Instruction/ maintenance manual of the product LQ-2500 Epson
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FCC COMPLIANCE STATEMENT FOR AMERICAN USERS This equipment generates and uses radio frequency energy and if not installed and used prop- erly, that is, in strict accordance with the manufacturers instructions. may cause interference to radio and television reception.
Contents Introduction Setting Up Your Printer Chapter 1 Setting Up the Printer 1-1 Unpacking the Printer 1-3 Choosing a Place for the Printer 1-3 Installing the Ribbon 1-5 Turning On the Printer 1-6 O.
Chapter 4 Using the LQ-2500 with Application Programs 4-2 Choosing the Correct Printer 4-2 Computer- Printer Communication 4-3 Setting Up Application Programs 4-4 Word Processors 4-7 Spreadsheets 4-10.
Reference Appendix B ASCII Conversion Chart and Character Tables B1 ASCII Conversion Chart B-3 International Character Sets-Draft B-3 international Character Sets-Letter Quality B-4 How to Use the Cha.
Appendix F Choosing and Setting Up Optional Interfaces F-1 Compatible Interfaces F-2 Choosing an Interface F-4 Installing an Interface F-6 Inserting the Interface Board F-7 Serial Interface Settings A.
Introduction The Epson LQ-2500 introduces a new concept in dot matrix printing. In addition to the speed and sharpness of a 24-pin, dot matrix printer, the LQ now has SelecType with a Liquid Crystal Display SelecType lets you control your printing with a touch of a button, and the LCD tells you what’s happening.
Using this manual To make it easier to set up your new LQ-2500, this manual includes a 10-step guide to setting up your printer. The outline on the back cover flap, and the numbered steps in the chapter take you from unpacking, through ribbon and paper loading, to a final printing checklist.
Chapter 1 Setting Up the Printer Setting up your LQ-2500 printer is easy Simply follow the steps in this chapter. 1 Unpacking the Printer As you unpack the printer, make sure the box contains all of the parts shown in Figure 1l. Check that none of the parts have been damaged during transportation.
Installing the paper feed knob Install the paper feed knob on the right side of the printer, as shown in Figure 1-2. tine up the flat side of the hole in the knob with the flat side of the shaft, then push the knob firmly into place.
When you are finished unpacking, put the packaging materials and the head protector in the box and keep them in case you need to transport the printer. Full details on transporting the printer are in Appendix D. 2 Choosing a Place for the Printer The printer must be close enough to the computer for the cable to reach.
WARNING The power must be OFF when you move the print head. Otherwise, you may damage the printer mechanism. Also, if you’ve been using the printer just before changing the ribbon cartridge, be careful not to touch the print head because it becomes hot during use.
8. Turn the ribbon tightening knob again to make sure the ribbon moves freely Replacing the ribbon . . . The LQ-2500 uses a continuous-loop, inked fabric ribbon.
Now, turn the power ON. When you turn on the printer, several important things happen: The print head moves back and forth and stops at about 40 on the paper bail ruler. The ribbon carriage moves up and down to set the ribbon at the correct level for printing.
From this panel, you can control almost all printer functions. On the LQ-2500 there aren’t any DIP switches to set or reset as on most printers, because Se&Type controls these settings. The four buttons on the panel have multiple names to control different functions.
l You can use the FORM FEED button to eject a single sheet of paper or advance continuous-feed paper to the next top of form. Paper feeding The LINE FEED and FORM FEED buttons on the panel control paper feeding. The printer must be off line, as indicated in the On line/off line section.
After entering SelecType, the four buttons on the control panel function according to their SelecType assignments: EXIT, MENU, SETTING, and OPTION. See Chapter 2 for a full explanation of SelecType. The indicator lights In addition to the ON LINE light, the LQ-2500 has three other lights.
the paper guide. This ridged marking corresponds to the extreme left printing position and is called the edge mark. The paper guide Second, install the guide itself. Hold the paper guide vertically and lower it so that the slots on either side fit onto the two pins as shown in Figure 1-9 below.
Paper loading icons . . . Both levers on the LQ-2500 have icons (small pictures) beside them as shown in Figure 1-9. These icons (shown below) remind you whether to push the lever back or pull it forward when you load paper.
4. Place the paper on the paper guide with its left edge next to the edge tab as shown in Figure 1-10. Push the paper firmly into the printer, then let go of it. The display changes from [PAPER OUT] to [OFF LINE]. 5. Pull the paper bail lever forward to the single-sheet loading position (indicated by the icon).
8 Running the Self Test The LQ-2500 has a built-in self test that prints out the characters in its memory so that you can be sure the printer is working properly WARNING You must load 14-inch-wide paper lengthwise when running the self test. The character sets print in 14-inch lines; if the paper is too narrow, characters print on the platen.
The self test printout Current setting >QUALITY Draft >FONT Draft >PITCH 10CPI >CONDENSED Off >FORM LENGTH 11.0" >1" SKIP Off >LEFT MARGIN 0 >RIGHT MARGIN 136 >CG TABLE Italic >COUNTRY USA >PRINT DIR.
The self test continues until you turn the printer off, or until the printer runs out of paper and displays [PAPER OUT]. 9 Connecting the Printer to Your Computer Your LQ-2500 has two separate interface connections. Therefore, you must be sure to use the one that your computer requires.
