Epson LX-300 User Manual

Epson LX-300 User Manual

Epson 9-pin dot matrix printer user'sguide lx-300
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  • Page 2: Product View

    Pause Sans Serif D r a f t Draft Condensed Paper Park 3sec Micro Adjust The color samples used on the cover were printed using the LX-300 printer. Lotus, 1-2-3, and Freelance Graphics are registered trademarks of Lotus Development Corporation.
  • Page 3 Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein. Neither Seiko Epson Corporation nor its affiliates shall be liable to the purchaser of this product or third parties for damages, losses, costs, or expenses incurred by purchaser or third parties as a result of: accident, misuse, or abuse of this product or unauthorized modifications, repairs, or alterations to this product, or (excluding the U.S.) failure to...
  • Page 4: Fcc Compliance Statement

    FCC Compliance Statement For United States Users This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio or television reception.
  • Page 5 Where to Get Help for United States Users Epson America provides local customer support and service through a nationwide network of authorized Epson dealers and Service Centers. Epson also provides the following support services through the Epson Connection at (800) 922-8911: ❏...
  • Page 6: For United Kingdom Users

    Claims are made by the user returning the product to the supplier from whom it was purchased or, if this is impractical, to any Epson supplier who also handles the same product. In the event of any difficulty, users are requested to contact the Service Co-ordinator Manager at Epson (UK) Limited.
  • Page 7: Safety Information

    Use of options Epson (UK) Limited shall not be liable against any damages or problems arising from the use of any options or consumable products other than those designated as Original Epson Products or Epson Approved Products by Epson (UK) Limited.
  • Page 8 The blue wire must be connected to the terminal in the plug marked with the letter N or coloured black. The brown wire must be connected to the terminal in the plug marked with the letter L or coloured white. If damage occurs to the plug, replace the cord set or consult a qualified electrician.
  • Page 9: Table Of Contents

    Choosing a place for the printer ....1-3 Assembling the Printer ......1-4 Installing the paper-feed knob .
  • Page 10 Printing ........The printer does not print .....
  • Page 11 Serial pin assignments ..... A-8 Printer Settings ......A-9 Command Summary .
  • Page 12 Character tables ......User-defined characters ..... . Color printing .
  • Page 13: Features

    Detachable push and pull tractor. Feed continuous paper with ease and print on single sheets without removing the continuous paper supply. Compact design. This printer fits neatly into available space in your home or office. Longer printable area. Print up to 66 lines on A4-size or 62 lines on standard letter paper.
  • Page 14: Finding Your Way Around

    Chapter 1 describes how to unpack, set up, test, and connect the printer to your computer. Be sure to read this chapter first. Chapter 2 includes information on how to get the printing results you want, how to install options, and how to maintain your printer.
  • Page 15: Important Safety Instructions

    Use a damp cloth for cleaning and do not use liquid or aerosol cleaners. 4. Do not use your printer near water or spill any liquid on it. 5. Do not place the printer on an unstable cart, stand, table, or other surface that may allow the printer to fall.
  • Page 16 15 amperes. 12. Never push objects of any kind into your printer as they may touch dangerous voltage points or short out parts that could result in a risk of fire or electric shock.
  • Page 17 Choosing a place for the printer ....1-3 Assembling the Printer ......1-4 Installing the paper-feed knob .
  • Page 18: Unpacking The Printer

    There are several versions of this printer designed for different voltages, and it is not possible to change the voltage. If the label on the back of the printer does not show the correct voltage for your country, contact your dealer.
  • Page 19: Choosing A Place For The Printer

    If you place the printer on a stand, follow these guidelines: ❏ Use a stand that supports at least 10 kg (22 lb). ❏ Never use a stand that tilts the printer. Always keep it level. ❏ Provide enough clearance below the stand and between the legs so your continuous paper flows smoothly.
  • Page 20: Assembling The Printer

    The first step in assembling the printer is installing the paper-feed knob. 1. Insert the knob into the hole on the printer’s side and rotate it slowly until it slips onto the shaft. 2. Push firmly on the paper-feed knob until it fits against the printer case.
  • Page 21: Attaching The Paper Supports

