take effect. Then, it changes to: You are now back at the SelecType main menu.

  • Page 90: Page Length

    4. To switch to another main menu mode, press the A or V button. If you wish to exit SelecType mode, press the SelecType button. 5. Turn the printer off and back on again to allow the settings to take effect.
  • Page 91 7. Press the A or V button to set the desired number of lines. In this example, the page length is set to 72 lines for the tractor feed. The display shows: 8. Press the 4 button. The display shows: Using the Printer :LOFIDMFlCRU SCHANGEMACRU :FONT Roman,...

  • Page 92: Skip Over Perforation

    ON or OFF. If this feature is on when you use continuous paper, a one-inch margin is provided between the last printed line on one page and the initial printable line on the next page so that the printer skips over the perforation. This feature is very convenient if your application program does not provide top and bottom margins.
  • Page 93 CHANGE MACRO section earlier in this chapter. Note: Most application programs take care of top and bottom margins. Therefore, do not turn on skip over perforation unless your program does not provide these margins. Using the Printer ----_- ----------------------- 3-29...

  • Page 94: Setting The Loading Position

    WARNING: in the case of a paper jam or other paper feed problem. Using the platen knob while the printer is on results in an error message (ERKG? 12 ). To clear this error, you must turn off the printer, remove the paper, turn the printer back on, and reload the paper with the LOAD/EJECT button.

  • Page 95: Short Tear-Off

    3. Press the FORM FEED (A) button to feed the paper forward or the LINE FEED (V ) button to feed the paper backward. Note: The printer beeps when the paper reaches a position that is approximately l/3 of an inch from the top edge of the paper. You can use this position as a reference point when you adjust the printer’s loading position.
  • Page 96 After tearing off the paper, press the TEAR OFF button again to feed the paper backward to the loading position. WARNING: Do not use the short tear-off feature when you print labels. Be sure that the SelecType AUTO TECIR setting is off.

  • Page 97: Selecting Typestyles

    Selecting Typestyles Your printer can produce a wide range of typestyles by using different fonts, pitches, widths, and other print variations. You can select typestyles in three different ways: by using software commands, by using SelecType, or by using other features available on the control panel.

  • Page 98: Fonts

    Fonts Your printer has eight built-in fonts and, with the optional Multi- Font Module, two additional fonts are available. To select a font, hold down the FONT button until the display shows the desired font.
  • Page 99 ~IUU&U&Q zebluLa TJUI.&X’~ Time&. Using the Printer i n a r e c e n t b a c k i s s u e o f in a recent back issue of n ..L \ . .
  • Page 100 We've just seen your excellent ad for miniature zebras Trader’s Times. 3-36 recent back issue of recent . /Ql234$6789: ; <=>?AABCDEFGHIJK EF~~~#$~MNOPQRS~&!~ IEROOOUUYOU$EW~AIO SEEN YOUR A RECENT BACK efg~~~~~moopsrsf~~ &ooouuyOU$EVkfaio in a recent back issue EXCELLENT ISSUE back issue of Using the Printer...

  • Page 101: Pitch

    Some of the fonts do not offer all pitches. See the table below. OCR-A OCR-B Use Roman or Sans Serif for the best proportional spacing. Using the Printer PITCH Draft 10, 12, 15 Roman 10, 12, 15, Proportional...

  • Page 102: Condensed Mode

    CPI, CPI, and Proportional pitches can be condensed; cannot be. 3-38 pitch and 15 CPI), each character is given (10, 12, pitch of the width of normal printing. printing. Using the Printer...

  • Page 103: Choosing An International Character Set

    To select the desired international character set using SelecType, set the COUNTRY option by following the steps in the CHANGE MACRO section earlier in this chapter. Using the Printer 10 cpi gives you more characters Condensed cpi gives you even more!

  • Page 104: Choosing A Character Table

    (See Chapter 8.) If your application program prints graphics characters when you select italic characters, switch to the italic character table. If you select the Epson Extended Graphics character set, you might need to choose a different printer from your program’s printer installation routine (see Chapter your second choice the LQ-800/1000 printer equipped with the ESC/P identity module.
  • Page 105 Sample printouts of the italic characters and the Epson Extended Graphics characters are shown below. Italics !"%$%&'()*i,-./0123456789:;(=,?01ABCDEFG HIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ[\]*~'abcdefghijklmno pqrstuvwxyz{~}" Epson Extended Graphics The character tables are presented in Appendix B. To select the italic character table, Epson Extended Graphics character table, or...

  • Page 106: Using Software And Graphics

    Printer commands........

  • Page 107: Using The Lq-2550 With Application Programs

    If your application program has a printer selection menu, use the instructions below. Using printer selection menus If your software has a printer selection menu, simply choose LQ-2550. If menu does list this printer, choose one of the following. They are listed in order of preference.

  • Page 108: Using Word Processors

    A major concern for printing spreadsheets is the width of the printer. The LQ-2550 is a 136-column printer. You can, however, increase the number of characters on a line by selecting 12 cpi, condensed mode, or both from the SelecType control panel.

  • Page 109: Using Graphics Software

    Unlike word processors, spreadsheet programs usually don’t let you change printer commands within a spreadsheet. Instead, one style or mode of printing is used for the whole spreadsheet. With the LQ-2550, there are two main ways of sending commands to control the printing of a spreadsheet.

  • Page 110: Computer-Printer Communication

    When buying graphics software, always make sure the program has an option to print on an LQ printer. Any program with an option for an LQ printer should give excellent results, using different dot densities to produce a realistic scale of grays.

  • Page 111: Escape Sequences

    32 through 255, normally reserved for characters and punctuation, to control printer functions. This is done by first sending a standard code to tell the printer that the codes that follow are to be used as control codes, not as characters or punctuation.

  • Page 112: Enhancing Your Printing

    Enhancing Your Printing You can obtain a wide variety of printing effects with the LQ-2550, from changing the number of characters printed per inch to using special effects or adding color to selected words and phrases. This section gives you a sampling of the features you may want to select with your software.