Some parallel cables have a ground wire. Connect this wire to the ground screw on the printer to protect data from interference. Then plug the other end of the cable into the computer and connect the ground wire on the computer end of the cable if it has one.
With a single sheet of paper loaded, are the POWER, ON LINE, and READY lights on, and does the display read [ON LINE]? If not, press the ON LINE button to place the printer on line.
Chapter 2 SelecType SelecType on the LQ-2500 brings a new dimension to printing. With SelecType you can now control almost every aspect of printer operation.
When you press the two ENTER SelecType buttons, the four control panel buttons switch to their SelecType labels. The control panel buttons cannot be used for their other labeled functions until you exit SelecType. Entering SelecType 1. Make sure that the power is on, and that the printer is on line.
The SelecType Main Menu The SelecType main menu lists the four modes that let you control printer functions and operation. Whenever you exit from any of the modes, you always return to the main menu. An * next to the name of the mode indicates that you’re in the main menu.
* LOAD MACRO The *Load Macro mode lets you load one of the preset macros, or a macro you’ve created. You can use the *Change Macro mode to create and save your own macro. When you turn the printer on, one of the four macros is loaded automatically as the default macro.
Macro #l Preset macro #1 is set for draf t printing/word processing to produce high - speed, draft quality printing. It can b e used for word processing to print roug h drafts , or for any job you need printed i n a hurry . You can also use enhancements an d print styles , including italic, double- - Width , and emphasized .
When loading another macro, the new macro’s settings immediately become the printers current settings. (See *Change Macro for a full explanation of current settings.) The first macro isn’t lost, because it remains stored in the LQ’s memory-that’s the advantage of a macro.
3. To load a macro, press SETTING to display the macro number you want to load. 4. Press MENU to load that macro. The display shows the macro number that is loaded [MACRO #n LOADED], then returns to the main menu. Aborting or exiting 1. If you decide you don’t want to load a macro, you can choose the [DO NOT LOAD MACRO] option.
*CHANGE MACRO The 14 settings and their options shown in Table 2-1 control printing and printer operation. These settings are the heart of the SelecType system. (There are additional settings that can be changed in the *Change Defaults mode.) If you are unfamiliar with any of the terms in the table, consult the Glossary in the back of this manual.
These current settings can be printed out with the *Print Out Settings mode, described later in this chapter. A sample printout appears below. Current setting >QUALITY Draft >FONT Draft >PITCH 10CPI >CONDENSED Off >FORM LENGTH 11.
With the *Change Macro mode you always change the current settings. As soon as you choose and set a different option, that new choice becomes a current printer setting.
4 When you see the option you want, leave it displayed. 5. Now press SETTING again. When you press SETTING after OPTION, the displayed option becomes the current printer setting.
1. Select the settings and options you want to change as described in the previous steps 1-5. Whether you’re just changing the current settings, or saving them as a macro, selecting the settings and options is the same. 2. After changing the settings (you can change as few or as many as you want), press MENU.
*CHANGE DEFAULTS The defaults are the settings in effect when you turn the printer on. Table 2-2 shows the default settings and options for the LQ-2500. If there are any terms you don’t understand, consult the Glossary at the back of this manual. Table 2-2.
Default macro The preset defaults include a default macro. Each time you turn the LQ-2500 on, it needs setup instructions. The LQ-2500 uses the settings contained in the default macro to prepare for printing. When you receive your LQ, the default macro is set for macro 1.
Auto Line feed and SLCT-IN Most application programs send automatic line feeds at the end of every line, so this option should remain Off. However, if all of the lines are printing on top of each other, change this setting from Off to On. For most application programs, and most uses, the SLCT-IN setting should remain Valid.
1. From the SelecType main menu, press MENU until the display shows [*CHANGE DEFAULTS]. 2. Press SETTING to see the default settings listed in Table 2-2. 3. Select a setting you want to change, then press OPTION to display the options for that setting.
Aborting or exiting 1. If you decide you don’t want to change the default settings, choose the [DO NOT SAVE DEFAULTS option. Press MENU and the display shows SAVE DEFFlULTS ABOUT], then returns to the main menu, leaving the defaults unchanged.
*PRINT OUT SETTINGS The *Print Out Settings mode gives you an immediate printout of the six SelecType listings, as shown below. (Although the print quality calls for draft, this printout is in Letter Quality) Current setting >QUALITY Draft >FONT Draft >PITCH lOCP1 >CONDENSED Off >FORH LENGTH 11.
Printing out the settings MENU *PRINT OUT SETTINGS 1. From the Selecl Type main menu, press MENU until the display shows [*PRINT OUT SETTINGS]. 2. Now press SETTING. The display shows [OK?-Option] for confirmation. 3. If you want to print, press OPTION to begin printing.
Chapter 3 Choosing and Loading Paper The LQ-2500 printer can accommodate many different sizes and types of paper, using either its automatic single-sheet loading feature or its built-in adjustable tractor. The tractor is easy to use and can handle a wide range of paper widths.
whenever required, making single sheets as easy and convenient to use as continuous-feed paper. The automatic sheet feeder has its own users manual. Reloading during printing When you print a document.
Clear enough space around the printer so that the paper has an unobstructed path in and out of the printer. There are three common methods of arranging a printer and continuous-feed paper: l Using a printer stand with the paper stacked underneath it.