    2. Repeat for the other paper support. Lower the paper guide. Installing the ribbon cartridge Before installing the ribbon cartridge, make sure the printer is not plugged into an electrical outlet. Setting Up the Printer...
  • Page 22 1. Open the printer cover to the upright position, then pull it up to remove it. Warning: Never move the print head while the printer is turned on; this can damage the printer. Also, if you have just used the printer, let the print head cool for a few minutes before you touch it.
  • Page 23 3. Turn the ribbon-tightening knob in the direction of the arrow to remove any slack from the ribbon so it is easier to install. 4. Insert the ribbon cartridge into the printer as shown; then press both sides of the cartridge firmly to fit the plastic hooks into the printer slots.
  • Page 24 To remove the old ribbon cartridge, first move the print head to the center of the printer. Then remove the cartridge by lifting the posts on the either side and taking it out of the printer. Setting Up the Printer...
  • Page 25: Plugging In The Printer

    Do not plug in the power cord. 3. If the power cord is not attached to the printer, connect it to the AC inlet on the printer. 4. Plug the power cord into a properly grounded electrical outlet.
  • Page 26: Running The Self Test

    You can run the test with either continuous paper or single sheets; this section describes the easier way, with single sheets. 1. Make sure the printer is turned off and the paper-release lever is pushed back to the single-sheet position. Raise the paper guide upright.
  • Page 27 2. While holding down the LF/FF button, turn on the printer. The PAUSE light flashes. 3. Slide the left edge guide until it locks in place at the guide mark. Next, adjust the right edge guide to match the width of your paper.
  • Page 28 The printer cover helps the paper feed. 5. To stop printing temporarily, press the PAUSE button. 6. To end the self test, make sure the printer is not printing. Press LF/FF to eject the sheet; then turn off the printer.
  • Page 29: Connecting The Printer To Your Computer

    Connecting the Printer to Your Computer Your printer includes both a Centronics interface and an EIA-232D serial interface. Before you begin, place the printer upright, as shown below. (This makes it easier to connect the cable.) Connect your computer to the desired interface as described below.
  • Page 30 Squeeze the wire clips together until they lock in place on either side of the connector. 2. Guide the interface cable through the slot on the side of the printer so that it does not block the paper supply as shown in the illustration on page 1-16. Note: If there is a ground wire at the end of the cable, attach it to the ground connector at the right of the interface.
  • Page 31: Using The Serial Interface

    Using the serial interface 1. Turn off both the computer and the printer. Plug the serial cable connector securely into the printer’s serial interface. Tighten the screws on either side of the connector. Note: If there is a ground wire at the end of the cable, attach it to the ground connector to the right of the interface.
  • Page 32: Setting Up Your Software

    (If there is a ground wire at the end of the cable, attach it to the ground connector at the back of the computer.) 4. Use the Printer Setting mode to change the baud rate, parity bit, data length, or ETX/ACK if necessary. See “Changing the Printer Settings”...
  • Page 33: Microsoft Windows

    2. Double click the Printers icon. 3. Choose the Add>> button. 4. From the list of printers box, select Epson LX-300 . If LX-300 is not available, select Epson JX-80 if you plan to use color or Epson LX-810, LX-850, or LX-800 if you do not plan to use color.
  • Page 34: Using Non-Windows Software

    To take full advantage of your printer’s features, choose LX-300 from the list of printers. If the LX-300 is not listed, choose the first available printer from the following list. If you plan to use color, you must choose either LX-300, JX-80, or EX-800.
  • Page 35 Envelopes ....... 2-18 Changing the Printer Settings ..... 2-19 Printer setting descriptions .
  • Page 36: Using The Control Panel

    PAUSE light The orange PAUSE light is on when the printer stops printing. Each time you turn on the printer, the light flashes briefly and the beeper sounds four times. When the printer is out of paper, the light flashes and the beeper sounds three times. The light also flashes when you can tear off the last sheet at the edge of the printer cover.
  • Page 37 If you hold down the FONT button while you turn on the printer, you enter the Printer Setting mode, where you can change many of the printer’s settings. For more about printer settings, see page 2-19. LF/FF button During normal operation, you can press this button briefly to feed paper line by line.
  • Page 38: Selecting Fonts

