R ® 9-pin Dot Matrix Printer User’s Guide This manual is divided in two sections: English and Spanish. The English section begins after this page. The Spanish section begins approximately at the middle of the manual. Este manual está dividido en dos secciones: Inglés y Español. El manual en español comienza aproximadamente a la mitad del libro. El manual en inglés comienza después de esta página.
L All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION. The information contained herein is designed only for use with this EPSON printer. EPSON is not responsible for any use of this information as applied to other printers.
R Contents Introduction Okidata Compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Setting Up the Printer Unpacking the Printer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Choosing a Place for the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Assembling the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
L Using the Control Panel Buttons and Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Selecting a Font and Pitch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Changing the Printer’s Default Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Default-setting mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Emulating the Okidata Microline 320/321 Turbo . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 37 38 39 40 Troubleshooting Using the Error Indicators. . . .
R Introduction This manual covers the following basic information to get you started using your printer: ❏ Setting Up the Printer ❏ Paper Handling ❏ Using the Control Panel ❏ Troubleshooting ❏ Product Information Although the illustrations in this manual show the FX-890, the instructions apply to both the FX-890 and the FX-2190. w Warnings must be followed carefully to avoid bodily injury. c Cautions must be observed to avoid damage to your equipment.
L Options By adding options, such as a cut-sheet feeder or roll paper holder, you can further expand your printer’s capabilities. Optional interface cards are also available to supplement your printer’s built-in interfaces. (See the Reference Guide for more information.) You can purchase ribbon cartridges, paper, manuals, and accessories from EPSON® at (800) 873-7766, or visit the EPSON StoreSM at www.epsonstore.com (U.S. sales only). In Canada, please call (800) 463-7766 for dealer referral.
R Chapter 1 Setting Up the Printer This chapter describes how to unpack and set up your printer. Unpacking the Printer Make sure you have the following items. Ribbon cartridge Paper guide Printer Power cord Printer software Follow the directions on the Notice Sheet to remove the protective materials before you turn on the printer. Save all packing and protective materials in case you need to ship the printer in the future.
L ❏ Avoid electrical outlets controlled by wall switches or automatic timers. An interruption in power can erase information in the memory of your printer or computer. Also avoid outlets on the same circuit as large motors or other appliances that can cause voltage fluctuations. ❏ Use a grounded power outlet; do not use an adapter plug. Assembling the Printer 1. Make sure the printer is turned off and unplugged. Then open the printer cover and pull it up to remove it. 2.
R 4. Remove the new ribbon cartridge from the package. The black plastic ribbon guide is held in place on top of the cartridge with a small tab. To release it, hold the sides of the ribbon guide and gently disconnect it. (Do not remove the ribbon guide from the ribbon, however.) 5. Hold the ribbon cartridge by its handle and insert it into the printer at an angle, as shown below; then press down on both sides of the cartridge to fit the plastic hooks into the printer slots.
L 7. Reinstall the paper tension unit by lowering it onto the printer’s mounting pegs. Then press down on both ends until it clicks into place. 8. To replace the printer cover, insert the front tabs into the slots on the printer and lower the cover into place. Then push it down until it clicks. 9. Make sure the top part of the cover is folded forward, as shown. Then attach the paper guide.
R Connecting the Printer to Your Computer Your printer is equipped with both an IEEE-1284-compatible parallel interface and a USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface. It also includes a Type-B optional interface slot in case your computer requires a different type of printer interface. (See the Reference Guide if you need to install an interface card.) Note: You can connect cables to both interfaces; the printer switches automatically to the appropriate interface when it receives data.
L 3. Plug the power cord into the AC inlet on the back of the printer and plug the other end into a properly grounded electrical outlet. Installing the Printer Software After you connect the printer to your computer, you need to install the EPSON printer software on the CD-ROM shipped with your printer. The printer driver is the software that runs, or “drives,” your printer. With it, you can select printer settings such as print quality, resolution, and paper size.
R 2. Insert the printer software CD-ROM into the CD-ROM or DVD drive. The Installation screen appears: If it does not, double-click Setup.exe on the CD-ROM. 3. Select Install Software and click . 4. Select your printer from the list, then follow the instructions on the screen. 5. When the installation is complete, see page 15 to install the Reference Guide and the EPSON Remote Configuration Utility. For Windows 98, 95, or NT 4.0 1. Make sure Windows is running and the printer is turned off. 2.
