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Page 3: Fcc Compliance Statement
Seiko Epson Corporation and its affiliates specifically disclaim any and all liability for any damages or claims based upon or due to the use or combination of any Epson printer with any hardware, software or other items not supplied by Seiko Epson Corporation or its affiliates or approved by Seiko Epson Corporation or its affiliates for use with Epson printers.
Page 4: Table Of Contents
Table of Contents Introduction ..........1 Features .
Page 5 Commands in Numerical Order ......8-4 Epson (ESC/P) Commands ....... 8-8 IBM Emulation Mode Commands .
Page 6: Introduction
24-pin printers. Features In addition to the high-quality printing and ease of operation you’ve come to expect from Epson printers, the FX-850 and FX-1050 offer the following: The SmartPark™ paper handling system that lets you use single sheets of paper without removing the continuous paper, eliminates paper waste with short tear-off, and allows easy and accurate paper alignment.
Page 7: Options
Options A variety of printer options are available for use with FX printers. For detailed information on the installation and use of these options, see Chapter 7. Single-bin and dual-bin cut sheet feeders A cut sheet feeder gives you easier and more efficient handling of single sheet paper.
Page 8 Chapter 4 contains information designed to help you get the most from your printer. This section includes advice on the use of software, printer commands, graphics, and user-defined characters. Also, see Chapter 8 for a summary of printer commands. If the printer does not operate properly or the printed results are not what you expect, see Chapter 6 for a list of possible problems and recommended solutions.
Page 9: Setting Up The Printer
Chapter 1 Setting Up the Printer Unpacking the Printer ........Removing the protective materials .
Page 10: Unpacking The Printer
Unpacking the Printer As you unpack the printer, check that you have all the parts shown below and that none has been damaged during transportation. Note: You’ll find the platen knob in a piece of the foam packing. After removing the parts, store the packaging materials in case you ever need to transport your printer.
Page 11: Removing The Protective Materials
Removing the protective materials The printer is protected during shipping by a print head protector, two locking tabs, and two screws. These protective items must be removed before you turn on the printer. After removing these items, store them with the other packaging material. 1.
Page 12 3. Remove the left and right locking tabs. 4. Slide the print head to the middle of the printer. Then, use the enclosed cross-head screwdriver to unscrew and remove the two red screws. WARNING: Be sure to remove all protective materials before you turn on the printer.
Page 13: Choosing A Place For The Printer
Choosing a Place for the Printer When you select a location for your printer, keep the following 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 for easy operation and maintenance.
Page 14: Assembling The Printer
WARNING: Avoid locations that are subject to direct sunlight, excessive heat, moisture, or dust. Avoid using electrical outlets that are controlled by wall switches or automatic timers. Accidental disruption of power can wipe out information in both your computer’s memory and your printer’s memory. Avoid using outlets on the same circuit with large motors or other appliances that might disturb the power supply.
Page 15 1. Insert the knob into the hole on the printer’s side and rotate it until it slips onto the shaft. 2. Push firmly on the knob until it fits against the printer case. Caution: Never use the platen knob to adjust the position of the paper except in the case of a paper jam.
Page 16: Installing The Ribbon Cartridge
Installing the ribbon cartridge Follow these steps to install the ribbon cartridge: 1. Slide the print head to the middle of the printer. Caution: Never move the print head while the printer is turned on because this can damage the printer. Also, if you have been using the printer, the print head may be hot;...
Page 17 3. Turn the ribbon-tightening knob in the direction of the arrow. This removes any excess slack in the ribbon and makes it easier to install. 4. Hold the ribbon cartridge by its handles and push it firmly down into position, making sure the plastic hooks fit into the printer. (The FX-850 has only one handle in the center of the ribbon cartridge.) Press lightly on both sides of the cartridge to be sure the hooks are properly inserted.
Page 18 5. Use a pointed object, such as the tip of a pencil, to guide the ribbon between the print head and ribbon guide while you turn the ribbon- tightening knob to help feed the ribbon into place. 6. Slide the print head from side to side to make sure it moves smoothly.
Page 19: Attaching The Paper Guide
Attaching the paper guide The paper guide functions to feed the paper smoothly and efficiently. Follow these steps to install the paper guide: 1. Place the paper guide on the printer. 2. Raise the paper guide until it locks into place. 1-11 Setting Up the Printer...
Page 20: Testing The Printer
3. Now reinstall the printer cover by fitting the legs of the cover into the notches at the front of the printer. 4. Close the printer cover. Testing the Printer Now that your printer is fully assembled, you can use the built-in self test function to see that the printer is working correctly even though it is not connected to a computer.
Page 21: Plugging In The Printer
Plugging in the printer Follow these steps to plug in 1. Be sure the printer is turned off. 2. Plug power cable into a properly grounded electrical outlet. WARNING: five seconds before turning it back on. Rapid switching on and off can damage the printer. Loading a sheet of paper Next, you need to load a FX-850) or 14 inches wide (if you...
Page 22 lever is pushed back to the single sheet 2. Be sure that the paper release position. 3. Move the left edge guide so it locks in place next to the arrow on the paper guide. Setting Up the Printer 1-14...
Page 23 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. 5. Press the LOAD/EJECT button once to automatically load the Paper. If the platen turns without loading the paper, remove the Paper completely and re-insert it more firmly;...
Page 24: Running The Self Test
Running the self test The self test can be run in the high-speed draft mode, the normal draft mode, or near letter quality (NLQ) mode. Follow the steps below. 1. Load a sheet of paper as described above. WARNING: Never run the self test using paper that is narrower than 8¼...
Page 25 Note: To run the self test in high-speed draft mode, you must choose that mode as described in Chapter 3. When Roman or Sans Serif is selected with SelecType, the self test runs in the NLQ mode even if press the LINE FEED 4.
Page 26: Connecting The Printer To Your Computer
Part of a typical self test in NLQ mode is shown below: 3. To end the self test, press the ON LINE button to take the printer off line. Then press the LOAD/EJECT button to eject the paper, and turn off the printer.
Page 27 2. Plug the cable connector securely into the printer. 3. Squeeze the wire clips together until they lock in place on either side of the connector. Note: For your printer to work properly, this connection must be secure. 1-19 Setting Up the Printer...
Page 28 4. If your cable has a ground wire, connect it to the ground connector beneath the interface connector. 5. 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 at the back of the computer.) 1-20 Setting Up the Printer...
Page 29: Paper Handling
Chapter 2 Paper Handling Using Single Sheets ......... Reloading during printing .