    Your selection stays in effect until you change it again or turn off the printer. However, any font choices you make with your software will cancel your control panel selection. The table below shows how the FONT lights appear for each selection.
  • Page 39: Printing On Single Sheets

    When the printer receives data, it begins to print. Caution: Use the knob on the right side of the printer only to clear paper jams and only when the printer is off. Otherwise, you may damage the printer or cause it to lose the top-of-form position.
  • Page 40: Getting The Results You Expect

    This happens because single sheet handling differs slightly from continuous paper handling. It’s easy to adjust the printer so that you get the right results. Simply change some of the settings in your software program as described below.
  • Page 41: Printing On Continuous Paper

    Printing on Continuous Paper Your printer can handle continuous paper with a width of 101 mm (4.0 inches) to 254 mm (10.0 inches). Depending on where you position the tractor, you can use it as a pull tractor or a push tractor.
  • Page 42 2. Release the sprocket units by pulling the sprocket locks forward. 3. Slide the left sprocket unit using the scale on the printer as a guide. The printer prints to the right of the position marked 0. Push the sprocket lock lever back to lock it in place. Then slide the right sprocket unit to match the width of your paper, but do not lock it.
  • Page 43 Now the paper is in the paper-park position. Caution: Use the knob on the right side of the printer only to clear paper jams and only when the printer is off. Otherwise, you may damage the printer or cause it to lose the top-of-form position.
  • Page 44 9. When you finish printing (the printer receives no data for three seconds) the printer feeds the perforation of the continuous paper to the edge of the printer cover so that you can tear off the last sheet. The PAUSE light flashes.
  • Page 45: Switching Back To Single Sheets

    6. Caution: Use the knob on the right side of the printer only to clear paper jams and only when the printer is off. Otherwise, you may damage the printer or cause it to lose the top-of-form position.
  • Page 46 Remove the printer cover. 3. Lift the tractor forward to the mounting slot at the top of the printer and tilt it into place as shown below. When you push the tractor onto the posts, you should feel the notches snap into place.
  • Page 47 5. Insert the paper into the paper slot as shown below and pull it up. Position the paper using the scale on the printer as a guide. The printer prints to the right of the position marked 0. 2-13...
  • Page 48 Fit the first holes of the paper over the sprocket pins and then close the sprocket covers. Slide the right sprocket unit to remove any slack in the paper and lock it in place. 2-14 Using the Printer...
  • Page 49: Printing On Special Paper

    9. Slide the left edge guide to the center until it stops at the guide mark; slide the right edge guide to the opposite guide mark. 10. Attach the printer cover and adjust the paper position with the paper-feed knob. Turn the knob until the perforation between pages is just above the print head.
  • Page 50: Adjusting The Paper-Thickness Lever

    Here’s how to change the setting for special papers: 1. Turn the printer off and open the cover. The paper-thickness lever is on the left side of the printer. The numbers next to the lever indicate the thickness setting. For normal use, the lever should always be set to position 0.
  • Page 51: Multi-Part Forms

    You load labels the same way you load continuous paper, except that the paper thickness lever should be set to 1. See page 2-11 for loading instructions. 2-17 Using the Printer...
  • Page 52: Envelopes

    Caution: Never feed labels backward through the printer; they can easily peel off the backing and jam the printer. If a label does become stuck in the printer, contact your dealer. Envelopes You can feed envelopes individually using the paper guide.
  • Page 53: Changing The Printer Settings

    Your printer has internal settings that control simple functions such as the page length and character set. These settings take effect each time you turn on the printer, so they are also called default settings. Because the factory printer settings are designed to meet the needs of most users, you probably will not need to change them.
  • Page 54 2. Hold down the FONT button while you turn on the printer. If you are using single sheets, insert a sheet of paper. The printer automatically loads the paper and prints out a table of languages from which you can choose. You can print instructions in English, French, German, Italian, or Spanish, as shown in Table A below.
  • Page 55 For example, if you want to change the Interface setting, press FONT until FONT 1 is on, FONT 2 is flashing, and the PAUSE light is on. The printer beeps once each time you press the FONT button while in Table B.
  • Page 56: Printer Setting Descriptions