5. Move the left sprocket unit all the way to the left and pull the locking lever forward to hold it in position. Note With the sprocket unit in this position, you always have a margin at the left side.
10. If the paper is straight and has no wrinkles, lock the right sprocket unit in place. 11. Turn the paper feed knob slowly to feed the paper under the metal plate in front of the tractor. (The diagram on the metal plate shows how the paper should go through.
Setting the top of form position Finally you need to establish a top of form position so that the printer does not print on the perforations. The top of form position is the position of the paper when the power is turned on. This position is also reset whenever a program initializes the printer or sets the page length.
Remember that you should never advance the paper using the paper feed knob while the power is turned on. You can damage the mechanism of the printer, and the printer will lose track of the top of form position. Loading Labels You can use labels on a continuous-feed backing, with a perforated backing sheet for use with the tractor.
The Paper Thickness Lever You can adjust the LQ-2500 to accommodate different thicknesses of paper. You need to do this when you print labels or carbon copies. Before moving the paper thickness lever, always turn off the power and open the dust cover.
Always return the lever to the normal position when you resume printing on normal paper. Choosing and Loading Paper 3-9.
Chapter 4 Using the LQ-2500 with Application Programs Now that you’ve set up and tested the printer, you should make sure the LQ-2500 works with the application programs you want to use. If you’re familiar with application programs and printer selection routines, simply consult the following table.
Choosing the Correct Printer Most application programs let you specify the type of printer you’re using, so that the program can take full advantage of the printer’s features. Many programs provide an installation or setup section that presents a list of printers from which to choose.
If you’re using control codes to select printer functions for an application program or programming language, check the documentation. Different programs and languages use different methods of sending printer commands.
Processors, Spreadsheets, and Graphics programs. In addition, a brief explanation of programming languages is also included at the end of the chapter. Word Processors In many ways, word processors demand the most from your printer.
Initialization Whenever you turn the power on for the LQ, an initialization sequence is performed that sets the printer to its default values (see Chapter 2 and Appendix E). Many word processors also send out an initialization command to reset the printer before printing.
Most word processors are not initially set up to send all of the commands you might want to use. Most of them have a key or sequence of keys, to send the bold command.
Spreadsheets Although spreadsheets seldom use as many printing styles as word processors, they do have some very specific requirements. Installation and column width If your spreadsheet program provid.
SelecType-You have the choice of using the four preset SelecType macros, or creating your own. One of those preset macros (macro 3) is for spreadsheets. It’s set up to print in draft quality, condensed mode, with a right margin of 135 (for 136 columns).
Initialization Like many word processors, some spreadsheet programs also send out an initialization command to reset the printer before printing. This initialization, or reset command, is sent to ensure that unknown settings do not influence the information the program sends to the printer.
Setting Up Graphics Programs The LQ-2500 is capable of producing finely detailed graphic images in black or in color (with the optional color kit). Chapter 6 gives specific information on the graphics commands. However, the easiest way to take advantage of the LQ’s capabilities is with one of the many graphics programs available.
Programming Languages Most users rely on application programs to send commands to the printer. However, an awareness of programming languages can be helpful in exploring a printer’s potential or troubleshooting a printing problem. For example, you might want to set up your application program to send a command for italic printing.
You can also use the LPRINT statement to send kxt to the printer, but it must be enclosed in quotation marks, as shown below. LPRINT "This is a sample of italic." To test the italic command, you would send: 10 LPRINT CHR$(27);"4"; 20 LPRINT "This is a sample of italic.
Chapter 5 Using the LQ-2500 Print Features This chapter describes the wide variety of fonts, print widths, styles, and enhancements available with the LQ-2500, including: High-speed Draf t Letter Qual.
selecting print quality There are three easy methods of changing between draft and Letter Quality l The control panel-With the printer on line, you can press the LQ button to select Letter Quality or the DRAFT button to select draft.
All five fonts are available through SelecType, or with the LQ button. You can switch to draft quality from any of the fonts, but there is only one style of draft. Selecting fonts with the LQ button-You can switch among the five fonts without having to go into SelecType.
Print Pitch and Character Width To add greater variety to your documents, the LQ-2500 can print in three different pitches and perform proportional spacing. The SelecType Pitch setting lets you set the LQ accordingly The three pitches are: 10 characters per inch (pica), 12 characters per inch (elite), and 15 characters per inch.
Proportional spacing is the exception. Only the Roman and Sans Serif fonts have proportional spacing tables. If you select proportional for any other fonts, the printer will print in the selected font, but the results may be uneven.
printer command sent from an application program or programming language. Be aware that widening or narrowing characters also widens or narrows the spaces between words and letters. Word processors usually create a left margin by printing spaces. If you change character widths, you may need to adjust the number of characters on a line.
Superscripts and subscripts can be used for printing footnote numbers and mathematical formulas. The example below shows underlining and superscripts and subscripts combined in a mathematical formula H2 0 E=mc 2 average = (a 1 + a 2 + ........ + a n ) _ n Using Character Tables and Sets The LQ-2500 has two built-in methods of generating characters.
Although you won’t see italic characters in the Graphic table, most application programs use ESC 4 and ESC 5 to turn italic on and off. This gives you italic with the Graphic option. (If your application program prints graphics characters when you ask for italic characters, then switch to the Italic character set.