L 6. Click Browse and select the path for the printer driver. Then click OK and follow the on-screen instructions. If you are using Windows NT, insert your Windows CD when prompted. 7. Select the appropriate file in the folder and click OK. 8. When prompted, insert the printer software CD-ROM and click Browse to select the correct path. Note: ❏ If you see a message that the drive is not accessible, click Cancel and try again. 9. ❏ If a “System Error” message appears, click Cancel.
R Installing and Using the Online Reference Guide You can install the online Reference Guide on your hard disk and view it from your computer, or read it directly from the printer software CD-ROM. To install the Reference Guide on your hard disk, select Install Reference Guide from the Installation screen and follow the on-screen instructions. When the installation is complete, the FX890 2190 Guide icon appears in the EPSON folder.
L 2. Click Yes. After a moment, you see the Welcome screen: 3. Click Next and follow the instructions on the screen. When the installation is complete, click Finish. (If you see the folder window open on the screen, close it so you can see the final installation screen.) The Remote Configuration Manager is installed on the computer in its own program group, along with an uninstall option and the online User’s Guide. See the User’s Guide for instructions on using the program.
R Chapter 2 Paper Handling This chapter covers some important instructions you need to load and use paper in your printer. For complete paper handling information, see the Reference Guide. Setting the Paper Release Lever Before you start printing, be sure to set the paper release lever to indicate the paper source you want to use, as described in the table below. Lever position Description Single-sheet position For loading single-sheet paper from the top or front slot.
L Adjusting the Paper-Thickness Setting Before you start printing, make sure the paper-thickness setting is correct for the type of paper you are using. Turn the printer off and open the printer cover. The paper-thickness lever is located on the left side of the printer. The numbers next to the lever indicate the thickness setting.
R Loading Continuous Paper with the Front Push Tractor Make sure the printer is turned off. Then open the front cover and the flap. Make sure the tractor is installed in the front push position. (You may need to move it from the rear push or pull position.) 2. Set the paper release lever to the front push tractor position. Also set the paper-thickness lever to the proper position for your paper’s thickness. See “Adjusting the Paper-Thickness Setting” on page 18 for instructions. 3.
L 5. Remove the front cover by pulling it straight down. 6. Make sure your paper has a clean, straight edge. Then open both sprocket covers and fit the first four holes of the paper, with printable side up, over the tractor pins. 7. Close the sprocket covers. 8. Slide the right sprocket to remove any slack in the paper; then lock it in place by pushing the sprocket lock down. 9. Attach the front cover with the continuous paper positioned as shown. 10.
R If the first line on your page appears too high or low, you can change its position using the Micro Adjust function as described on page 32. c Caution: Never use the knob to adjust the top-of-form position; this may damage the printer or cause it to lose the top-of-form position. Loading Continuous Paper with the Rear Push Tractor 1. Make sure the printer is turned off, the tractor is installed in the rear push position, and the paper guide is removed.
L 5. Make sure your paper has a clean, straight edge. Then open both sprocket covers and fit the first four holes of the paper, with the printable side down, over the tractor pins. 6. Close the sprocket covers. Then slide the right sprocket to remove any slack in the paper and lock it in place by pushing the blue lock lever down. 7. Attach the paper guide and lay it flat on the printer. Slide the edge guides to the middle of the paper guide. 8. Turn on the printer.
R 3. Release the sprockets by pulling the sprocket lock levers forward. 4. Slide the left sprocket approximately 0.5 inch (12 mm) from the far left position and push the lever back to lock it in place. Edge guides Then slide the right sprocket to match the width of your paper, but do not lock it. Slide the edge guides to the center. 5. Make sure your paper has a clean, straight edge. Then open the sprocket covers. Note: Make sure the printer is off before you insert the paper in the paper slot.
L 6. Insert the paper into the front or bottom paper slot as shown below until it emerges between the platen and the ribbon guide. Then pull up the paper until the perforation between the first and second pages is even with the top of the printer’s ribbon. Front slot Before you load paper in the front slot, remove the front cover. Then load paper with the printable side facing up. Bottom slot Load paper in the bottom slot with the printable side facing up. 7.