Page 30: Using Single Sheets
Using Single Sheets Your printer can handle a wide range of paper sizes up to a maximum width of 10.1 inches on the FX-850 or 14.4 inches on the FX-1050. Always make sure that your printing is confined to the size of paper you are using.
Page 31 Stand the paper guide in an upright position and align the left edge guide with arrow on the paper guide. (You may want to change this position later, depending on the margin settings of your application program.) Adjust the right edge guide to fit Slide the paper down between the edge guides until it meets resistance.
Page 32: Using Continuous Paper
If the platen (black roller) turns but the sheet does not load, remove the completely from the printer. Then make sure the paper release lever sheet is pushed back. Press again. To eject the paper, press the and press the LOAD/EJECT Reloading during printing When you print a document more than one page long using single sheet...
Page 33 3. Release the sprocket lock levers by pulling each lever forward. 4. Slide the left sprocket unit all the way to the left and lock it in place. Paper Handling...
Page 34 5. Next, slide the right sprocket unit to match roughly the width of your paper. (Do not lock it.) 6. Slide the paper support to a point midway between the sprocket units. 7. Open both sprocket covers. Paper Handling...
Page 35 8. Fit the first four holes in the paper over the pins of the sprocket units as shown below. Then close the sprocket covers. 9. Slide the right sprocket unit to a position where the paper is straight and has no wrinkles, and then lock it in place. 10.
Page 36 Caution: When using continuous paper, always make sure that the edge guides are pushed together. 11. Close the printer cover and turn on the printer. 12. Press the LOAD/EJECT position. The printer remembers this position and advances page to position. the same 13.
Page 37: Positioning Your Continuous Paper Supply
Positioning your continuous paper supply Three common ways of positioning your printer and continuous paper supply are shown below. It’s important to keep your paper supply aligned with the tractor so that the paper feeds smoothly into the printer. Paper Handling...
Page 38: 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. To switch from continuous paper to single steps below. the printer cover and press the Open printer off line.
Page 39 3. Press the LOAD/EJECT out of the printer and into a standby position. The paper is still attached to the tractor, but is no longer in the paper path. The light comes on when PAPER OUT paper path. Note: Pressing the LOAD/EJECT back enough to reach a standby position.
Page 40 5. Stand paper guide upright, and adjust match the width of your paper. 6. Close the printer cover. Next, slide the paper between until it meets resistance. At this point, the Press the LOAD/EJECT loading position. 2-12 PAPER OUT button to automatically feed the page to the edge guides to roughly edge guides light turns off.
Page 41: Switching Back To Continuous Paper
8. Press the ON LINE button to put the printer on line. Switching back to continuous paper To switch back to printing with continuous paper, first eject the single sheet of paper and take the printer off line. 1. Open the printer cover. Lower the paper guide onto the back of the printer.
Page 42: Adjusting The Loading Position
Adjusting the Loading Position The loading position is the position of the paper when it automatically loaded by the printer. This position is important because it determines where the printing begins on the page. If the printing is too high or too low on using the micro-adjustment feature described in the next section.
Page 43: Using Short Tear-Off
This section describes using micro-adjustment to change the loading position, but you can adjust the short tear-off position the same way. See the next section on using short tear-off for more information. To perform micro-adjustment of the loading position, first load your paper, and then press indicator light starts to flash.
Page 44 The short tear-off function operates as follows: 1. The perforation at the end of the last printed page feeds to the tear-off edge of the printer cover. 2. Tear off the page using the printer cover’s tear-off edge. 3. If you need to adjust the position of the perforation to meet the tear- off edge, use micro-adjustment.
Page 45: Printing On Special Paper
You can leave the short tear-off feature turned on (DIP switch 1-5 off) even when you are using single sheets. When you move the paper release lever to the single sheet position, short tear-off is disabled. 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 and labels.
Page 46: Multi-Part Forms
For printing on special types of paper, see general guidelines for selecting the right paper thickness lever position to match your paper. Paper Type Paper (single sheets or continuous) Thin paper Multi-part paper 3-sheet 4-sheet Labels Envelopes Air mail Plain Bond (20 lb.) Bond (24 lb.) Always return...
Page 47: Labels
You load continuous multi-part paper the same way that you load continuous paper. See the section on loading continuous paper in this chapter for details. The only difference is that you need to adjust the paper thickness lever to suit the thickness of your paper before loading. See the table above for the correct paper thickness setting.
Page 48 You can also feed envelopes with the optional cut sheet feeder. See the section on the cut sheet feeder in Chapter 7. Before loading envelopes into the cut sheet feeder, you need to adjust the paper thickness lever. See the table showing envelope types and recommended lever positions on page 2-18.
Page 49: Using The Printer
Chapter 3 Using the Printer Operating the Control Panel ........3-2 Lights .
Page 50: Operating The Control Panel
Operating the Control Panel The buttons on the control panel let you control many of the printer settings. The control panel also has indicator lights so you can check the current status of the printer’s various settings. Lights POWER On when the power switch is on and power is supplied.
Page 51: Buttons
Buttons Using the Printer ON LINE This button controls the printer’s on line/ off line status. When on line, the printer can receive and print data. FORM FEED Off line: press this button to eject a single sheet of paper or advance continuous paper to the top of the next page.
Page 52: Selectype
SelecType The settings you select using the SelecType panel remain valid even after you turn off, reset, or initialize the printer. Note: Proportional spacing and condensed mode cannot be combined. If you select both, only proportional spacing works. Other control panel features The control panel also gives you access to several special functions.
Page 53: Setting The Dip Switches
Micro- By pressing the immediately after loading paper or using short tear- adjustment off, you can make fine adjustments to the loading and short tear-off positions. See adjustment in Chapter 2 for more information. By holding down both the Data dump buttons while you turn on the printer, you can turn on the data dump mode.
Page 54: Dip Switch Functions
SW Description Page length Cut sheet feeder mode 1-inch skip over perforation Automatic line feed User-defined Not slashed Slashed Graphic Italic IBM emulation Epson ESC/P See table below 12 inch 11 inch Page ® 3-8, 2-15 Page 3-10 3-10 3-10...
Page 55 Character table When DIP switch 1-3 is on, the Epson Extended Graphics character table is selected. When it is off, the italics character table is selected. The Epson Extended Graphics character table contains international accented characters, Greek characters, and character graphics for printing lines, comers, and shaded areas.
Page 56 Printer mode When DIP switch 1-4 is on, the printer operates in the IBM emulation mode. When it is off, the printer operates in the Epson ESC/P mode. In the IBM emulation mode, DIP switch 1-3 controls the automatic carriage return.