Table 5-2. International characters in Letter Quality I USA FRANCE GERMANY UK DENMARK 1 SWEDEN ITALY SPAIN 1 JAPAN NORWAY DENMARK 2 SPAIN2 LATIN AMERICA The color option If you’ve installed the color option kit, a printer command lets you select any of seven colors, including black.
Chapter 6 Graphics and User-defined Characters The dot graphics modes allow your LQ-2500 to produce pictures, graphs, charts, or almost any other pictorial material you can devise.
If you use an application program that produces graphics, or a package such as a spreadsheet that produces graphics, ail you need to know about dot graphics is how to use the program. If, on the other hand, you wish to do your own programming or merely wish to understand how the LQ-2500 prints graphics, read on.
Dot patterns The LQ-2500 prints graphics 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.
To fire any one pin, you send its number. To fire more than one pin at the same time, add up the numbers of the pins and send the sum to the printer. With these labels for the pins, you fire the top pin by sending 128. To fire the bottom pin, you send 1.
such as emphasized and double-width, one code turns the mode on and another turns it off. For graphics, the commands are more complicated because a code that turns on a graphics mode also specifies how many columns it will use. After the LQ-2500 receives this code, it interprets the next numbers as pin patterns and prints them on the paper.
Therefore, the graphics mode command uses two numbers for reserving columns. To figure the number of columns reserved, multiply the second number by 256 and add it to the first number. Since the command is set up for two numbers, you must supply two numbers even if you need only one.
Using handcalculated data to print graphics You can now perform the simplest application of graphics-using hand-calculated data to print graphic images. While this method is the most tedious, it helps you understand dot graphics. Also, it is useful for small graphic elements that are used many times.
Write the assigned values of the pins next to your design and then add the values for each column of dots. These totals will be sent to the printer as graphics data to print the design. Fire 6-4 shows the same grid divided into three sections to make the data calculation easier.
The following BASIC program prints the design shown in Figures 6-3 and 64. Notice that the data numbers in lines 80-140 are the same numbers that you see in Figure 64. Also note that the WIDTH statement in line 10 is for IBM@ PC BASIC; the format may be different for your system.
Adding the following lines to the previous program causes the pattern to print 10 times in a row as shown below. 15 FOR C=l TO 10: RESTORE 65 NEXT C Individual graphics options commands As previously mentioned, the LQ-2500 responds to commands that are also used by Epson FX and RX series printers.
This is a quick way to change the aspect ratio of the design that you are printing. Changing the graphics option will change the width without changing the height.
Design grids Printing user-defined characters is like printing graphics patterns becuase you send the printer precise instructions on where you want each dot printed. In fact, planning a userdefined character is like planning a small graphics pattern.
The grid on the right side of Figure 6-5 can be used for either Letter Quality or proportional characters. For Letter Quality you do not use all the columns.
Data numbers 2The bits within each byte have values of 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, and 128. In the vertical column of dots, the bits are arranged so that the most significant bit (which has a value of 128) is at the top and the least significant bit (which has a value of 1) is at the bottom.
Sending information to the LQ-2500 The printer loads characters in the print style (Letter Quality draft, or proportional) and font (Roman, Sans Serif, Courier, Prestige, or Script) that the printer is currently using. It also records whether italic or script (either superscript or subscript) is turned on.
Table 6-3. Character width limits I Text d0 + dl + d2 Tex t (maximum) Draft 9 12 Letter Quality, 10 pitch 29 36 Letter Ouallty, 12 pitch 23 30 Letter Ouality, 15 pitch 15 24 Proportlonal 39 42 The last part of the character definition is the actual data that defines the dot patterns for each character.
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.
Copying ROM to RAM In many cases, you will want to redefine only a few of the characters to suit your needs, and keep the rest of the alphabet. As you have seen, it is possible to switch back and forth between the normal character set and the userdefined character set, but it’s inconvenient.
Superscripts and subscripts You can also create superscript and subscript user-defined characters. Just as Letter Quality characters are defined when the Letter Quality mode is selected, super/subscript characters are created when either superscript or subscript is selected.
If you define characters in one mode, such as draft, then switch to mother mode, such as Letter Quality, the command will be ignored and the LQ will print in the currently sekxted font. The user-defined character definitions, however, remain unaffected.
Appendix A Command Summary This appendix lists and describes all the commands available on the LQ-2500. This summary is divided by topics, but there is a list of the commands in numerical order beginning on page A-4. If you know which command you are looking for, consult this list to find the page number where it is described.
All three formats are equivalent, so you can pick the one best suited to your purpose. For instance, a BASIC programmer might refer to the first and second formats, a word processor might use the second, and a machine code programmer would use the third format.
More complex commands consist of two or more character codes. For example, to print in proportional mode the code format is: ASCII code: ESC p n Decimal: 27 112 n Hexadecimal: 1B 70 n In this case n can be either 1 or 0, to begin or end proportional printing.
Commands in Numerical Order The following list shows control codes and ESCape sequences (with their decimal and hexadecimal values), and the page number where the complete command can be found.
ASCII Dec. Hex. Description Page ESC7 55 37 Esc : 58 3A ESC < 60 3c Esc = 61 3D E-SC> 62 3E ESC? 63 3F ESC @ 64 40 ESCA 65 41 ESCB 66 42 Esc c 67 43 Esc co 67 43 ESC D 68 44 EX E 69 45 ESCF 70 4.