  • Page 113: Character Size

    Proportional spacing is not available in the draft mode. Special effects and emphasis In addition to the three basic sizes and proportional spacing, the LQ-2550 offers three other modes that can change the size of your printing. These modes are double-wide, double-high, and condensed.
  • Page 114 Double-wide and double-high The double-wide mode doubles the width of any size character, while the double-high mode doubles the height of any size character. These modes are useful for emphasizing headings in reports and making displays, but they are usually not suitable for large also be combined to obtain even more impressive printing results.
  • Page 115 head moves across the paper, with the second dot printed slightly to the right of the first. This process produces darker, more fully formed characters. In double-strike mode, the print head goes over each line twice, making the text bolder. For even greater boldness, emphasized and double-strike can be combined.

  • Page 116: Selecting Typestyles With Master Select

    T h i s i s c o n t i n u o u s u n d e r l i n i n g , Selecting typestyles with Master Select Your printer has a special ESCape code called Master Select that allows you to choose combinations of these nine modes: 10 cpi, 12 cpi, proportional, condensed, emphasized, double-strike, double- wide, italics, and underline.
  • Page 117 D o u b l e - s t r i k e 1 6 Double-wide n = 49 After calculating the value of IZ, you use the Master Select command to send the value to the printer. ASCII: Decimal: Hexadecimal: The print quality and font must be set separately, either using SelecType or the ESC x and ESC k commands.

  • Page 118: Graphics

    The print head To understand dot graphics you need to know a little about how your printer’s print head works. The print head has 24 pins. As the print head moves across the page, electrical impulses cause the pins to fire. Each time a pin fires, it strikes the inked ribbon and presses it against the paper to produce a small dot.

  • Page 119: Dot Patterns

    24 pins arranged in a single vertical column. Dot patterns Your printer’s print head is able to print graphics as well as text because graphic images are formed on the printer about the same way that pictures in newspapers and magazines are printed. If you look closely at a newspaper photograph, you can see that it is made up of many small dots.

  • Page 120: Twenty-Four-Pin Graphics

    Pin labels To tell the printer which pins to fire in each column, you first divide each of the vertical columns into three sections of eight pins each and consider each section separately. Since there are 256 possible combinations of the...

  • Page 121: The Graphics Command

    The graphics command The graphics mode command is quite different from the other commands used by the printer. For most of the other printer modes, such as emphasized and double-wide, one ESCape code turns the mode on and another turns it off. For graphics, the command is more complicated because the code that turns on a graphics mode also specifies how many columns it will use.

  • Page 122: Column Reservation Numbers

    This means that you must be sure to supply enough bytes of graphics data or the printer will stop and wait for more data and will seem to be locked. If, however, you supply too much graphics data, the printer will interpret and print the excess as regular text.

  • Page 123: A Simple Graphics Program

    A simple graphics program This first program is just a simple example to show you how the graphics command, column reservation numbers, and data can be used in a BASIC program. Type and run the following program. Be especially careful to include both semicolons.
  • Page 124 These totals are the values that will each be sent to the printer as graphics data. The following figure is the same grid divided into three sections to make the data calculation easier. At the bottom of each section of each column is the total of the pin numbers for that section.

  • Page 125: Using Software And Graphics

    Following is the BASIC program that prints the design shown on the previous pages. Notice that the data numbers in lines 80-140 are the same numbers that you see in the last illustration. Also note that the WIDTH statement in line for your system.
  • Page 126 l@ WIDTH "LPT1:",255 20 LPRINT CHR$(27)"*"CHR$(39)MR$(~2)C~$(@); 30 FOR X=1 TO 126 40READN 50 LPRINT CHR$(N); 60 NEXT X 70 LPRINT 80 DATA 0,0,63,0,0,127,0,0,255,0,3,255~0~15>255,0~31~255 0,127,255,0,255,255,1,255,255,3,255,255,7,255,255~15~ DATA 255,255 100 DATA 31,255,254,31,255,252,31,255,248,31,255,240,31,255, 224,31,255,192 110 DATA 31,255,0,31,252,0,31,240,0,31,224,0,31,12~~0~31~240~0 120 DATA 31,255,192,28,255,224,28,127,240,28,15,248,30,0,2521 31,0,126 15,128,15,7,192,7,3,2~~,7,1,25~,7,~~255~7~~~~27~135 DATA 140 DATA 0,31,199,0,7,231,0,1,247,0,0,255~0~0~127t0~0~63 In this program, line 20 assigns the graphics option (24-pin triple-density) with code 39.

  • Page 127: Individual Graphics Option Commands

    The commands are shown below: Because of a difference in line spacing increments, the shape of graphics figures produced on the LQ-2550 with an B-pin option is different from the output from the same program on a 9-pin printer. The reassigning command The LQ-2550 has a command that allows you to change the graphics option assigned to any of the four individual graphics option commands.

  • Page 128: User-Defined Characters

    24-pin graphics options require three times as much graphics data as the 8-pin graphics options. User-Defined Characters With this printer, it is possible to define and print characters of your own design. You can design an entirely new alphabet or typeface, create characters for special applications such as mathematical or scientific symbols, or create graphic patterns with user-defined characters to serve as building blocks for larger designs.

  • Page 129: Designgrids

    To design a character you use a grid that is 24 dots high-one dot for each pin on your printer’s print head. The width of the character matrix depends on the character set you are using. For draft characters, the grid is nine dots wide.

  • Page 130: Defining Your Characters

    The second grid can be used for either Letter Quality or proportional characters. For Letter Quality you do not use all the columns. There is one restriction in designing characters. Dots in the same row do not print in adjacent columns. That is, there must be an empty dot position to the left and to the right of each dot that prints.

  • Page 131: Data Numbers

    Now you translate the dot pattern you’ve created on paper to a numeric format so you can send the information to your printer. Every dot has an assigned value. Each vertical column (which has a maximum of 24 dots) is first divided into three groups of eight dots.

  • Page 132: Sending Information To Your Printer

    The command your printer uses to define characters is one of the most complex in its repertoire. The format of the command is this: ESC &...
  • Page 133 The last part of the character definition is the actual data that defines the dot patterns for each character. Since it takes three bytes to specify the dots in one vertical column of dots, your printer expects data to follow dz.