Page 57 International character set Selecting an international character set provides you with the characters used in other languages. To obtain the desired international character set, set switches 1-6, 1-7, and 1-8 according to the DIP switch table on page 3-7. The following table shows the characters that differ in each international character set.
Page 58: Selecting Typestyles
Cut sheet feeder mode When DIP switch 2-2 is on, you can use your printer’s optional cut sheet feeder. See Chapter 7 for more information on using a cut sheet feeder with your printer. Skip over perforation When DIP switch 2-3 is on, a one-inch margin is provided between the last line printed on one page and the first line printed on the next page.
Page 59: Using Selectype
Using SelecType You can use the SelecType control panel to choose fonts, pitches, and condensed printing. The settings you select using the SelecType panel remain valid even after the printer is turned off, reset, or initialized. However, commands from your software application program temporarily override the SelecType settings.
Page 60: Characters Per Inch
The high-speed and normal draft modes use fewer dots per character for faster printing. This makes them ideal for rough drafts and editing work. The only print enhancements that can be combined with high-speed draft are underline and double-strike. If other enhancements are selected, high- speed draft is temporarily ignored and replaced by normal draft.
Page 61: Enhancing Your Printing
Note: Proportional spacing and condensed mode cannot be combined. If you select both, only proportional spacing works. If SelecType does not work Some application programs are designed to control all typestyle functions. These programs cancel all previous typestyle settings by sending certain software commands before printing.
Page 62: Emphasized And Double-Strike Printing
The double-wide mode doubles the width of any size characters. This mode is useful for such purposes as emphasizing headings in reports and making displays, but is usually not suitable for large amounts of text. Another mode for headings and other special uses is double-high: This is double-high.
Page 63: Italic Printing
You can use italic characters for special emphasis or as an alternative typeface. ESC 4 turns on the italic mode even if the current DIP switch setting is set to the Epson Extended Graphics character table. This sentence is in italics.
Page 64 The format of the Master Select code is shown below: ASCII: Decimal: Hexadecimal: To send the Master Select codes to your printer in a decimal format, for example, you send the codes 27, 33, and then whatever value you choose for the variable n.
Page 65 After calculating the value of n, you use the Master Select command to send the value to the printer. To send the Master Select command for double-wide, 12 cpi, and double-strike, you would use the decimal codes 27, 33, and 49. ASCII: Decimal: Hexadecimal:...
Page 66: Using Software And Graphics
Chapter 4 Using Software and Graphics Using the FX with Application Programs ......4-2 Using printer selection menus ....... 4-2 A quick test .
Page 67: Using Software And Graphics
Chapter 4 Using Software and Graphics Using the FX with Application Programs ......4-2 Using printer selection menus ....... 4-2 A quick test .
Page 68: Using The Fx With Application Programs
EX-800 FX-85 FX-80 + FX-80 Epson printer Draft printer If you plan to use the IBM emulation mode, choose IBM Proprinter (if you have an FX-850), IBM Proprinter XL (if you have an FX-1050), IBM Graphics printer, or IBM printer, in...
Page 69: A Quick Test
A quick test After setting up your application program, print a sample document to make sure the program and the FX are communicating properly. If the document doesn’t print correctly, recheck the program’s printer selection and installation procedure. If you’re still having trouble printing, consult the troubleshooting section in Chapter 6.
Page 70 panel. The table below shows you many characters you can fit on a line using these options. If your spreadsheet asks the number of columns your printer can print, decide which mode you will use and supply the appropriate number from this table. Typestyle Normal (10 cpi) 12 cpi...
Page 71: Computer-Printer Communication
Using graphics software The FX is capable of producing finely detailed graphic images. Although the section on graphics later in this chapter gives specific information on the graphics commands, the easiest way to take advantage of the FX’s capabilities is with one of the many graphics programs available. When buying graphics software, always make sure the program has an option to print on an FX printer.
Page 72: Escapesequences
your printer and other peripherals. These ASCII characters do not usually have corresponding keys on the keyboard and cannot be printed as characters by your printer. Escape sequences Although there are more than 30 control codes available to control the operation of your printer, many more codes are required to run today’s sophisticated printers.
Page 73: Using The Command Summary
commands that your printer recognizes are listed in the Command Summary in Chapter 8 and on the Quick Reference card at the back of this manual. Using the Command Summary The commands listed in the Command Summary in Chapter 8 consist of various combinations of ASCII codes.
Page 74: Dot Graphics
Dot Graphics The dot graphics mode allows your FX printer to produce pictures, graphs, charts, or almost any other pictorial material you can devise. Because many commercial software programs use graphics, you may be able to print pictures and graphs like the ones on this and the following page simply by giving your software a few instructions.
Page 75: The Print Head
The quickest and easiest way to print graphics on your printer is to use a commercial graphics program. With such programs you usually create an image on your monitor and then give a command to send the image to the printer. If you use commercial software that produces graphics, all you need to know about dot graphics is how to use the software.
Page 76: Pinlabels
The print head is able to print graphics in addition to text because graphic images are formed on the FX 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 77: Graphics Commands
the same time, add up the numbers of the pins and send the sum to the printer. Therefore, with these labels for the pins, you fire the top pin by sending 128. To fire the bottom pin, you send the top and bottom pins, you simply add 128 and 1, and send 129. By adding the appropriate label numbers together, you can fire any combination of pins.
Page 78: Graphics Programming
The command to enter singledensity graphics mode is ESC K nl n2. In BASIC the command is given in this format: LPRINT CHR$(27);"K";CHR$(nl);CHR$(nZ); In this command, ESC K selects single-density graphics, and nl and n2 specify the number of columns to reserve for graphics. Column reservation numbers The graphics command requires more than one number to specify how many columns to reserve because although one line can use thousands of...
Page 79 The first line of the program specifies single-density graphics for 40 columns: l00 LPRINT CHR$(27);"K";CHR$(@);CHR$(g); The second line is the data that is printed as pin patterns. It uses the number to produce one of the patterns shown above. The FOR-NEXT loop sends columns of data.
Page 80 The program is listed below. The lines inside each pair of FOR and NEXT statements have been indented so that you can see how the program works; the spaces are not needed for the program to run. 100 WIDTH "LPTl:", 255 ll0 LPRINT CHR$(27);"A";CHR$(8);...
Page 81: Density Varieties
The last important thing to do is to reset the printer to its default settings, including the normal line spacing (line Notice that the graphics command (ESC K) can be in effect for only one print line. To print more than one line of graphics, the graphics command must be issued before each line.
