Argox OS Series User manual

OS Series
Desktop Barcode Printer
User’s Manual
II
Proprietary Statement
This manual contains proprietary information of Argox Information Co., Ltd. It is
intended solely for the information and use of parties operating and maintaining the
equipment described herein. Such proprietary information may not be used, reproduced,
or disclosed to any other parties for any other purpose without the expressed written
permission of Argox Information Co., Ltd.
Product Improvements
Continuous improvement of products is a policy of Argox Information Co., Ltd. All
specifications and signs are subject to change without notice.
FCC Compliance Statement
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A
digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to
provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation.
This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not
installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference
to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that the interference will not
occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to
radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and
on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by the following measures:
•Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
•Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver.
•Connect the equipment into a different outlet on a different circuit.
•Consult the dealer or an experience Radio/TV technician for help.
This unit was tested with shielded cables on the peripheral devices. Shielded cables
must be used with the unit to insure compliance. The user is cautioned that any changes
or modifications not expressly approved by Argox Information Co., Ltd. could void the
user’s authority to operate the equipment.
Liability Disclaimer
Argox Information Co., Ltd. takes steps to assure that the company’s published
engineering specifications and manuals are correct; however, errors do occur. Argox
Information Co., Ltd. reserves the right to correct any such errors and disclaims any
resulting liability. In no event shall Argox Information Co., Ltd. or anyone else
involved in the creation, production, or delivery of the accompanying product
(including hardware and software) be liable for any damages whatsoever (including,
without limitation, damages for loss of business profits, business interruption, loss of
business information, or other pecuniary loss) arising out of the use of or the results of
use of or inability to use such product, even if Argox Information Co., Ltd. has been
advised of the possibility of such damages.

III
A Letter to Our Customers
Dear Customers,
Congratulation on selecting an Argox X series printer!
We believe soon you will find that you have made a
cleverest choice!
This booklet is a small gift from us. It is intended for
helping you to know your printer better, then further to
optimize it. Basically, this booklet contains two parts:
operation guidance and related valuable information.
In the part of the operation guidance, we will furnish you
with a lot of complementary illustrations, so you may pick
up those operation guides more quickly.
In the latter chapters of Trouble Shooting, Maintenance as
well as Reference Technical information, which we think,
you may need them just in case. Therefore, for your quick
reference, we try to table them as much as possible.
Enjoy your reading and have a good time with your printer!
Best wishes,
Argox Information Co., Ltd.
IV
Table of Contents
Getting Started .............................................................................1
Unpacking ..................................................................................1
Package Contents ...................................................................2
Connecting the Power Supply....................................................3
Getting to Know Your Printer ....................................................5
Parts and Features (OS-214, OS-214Zip, OS-314)....................5
Parts and Features (OS-203, OS-204)........................................8
Controls and Indicators ............................................................11
Loading Ribbon and Media ......................................................13
Loading a Ribbon (OS-214, OS-214Zip, OS-314) ..................13
Loading Media .........................................................................18
Standard Mode .....................................................................18
Peel Off Mode......................................................................23
Cutting Mode .......................................................................27
Configuration .............................................................................29
Performing Calibration ............................................................29
Printing a Configuration Report...............................................29
Resetting to Factory Default Settings ......................................30
Computer Connections..............................................................31
Serial (RS-232) Interface Requirements..................................31
Parallel Interface Requirements...............................................33
Serial and Parallel Cabling Requirements. ..............................33
Communicating with the Printer..............................................34
Before Installation....................................................................34
Installing the Driver (auto install driver) .................................34
Setting Parameters ...................................................................38
Parameters for Win 98 .........................................................39
Parameters for Win 2000 .....................................................42
For NT 4.0............................................................................46
For Win XP ..........................................................................48