R 9. Reattach the front cover. 10. Turn on the printer. 11. Remove any slack in the paper by pressing the LF/FF button. (Always remove any slack from the paper; otherwise print quality may deteriorate.) When the printer receives data, it will start printing at the current position without advancing the paper. If necessary, adjust the current position of the paper using the Micro Adjust function (described on page 32).
L Removing paper from the pull tractor 1. After you finish printing, tear off the paper supply at the perforation nearest the paper entry slot. 2. To feed paper forward and eject it, hold down the LF/FF button. c Caution: Never press the Load/Eject or Tear Off/Bin button when you are using the pull tractor; the paper could come off the pull tractor and jam the printer.
R 1. Make sure the paper guide is in the upright position. Then set the paper-thickness lever to 0 if you are using ordinary single-sheet paper. (If you are using envelopes, see “Envelopes” on page 29 to set the lever.) Also move the paper release lever to the single-sheet position. 2. Turn on the printer, if necessary. 3. Slide the left edge guide until it locks in place next to the triangle mark on the paper guide. Next adjust the right edge guide to match the width of your paper. 4.
L Loading Special Papers Follow the guidelines in this section when loading single-sheet multipart forms, labels, envelopes, and postcards. Single-sheet multipart forms To load single-sheet multipart forms, use the front paper entry slot with the optional front paper guide or front sheet guide installed. Thick paper, such as multipart forms with five or six parts, requires a straight paper path to avoid paper jams. For more information, see the Reference Guide.
R ❏ Do not load continuous paper with labels from the rear paper slot. Because the rear paper path is curved, labels may come off their backing sheets inside the printer and cause a paper jam. ❏ Do not load paper that is curled or has been folded. Removing continuous paper with labels To prevent labels from peeling off the backing sheet and jamming the printer, follow these steps to remove continuous paper with labels from the printer: 1.
L ❏ The print head must not print past the left or right edge of the envelope or other thick paper. Make sure your application program prints entirely within the printable area of your envelope. See “Printer Specifications” in the Reference Guide for more information on the printable area of envelopes. ❏ If you are using No. 6 envelopes, make sure the left edge guide is aligned with the arrow on the paper guide.
R Using the Micro Adjust Function The Micro Adjust function allows you to move the paper forward or backward in 1/216-inch (0.118 mm) increments to adjust the tear-off and top-of-form positions. Adjusting the tear-off position If your paper’s perforation is not aligned with the tear-off edge, you can use the Micro Adjust function to move the perforation to the tear-off position, as described below. Your tear-off position setting remains in effect until you change it, even if you turn off the printer.
L 3. Open the paper guide cover, then press the LF/FF D button to feed paper backward, or press the Load/Eject U button to feed paper forward, until the paper perforation is aligned with the tear-off edge of the printer cover. Tear-off edge of the printer cover Paper perforation Note: The printer has a minimum and a maximum tear-off position. If you try to adjust the tear-off position beyond these limits, the printer beeps and stops moving the paper. 4. Tear off the printed pages. 5.
R 1. Make sure the printer is turned on. 2. Load paper. (If the tractor is in a push position, press the Load/Eject button to advance continuous paper to the current top-of-form position.) If necessary, lift up the printer cover so you can see the paper position. 3. Hold down the Pause button for three seconds. The Pause light flashes and the printer enters the Micro Adjust mode. 4.
L 34 Paper Handling
R Chapter 3 Using the Control Panel This chapter describes the buttons and lights on the control panel, plus: ❏ Selecting a font and pitch ❏ Changing the printer’s default settings ❏ Emulating the Okidata Microline 320/321 Turbo printer Buttons and Lights Button/Light 1 Font (ItemD) button Function Selects one of the fonts. See “Selecting a Font and Pitch” on page 37. In default setting mode, ItemD selects the next menu. Font lights Indicate which font is selected.
L 4 Tear Off/Bin (Set) button Feeds continuous paper forward to the tear-off position. Feeds continuous paper backward from the tear-off position to the top-of-form position. Selects a cut-sheet feeder bin when it is installed. In default setting mode, works as the Set button to select a value. Tear Off/Bin lights Both flash when continuous paper is in the tear-off position. Both off when continuous paper is not in the tear-off position or when bin 1 of the optional cut-sheet feeder is selected.