Page 82 prints dots in only half the possible dot positions in any one row. The higher density means that the resolution of the pattern is better than in single-density mode. When you design patterns in these two modes, however, you must make sure that no dots overlap. Reassigning a graphics mode Another graphics command lets you assign a different eight-pin graphics mode to one of the specific eight-pin graphics commands.
Page 83 Single In this figure you can see the main rules for graphic design in the three densities: In single-density no dots can be placed on vertical lines, In high-speed double-density, dots can be placed on vertical lines, but no dots can overlap. In double-density, dots can be placed on vertical lines, and they can overlap.
Page 84 After plotting the dots on a grid, you calculate the numbers for each pin pattern by dividing the design grid into separate print lines. For the arrow design, the grid was divided into two lines, each seven dots high. Then each column was examined to calculate the graphics data. The results for the first line are shown below.
Page 85: User-Defined Characters
The FX has several hundred different characters stored in its ROM (Read Only Memory). Although this number includes draft, italic, international, Epson Extended Graphics, and NLQ (near letter quality) characters, sometimes you may want to have a few more. For those...
Page 86: Defining Your Own Characters
characters or simply supplies you with sets of characters already created. Also, some popular commercial software programs take advantage of the printer’s user-defined character function to enhance printouts. These characters are sometimes called download characters. Defining your own characters The printout below displays a few such characters to give you an idea of what can be done, but remember that since these characters are truly user-defined, you can create whatever you need or want.
Page 87 Suppose you want to print the scientific symbol for the planet Mercury. Although the FX has a number of special symbols, that is not one of them. First, use a grid like the one below to plan where to place the dots. Because the last two columns are reserved for the space between characters, they are not included in the grid.
Page 88 First definition program The next few sections explain the steps used to create the symbol for Mercury. The figure below shows the grid used to design the character. Once you have drawn your dots on the grid, type the following BASIC program.
Page 89 Running the program Now run the program. For each of the nine columns, the program asks for the numbers of the rows in which you want dots to appear. Enter the row numbers one at a time, pressing the Enter key after each one. When you have entered all the numbers for a column or when you want no dots in a column, press Enter without a number.
Page 90 NLQ. Your printout also gives you nine numbers, which you use in the next program. You should get the printout you see below: YOUR CHARACTER DOUBLE-WIDE YOUR DATA NUMBERS: When you get to this point with a character of your own, you see how it looks.
Page 91 90 FOR P=58 TO 63: LPRINT CHR$(P);" ";: NEXT P 95 LPRINT 100 K=1: IF K>3 THEN A=58 ELSE A=60 110 LPRINT CHR$(27) :""CHR$(0)CHR$(0)CHR$(0); 120 LPRINT CHR$(27)"%"CHR$(l)CHR$(0); 130 LPRINT CHR$(27)"&"CHR$(0)CHR$(A)CHR$(A-1+K); 140 FOR Z=l TO K 150 LPRINT CHR$(128); 160 FOR X=1 TO 9 170 READ R 180 LPRINT CHR$(R);: NEXT X 190 LPRINT CHR$(0)CHR$(0);...
Page 92 Running the program When you run this second program, it prints six characters, then re- defines some or all of them and prints them again, as in the example below. When printed by your own program, these two lines provide you with a key to the characters your FX can now print.
Page 93: Maintenance
Chapter 5 Maintenance Cleaning the Printer ......... 5-2 Replacing the Ribbon .
Page 94: Cleaning The Printer
Cleaning the Printer To keep your printer operating at its best, you should clean it thoroughly several times a year. Follow these steps to clean the printer: Turn off the printer. 2. Remove the paper guide, tractor unit, and any installed options. Use a soft brush to carefully clear away all dust and dirt.
Page 95: Replacing The Ribbon
Epson dealer if you think lubrication is needed. Replacing the Ribbon When your printing becomes too faint you need to replace the ribbon. Use only the following Epson replacement ribbon cartridges: the #8750 ribbon cartridge for the FX-850 or the #8755 ribbon cartridge for the FX-1050.
Page 96 2. Remove the old ribbon cartridge by grasping the black fin-like handles (two on the FX-1050, and one on the FX-850) and lifting the cartridge straight up and out of the printer. 3. Slide the print head to the middle of the printer. Maintenance...
Page 97 4. Unwrap the new ribbon, and turn the ribbon-tightening knob in the direction of the arrow to remove excess slack. 5. Hold the new ribbon cartridge by the fin-like handle(s), and firmly insert it into place, making sure that the plastic hooks fit into the slots as shown below.
Page 98: Transporting The Printer
6. Use a pointed object, such as the tip of a pencil, to guide the ribbon between the print head and ribbon guide. At the same time, turn the ribbon-tightening knob in the direction of the arrow to help guide the ribbon into place.
Page 99 4. Remove the ribbon cartridge and platen knob. 5. Slide the print head to the middle of the printer. Then, using a cross-head screw driver, reattach the two red screws. Maintenance...
Page 100 6. Attach the left and right locking tabs. 7. Slide the head all the way to the left, and insert the print head protector as shown below. 8. Attach the printer cover. After replacing the packing material, put the printer in its box and prepare it for transportation.
Page 101: Troubleshooting
Chapter Troubleshooting Problems and Solutions ........6-2 The printer does not print .
Page 102: Problems And Solutions
If the self test does not work, contact your Epson dealer. The printer stops printing The printer may be out of paper. Check The paper may be jammed.
Page 103: The Printout Is Spaced Incorrectly
The wrong international character set may be selected. See the section on international character sets in Chapter The wrong character table (italics or Epson Extended Graphics) may be selected. See the section on character tables in Chapter Appendix B .
Page 104: Single Sheets Do Not Feed Properly
If you define user-defined characters, make sure that DIP cannot switch 1-1 is off. Your software’s font, size, or page layout settings may not be selected properly. See that your software is correctly set up for your printer. Your application program may be changing the SelecType settings. Use the program’s setup procedure to remove codes that interfere with SelecType, or use the printer control codes for your application program instead of SelecType.
Page 105: Data Dump Mode
Cut sheet feeder does not load paper correctly The cut feeder mode may not sheet switch. The position of the paper release lever may be wrong. Push the paper release lever back to the single sheet position. The cut feeder may not be installed properly. sheet The paper supply may not be loaded properly.
Page 106 ESC P 1B 50 1B7000 the printer. If characters are sent to Function initialize printer Select USA character set Select Epson Extended Graphics Printable code expansion Cancel condensed mode Select 10 cpi Cancel proportional button to take the ON LINE Troubleshooting...
Page 107: Using Printer Options
Chapter 7 Using Printer Options The Cut Sheet Feeder ........7-2 Installation .