    Table B. 10. Repeat steps 6 through 9 for each additional setting you want to change, or skip to step 11 to exit the Printer Setting mode. 11. When you are finished, turn the printer off. Any settings you have made remain in effect until you change them again.
  • Page 57: Character Table

    When you use continuous paper with the push tractor, this feature advances the paper perforation to the tear-off position where you can easily tear off the printed pages. When the printer receives data, it automatically reverses the paper to the top-of-form position and starts printing, so you can use all of the next sheet.
  • Page 58: Bit Rate, Parity Bit, Data Length, And Etx/Ack

    See your computer manual for the appropriate settings. Software You can select the kind of printer commands used by the printer. When you select ESC/P, the printer operates as an EPSON ESC/P printer. When you select IBM 2380, the printer emulates an IBM 2380.
  • Page 59 4. Hold the cut-sheet feeder in both hands and press on the latch levers. Fit the notches in the cut-sheet feeder over the mounting posts on the printer. Releasing the latch levers locks the cut-sheet feeder in place. 5. Slide the left paper guide so it is aligned with the triangle mark.
  • Page 60 10. Push the paper-set levers back to clamp the paper against the guide rollers. 11. Remove the paper supports from the edge guides. Insert the two stacker supports packed with the cut-sheet feeder into the holes on the edge guides. 2-26 Using the Printer...
  • Page 61 12. Attach the paper guide to the cut-sheet feeder as shown below. View from above Release tab 13. Open the printer cover. Place the printout guide in the middle. Close the printer cover. 14. Slide the left edge guide to the center until it stops at the guide mark.
  • Page 62: Pull Tractor Unit

    2. Load continuous paper on the sprocket units of the push-tractor. (See “Printing on Continuous Paper” on page 2-7.) 3. Turn on the printer. Hold down the LF/FF button to feed paper one page. 4. Release the sprocket lock levers of the pull tractor and adjust the sprocket units to match the width of the paper.
  • Page 63: Roll Paper Holder

    Roll paper holder The optional roll paper holder (#8310) allows you to use your printer with 8.5-inch roll paper like that used with telex machines. To use the roll paper holder, follow the steps below. This option is not available in all countries.
  • Page 64 Then turn on the printer. 6. Bring the leading edge of the paper up over the paper path guide for single sheets and insert it into the printer path for single sheets until you feel resistance. 2-30...
  • Page 65: Color Upgrade Kit

    The optional color upgrade kit (C83208 ) includes a color ribbon cartridge and a motor unit. Here’s how to install the kit: 1. Turn off the printer and remove the printer cover. Slide the connector cover on the printer and pull it out as shown below.
  • Page 66 3. Insert the motor unit plug into the connector on the printer. 4. Slide the print head to the middle of the printer; then slide the plastic part on the color ribbon to the center of the cartridge.
  • Page 67 5. Turn the ribbon-tightening knob in the direction of the arrow to remove any slack in the ribbon. 6. Insert the ribbon cartridge into the printer as shown; then press both sides of the cartridge firmly to fit the plastic hooks into the printer slots.
  • Page 68 To switch to the black ribbon, remove the color ribbon as shown in the manual that comes with the color upgrade kit; then install the black ribbon as shown on page 1-5. You do not have to remove the motor unit. 2-34 Using the Printer...
  • Page 69 Printing ........3-3 The printer does not print ..... 3-3 The print is faint or uneven .
  • Page 70: Problems And Solutions

    Most problems you may encounter while operating your printer have simple solutions. You can check the operation of your printer using the self test. See “Running the Self Test” on page 1-10. If the self test works properly the problem probably lies in the computer, the software, or the interface cable.
  • Page 71: Printing

    The PAUSE light is flashing and the printer beeps three times. The printer may be out of paper. Load paper in the printer. The printer sounds like it is printing, but nothing is printed.
  • Page 72: The Print Is Faint Or Uneven

    The printer makes a strange noise, the beeper sounds five times, and the printer stops abruptly. Turn off the printer and check for a paper jam, a ribbon jam or other problems. Let the printer cool. Then try to print again. If the printer still does not print correctly contact your dealer.
  • Page 73: Printed Characters Are Not What You Expected

    Printed characters are not what you expected The typestyles or characters you sent with your software did not print. Check that the software is correctly configured for your printer. For instructions, see page 1-16. The font selected on the control panel does not print.
  • Page 74: Paper Handling