ASCII Dec. Hex. Description Page ESCl 108 6C Set Left Margin .................... . A-17 EC p 112 70 Turn Proportional Mode On/Off ...... . A-24 ESCr 114 72 Select Printing Color ............... . A-22 ESCs 115 73 Turn Half-speed Mode On/Off .........
Epson ESC/P Commands The following section lists and describes all the Epson IX/P commands. Printer Operation Initialization EC @ InitiaIize Printer Format: ASCII code: ESC Decimal: 27 E Hexadecimal: 1B 40 Comments: Resets the printer mode and clears the current print line preceding the command.
DC3 Format: ASCII code: DC3 Decimal: 19 Hexadecimal: 13 Deselect Printer Comments: Puts the printer into the deselected state until select printer code (DCl) is received.
Printing direction ES C Select Unidirectional Mode (one line) Format: ASCII code: ESC < . Decimal: 27 60 Hexadecimal: 1B 3C Comments: Printing is normally bidirectional. This command selects unidirectional printing for one line only (It is cancelled by a carriage return.
ESC EM Turn Automatic Sheet Feed Mode On/Off Format: ASCII code: ESC EM n Decimal: 27 25 n Hexadecimal: 1B. 19 n Comments: The following values can be used for n: 4: Mode is turned ON. 2: Loads sheet from bin 2. 1: Loads sheet from bin 1. R: Ejects a sheet.
Esc> Format: ASCII code: ESC > Decimal: 27 62 Hexadecimal: 1B 3E Comments: Sets the MSB bit of all incoming data as 1. Set MSB to 1 ESC” Cancel MSB Control Format: ASCII code: ESC # Decimal: 27 Hexadecimal: 1 B ; ; Comments: Cancels the MSB control sit by ESC = or ESC >.
Data Control CR Carriage Return Format: ASCII code: CR Decimal: 13 Hexadecimal: OD Comments: Prints the data in the buffer and returns the print position to the left margin. A line feed may be added if AUTO LINE FEED = ON is set with SelecType, or if the AUTO FEED XT line on the parallel interface is held LOW.
ESC c Set Page Length in Lines Format: ASCII code: ESC C R Decimal: 27 67 n Hexadecimal: 1B 43 n Comments: Sets the page length to n lines in the current line spacing. The value of n must be from 1-127 lines. The top of form position is set to the current line.
Esc 0 Format: ASCII code: ESC 0 Decimal: 27 79 Hexadecimal: 1B 4F Cancel Skip-over-perforation Comments: Cancels the skip-over-perforation set by ESC N. Overrides the skip over-perforation setting in SelecType. Line feeding LF Line Feed Format: ASCII code: LF Decimal 10 Hexadecimal: OA .
ESC2 Format: ASCII code: ESC 2 Decimal: 27 50 Hexadecimal: 1B 32 Select l/6-inch Line Spacing Comments: Sets the line spacing to l/6 of an inch for subsequent line feed commands. The 2 is the digit two and not ASCII code 2. This is the default at power on.
ESCJ Format: Perform n/ 180-4nch Line Feed ASCII code: ESC J n Decimal: 27 74 n Hexadecimal: 1B 4A n Comments: Advances the paper n/180 of an inch. The value of n must be from O-255. This command produces an immediate line feed but does not affect subsequent line spacing and does not produce a carriage return.
ESCb Format: Set Vertical Tabs in Channels ASCII code: ESC b c nl n2 ... ... ... 0 Decimal: 27 98 c nl n2 ... ... ... 0 Hexadecimal: 1B 62 c nl n2 ... ... ... 00 Comments: Functions the same as ESC B, except that the variable c selects a channel for the vertical tabs, which must be between O-7.
ESC Q Format: Set Right Margin ASCII code: ESC Q n Decimal: 27 81 n Hexadecimal: 1B 51 n Comments: Sets the right margin to n columns in the current pitch. The maximum value of n is as follows: 136 in 10 pitch, 233 in condensed, 163 in 12 pitch, 272 in condensed 12 pitch and 204 in 15 pitch.
ESC $ Set Absolute Print Position Format: ASCII code: ESC $ nl n2 Decimal: 27 36 nl n2 Hexadecimal: 1B 24 nl n2 Comments: This sequence specifies the distance from the left margin that subsequent characters are to be printed, using this formula: total number of dots = nl + (n2 x 256).
Horizontal tabbing HT Tab Horizontally Format: ASCII code: HT Decimal: 9 Hexadecimal: 09 Comments: Advances the print position to the next horizontal tab setting. The default settings are at intervals of eight characters in the default pitch, and tab positions are not affected by subsequent changes in character pitch.
Overall Printing Style ESC x Select Letter Quality or Draft Format: ASCII code: ESC n Decimal: 27 120 n Hexadecimal: 1B 78 n Comments: The following values can be used for n: 0: Selects the draft mode.
ESC r Format: ASCII code: ESC n Decimal: 27 114 n Hexadecimal: IB 72 n Select Printing Color Comments: ‘The variable n selects the printing color according to the table below.
Print Size and Character Width ESC P Format: ASCII code: ESC Decimal: 27 80 Hexadecimal: IB 50 Select 10 Pitch (Pica) Comments: Selects IO pitch (10 characters per inch). Because 10 pitch is the default pitch, this command is normally used to cancel 12 pitch (elite), or I5 pitch.