  • Page 134: Printing User-Defined Characters

    Line 40 contains do, dl, and d2. The information about the actual character design (which is contained in the data statements at the end of the program) is sent to the printer in the loop between lines 50 and 70.

  • Page 135: Copying Rom Characters To Ram

    It is, however, rather inconvenient. To make things easier, your printer has a command that allows you to copy all of the standard characters from ROM to the user-defined character set.

  • Page 136: Proportional Mode Characters

    horizontally than draft style dot columns-the horizontal dot spacing is 1/360th of an inch as opposed to 1/120th of an inch for draft characters. Proportional mode characters Selecting the proportional character mode yields user-defined characters of the highest resolution. Characters can be designed using all 37 columns of the Letter Quality/Proportional grid.

  • Page 137: Mixing Print Styles

    Draft pica Mixing print styles Each of the three user-defined character modes (draft, Letter Quality, and proportional) can be used in combination with most of your printer’s various print styles. For instance, you can use emphasized with your user-defined characters.
  • Page 138 Keep in mind that user-defined characters are stored in RAM, which is not permanent. Whenever the printer power is turned off or the printer is initialized with the INIT signal, the user-defined characters are lost. (Some computers do this each time BASIC is loaded.) ESC @, however, does not destroy user-defined characters.

  • Page 139: Maintenance And Transportation

    Transporting the Printer ........

  • Page 140: Cleaning The Printer

    3. Use a soft brush to carefully clear away all dust and dirt. 4. If the outer case or printer cover is dirty or dusty, clean it with a soft, clean cloth dampened with mild detergent dissolved in water. Keep the printer cover in place to prevent water from getting inside the printer.

  • Page 141: Replacing The Ribbon

    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 Epson dealer if you think lubrication is needed. Replacing the Ribbon When your printing becomes too faint, you need to replace the ribbon. The...
  • Page 142 2. Holding the print head, not the ribbon cartridge, move the print head to the middle of the printer. 3. To release the ribbon cartridge, gently press the tab at the top of the holder; then lift the cartridge straight up and out of the printer. Maintenance and Transportation...
  • Page 143 5. Hold the ribbon cartridge while gently squeezing the two ridged plastic tabs together; then lower it until it snaps into place. The side hooks in the printer should fit into the slots on each side of the ribbon cartridge.
  • Page 144 Turn the ribbon tightening knob again to make sure the ribbon 7. Holding the print head, slide the print sure that it moves smoothly. (Do not try to slide the print head by grasping ribbon cartridge.) side to side to head from Maintenance and Transportation make...

  • Page 145: Transporting The Printer

    Turn off the printer. 2. Remove any installed options. 3. Remove the printer cover, paper guide, paper guide cover, and cable cover. 4. Unplug the power cable from the electrical outlet;...
  • Page 146 6. Using a cross-head screwdriver, reattach the two red transport screws. Never hold the printer by the font compartment WARNING: cover. This cover could come off and cause you to drop the printer. 7. Pull the paper bail open insert the print head protector be- tween the paper bail and platen as shown below.
  • Page 147 8. Reattach the paper guide cover and printer cover. Maintenance and Transportation...

  • Page 148: Troubleshooting

    Problems and Solutions ........The printer does not print ........

  • Page 149: Problems And Solutions

    This section lists possible problems and their likely solutions. The printer does not print Be sure the printer is turned on and the POWER light is on. If the printer is turned on but the POWER light is not on, check to see that the printer is fully plugged in and that the electrical outlet is also turned on.

  • Page 150: The Printout Is Spaced Incorrectly

    If the printer stops and the beeper sounds and the display shows EF?XN? 10, turn the printer off and check for paper jams. Then turn the printer back on and try to print again. If the printer beeps again and does not print, take it to a qualified service person.

  • Page 151: The Printout Is Not What You Expect

    The printout is not what you expect The wrong international character set may be selected. See Chapter 3. The wrong character table (italics or Epson Extended Graphics) may be selected. See Chapter 3 and Appendix B. The printer may not be securely connected to the computer.

  • Page 152: Cut Sheet Feeder Does Not Load Paper Correctly

    The paper guide may not be installed properly. See Chapter 2. The paper supply may be too far from the printer or not aligned with the tractor. See Chapter 2 for instructions. Be sure that the cable cover is properly installed. See Chapter 2.

  • Page 153: Data Dump Mode

    Look at the data dump shown in Step 2. By comparing the characters printed in the right column with the printout of the hexadecimal codes, you can check what codes are being sent to the printer. If characters are printable, they appear as their true ASCII characters. Nonprintable codes, such as control codes, are represented by dots.

  • Page 154: Using Printer Options

    Loading paper ......... . Testing the printer in the cut sheet feeder mode ... . . 7-9 Loading envelopes .

  • Page 155: The Cut Sheet Feeder

    First, assemble the cut sheet feeder by following the instructions provided in its accompanying manual. Before installing the assembled cut sheet feeder, be sure that: The paper guide is removed. The printer is turned off. The optional pull tractor unit, if installed, is removed. Using Printer Options...
  • Page 156 1. Remove the printer cover and paper guide cover. 2. Remove the paper eject guide by tilting it forward, then lifting it up and off. Using Printer Options...
  • Page 157 3. Pull the paper bail toward you. 4. Hold the assembled cut sheet feeder in both hands and fit its notches over the red pins in the printer. Using Printer Options...
  • Page 158 5. Reattach the printer cover. 6. Turn on the printer. 7. Be sure that the printer is off line. If it is not, press the ON LINE button to set the printer off line. Using Printer Options...

  • Page 159: Loading Paper

    Before loading the paper, be sure that: The cut sheet feeder is securely installed onto the printer. The desired bin is selected by the PAPER SELECT button. 1. Pull the left and right paper levers of the selected bin forward until the paper guides retract and lock open to allow for paper loading.
  • Page 160 2. Slide the left paper guide all the way to the left. Next, slide the right paper guide to roughly match the width of your paper. 3. Take a stack of paper and fan it. Next, tap the paper on a flat surface to even up the stack. Using Printer Options...
  • Page 161 5. Push the paper levers back until the paper is clamped against the guide rollers. The levers will not close completely if too much paper is used. If this happens, remove some paper from the stack and try again. Using Printer Options...