    Move the paper a little to the left. Paper feeding is crooked or the paper jams. Turn off the printer and pull out the paper. Insert a new sheet straight into the paper guide. Make sure you’re using the right type of paper.
  • Page 75: Continuous Paper Does Not Feed Properly

    The tractor does not feed the paper. Check that the paper-release lever is pulled forward to the continuous-paper position. If not, turn off the printer, move the lever, and turn it on again. The paper may have come off the tractor. Reattach the paper to the tractor.
  • Page 76: Options

    The paper does not eject properly. The page may be too long. Tear off the fresh supply of paper and eject the page from the printer. Use only paper that is within the specified length range described in the Appendix.
  • Page 77: Switching Between The Cut-Sheet Feeder And The Push Tractor Does Not Work Properly

    Two or more sheets feed at one time. You may have loaded too many sheets in the cut-sheet feeder’s bin. You may have forgotten to fan the stack of paper before loading it into the bin. Remove the paper and fan it. The paper feed is crooked.
  • Page 78: Using The Pull Tractor With The Push Tractor, Continuous Paper Does Not Feed Properly

    Your software program may not be properly set up for color printing. Use the program’s setup (or install) procedure to check the printer setting and adjust as needed.If your software program is capable of sending control codes, select the color using the ESC r command.
  • Page 79: Appendix

    Serial interface specifications ....A-8 Printer Settings ......A-9 Command Summary Sending printer commands .
  • Page 80: Printer Specifications

    160 characters at 20 cpi Approximately 4KB Memory capacity for 6 NLQ and 6 Draft user-defined characters Epson NLQ Roman Epson NLQ Sans Serif Draft Draft Condensed One italic and 14 graphics character tables One italic and 8 graphics character tables...
  • Page 81: Paper

    Paper Single sheets (CSF): Width: Length: Thickness: Weight: Single sheets (manual insertion): Width: Length: Thickness: Weight: Continuous paper: Width: Copies: Thickness: Weight: Note: Use recycled paper under normal conditions only. If ribbon consumption or paper jamming increase, use a higher grade of paper. 182 to 216 mm (7.2 to 8.5 inches) 210 to 364 mm (8.3 to 14.3 inches) 0.07 to 0.12 mm (0.0028 to 0.0047 inches)
  • Page 82 Labels: Size: Thickness: Weight: Envelopes: Size: Thickness: Weight: Roll paper (optional—not available in some countries) Width: Diameter: Thickness: Weight: Appendix 102 to 254 mm (4 to 10 inches) width for backing sheet 63.5 23.8 mm (2.50 minimum for a label 0.07 to 0.09 mm (0.0028 to 0.0035 inches) for backing sheet 0.16 to 0.19 mm (0.0063 to 0.0075 inches)
  • Page 83: Continuous Paper

    Printable area: Single sheets and envelopes A The minimum top margin is 5.3 mm (0.2 inches). B The minimum left margin is 3 mm (0.12 inches). The minimum right margin is 3 mm (0.12 inches). However, the maximum printable width is 203 mm (8 inches). C The minimum bottom margin is 9.0 mm (0.35 inches).
  • Page 84: Mechanical

    Mechanical Paper-feed methods: Ribbon: MTBF: Print head life: Dimensions and weight: Electrical 120 V model: Rated voltage Input voltage range Rated frequency range Input frequency range Rated current Power consumption 220-240 V model: Rated voltage Input voltage range Rated frequency range Input frequency range Rated current Appendix...
  • Page 85: Environmental

    RFI: US model European model Interface Specifications Your printer is equipped with an EIA-232D serial interface and a Centronics-compatible parallel interface. The printer switches automatically to the appropriate interface when it receives data. Parallel interface specifications The parallel interface has the following characteristics.
  • Page 86: Serial Interface Specifications

    Printer has transmitted serial data Printer has received serial data Always positive Ignored Return path for data control signals Connected to Pin 20 Positive when the printer is ready to accept data, and negative when the printer is not ready...
  • Page 87: Printer Settings

