Printronix T3204 Maintenance Manual page 88

2. The i960 controls the +24 volts going to the thermal printhead. When
software detects a lack of printhead activity, the +24 volts going to the
printhead is switched off. Turning the printhead voltage off when not in
use, enhances printhead reliability.
3. The i960 controls the external UART used to send/receive serial data
to/from the host computer. It also controls the serial communication
signal DTR and detects the status of CTS.
4. The PIC provides timing and control for the thermal printhead control
circuits including the strobe and latch signals.
5. The i960 controls the 8-channel A/D converter used to read inputs listed
on page 8–13.
6. The i960 reads the status of the front panel switches and also controls
the front panel indicator LEDs.
7. The i960 reads in the status of the dip switch located on the controller
board (S3).
8–4
Figure 8–1. i960JA Controller Block Diagram
Circuit Description