ESC P Turn Proportional Mode On/Off Format: ASCII code: ESC n Decimal: 27 112 n Hexadecimal: 1B 70 n 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.
ESC SI Select Condensed Mode Format: ASCII code: ESC SI Decimal: 27 15 Hexadecimal: 1B OF Comments: Duplicates the SI command. DC2 Cancel Condensed Mode Format: ASCII code: DC2 Decimal: 18 Hexadecimal: 12 Comments: Cancels condensed printing set by SI.
DC4 Format: ASCII code: DC4 Decimal: 20 Hexadecimal: 14 Cancel Double-width Mode (one line) Comments: Cancels one-line double-width printing selected by SO or ESC SO, but not double-width printing selected by ESC W or ESC !.
ESC F Cancel Emphasized Mode Format: ASCII code: ESC F Decimal: 27 70 Hexadecimal: 1B 46 Comments: Cancels emphasized, the mode selected by ESC E. ESC G Select Double&rike Mode Format: ASCII code: ESC G Decimal: 27 71 Hexadecimal: 1B 47 Comments: Makes text bolder by printing each line twice, with the second printing slightly below the first.
ESC S 0 Select Superscript Mode ASCII code: ESC S 0 Decimal: 27 83 0 Hexadecimal: 1B 53 0 Comments: Prints characters about two-thirds of the normal character height in the upper part of the character space.
ESC - Format: Turn Underlining Mode On/Off ASCII code: ESC - n Decimal: 27 45 n Hexadecimal: 1B 2D n Comments: The following values can be used for n: 1: Mode is turned ON. 0: Mode is turned OFF. This mode provides continuous underlining, including spaces.
ESC SP (space) Format: Set Intercharacter Space ASCII code: ESC SP n Decimal: 27 32 n Hexadecimal: 1B 20 n Comments: Sets the amount of space added to the right of each character, in addition to the space already allowed in the design of the character.
ESC 4 Select Italic Mode Format: ASCII code: ESC 4 Decimal: 27 52 Hexadecimal: 1B 34 Comments: Causes characters from the italic character table to be printed. This command is valid even if the Epson Graphic set has been selected by ESC t or the SelecType CG Table function, but character graphics are not italicized.
User-defined Characters Note: See Chapter 6 for sample programs and full information on this topic. ESC & Define User-defined Characters Format: ASCII code: ESC & 0 dl d2 ... ... ... d n Decimal: 27 38 0 dl d2 ... ... ... dn Hexadecimal: 1B 26 00 dl d2 .
ESC 6 Enable Printable Characters Format: ASCII code: ESC 6 Decimal: 27 54 Hexadecimal: 1B 36 Comments: When the Graphic character table is selected, this code enables the printing of codes 128 through 159 (decimal) as characters, not control codes.
ESC L Select Double-density Graphics Mode Format: ASCII code: ESC L nl n2 Decimal: 27 76 nl n2 Hexadecimal: 1B 4C nl n2 Comments: Turns on eight-pin, low-speed, double-density graphics mode.
Table A-1. Graphics Modes CRT I 8 4 80 CRT II a 6 90 Sinale-densltv 24 32 60 Double-density 24 33 120 i CRT III 24 38 90 Triple-density 24 39 180 Hex-density’ 24 40 360 ‘Adjacent dots cannot De pr.
Appendix B ASCII Conversion Chart and Character Tables This appendix contains an ASCII conversion chart, the LQ-2500 character sets in Roman font only and proportional width tables. See Appendix C for representations of San Serif, Prestige, Courier, and Script character sets.
Decimal 33 34 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 Hexadecimal Character 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 2A.
International Character Sets-Draft USA # France # Germany # UK f Dermark I # Sweden # Italy St Spain Pt Japan # MM Y t Demark II Spain II # Latin P4neric.
How to Use the Charts To determine the hexadecimal number that prints a particular character, find the character in one of the tables; then look at the top of its column and at the beginning of its row.
Epson Italics Character Set-Draft 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 cs 8 C D E F 0123456789ABCDE F Epson Italics Character Set-Letter Quality 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 789ABCDE F 0 0 @ P' p 0@P' p 1 .
Epson Graphics Character Set-Draft (Control Codes Disabled) 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 6 9 A B C D E F 123456789ABCDE F Epson Graphics Character Set-Letter Quality (Control Codes Disabled) 0 1 23456789ABCDE F .
Epson Graphics Character Set (Control Codes Enabled) 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F 1 2 3 4 56789ABCDE F ASCII Conversion Chart and Chracter Tables B-7.
Proportional Width Tables This table lists the widths of the LQ-2500’s proportional characters. The values given are in 360 ths of an inch (for example: a value of 36 is 36/360ths of an inch).
Table B-1. Proportional character widths (continued) ASCII Conversion Chart and Character Tables B-9.
Table B-1. Proportional character widths (continued) Super/subscript B-10 ASCII Conversion Chart and Character Tables.
Table B-1 Proportional character widths (continued) ASCII Conversion Chart and Character Tables B-11.
Appendix C Typestyle Summary The LQ-2500 can produce a wide range of typestyles by combining different fonts, character widths, print qualities, and other enhance ments. In addition, you can include superscripts and subscripts and underlining with any style you choose.