    Printer Settings The table below lists the printer settings that you can change from the control panel. Underlined options indicate the factory default settings that take effect when the printer is initialized (some factory default settings may vary by country). To change a setting, see “Changing the Printer Settings”...
  • Page 88: Command Summary

    Software commands instruct the printer to print in a particular typeface, feed the paper a certain amount after printing each line, start printing on a particular place on the page, and so on. The commands your printer recognizes are listed in this command summary.
  • Page 89: Printer Operation

    Printer operation ASCII Dec. ESC @ ESC s 1/0 ESC U 1 /0 ESC 8 ESC 9 Data control ASCII Dec. Vertical motion ASCII Dec. ESC C n ESC C 0 n ESC N n ESC O ESC 0 ESC 1...
  • Page 90: Horizontal Motion

    ASCII Dec. ESC J n ESC B nn ESC b c nn ESC / c Horizontal motion ASCII Dec. ESC l n ESC Q n ESC e 0 n ESC e 1 n ESC f 0 n ESC f 1 n ESC D nn A-12 Appendix...
  • Page 91: Overall Printing Style

    Overall printing style ASCII Dec. ESC x n ESC k n ESC ! n Print size and character width ASCII Dec. ESC P ESC M ESC SI ESC SO ESC W 1/0 Print enhancement ASCII Dec. ESC E ESC F ESC G ESC H Hex.
  • Page 92: Word Processing

    ASCII Dec. ESC S0 ESC S1 ESC T ESC4 ESC 5 ESC - 1/0 Word processing ASCII Dec. ESC a n ESC t n Character tables ASCII Dec. ESC ( t nn 40 116 A-14 Appendix Hex. Description Select Superscript Mode Select Subscript Mode Cancel Superscript/Subscript Mode Select Italic Mode...
  • Page 93: User-Defined Characters

    Table name Italic PC 437 (USA) PC 437 Greek (Greek)* PC 850 (Multilingual) PC 851 (Greek)* PC 853 (Turkish)* PC 855 (Cyrillic)* PC 860 (Portuguese)* PC 863 (Canadian-French) PC 865 (Nordic) PC 852 (East Europe)* PC 857 (Turkish)* * Available only in certain areas ** Available in North/South American version only ASCII Dec.
  • Page 94: Color Printing

    ASCII Dec. ESC % n Color printing ASCII Dec. ESC r n Graphics ASCII Dec. ESC K n1 n2 ESC L n1 n2 ESC Y n1 n2 ESC Z n1 n2 ESC * m n1 n2 ESC ? s n ESC ^ m n1 n2 A-16 Appendix...
  • Page 95 2-23 Bit rate, 2-24 Buttons, 2-2–3 Changing printer settings, 2-19–24 Character spacing, 2-22 table, 2-23 Choosing a place for the printer, 1-3 Color upgrade kit, 2-31–34 Command summary, A-10–16 Connecting printer to computer, 1-13–16 Continuous paper, 2-7–15 Control panel, 2-2–4 Cut-sheet feeder, 2-24–28...
  • Page 96 PAPER PARK, 2-3 Parallel interface, 1-13– 14 Parity bit, 2-24 PAUSE button, 2-3, 2-22 light, 2-2, 2-22 Plugging in the printer, 1-9 Power supply, troubleshooting, 3-2– 3 Printer assembling, 1-4– 9 changing the settings, 2-19– 24 choosing a place for, 1-3...
  • Page 97 Tractor, 2-32 pull, 2-11– 15 push, 2-7– 11 unit, 2-28– 29 Troubleshooting, 3-1– 11 Unpacking printer, 1-2 Upgrade kit, color, 2-31– 34 Using command summary, A-10 control panel, 2-2– 4 parallel interface, 1-13– 14 printer, 2-1– 34 serial interface, 1-15– 16...
  • Page 98 Index...
  • Page 99 EPSON OVERSEAS MARKETING LOCATIONS EPSON AMERICA, INC. 20770 Madrona Ave. P.O. Box 2842 Torrance, CA 90509-2842 Phone: (800) 922-8911 Fax: (310) 782-5220 EPSON DEUTSCHLAND GmbH Zülpicher Straße 6, 40549 Düsseldorf Germany Phone: (0211) 56030 Fax: (0211) 5047787 EPSON AUSTRALIA PTY. LTD.

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