R Selecting a Font and Pitch Usually, you use your application program to select the font and pitch you want to use in a document. However, you can select one of the printer’s five fonts (in different pitches) with the buttons on the printer’s control panel, as described below. (The settings you make in application programs usually override settings you make from the printer’s control panel.) The pitches available depend on the font you select: 1.
L Changing the Printer’s Default Settings While you can often change the printer’s settings through your software or printer driver, you may sometimes need to change one or more of the printer’s default settings. There are two ways to do this: ❏ Using the EPSON Remote Configuration Manager on the printer software CD-ROM. (See page 15.) ❏ From the printer’s control panel using the default-setting mode. For instructions on using the Remote Configuration Manager, see the PDF manual on the CD-ROM.
R Setting Options (default in bold) Auto CR (available in IBM PPDS emulation mode) Off, On IBM character table Table 2, Table1 Default-setting mode Follow the steps below to enter the default-setting mode. If you use single sheets, you need to load a new sheet of paper each time the printer ejects a printed page. 1. Make sure the printer is on and paper is loaded. Then press the Menu buttons (ItemU and Set) until the printer beeps and both the Tear Off/Bin lights turn on.
L Emulating the Okidata Microline 320/321 Turbo You can make your FX-890 or FX-2190 work like the Okidata Microline 320 Turbo or 321 Turbo. In Okidata mode, the printer emulates Okidata functions, and the following additional settings can be selected in the default setting mode. The default settings (shown in bold) are consistent with Okidata Microline 320/321 Turbo factory settings.
R Chapter 4 Troubleshooting This chapter explains the error indicators and describes how to clear paper jams and print a self test. For more troubleshooting information, see your Reference Guide. If you cannot resolve the problem using the information in the manuals, see “Where To Get Help” on page 44. Using the Error Indicators Use the following table to diagnose printer errors. Light status Beep pattern Problem Solution O Paper Out O Pause ••• No paper is loaded in the selected paper source.
L Light status Beep pattern Problem Solution O Pause — The print head is overheated. Wait a few minutes; the printer resumes printing automatically once the print head cools. O O O O O Paper Out Pause O Tear Off/Bin O O Font light O O Pitch light ••••• The print head is stuck. Turn off the printer and clear any obstruction blocking the print head. Turn the printer back on. If the print head is still stuck, contact EPSON for service. ••••• An unknown or fatal printer error has occurred.
R Printing a Self Test Running the printer’s self test helps you determine whether the printer or the computer is causing the problem. If the self test results are satisfactory, the printer is working properly and the problem probably results from your printer driver settings, application settings, computer, or interface cable. (Be sure to use a shielded interface cable.) If the self test does not print properly, there is a problem with the printer.
L Where To Get Help If your EPSON printer is not operating properly and you cannot solve the problem using the troubleshooting information, see the contact information below. EPSON provides technical assistance 24 hours a day through the electronic support services and automated telephone services listed below. Service Access World Wide Web From the Internet, you can reach EPSON Support at http://support.epson.com.
R Chapter 5 Product Information Safety Instructions Hot Parts Caution Symbol K This symbol is placed on the print head and other parts to indicate that they may be hot. Never touch those parts just after the printer has been used. Let them cool for a few minutes before touching them. Important Safety Instructions Read all of these safety instructions before using the printer. In addition, follow all warnings and instructions marked on the printer itself.
L ❏ ❏ Unplug the printer and refer servicing to qualified service personnel under the following conditions: if the power cord or plug is damaged, if liquid has entered the printer, if the printer has been dropped or the cabinet damaged, if the printer does not operate normally or exhibits a distinct change in performance. Adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating instructions.
R WARNING The connection of a non-shielded equipment interface cable to this equipment will invalidate the FCC Certification of this device and may cause interference levels which exceed the limits established by the FCC for this equipment. It is the responsibility of the user to obtain and use a shielded equipment interface cable with this device. If this equipment has more than one interface connector, do not leave cables connected to unused interfaces.
L What This Warranty Does Not Cover: This warranty covers only normal consumer use in the United States and Canada. This warranty is not transferable and will not apply to products purchased from an end user. This warranty does not cover damage to the Epson printer caused by parts and supplies not manufactured, distributed or certified by Epson. This warranty does not cover ribbon or third party parts, components or peripheral devices added to the EPSON product after its shipment from EPSON, e.g.