  • Page 162: Testing The Printer In The Cut Sheet Feeder Mode

    6. You can choose to have the printer eject the sheets with the printed side facing downward or upward. To have the printer eject the sheets with the printed side facing downward, pull the front lever on the right side of the cut sheet feeder forward. To eject the sheets with the printed side facing upward, push this lever back.
  • Page 163 A stack of paper is inserted. 1. While holding down the LINE FEED button (draft mode) or FORM FEED button (LQ mode), turn on the printer. The following figure shows part of the printout for the first sheet of the draft mode self test.

  • Page 164: Loading Envelopes

    ON LINE button. To stop the test, press the ON LINE button. 3. To end the self test, if paper is loaded, press the LOAD/EJECT button to eject it. Then, turn off the printer. Loading envelopes Envelopes are loaded in much the same way as regular paper.
  • Page 165 1. Take a stack of envelopes and fan it; then tap the stack on a flat surface to even it up. Insert the envelopes into the front bin. 2. Push down on the two front levers until they lock into position. 7-12 Using Printer Options...

  • Page 166: Using The Cut Sheet Feeder

    Using the cut sheet feeder After stacking paper in the cut sheet feeder, be sure that the ON LINE light is lit. When the printer is on line, a new sheet of paper loads automatically whenever a printable character or line feeding command is sent to the printer.

  • Page 167: Control Panel Operation

    Control panel operation To operate the cut sheet feeder from the control panel when the printer is in cut sheet feeder mode, be sure that the printer is off line. LINE FEED: FORM FEED: LOAD EJECT: Software operation The following commands cause the printer to eject the sheet in the printer without loading the next sheet.
  • Page 168 When you run the self test for the cut sheet feeder, the LQ-2550 automatically counts and prints out the number of lines that are available on any size of paper. This is the number of lines you should use as the page length in your software setup.
  • Page 169 Changing the loading position with the micro-adjustment feature may affect the number of lines per page. You may need to change your software settings again for this new page length. 7-16 Continuous form settings Using Printer Options Cut sheet feeder settings...

  • Page 170: Switching Between The Cut Sheet Feeder And Continuous Paper

    Switching between the cut sheet feeder and continuous paper The LQ-2550 allows you to easily switch between the cut sheet feeder and the tractor feeding system without having to remove either the feeder or the continuous paper supply. To switch between these two paper feeding systems, be sure that: Continuous paper is loaded in the standby position.

  • Page 171: Loading Single Sheets

    Your printer uses the same page length for the single sheet loading feature as the page length set for CSF bin 1. Thus, if you wish to change the page length for this feature, adjust the page length for CSF bin Page Length section in Chapter 3.)
  • Page 172 3. Press the LOAD/EJECT button to load the sheet. (If your document is more than one page long, the next sheet is automatically loaded from the cut sheet feeder’s paper supply.) Using Printer Options Then slide the sheet into the printer path until 7-19...

  • Page 173: Removing The Cut Sheet Feeder

    Any paper stacked in the cut sheet feeder is removed. 1. Tilt the back section of the cut sheet feeder forward to release its notches from the printer’s red pins and remove the cut sheet feeder. 7-20 Using Printer Options...

  • Page 174: The Pull Tractor

    2. Replace the paper eject guide by fitting its notches onto the red pins inside the printer at each side, then tilting the paper eject guide back slightly. 3. Store the removed cut sheet feeder in its original box and packing materials.
  • Page 175 The cut sheet feeder, if installed, is removed. 1. Remove the printer cover and paper guide cover. 2. Pull the paper bail toward you.
  • Page 176 3. Remove the paper eject guide by tilting it forward, then lifting it up and off. 4. Hold the pull tractor with the gears to the right. Fit the rear notches on the tractor over the rear mounting rods on the printer, as shown in the following illustration. Using Printer Options...

  • Page 177: Loading Paper

    5. Tilt the tractor unit toward you until the front latches click in place over the red front mounting rods of the printer. 6. Attach the printer cover. Loading paper Before loading continuous paper with the pull tractor, be sure that: The pull tractor is installed.
  • Page 178 Before you start printing with the pull tractor, be sure that the HIT0 TEfiR DFF option in SelecType is off. SELECT button until 1. Turn on the printer. Then press the PAPER the TRACTOR light comes on. 2. Load continuous paper in the push tractor as described in steps 2-7 in the section on loading continuous paper in Chapter 2, with one exception.
  • Page 179 3. After the paper is loaded in the push tractor, see that the printer is off line. Press the LOAD/EJECT button to load the paper. Then press the FORM FEED button to advance the paper one page so that you can fit the paper onto the pull tractor.
  • Page 180 5. Adjust the sprocket units to match the width of the paper and adjust the paper supports so they are evenly placed between the sprocket units. 6. Fit the holes of the paper over the tractor pins of the sprocket units, adjusting the position of the sprocket units as necessary. Using Printer Options...
  • Page 181 7. If the paper does not fit exactly onto the tractor pins, press in on the pull tractor feed knob and turn it in the desired direction. 8. Close the sprocket covers. 7-28 Using Printer Options...
  • Page 182 9. See that the paper is not crooked or wrinkled and lock the sprocket units in place. 10. Attach the paper guide and lower it so that it is resting on top of the printer. Center both edge guides. 7-29 Using Printer Options...
  • Page 183 11. Align the pins of the pull tractor cover with the slots on the printer and attach the cover. 12. Press the ON LINE button to set the printer on line. 0 POWER 0 READY 0 PAPER OUT o ON LINE...

  • Page 184: Removing The Pull Tractor

    Removing the pull tractor Before removing the pull tractor, be sure that: The printer is turned off. The pull tractor cover and printer cover are removed. Any paper loaded in the unit is removed. The paper guide is removed. Using Printer Options...
  • Page 185 2. Replace the paper eject guide by fitting its notches onto the pins inside of the printer at each side, then tilting the guide back slightly. 3. Store the pull tractor in its original packing materials and box.

  • Page 186: Interface Boards

    If you are not sure whether you need an optional interface, or would like to know more about interfaces, check with your Epson dealer. Compatible interfaces The following is a list of Epson interfaces that are compatible with your LQ printer. Interface number...