V
Troubleshooting..........................................................................52
LED Diagnosis.........................................................................52
Miscellaneous ..........................................................................54
Recovery ..................................................................................55
Caring for Your Printer.............................................................56
Cleaning ...................................................................................56
Thermal Print Head..............................................................56
Paper Sensor ........................................................................56
Technical Reference ...................................................................59
General Specifications .............................................................59
Fonts, Bar Codes and Graphics Specification .........................62
Printer Programming Language A, PPLA ...........................62
Printer Programming Language B, PPLB............................63
Printer Programming Language Z, PPLZ (OS-214Zip) ......64
Interface Specifications............................................................65
Serial ....................................................................................65
Connection with host: ..........................................................66
Parallel (Centronics) ............................................................68
Auto Polling.........................................................................68
ASCII TABLE .........................................................................69
Appendix I - Installing Dispenser Kit ......................................70
Top Cover ................................................................................70
Middle Cover ...........................................................................71
Base Housing ...........................................................................72
Appendix II - Installing the Cutter ..........................................75
1
Getting Started
Congratulations on choosing the Argox OS Series desktop
barcode printer. This manual will help you get to know your new
printer. There are two parts to this manual, an operation guide
and related information. The operation guide is illustrated to help
you quickly become familiar with the printer. The related
information includes troubleshooting, maintenance and technical
information for your reference.
Unpacking
After receiving your printer, please check for possible shipping
damage:
1. Inspect the outside of both the box and the printer for
possible damage.
2. Open the top cover of the printer to see if the media
compartments are in order.
Note: If damage has occurred, contact your shipping company
immediately to file a claim.
3. Check whether you have received the following
accessories together with the printer. If there are any
items missing, please contact your local dealer.

2
Package Contents
•Printer
•Power Adapter
•User’s Manual
•CD Rom Disk
•Ribbon (not included with OS-203 or OS-204)
•Sample Media (not included with OS-203 or OS-204)
Note: The ribbon and sample media are not included with the
OS-203 or OS-204 models.
Printer
Power Adapter
Ribbon
C
D R
o
m Di
sk
Use
r’
s
Man
u
al
Sample Media
3
Connecting the Power Supply
Connect the power supply as below.
WARNING! Do not operate the printer and power supply in an
area where they can get wet.
Make sure the power switch is in the "O" position, and be careful
not to touch the 36-pin parallel connector.
1. Insert the barrel connector of the Power Adapter into the
power jack on the back of the printer. Note the location of the
power jack for different models in the diagrams below.
2. Plug the other end of the cord into an AC electrical outlet.
OS-204 / 214 / 214Zip / 314
Power Switch
Barrel Connector
Power Jack
Power Adapter
Cord
AC Electrical Outlet

4
OS-203 Model
AC Electrical Outlet
Cord
Power Adapter
Barrel Connector
Power Switch
Power Jack
5
Getting to Know Your Printer
There are five models in the OS Series. The OS-214, OS-214Zip
and OS-314 share the same parts and features, as do the
OS-203 and OS-204. Parts and features of the OS series are
illustrated below.
Parts and Features (OS-214, OS-214Zip,
OS-314)
Top Cover
Power Switch
H Cover
Power Indicator
Ready Indicator Feed Button
OS-214 / OS-214Zip / OS-314 Models

6
Ribbon Pick-up Holder
Release Levers
Media Hanger
Power Switch
Ribbon Supply Holder
Thermal Print head
Platen Roller
OS-214 / OS-214Zip / OS-314 Models
7
Peel-Off Option
White Plastic Roller
Cutter Option
Cutter
OS-214 / OS-214Zip / OS-314 Models

8
Parts and Features (OS-203, OS-204)
Top Cover
Power Switch
H Cover
Power Indicator
Ready indicator Feed Button
OS-203 / OS-204 Models
9
Thermal Print head
OS-203 / OS-204 Models
Release Levers
Platen Roller
Media Hanger

10
Peel-Off Option Cutter Option
White Plastic Roller Cutter
OS-203 / OS-204 Models
11
Controls and Indicators
The printer’s controls and indicators are shown in the diagram
below. The following table explains control and indicator
functions.
Power Indicator
Ready Indicator
Feed Button
Power Switch