Page 108: The Cut Sheet Feeder
The Cut Sheet Feeder The optional cut sheet feeder gives you easier and more efficient handling of single sheet paper. Up to 150 sheets of standard bond paper can be fed automatically into the printer without reloading. The cut sheet feeder can also automatically feed envelopes.
Page 109 4. Remove the paper tension unit by pressing open the release levers and, at the same time, lifting up on the front of the unit. 5. Tilt the feeder forward slightly to fit the notches at the base of the unit over the pins on the printer: then tilt the unit back until it rests on top of the printer.
Page 110: Setting The Sheet Feeder Mode
6. Detach the front section of the printer cover. 7. After raising the cut sheet feeder’s paper path guide, attach the front cover to the printer. Then close the paper path guide. the sheet feeder mode Setting To allow your printer to use the cut sheet feeder you need to set DIP switch 2-2 to on.
Page 111: Recommended Paper
Recommended paper For best results, use typewriter-quality paper. If you use Paper: paper with a glossy or textured surface, you should test it before regular use. The cut sheets of paper. Do not use multiple-part forms or labels. Envelopes: sheet feeder can hold up to 25 plain or bond envelopes, or 30 air mail envelopes.
Page 112 Slide the left paper guide all the way to the left and slide the right paper guide to roughly match the width of your paper. Take a stack of paper and fan it as shown. This keeps the sheets from sticking to one another.
Page 113 4. Insert the paper between the paper guides, aligning it with the left edge of the guide. Then adjust the right paper guide until the paper is held firmly (but not so tightly it causes the paper to bunch). that 5.
Page 114: Envelope Loading
Envelope loading Envelopes are loaded in much the same way as regular paper. To load envelopes, you need to do the following: 1. Set the paper thickness lever to match the thickness of your envelopes. (For specific information on paper thickness settings, see the section on printing with special paper in Chapter 2.) 2.
Page 115: Software Operation
and then press the ON LINE point at which it was stopped. If you turn your printer off during out or paper jam condition, any data remaining in the printer’s buffer is discarded. Software operation This command causes the printer to eject the loading the next sheet: form feed in the printer is automatically ejected and the next sheet is...
Page 116 In addition to the number of printable lines, which your software may refer to as page length or form length, you may need to set the top margin, the bottom margin, and the actual number of lines to be printed on the page.
Page 117: Control Panel Operation
Many word processors and other software programs give you two ways to change these settings: change the settings in each individual file you print. change the program’s default settings program, these new settings are in effect. If your program has additional features, such as headers and footers, you have to compensate accordingly.
Page 118: Switching From The Cut Sheet Feeder To Continuous Paper
Below is a portion of the first page of a self test in cut sheet feeder mode. The remainder of the self test is similar to the original self test described in Chapter 1. WARNING: Never perform the self test on envelopes. Switching from the cut sheet feeder to continuous paper The FX allows you to switch between cut sheet feeder paper and continuous paper easily without having to remove either the feeder or...
Page 119 3. To switch from cut sheet feeder operation to continuous paper, pull the paper release lever all the way forward to the continuous paper position. You do not need to change the DIP switch setting. 4. Raise the paper path guide on the cut sheet feeder until it clicks shown below.
Page 120: Single Sheet Insertion
Single sheet insertion Your cut sheet feeder also has a single sheet loading feature. This feature allows you to switch to a different type of paper (such as letterhead) without replacing the supply of paper that is loaded in your cut sheet feeder.
Page 121: The Pull Tractor
The Pull Tractor The optional pull tractor (#7311 for the FX-850 and #7312 for the FX-1050) provides optimum continuous paper handling. The pull tractor is especially useful with continuous multi-part forms and labels. For best results, use the pull tractor along with the built-in push tractor, as described in this section.
Page 122 2. Remove the paper tension unit by pressing open the release levers and lifting up the front of the unit at the same time. 3. Hold the pull tractor with the gears to the right and fit the rear notches on the tractor over the rear mounting pins on the printer as shown below.
Page 123 Tilt the tractor unit toward you until the front latches click in place over the front mounting pins of the printer. Now load paper as described in the section on loading continuous paper in Chapter 2. However, position the left sprocket unit about 1/4 of an inch from the left before locking it in place.
Page 124 Move the sprocket units to match the width of the paper and adjust the paper supports so they are evenly placed between the sprocket units. (There is only one paper support on the IX-850 pull tractor.) Fit the holes of the paper over the tractor pins of the sprocket units, adjusting the position of the sprocket units as necessary.
Page 125 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. Close the sprocket covers. Make sure that the paper is not crooked or wrinkled and then lock the sprocket units in place.
Page 126 13. Slide the rollers on the paper bail so they are evenly distributed across the width of your paper. Also, make sure that the right and left rollers are at both edges of your paper. 14. Re-install the paper guide and then slide the edge guides together so they meet at about the middle of the paper’s width.
Page 127: Using Options
Press the ON LINE ready to begin printing. When you are finished printing The short tear-off function cannot be used with the pull tractor. If you want to tear off the last printed page at its perforation, press the button to take the printer off line and press the the paper forward an additional page before tearing off the paper.
Page 128: Interface Boards
2. Replace the paper tension unit as shown below. 3. Now you are ready to use either single sheets or the push tractor. Interface Boards There are a number of optional interfaces that can be used to supplement the capabilities of your. printer’s built-in parallel interface. Choosing an interface Optional interfaces can be divided into three main categories: IEEE-488 interfaces offer standardized connections, trouble-free...
Page 129: Compatible Interfaces
If you are still unsure whether you need an optional interface, or would like to know more about interfaces, contact your Epson dealer. Compatible interfaces The Epson interfaces that are compatible with the FX-850 and FX-1050 are listed below. Interface number Name...
Page 130 WARNING: Hi voltage is 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, do not touch contacts on the printer’s circuit board because many of the components can be destroyed by static electricity built up in your body.
Page 131 5. Reach inside the front cover and push in on the upper case fastening clips. These clips are located on both sides of the printer case. Push both clips at the same time as shown in the figure below. 6. Raise the upper case slightly (about six inches), taking care not to strain the flat cable attached to the control panel.
Page 132 7. Carefully disconnect the control panel cable from the connector labelled CN11 on the main board. Tilt the upper case backward and lift it clear of the printer body. Caution: Be very careful when removing or attaching the upper case to avoid damaging the printer.
Page 133 9. Remove the option interface shield plate by pressing in on the plastic clips located at the back of the plate. 10. Remove the screw labelled CG from the main board. 7-27 Using Printer Options...