  • Page 187: Installing The Interface Board

    All Epson interfaces have the EPSON name printed on them. If the board has an identification code printed on it, it is a four-digit number beginning with 8, and should correspond to one of the numbers listed in the table above.
  • Page 188 WARNING: High voltages are present inside the printer when the power is on. Do not attempt to remove the upper case unless the printer is turned off and the power cord is unplugged. Also, try not to touch contacts on the circuit board of the printer because many of the components can be destroyed by the static electricity in your body.
  • Page 189 3. Using a cross-head screwdriver, remove the three retaining screws located deep inside of the slots at the front of the printer. 4. Raise the upper case slightly. Do this with caution, because the upper and lower cases are connected by a cable.
  • Page 190 5. Remove the connector labelled CN21 as shown in the following illustration. Then remove the upper case completely. Caution: Be very careful when you remove or attach the upper case to avoid damaging the printer. 6. Remove the separator. 7-37...
  • Page 191 7. Remove the shield plate above the parallel interface by pressing in on the plastic clips located at the back of the plate. (The following illustrations show a rear view of the printer.) 8. Remove one of the screws labelled CG (chassis ground) from the main board.
  • Page 192 Installing the board There are two basic types of interface board designs, which slightly change the way they are installed in the printer. (The frame ground wire is attached for one type and not attached for the other.) This difference does not affect the operation of the interface in any way.
  • Page 193 3. Attach the plug end of the FG wire onto the FG pin located on top of the interface board. 4. Reattach the upper case as described in the section immediately following the next section. 7-40 Using Printer Options...
  • Page 194 FG wire attached 1. Carefully place the interface board next to the printer as shown below. Use the CG screw to connect the round end of the FG (frame ground) wire to the main board. 2. Holding the interface board level, rotate it clockwise into position and attach it to the main board.
  • Page 195 4. Reattach the upper case as described in the following section. Attaching the upper case 1. Fit the hinges of the upper case into the openings in the lower case; then partially lower the upper case. Using Printer Options 7 - 4 2...
  • Page 196 Caution: Take care not to pinch the FG wire between the upper and lower case. 2. Carefully reinsert the cable into the connector labelled CN21 on the main board. 3. Close the upper case. 7-43 Using Printer Options...
  • Page 197 5. Reattach the font compartment cover. 6. Now that you have completed the installation of the optional interface board, replace any parts or options you removed earlier. (Note that the separator and the shield plate are not reattached.) Using Printer Options...

  • Page 198: The Multi-Font Module

    The Multi-Font Module The optional Multi-Font Module gives you two additional Letter Quality fonts for your LQ printer: Orator and Orator-S. See the manual that comes with the module for further information. Installation Before installing the Multi-Font Module, make sure that the printer is turned off.
  • Page 199 2. Plug the Multi-Font Module carefully into either Slot A or B. The arrow on the module should point toward the printer. 3. Reattach the font compartment cover. Using Printer Options 7-46...

  • Page 200: Selecting A Font

    We've just seen your excellent ad for miniature zebras Trader's Times. Using Printer Options FONT ..,__: .I ;.., :. ; . . . : / : , _ , : j , i , , . : / .

  • Page 201: Command Summary

    Printer Operation ........
  • Page 202 This chapter lists and describes all the commands available on your printer. The Command Summary is divided by topics, but there is a list of the commands in numerical order beginning on page 8-5. If you know which command you are looking for, see this list to find the page number where it is described.
  • Page 203 The variables are explained in the comments section. Examples The simplest type of command consists of sending a single character to the printer. For instance, to print in condensed mode, you send the code A S C I I c o d e : S I Decimal: Hexadecimal: OF More complex commands consist of two or more character codes.
  • Page 204 Control key chart Some application programs can use control key codes for decimal values 0 through The table below gives you the proper values. The Control Key column indicates that you press the control key at the same time you press the key for the letter or symbol in that column. For example, you press the control key and A at the same time to send the value 1.

  • Page 205: Commands In Numerical Order

    Form feed ... 8-13 Carriage return ... 8-12 Select double-wide mode (1 line)..8-25 Select condensed mode ..8-24 Select printer ... 8-8 Cancel condensed mode ..8-25 Deselect printer ..8-9 Cancel double-wide mode (1 line)..8-26 Cancel line ..8-12 Delete character ...
  • Page 206 Reassign graphics mode ....8-36 Initialize printer ..... . .
  • Page 207 Dec. Hex ASCII ESC U 85 55 ESC W 87 57 ESC Y 89 59 ESC Z 90 5A ESC \ 92 5C ESC a 97 61 ESC b 98 62 ESC g 103 67 ESC k 107 6B ESC 1 108 6C ESC p 112 70...

  • Page 208: Commands Arranged By Topic

    Hexadecimal: Comments: Returns the printer to the selected state if it has been deselected by the printer deselect code (DC3). Does not select the printer if it has been switched off line by pressing the ON LINE button. DC1 and DC3 do not work if pin 36 on the parallel interface is low (for example, on IBM PC and compatible computers).
  • Page 209 Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: 13 Comments: Puts the printer into the deselected state until the select printer code (DCl) is received. The printer cannot be reselected with the ON LINE button. Format: ASCII code: Decimal : Hexadecimal: 7F Comments: Removes the last text character on the print line but does not affect control codes.
  • Page 210 ESC U Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: The following values can be used for n: Mode is turned on. 0: Mode is turned off. Printing is normally bidirectional. This command selects unidirectional printing for more accurate positioning during printing. ESC EM Format: ASCII code:...

  • Page 211: Msb Control

    MSB control MSB is the Most Significant Bit. MSB control (ESC =, ESC > , and ESC #) does not work for graphics. ESC = (equal) Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: Sets the MSB of all incoming data to 0. Some computers always send data with the MSB set to graphics will always be printed.

  • Page 212: Data Control

    Beeper Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: 07 Comments: Sounds the printer’s beeper. Data Control Format: ASCII code: CR Decimal : Hexadecimal: Comments: Prints the data in the buffer and returns the print position to the left margin. A line feed may be added if ALIT.0 FEED XT line on the parallel interface is held LOW.