San Serif !“#$%&‘()*+,-./0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJ K LMNOPORSTUVWXYZ[]^-’ abcdefghijklmnopqrstu v We’ve just seen your excellent ad fo r miniature zebras in a recent back issu e of Trader’s Times . What is the pric e schedule for quantities over one gross ? Courier !"#$%a'()*+,-.
Epson Draft You can also print in Epson draft quality for high-speed printing. Although there are five Letter Quality fonts, when you select draft you will always print in the style shown below.
Table C-2. Master Select For example, to print a title, you may want to use double-width 10 pitch characters and print them in double-strike mode. You would add three numbers together to calculate the value of n.
Appendix D Problem Solving and Maintenance Printer does not print Problem This appendix presents solutions for possible problems, explanations of the LQ’s advanced features, and tips on maintaining and transporting your printer. General Troubleshooting Recommendation Make sure that the printer is turned on, and that the POWER light is on.
Problem Printing is patchy, faint, uneven, or intermittent Alternate lines are printed backwards All the text is printed on the same line Text IS printed with an extra blank line between Recommendation Check that the ribbon is seated correctly and that the pins at either side are located properly in the holes in the ribbon carriage.
Problem Recommendation Some of the characters printed do not match those in the file Check the SelecType Country setting in Chapter 2, and see the International Character Tables in Appendix B. Paper feeding problems See Chapter 3 for specific instructions on loading paper.
Troubleshooting Graphics Problems Problem Recommendation Strange dot patterns appear in graphics printouts Many computers have problems sending one or more of the codes between 0 and 13.
Troubleshooting for Serial Interface Communications Problem Printer prints one character then stops Recommendation The LQ uses the DTR signal and the X-on/X-off protocol (via TXD) to tell the computer whether it is ready to receive characters or whether it is busy printing.
you can see what codes are being sent to the printer. If characters are printable, they appear as their true ASCII characters. Non-printable codes, such as control codes are shown by a dot. 1 6 3 8 1 2 1B 5 0 I B 3 2 O A OD OA 0 0 OA OD OA OD OD .8..P.
Solutions for IBM and Compatibles If you suspect that your computer or software is causing a problem, consult your users manuals for those products. Some problems may arise when using operating system commands or writing your own programs in the computer’s resident language.
brush or cloth, and never use alcohol or a thinner to clean the printer, because it could damage the print head and the case. Do not spray the inside of the printer with oil: unsuitable oils can dam- age the mechanism. If lubrication is needed, contact your Epson dealer.
Appendix E Initialization and Default Settings There are three ways that the printer can be initialized (returned to a fixed set of conditions). 1. The power is turned ON. 2. The printer receives an m signal at the parallel interface (pin 31 becomes LOW).
l The bit image mode assignment is: ESCK=ESC*0,ESCL=ESC*1,ESCY=ESC*2, ESCz=Esc*3 . In addition, when the printer is initialized by turning on the power or by an INIT signal, the data buffer is cleared of all text.
Appendix F Choosing and Setting Up Optional Interfaces This appendix contains information on Epson interfaces compatible with LQ printers, instructions on choosing the right interface for a particular job, and instructions for installing internally mounted interface boards.
Choosing an Interface This section describes the interfaces. IEEE-488 and Apple interfaces The IEEE-488 system allows you to connect computers, printers, and other peripherals so that they can share data freely Epson offers two types of IEEE488 interfaces.
Three Epson serial interfaces are suitable for LQ printers. All three offer a choice of 7-bit or g-bit data, and support Current Loop operation in addition to RS-232C. They also offer a choice of other features, which are listed in Table F-2. Table F-2.
Installing an Interface Before installing an interface, you must remove the printer’s cover, WARNING Do not remove the cover unless the printer is turned OFF because high voltages are present inside the printer when the power is on.
7. With the printer facing you, unclip the left side of the control panel and lift it up slightly to release it from the case (Figure F-2). 8. At each side of the front panel there is a retaining clip, as shown in Figure F-3. One is reached through the control panel opening.
Inserting the Interface Board 1. Remove the upper case of the printer, following the steps described in the previous section. 2. Remove the blanking plate above the parallel connector (as shown in Figure F-5) to allow access to the new interface connector when the case is reassembled.
Serial Interface Settings If you are using an optional serial interface, you may need to change the communications protocol of the printer or the computer for them to communicate properly The protocol.
The three following tables contain all the information you need for the optional interface settings. Table F-4 Baud rate setting Interface 1200 number #8143 #8148 2400 68149(M) Baud rate 300 4800 600 .
Appendix G Technical Specifications Printing Printing method Impact dot matrix Printing speed 324 characters per second per line in draft 12 pitch 270 characters per second per line in draft 10 pitch .
Paper Number of copies Up to 4 sheets, including the original. Total thickness not to exceed 0.22mm Paper width Continuous-feed Single-sheet 4” to 16” (101mm to 406mm) 7.
Electrical Voltage 120V AC, f 10% Non-switchable Consumption 120 VA Frequency 49.5 Hz - 60.5 Hz Insulation resistance 10 Mohms between AC power line and chassis Dielectric strength 120 V model can withstand 1 kV rms applied between AC line and chassis for 1 minute, or 1.
Amendix H Interface Specifications The LQ-2500 is equipped with both a parallel and a serial interface. Both are described in this appendix. WARNING Do not connect cables to both interfaces.