Page 134: Installing The Board
the board Installing There are two basic interface board designs. These boards differ with respect to how the frame ground (FG) wire is attached. This slight difference changes the way the boards are installed in the printer, but does not affect the operation of the interface in any way. Look at the following illustration to see which type of interface board you have and then follow the installation procedure for that type of board.
Page 135 Carefully insert the pins on the optional interface board into the mating connector on the main board. Secure the board with the three screws provided. Attach the plug end of the FG wire onto the FG pin located on top of the interface board.
Page 136 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 137: Attaching The Upper Case
3. Secure the board with the three screws provided. 4. Set the DIP switches on the interface board according to the manual that comes with the board. 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.
Page 138 Caution: Take care not to pinch the FG wire between the upper and lower cases. 2. Carefully insert the control panel cable into the connector labelled CN11 on the main board. 3. Close the upper case. Make sure you press down on the front of the case until it locks into place.
Page 139 4. Insert and tighten the screw to secure the upper case, and then reattach the platen knob. WARNING: When installing an optional interface board, be sure to disconnect the printer cable from the printer’s built-in parallel interface. Two interface cables must not be installed at the same time.
Page 140: Command Summary
Chapter 8 Command Summary This chapter lists and describes all the commands, both Epson (ESC/P) mode and IBM emulation mode, available on the FX. The first part of this appendix lists all commands in numerical order and gives the page number where each is fully described. If you know which command you are looking for, consult the numerical list to find the page number where it is described.
Page 141 The simplest type of command consists of a single character to be sent to the printer. For instance, to print in condensed mode the code format is: A S C I I c o d e : S I Decimal : Hexadecimal: This code can be sent from a program by sending the code 15 directly.
Page 142 Control key chart Some application programs can use control key codes for decimal values 0 through 2 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.
Page 143: Commands In Numerical Order
The numbers in the columns on the right are the page numbers in this chapter where a complete description of the command can be found. If the Epson and IBM emulation mode page numbers are the same, the command is the same in both modes and is described only in the Epson mode section.
Page 144 ESC & Define user-defined characters ESC * 2A Select graphics mode ESC - Turn underlining on/off ESC / Select vertical tab channel 47 2F ESC 0 30 Select l/B-inch line spacing ESC 1 31 Select 7/72-inch line spacing 32 Select 1/6-inch line spacing ESC 2 32 Programmable line spacing ESC 2...
Page 145 Set page length in lines ESC C 67 43 Set page length in inches ESC CO 67 43 ESC D Set horizontal tabs ESC E Select emphasized mode ESC F Cancel emphasized mode ESC G 47 Select double-strike mode ESC H Cancel double-strike mode ESC I Printable code area expansion...
Page 146 ESC \ Set relative position ESC \ Print characters from symbol set ESC ^ 94 5E Select 9-pin graphics ESC ^ SE Print ESC _ 95 5F Turn overscore on/off ESC a Select justification ESC b 62 Set vertical tabs in channels ESC k Select NLQ font 107 6B...
Page 147: Epson (Esc/P) Commands
Epson (ESC/P) Commands The following section lists and describes all the Epson (ESC/P) commands. Printer Operation Initialization ESC @ Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: Resets the printer mode and clears the buffer of printable data on the print line preceding the command.
Page 148 Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: Puts the printer into the deselected state until select printer code (DC1) is received. The printer cannot be reselected with the Speed ESC s Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: The following values can be used for 1: Mode is turned ON.
Page 149 ESC U Format : ASCII code: Decimal : Hexadecimal: Comments: The following values can be used for 1: Mode is turned ON. 0: Mode is turned OFF. Printing is normally bidirectional. This command selects unidirectional printing for more accurate positioning. ESC 8 Format: ASCII code:...
Page 150 ESC EM Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: The following values can be used for n: 0: Mode is turned OFF. Selects bin 2: Selects bin 2. 4: Mode is turned ON. R: Ejects a sheet (no sheet loaded from selected bin). The command should not be used unless the cut sheet feeder has been installed.
Page 151 ESC > Format: ASCII code: Decimal : Hexadecimal: Comments: Sets the MSB bit of all incoming data as ESC # Format: ASCII code: Decimal : Hexadecimal: Comments: Cancels the MSB control set by ESC = or ESC > . Beeper Format: ASCII code: Decimal :...
Page 152: Data Control
Data Control Format: ASCII code: CR Decimal: Hexadecimal: 0D Comments: Prints the data in the buffer and returns the print position to the left margin. A line feed may be added if DIP switch 2-4 is ON or if the AUTO FEED XT line on the parallel interface is held LOW.
Page 153: 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 top of the next form according to the current page length. ESC C Format: ASCII code:...
Page 154 ESC N Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: The variable 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 causes the FX to print 60 lines and then skip 6.
Page 155 ESC 0 Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: Sets the line spacing to 1/8 of an inch for subsequent line feed commands. The 0 is the Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: Sets the line spacing to 7/72 of an inch for subsequent line feed commands.
Page 156 ESC 3 Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: Sets the line spacing to n/216 of an inch for subsequent line feed commands. The 3 is the value of n must be from 0 to 255. ESC A Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments:...
Page 157 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 selected, the paper advances one line. ESC B Format: ASCII code:...
Page 158: 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 0 to 7. All subsequent vertical tab commands use the channel selected by this command. If no channel has been selected, channel 0 is used.
Page 159 ESC Q Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: Sets the right margin to n columns in the current character size. Settings made in the proportional mode are treated as command clears previous tab settings and all previous characters in the print line. The minimum space between the margins is the width of one double-wide 10 cpi character.
Page 160 ESC $ Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: This sequence specifies the distance from the currently set left margin that subsequent characters are to be printed, using this formula: total number of dots = nl + inch. The sequence is ignored and the previous setting remains effective if the position specified is beyond the right margin.
Page 161 Horizontal tabbing Format: ASCII code: HT Decimal : 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 character size, and tab positions are not affected by subsequent changes in character size.
Page 162: Overall Printing Style
Overall Printing Style ESC x Format : ASCII code: Decimal : Hexadecimal: Comments: The following values can be used for n: 0: Selects the draft mode. 1: Selects the near letter quality (NLQ) mode. Overrides the SelecType setting.‘When NLQ is selected, the font used is either Roman, Sans Serif or user-defined, whichever is currently selected.
Page 163 ESC ! Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: Selects any valid combination of the modes in the table below. The variable n is determined by adding together the values of the desired modes from the table. Dec Hex Mode 10cpi 12 cpi Proportional Condensed...
Page 164 ESC M Format: ASCII code: Decimal : H e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 4 D Comments: Selects 12 characters per inch printing. This command is available in both draft and NLQ. ESC p Format: ASCII code: Decimal :...