  • Page 213: Vertical Motion

    Vertical Motion Form feeding Format: A S C I I c o d e : F F Decimal: Hexadecimal: 0C Comments: Prints the data in the print buffer and advances the paper to the next top of form according to the current page length. The default page length is 66 lines, but the page length can be changed with ESC C.
  • Page 214 ESC N Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: The variable n is the number of lines skipped between the last line printed on one page and the first line on the next page. For example, with the standard settings for line spacing (l/6-inch), and page length (66 lines), ESC N 6 prints 60 lines and then skips 6.
  • Page 215 ESC 0 (zero) Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: Sets the line spacing to commands. The 0 is the character zero and not decimal code 0. ESC 2 Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: Sets the line spacing to commands. The 2 is the character two and not decimal code 2. This is the default at power on.
  • Page 216 ESC + Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: Sets the line spacing to n/360 of an inch for subsequent line feed commands. This value of n must be from ESC A Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: Sets the line spacing to n/60 of an inch for subsequent line feed commands.
  • Page 217 Vertical tabbing Format: ASCII code: VT Decimal: Hexadecimal: 0B Comments: Advances the paper to the next tab setting in the channel selected by ESC /. If no channel has been selected, channel 0 is used. If no vertical tabs have been set, the paper advances one line. ESC B Format: ASCII code:...

  • Page 218: Horizontal Motion

    ESC / Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: This command is used to select the vertical tab channel, with the value of c from All subsequent VT commands use the channel selected 0-7. by this command. Horizontal Motion Margins ESC l Format: ASCII code: Decimal:...
  • Page 219 Print head movement Format : A S C I I c o d e : B S Decimal: Hexadecimal: 08 Comments: Moves the print position one space to the left. Backspacing can be performed up to, but not beyond, the left margin setting. Do not use BS with ESC a.
  • Page 220 ESC \ Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: Determines the position (relative to the current position) at which printing of following data will start. To find nl and YL?, first calculate the displacement required in dots. If the displacement is to the left, subtract it from 65536.

  • Page 221: Overall Printing Style

    ESC D Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: 1B Comments: This command allows setting of up to entered as nl, n2, n3, etc. (from the command. The tab settings must be entered in ascending order; ESC D 0 clears all tabs. The settings on power up or after an ESC @ command are every 8 characters.
  • Page 222 Comments: This command affects only the Letter Quality typestyle, not draft. If n = 0, the Roman typestyle in the printer is used. To select one of the four other typestyles, use the family number of the font shown below.

  • Page 223: Print Size And Character Width

    Print Size and Character Width ESC P Format: ASCII code: Decimal : Hexadecimal: Comments: Selects characters per inch. This command is normally used to cancel cpi or ESC M Format: ASCII code: Decimal : Hexadecimal: Comments: Selects characters per inch. ESC g Format: ASCII code:...
  • Page 224 ESC p Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: The following values can be used for n: 1: Mode is turned on. 0: Mode is turned off. The width of proportional characters varies from character to character. Therefore, a narrow letter like i receives less space than a wide letter like W.
  • Page 225 Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: 12 Comments: Cancels condensed printing set by SI, ESC SI, or SelecType. Format: ASCII code: SO Decimal : Hexadecimal: 0E Comments: Double-wide mode doubles the width of all characters. This mode is cancelled by a carriage return or DC4. ESC SO duplicates this command.
  • Page 226 Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: Cancels one-line double-wide printing selected by SO or ESC SO, but not double-wide printing selected by ESC W or ESC !. ESC w Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: The following values can be used for n: 1: Mode is turned ON.

  • Page 227: Print Enhancement

    Enhancement Print ESC r Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: The variable n selects the printing color according to the table below. n Color 0 Black 1 Magenta Cyan 3 Violet Yellow 6 Green ESC E Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: Makes text bolder by printing each dot twice, with the second dot...
  • Page 228 ESC G Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: 1B Comments: Makes text bolder by printing each line twice, with the second printing slightly below the first. ESC H Format: ASCII code: Decimal: H e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 4 8 Comments: Turns off the double-strike mode selected by ESC G.
  • Page 229 ESC - Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: 1B Comments: n = 1: Mode is turned on. n = 0: Mode is turned off. This mode underlines spaces (but not tabs). ESC q Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: n = 0: Select normal style n = 1: Select outline style E S C ( - Format:...

  • Page 230: Word Processing

    Word Processing ESC a Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: The following values can be used for n: 0: Selects left justification. 1: Selects centering. 2: Selects right justification. 3: Selects full justification. The default setting is n = 0. Full justification (n = 3) is performed when the buffer becomes full;...

  • Page 231: Character Tables

    Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: Causes italic characters to be printed. This command is valid even if the Epson Extended Graphics character set has been selected by ESC t or SelecType, but character graphics are not italicized. Command Summary 128-255. The following values can be used for n:...
  • Page 232 ESC 5 Format: ASCII code: Decimal: H e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 3 5 Comments: Cancels the mode selected by ESC 4. ESC R Format: ASCII code: Decimal: H e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 5 2 Comments: The following values can be used for n: 0=USA...
  • Page 233 H e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 3 6 Comments: When the Epson Extended Graphics character table is selected, this code enables the printing of codes 128 through 159 (decimal) as characters, not control codes.
  • Page 234 ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: When the Epson Extended Graphics character table is selected, this code causes codes 128 through 159 to be treated as control codes. This is the default. Graphics See Chapter 4 for sample graphics programs. See the table under ESC * for graphics modes.
  • Page 235 ESC Y Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: Turns on 8-pin, high-speed, double-density graphics mode. The total number of columns = n3 + (n2 X 256). ESC Z Format: ASCII code: Decimal : Hexadecimal: Comments: Turns on 8-pin, quadruple-density graphics mode. The total number of columns = n7 + (n2 X 256).
  • Page 236 Option Single-density Double-densitv High-speed dduble-density* Q-&uple-density* CRT II Single-density Double-density CRT II Triple-density Hex-density* Adjacent dots cannot be printed in this mode. ESC ? Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: Changes one graphics mode to another. The variable s is a graphics mode defined by the character K, L, Y, or Z, which is reassigned to a mode m (O-6).
  • Page 237 Printer Specifications ........