Table H-1. Pins and signals H-2 Interface Specifications.
The Serial Interface The LQ-2500 standard serial interface is an RS-232C interface with the following characteristics: Synchronization Asynchronous Data format 1 start bit data word length: 8 bits odd.
Error handling All errors are ignored. Connector 6-pin DIN connector. In Table H-2, the direction of signals is given relative to the printer. Table H-2. Send interface Pin Signal number Signal direction Description 1 TXD out Transmits data for X-on/X-off 2 DTR out Whether or not the printer IS ready to (Reverse receive data.
Glossary Note that these definitions apply specifically to printers. If a word is italicized, see that topic for more information. Application program Software designed to perform a specific task, such as word processing or accounting. ASCII American Standard Code for information Interchange.
CG table The LQ-2500 has three Character Generator (CC) tables: Italic, Graphic, and Download. These tables contain the characters printed by the printer. See Chapter 5 for more information on the tables; see Appendix B for printouts of the tables themselves.
Default Values or settings that take effect when the equipment is turned on, reset, or initialized. For example, 10 pitch is usually the default width, which means that the printer prints in 10 pitch unless it is told to use another width. On the LQ-2500, the SelecType Default Settings are used to set the default values.
Elite See 12 pitch. Emphasized A printing mode in which each dot is printed twice, with the second I slightly to the right of the first. Escape (ESC) A special control code used to begin most printer commands.
Hexadecimal (hex) See Number systems. Half speed This is a SelecType setting that slows down print speed for quieter operation. Hex dump See Data dump. Initialize Return the printer to its defaults. Interface The connection between the computer and the printer.
Macro A group of settings that can be saved and recalled by pressing a sequence of buttons. SelecType has four macros. Main menu in SelecType, the main menu displays the four modes: *Load Macro, *Change Macro, *Change Defaults, and *Print Out Settings.
Parity RAM Parity is a method for a computer and printer to check the reliability of data transmission. Pica See IO pitch. Pitch Indicates the number of characters per inch (cpi). For example, 10 pitch printing is 10 cpi. Platen The black roller that provides a backing for the printing.
ROM Read Only Memory. The portion of the printers memory that is permanent. The printer uses the information in the ROM, but the information cannot be changed. SLCT-IN For most application programs, and most uses, the SLCT-IN setting should remain Valid.
Unidirectional printing Printing in one direction only Allows more precise vertical alignment than bidirectional printing. Often used for printing graphics. User-defined characters Characters defined and stored in the printer by the user. Also called download characters.
Index Command descriptions and definitions of terms are not indexed here. For page references for specific commands, see pages A-4 - 6 or the Quick Reference Card. For definitions of terms, see the Glossary. A American Standard Code for Information Interchange, 4-2 - 3 Application programs, 4-1 - 12 setting up, 4-1 - 4 ASCII.
E Edge tab, 1-9- 10 Elite. See 12 pitch Emphasized printing, 5-6 ESUP module, 5-8 ESCape codes, 4-2 - 3 See also Commands Indicator lights, 1-6 - 9, 2-2 Initialization, 1-6, E-1 -2 installing software.
N Numbering systems, 4-3 0 OFF LINE, 1-7 - 8 ON LUE, 1-7-8 light, 1-7, 1-9 Optional interfaces, F-1 - 8 P Panel, control, 1-6 - 9 Panel, SelecType, 2-1 - 2 Paper, choosing, 3-1 feeding, 1-8 length, 2-8 . loading continuous feed, 3-2 - 7 loading single sheets, 1-1 0 - 12, 3-1 reloading, 3-2 size, 3-1 thickness, 3-1 width, 3-1 Paper bail, 1-2.
Slct-in, 2-15 Specifications, interface, H-1 -4 technical, Gl -3 Spreadsheets, 4-7 - 9 Sprockets. See Paper, continuous feed Subscripts, 5-7 Superscripts, 5-7 T Ten pitch, 5-4 -5 Top of form, 3-6 Tractor, 3-2 - 5 Troubleshooting, D-5 - 5 general, D-1 - 3 graphics, D-4 IBM BASIC, D-7 IBM and compatibles.
Cond and ESCape Codes by Function mu Code Conversion Chart Dee Hex char Dec Her Char Dec Hex Char.
An important point after buying a device Epson LQ-2500 (or even before the purchase) is to read its user manual. We should do this for several simple reasons:
If you have not bought Epson LQ-2500 yet, this is a good time to familiarize yourself with the basic data on the product. First of all view first pages of the manual, you can find above. You should find there the most important technical data Epson LQ-2500 - thus you can check whether the hardware meets your expectations. When delving into next pages of the user manual, Epson LQ-2500 you will learn all the available features of the product, as well as information on its operation. The information that you get Epson LQ-2500 will certainly help you make a decision on the purchase.
If you already are a holder of Epson LQ-2500, but have not read the manual yet, you should do it for the reasons described above. You will learn then if you properly used the available features, and whether you have not made any mistakes, which can shorten the lifetime Epson LQ-2500.
However, one of the most important roles played by the user manual is to help in solving problems with Epson LQ-2500. Almost always you will find there Troubleshooting, which are the most frequently occurring failures and malfunctions of the device Epson LQ-2500 along with tips on how to solve them. Even if you fail to solve the problem, the manual will show you a further procedure – contact to the customer service center or the nearest service center