Page 165 Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: OF Comments: Prints characters at about 60 percent of their normal width. For example, the condensed 10 cpi mode has Proportional mode cannot be condensed, and proportional overrides condensed. This command is available in both draft and NLQ. ESC SI Format: ASCII code:...
Page 166 Format: A S C I I c o d e : S O Decimal: Hexadecimal: OE Comments: Double-wide mode doubles the width of all characters. This mode is cancelled by a carriage return or DC4. This command is available in both draft and NLQ.
Page 167 ESCW Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: The following values can be used for n: 1: Mode is turned ON. 0: Mode is turned OFF. Double-wide mode doubles the width of all characters. This command is available in both draft and NLQ. ESCw Format: ASCII code:...
Page 168: Print Enhancement
Print Enhancement ESC E Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: Makes text bolder by printing each dot twice, with the second dot slightly to the right of the first. This command is available in both draft and NLQ. ESC F Format: ASCII code: Decimal:...
Page 169 ESC H Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: Turns off the double-strike mode selected by ESC G. ESCSO Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: Prints characters about two-thirds of the normal height in the upper part of the character space. The ASCII code 0 or the character “0” can be used in this command.
Page 170 ESC T Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: Cancels either superscript or subscript. ESC -- Format: ASCII code: Decimal : Hexadecimal: Comments: The following values can be used for n: Mode is turned ON. 0: Mode is turned OFF. This mode provides continuous underlining, including spaces. This command is available in both draft and NLQ.
Page 171: Word Processing
Word Processing ESC a Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: The following values can be used for Selects left justification. 1: Selects centering. 2: Selects right justification. Selects full justification. The default setting is n = 0. Full justification when the buffer becomes full. The commands HT and BS are invalid except in n = 0 mode.
Page 172 Comments: Causes characters from the italic character set to be printed. This command is valid even if the Epson Extended Graphics character set has been selected by ESC t or the DIP switch graphics cannot be italicized. This command is available in both draft and NLQ.
Page 173 Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: Cancels the mode selected by ESC both draft and NLQ. ESC R Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: See the section on international character sets in Chapter information on international character sets. The following values can be used for n: 0=USA = France...
Page 174 User-Defined Characters Note: See Chapter 4 for sample programs and full information on this topic. ESC & Format: ASCII code: Decimal: 27 38 0 Hexadecimal: 1B 26 00 dl d2 . . . dn Comments: This command defines characters as described in Chapter 4. This command is not effective when DIP switch ESC : Format:...
Page 175 ESC % Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: ESC & is required to define the character set. The following values can be used for 0: Selects the normal set. Selects the user-defined set. For NLQ characters, also send ESC x ESC 6 Format: ASCII code:...
Page 176 ESC 7 Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: This code causes codes This is the default. See Appendix B. ESC I Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: ASCII codes 0 to codes become printable upon input of the ESC I code if n = allows the use of these codes for user-defined characters.
Page 177 Graphics Note: See Chapter 4 ESC K Format : ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: Turns on eight-pin single-density graphics mode The total number of columns = ESC L Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: Turns on eight-pin low-speed double-density graphics mode per inch).
Page 178 ESC Z Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: Turns on eight-pin quadruple-density graphics mode (240 dots per inch). The total number of columns = n7 + (n2 X 256). ESC * Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: Turns on graphics mode available modes.
Page 179 ESC? Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: Changes one graphics mode to another. The variable s is a character (K, L, Y or Z), which is reassigned to a mode n (O-7). Format: E S C ASCII code: Decimal : Hexadecimal: Comments: Turns on 9-pin graphics mode.
Page 180: Ibm Emulation Mode Commands
IBM Emulation Mode Commands The Epson mode and the IBM emulation mode share many of the same commands. Therefore, this part of the summary merely lists and does not describe the commands already described in the Epson mode command summary. The commands that are different are described in detail.
Page 181 Commands That Are Different from Epson Commands Printer Operation ESC Q3 Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: Places the printer in an off line state until the printer is turned back on or until it receives a ESC Q22 Format:...
Page 182 ESC 2 Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: Executes the line spacing stored in memory by ESC A. If no ESC A command has been sent, ESC 2 sets the line spacing to (The 2 is the character ESC 1 Format: ASCII code: Decimal:...
Page 183 ESC5 Format: ASCII code: Decimal : Hexadecimal: Comments: The following values can be used for 1: Mode is turned ON. 0: Mode is turned OFF. If the mode is on, the printer adds a line feed to each carriage return. If the mode is off, it does not.
Page 184 ESC D Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: This command allows the setting of up to 32 horizontal tabs, which are entered as n1, n2, n3, etc. (in the range 1 to 137) with the NUL character terminating the command. The tab settings must be entered in ascending order.
Page 185 Overall Printing Style ESC I Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: Selects the font according to the value specified for n. The value for n can be any one of the following: 0: Draft quality 10 cpi font 1: Draft quality 12 cpi font 2: Near letter quality Sans Serif font 3: Near letter quality Roman font 4: Draft quality 10 cpi download font...
Page 186 ESC P Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: The following values can be used for n: 1: Mode is turned ON. 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 187 ESC [@ Format: ASCII code: Decimal : 27 91 64 nl Hexadecimal: 1B 5B Comments: The following values must be used: nl=4, n2 =0, ml = 0, and mZ=O. The value of m.3 affects both character height and line feed as shown below: Char height Standard...
Page 188 Character Sets ESC 6 Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: Selects the international character set (Table 2). See the character set tables in Appendix B. Format: ASCII code: Decimal: Hexadecimal: Comments: Selects the standard character set (Table 1) if the international character set (Table 2) has been previously selected.
Page 189 The data numbers for each character are determined as shown on the first grid for the Epson mode in the section on user-defined characters in Chapter 4. To print a user-defined character, you must use ESC I, which is described on page 8-46.
Page 190: Appendix A: Technical Specifications
Appendix A Technical Specifications Printer Specifications ........A-2 Interface Specifications .
Page 191: Printer Specifications
1/216th of an inch Single sheet: 48 ms/line (3.6” per set) Continuous: 53 ms/line (3.0” per set) 8 Kbyte Draft High-speed draft Normal draft NLQ Epson Roman Epson Roman Proportional Epson Sans Serif Epson Sans Serif Proportional Technical Specifications...
Page 192 8.5 mm (0.33”) or more (0.87”) or more 22 mm Number of copies: Technical Specifications standard ASCII character set (including italic characters) international character sets Epson Extended Graphics characters set Single sheet inches 14.3 (182 or more* Up to sheets including the original. Total...