  • Page 238: Printer Specifications

    Printer Specifications Printing Print method: Print speed: Quality Draft Printing direction: Line spacing: Paper feed speed: Printable columns: Character size 1Ocpi 10cpicondensed 12cpi 12 cbcondensed 24pin impact dot matrix See table below. Characters/second/line Bidirectional logic-seeking for text and graphics. Unidirectional available through SelecType or software command.

  • Page 239: Double-Bin Cut Sheet Feeder Specifications

    IO,1 2, Proportional IO (Optional) 10 (Optional) 96 standard ASCII character set (including italic characters) 13 international character sets Epson Extended Graphics characters Friction Built-in push feed tractor Pull tractor (optional) Double-bin cut sheet feeder (optional) Single sheets 7.15 to 14.3 inches (182 to 364 mm) Continuous 4.0 to 16.0 inches (101 to 406 mm)
  • Page 240 Paper thickness: Printable area: Single sheet 4.5 mm (0.33 “) or more 13.5 mm (0.53”) or more *For printable area for envelopes, see page A-8. Number of copies: Single sheets inches 0.0026 0.004 Continuous inches 0.0023 0.018 Envelope inches 0.0063 0.0197 Label 0.0075 inches (maximum...
  • Page 241 Ribbon: MCBF: MTBF: Print head life: Dimensions and weight: Voltage: Power consumption: Frequency: Insulation resistance: Dielectric strength (between AC line and chassis): Technical Specifications Black ribbon cartridge #7762: Life expectancy (in Letter Quality characters, at 48 dots/character): 3 million Color ribbon cartridge Life expectancy (in Letter Quality characters, at dots/character)
  • Page 242 G within Storage: Up to G within Operation: Up to 0.25 Storage: Up to 0.50 G at up to 55 Hz 26.7”(W) X 22.9”(D) x 16.5”(H) (mounted on the printer) approx. lbs. 13.2 sheets: Up to Single Up to (Total thickness should not exceed 0.59”...
  • Page 243 Stacker capacity: Face down Face up Reliability MCBF (Mean Cycle Between Failure): Environmental conditions Temperature: Humidity: Technical Specifications Single sheets: Up to paper Up to 75 sheets of paper Envelopes: Up to type) Up to Single sheets: Up to paper Up to paper Envelopes:...
  • Page 244 Paper Single sheet bin 1 and bin 2 Width Length Thickness Weight: Printable area: 8.5 mm (0.33”) or more 3 mm (0.12”) )r more 13.5 mm /0.53”J or more 7.17” to 14.3” (182mm to 364mm) 8.27” to 14.3” (210mm to 364mm) 0.0028”...

  • Page 245: Interface Specifications

    Storage condition: Interface Specifications Your printer is equipped with both a parallel and a serial interface. For specifications for optional interfaces, see the manuals provided with the optional interfaces. Parallel interface The following tables describe the parallel interface. Pin assignments for the parallel interface Connector pin assignments and a description of their respective interface signals are shown in the following table.
  • Page 246 This level is usually HIGH; its pulse width must be more than 50 microseconds at the receiving terminal. OUT zis level becomes LOW when the printer 1) in paper-out state 2) off line 3) in error state.
  • Page 247 0.2 microseconds. Data transfer must be carried out by observing the ACKNLG or BUSY signal. Data transfer to this printer can be carried out only after receipt of the ACKNLG signal or when the level of the BUSY signal is LOW.
  • Page 248 Interface timing The figure below shows the timing for the parallel interface. BUSY ACKNLG DA TA STROBE Serial interface The LQ built-in serial interface is an RS-232C asynchronous interface with the following characteristics: Data format 1 start bit Data word length: 8 bit Odd, even, or no parity 1 stop bit Baud...

  • Page 249: Initialization

    Handshaking Handshaking by DTR signal or X-on/X-off. The DTR signal changes to mark - meaning the printer is not ready to receive data - when the number of bytes free in the input buffer goes down to 256. The signal changes to space - meaning that the printer is now ready - when the number of bytes in the input buffer rises to 528.

  • Page 250: Default Settings

    VFU channel Font selection User-defined characters In addition, the data buffer is cleared when the printer is initialized by turning on the power or by sending an INIT signal. Note: The user-defined character set is not cleared when the printer is initialized by ESC @.

  • Page 251: Appendix B

    Appendix B Proportional Width Table ........B-2 Character Tables .

  • Page 252: Proportional Width Table

    Proportional Width Table This table lists the widths of your printer’s proportional characters. The values given are in 360ths of an inch. For example, a value of 36 is 36/360ths of an inch. You may need to enter these widths into a special table for your processing program so it can calculate the number of proportional characters that will fit on a line.
  • Page 253 Code Appendix B Code Width 36124 36124 36124 36124 36124 36124 36124 36124 36124 24116 30120 36124 36124 42128 36124 36124 36124 36124 36124 36124 36124 42128 36124 42128 36124 36124 30120 24116 30120 24116 30120 30120 18112 30120 Width 36124 30120 24116...
  • Page 254 Width Code 30120 30120 18112 18112 18112 36124 36124 36124 42128 42128 30120 30120 30120 36124 36124 36124 36124 42128 30120 30120 36124 42128 30120 30120 18112 30120 36124 36124 36124 30120 30120 30120 30120 30120 30120 30120 30120 Width 30120 30120 Appendix B...
  • Page 255 Code Appendix B Width Code 30120 30120 30120 30120 30120 30/20 30120 30120 30120 30120 30120 30120 30120 30120 30120 30120 Width 24/l 6 30120 36124 36124 30120 30120 § 30120...

  • Page 256: Character Tables

    Character Tables These character tables are selected by SelecType or the ESC t software command. For the Epson Extended Graphics character table, the ESC 6 or ESC 7 software command lets you select whether to print hex codes 80 to 9F as characters (ESC 6) or control codes (ESC 7).
  • Page 257 Epson Extended Graphics Character Table ZODE P3CScs~66 Appendix B O@P' ZBRbr&iE6...
  • Page 258 Converting hexadecimal numbers to decimal numbers If you prefer to use decimal numbers instead of hexadecimal numbers, you can convert them with the chart below. Just read down in the column for the first digit of the hex number and across in the row for the second digit.