Page 193 Paper feeding methods: Ribbon Life expectancy of ribbon: MCBF: MTBF: Print head life: Dimensions and weight: Voltage: Power consumption: Frequency: Insulation resistance: Dielectric strength (between AC line and chassis): Temperature: Friction Push tractor Cut sheet feeder (optional) Pull tractor (optional) Cartridge ribbon, available in black only: #875O(FX-850) #8755(M)(FX-1050)
Page 194: Interface Specifications
Humidity: Shock: Vibration: Interface Specifications Your printer is equipped with an 8-bit parallel interface. For specifications for optional interfaces, see the manuals provided with the optional interfaces. Pin assignments for the parallel interface Connector pin assignments and a description of their respective interface signals are shown in the following table.
Page 195 Technical Specifications...
Page 196 The column heading “Direction” refers to the direction of signal flow as viewed from the printer. “Return” denotes the twisted-pair return, to be connected at signal ground level. For the interface wiring, be sure to use a twisted-pair cable for each signal and to complete the connection on the return side.
Page 197: Initialization
Interface timing The figure below shows the timing for the parallel interface. Initialization There are three ways that the printer can be initialized (returned to a fixed set of conditions). Hardware initialization Software initialization When the power is turned on. When the printer receives an INIT signal at the parallel interface (pin 31 goes LOW).
Page 198: Default Settings
Default Settings The table below shows the default conditions that become valid when the printer is initialized. I Item Top of form position Left and right margins Line spacing Vertical tab position Horizontal tab positions VFU channel Font selection Justification Special printing effects addition, the data buffer is cleared when the printer is initialized by turning on the power or by an INIT signal.
Page 199: Appendix B Tables
Appendix B Tables Proportional Width Table ........B-2 Character Tables .
Page 200 Proportional Width Table This table lists the widths of your printer’s proportional characters. The values given are in 120ths of 12/120ths of an inch.) You may need to enter these widths into a special table for your word processing program so it can calculate the number of proportional characters that will fit on a line.
Page 201 Code Tables Code Width 12/12 12/12 12/12 12/12 12/12 12/12 12/12 12/12 12/12 8/10 11/12 12/12 12/10 12/12 12/12 12/12 12/12 12/12 12/12 12/12 12/12 12/12 12/11 12/12 10/12 12/12 10/12 8/11 10/17 8/11 12/10 12/12 12/11 11/11 11/11 Width 11/12 12/11 10/12...
Page 202 C o d e C H R ë è ï î ì Ä Å É æ Æ ô ö ò û ù ÿ ò Ü ¢ £ ¥ ƒ à í ú ñ Ñ ¬ ½ ¼ Code Width 12/11 1 2 / 1 1 8 / 1 0 10/11...
Page 203 Code Tables Width Code 12/12 11/11 10/12 12/12 10/12 11/112 11/12 12/12 10/12 12/12 12/12 12/11 12/12 12/12 10/10 10/12 Width 12/12 11/11 12/12 12/11 10/12...
Page 204: Character Tables
Character Tables These character tables are selected by setting DIP switch ESC t software command. For the Epson Extended Graphics character table, of 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 205 Epson Extended Graphics Character Table Tables...
Page 206: Glossary
Glossary Note that these definitions apply specifically to printers. If a word is italicized, see that topic for more information. application program A program that helps you carry out a particular task, such as word processing or financial planning. ASCII American Standard Code for Information Interchange.
Page 207 carriage return The control code that returns the print position to the left margin. When issued together with a line feed, the print position moves to the left margin of the next line. In bidirectional printing, the print head may not actually move to the left margin.
Page 208 A way of producing darker characters. Each character is printed twice, with the second slightly to the right of the first. Epson Extended Graphics The Epson Extended Graphics character table contains international accented characters, Greek characters, and character graphics for printing lines, comers, and shaded areas.
Page 209 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 210 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. This way of printing frees the computer to do other work while the printer is still working.
Page 211 parity Parity is a method for a computer and printer to check the reliability of data transmission. pitch Indicates the number of characters per inch (cpi). The standard is pitch. platen The black roller that provides a backing for the printing. print quality Your printer has two types of print quality: draft and near letter quality (NLQ).
Page 212 top of form position The position on the paper that the printer recognizes as the first printable line. For single sheets, this is the position to which the paper is automatically loaded. For continuous paper, this position can set to the current paper position by turning the printer off and on.
Page 213: Index
3-9 selecting fonts, 3-10—11 setting, 3-5—6 Dot graphics mode, 4-8—19 Double-strike printing, 3-14—15 Emphasized printing, 3-14—15 Epson Extended Graphics, 3-7—8, Fonts Built-in character fonts, 3-11 Draft, 3-10—12 High-speed draft, 3-5, 3-11—12 Roman, 3-11—12 Sans Serif, 3-11—12 Selecting with SelecType, 3-11—12...
Page 214 Graphics, 4-8—19 Graphics mode command, Indicator lights, 3-2—3 Interface boards, 7-22—33 compatibility, 7-23 installation, 7-23—33 specifications, A-5 International character sets, 3-7, 3-9 Italic character table, 3-8, Italic printing, 3-15 Lights, 3-2—3 Line feed button, 3-3 Load/eject button, 3-3 Loading paper adjusting loading position, adjusting paper thickness lever, 2-17—18...
Page 215 cleaning, 5-2—3 connecting to a computer, 1-18—20 default settings, A-9 options; 2, 7-1—33 plugging in, 1-13 specifications, A-2—10 testing, 1-12—18, 7-11—12 transporting, 5-6—8 unpacking, 1-2 Power light, 3-2 Proportional width table, B-2 Pull tractor installing, 7-15—21 removing, 7-21—22 Ready light, 3-2 Ribbon cartridge installing, 1-8—10 replacing, 5-3-6...
Page 217 Chapter 8 where a complete description of the command can be found. If the Epson and IBM emulation mode page numbers are the same, the command is the same in both modes and is described only in the Epson mode section.
Page 218 Epson ESC/P Emul. Overall Printing Style/Print Size M o d e M o d e Print Enhancement/Word Processing Character Sets User-Defined Characters/Graphics...
Page 219 Commands for IBM Emulation Mode Only DIP Switch Functions International character sets...
Page 220 Edge guides Printer Print head Paper tension unit...

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Fx-850

Epson FX-1050 User Manual

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Setting up the Printer

Chapter 2 Paper Handling

Chapter 3 Using the Printer

Chapter 4 Using Software and Graphics

Chapter 6 Troubleshooting

Chapter 7 Using Printer Options

Appendix A: Technical Specifications

Appendix B Tables

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Summary of Contents for Epson FX-1050

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