  • Page 259: Glossary

    See number A binary digit (0 or l), which is the smallest unit of information used by a printer or computer. See also buffer See memory. byte A unit of information consisting of eight bits. Glossary...
  • Page 260 GL-2 print position to standard or default setting. side, is perforated between each the printer is in data dump mode, each When characters. Sometimes called hex dump. takes effect when left margin. When print head may not...
  • Page 261 ESC/P Abbreviation for Epson Standard Code for Printers. The system of commands lets you control your printer using your computer’s software. It is standard for all Epson printers and supported by most applications software for personal computers. font A style of type designated by a family name.
  • Page 262 A control code and a control panel button that advances the paper one line space. memory The printer, like a computer, has a memory. When you print a file from a computer, the contents of the file are transferred quickly from the computer’s memory to the printer’s memory The printer then prints information from its own memory at a much slower rate.

  • Page 263: Print Quality

    When the printer is on line, it can communicate with the computer connected to it. parallel interface See inferface. parity Parity is a method for a computer and printer to check the reliability of data transmission. platen The black roller that provides a backing for the printing. print quality Your printer has two types of print quality: draft and Letter Quality (LQ).
  • Page 264 All data stored in RAM is lost when the printer is turned off. reset To return a printer to its defaults, by either a command, an INIT signal, or by turning the printer off and on. self test A method of checking the operation of the printer.

  • Page 265: Index

    Chapter 8 or the Quick Reference card. Application software. See Software ASCII codes, 4-5, 8-l--36, Quick Reference Assembling the printer, l-7--15 Auto line feed, selecting with SelecType, 3-18-22 Auto tear off. See short tear-off Baud rate, setting with SelecType, 3-18-22 Buttons.
  • Page 266 Control panel, 3-2--8 buttons, 3-4--7 data dump, 3-8 display, 3-2 lights, 3-3--4 SelecType. See SelecType self test, 3-8. See also Self test Conventions, 4 Country. See character set Courier. See Typestyles, fonts Cut sheet feeder, 7-2-21 installing, 7-2-6 loading paper, 7-6-9, 7-11--13, 7-18-19 removing, 7-20--21 testing, 7-9--11...
  • Page 267 LOAD MACRO mode, 3-13-15 Loading position, setting, 3-30-31 Macros, See SelecType. Maintaining printer, 5-1--6 Margins, settings, 3-15-18 Master Select, 4-11-12 Menu, choosing printer from, 1-28, Micro-adjstment, 3-6, 3-30--31 Micro feed mode. See Micro-adjustment Multi-Font Module, 3-37, 7-45 Multi-part forms, 2-22-23 OCR-A.
  • Page 268 1-15--16 options. See Options setting up, 1-1--28 testing, 1-15--21 transporting, 5-7--9 troubleshooting, 6-1--6 unpacking, 1-2--5 Printer commands. See Commands Printing direction, 3-15--18 Double-high, 4-9 Double-strike, 4-9--10 Double-wide, 4-9 Emphasized, 4-9--10 enhancing, 4-7-12 Italics, 4-10 Subscripts,...
  • Page 269 4-5--7, 8-1--36 setting up, 1-27--28 spread sheets, 4-3-4 using with the LQ-2550, 4-2--5 word processors, 4-3 Specifications, cut sheet feeder, A-6--9 default settings, A-14 initialization, A-13--14 interface, A-9--13 paper, A-3--4, A-6--8 printer, A-2--6 Subscripts, 4-10 Superscripts, 4-10 Tables, B-l--8 character,...
  • Page 270 ® EPSON L Q - 2 5 5 0 Quick Reference...
  • Page 271 &J Selec T y p e s:y,;:; ‘ j ; ~ , . ~ , .:y; jp.: ;:.; ~.‘~,“‘~‘:~i~~,. s... 1..: . ..i! ..:. /:._:./..:/... Table 1 Printer Settings and Options...
  • Page 272 Note: To exit the SelecType mode, press the ,se’ecT~p~ button. r - l See Table 1 able I + : : : , :.;f , ; . i /: ; . * ... :...:. /,..-y :.::. ..,/ ..,i ..-. ,,,Fi-/i.i/,,://z, //..ij,,/i:f,,,/...
  • Page 274 [ * ;:::F;, ;, yj “” Table 2 Default Settings and Options Parallel, Serial INTERFACE 300, 600, 1200, 2400, 4600, 9600, 19200 BPS BAUD RATE’ None, Even, Odd, ignore PARITY AUTO LINE FEED On, Off DCIIDCB Disable, Enable DEFAULT MACRO #1, #2, #3, #4 *These settings are displayed only when the serial interface setting is selected.
  • Page 275 * /./ y;-;i:-y /,& ; ..,:... /- .,I. .::... / ;:;p/! ,g;;; j,... v :... i.. c:..i 1;‘. : ::...
  • Page 276 Commands Arranged by Topic This section lists all the LQ-2550 commands. The numbers in the columns on the right are the page numbers in Chapter 8 where a complete description of the command can be found. Printer Operation/Data Control 1 Code...
  • Page 277 wizontal Motion SC I sccl SC 1 SC D erall Printing StvlelPrint Size SC k SC ! SC P 1 50 SC M 32 g 3.2 p I 15 (ESC SI) I OF 3 (ESC SO) 32 w nt Enhancement/Word Processirig iC E ;C F / 70 I 46 1 Cancel Emphasized Mode...
  • Page 278 Character Sets ESC t ESC 4 ESC 5 ESC R User-Defined Characters/Graphics ESC ? 1 63 1 3F Select Character Table Select Italic Mode Cancel Italic Mode Select an International Character Set Reassign Graphics Mode 8-31 8-31 8-32 8-32 ( 8-36...
  • Page 279 edge guides paper guide cover built-in push tractor paper support print head power switch gr:und connector paper eject guide parallel interface AC inlet...
  • Page 281 EPSON AMERICA, INC. 2780 Lomita Boulevard, Torrance, California 90505...

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