12
Control /
Indicator Function
Power Switch
•On: power on
•Off: shut down
Note: Turn power off before connecting or
disconnecting cables
Power Indicator
•Green light shows the power-on status
•Light off shows the power-off status
•Blinking light indicates error has occurred
Ready Indicator •Green shows printer is ready to operate
•Blinking light indicates printer is paused
Feed Button
•Press to advance labels to the first printing
position
•Press to leave "pause" status
•Press to back feed if a label is not properly
aligned (for OS-203 Peel-Off mode only)
•Press and hold while turning on the power
to print out a configuration profile
13
Loading Ribbon and Media
This section describes how to load ribbon and media into the OS
Series printers.
Loading a Ribbon (OS-214, OS-214Zip,
OS-314)
Note: This section does not apply to direct thermal printing.
1. Lift the top cover to expose the media compartment.
2. Unlatch the print head module by pushing the two white
release levers on the sides toward the rear.
3. Turn over the print head module to expose the ribbon
supply holder.

14
Media Compartment
Release Lever
Print Head Module
Release Lever
Ribbon Supply Holder
15
4. Unwrap the ribbon roll pack and separate the ribbon roll
and the bare core.
5. Attach the edge of the ribbon on the bare core and wind it
a little bit onto the core.
6. Insert the ribbon roll into the supply holder. (First snap in
the left side and then the right side.)
Ribbon Supply Holder
Ribbon Roll
Bare Core

16
7. Put the print head module down and insert the bare core
into the pick-up holder. (First snap in the left side, and
then the right side.)
8. Turn the wheel of the print head module to ensure the
ribbon is tightly wound.
9. Press down the print head module firmly until you hear a
snap.
Ribbon Pick-up Holder
Bare Core
17
Wheel
Print Head Module

18
Loading Media
The OS Series printers offer three different loading modes:
standard, peel-off, or cutting.
•Standard mode allows you to collect each label freely.
•Peel-off mode peels backing material away from the label
as it prints. After a label is removed, the next label prints.
•Cutting mode automatically cuts the label after it prints.
Standard Mode
1. Lift the top cover to expose the media compartment.
19
2. Remove the media hanger.
3. Load the media roll onto the hanger from left to right.
Media Compartment Media Hanger
Media Roll
Media Han
g
e
r

20
4. Click the media hanger back into the media
compartment.
5. Align the media roll to the left end.
6. Move the shield from right to left until it leans against the
media.
Media Compartment
Shield
Media Roll
21
7. Unlatch the print head module.
8. Hold the print head module upright with one hand to
allow the media to pass under it. Lead the media through
the media guides with the other hand.
9. Lead the media over the platen roller.
Print Head Module Media Guides

22
10. Put the print head module down and press down firmly
until you hear a snap.
11. Close the top cover and turn on the printer or press the
"FEED" button if the printer is already on.
Print Head Module
Feed Button
23
Peel Off Mode
Note: For Peel-off mode you must first install the dispenser kit.
Please refer to Appendix I.
Follow Steps 1 to 8 listed in Standard Mode above.
9. Remove enough labels to expose approximately a 6"
length of backing paper.
Backing Paper
Peeler Sensor

24
10. Trim the front edge of the label backing paper with
scissors or a knife.
11. Lead the backing paper over the dispenser bar, then
thread it back into the slot between the dispenser bar and
H cover, ensuring that it is inserted between the white
plastic roller and platen roller.
H Cover
Media Guides
Dispenser Bar
25
12. Press the "FEED" button for the label backing paper to
come out from the slot under the H cover.
13. In OS-203 Peel-off mode, if a misaligned loading occurs
keep pressing the "FEED" button to back-feed and reload
the label stock.
14. To remove any slack, rewind the media onto the roll.
Press down the print head module firmly.
Slot
H Cover
Feed Button

26
15. Close the top cover and turn on the printer or press the
"FEED" button if the printer is already on.
Note: The "FEED" button does not make the printer peel.
Peeling occurs only when the software is properly set.
Label
27
Cutting Mode
Note: For Cutting mode you must first install the cutter. Please
refer to Appendix II.
Follow Steps 1 to 8 listed in Standard Mode above.
9. Thread the media over the platen roller, then route the
media through the slot of the cutter module.
10. Press down the print head module firmly.
Cutter Module

28
11. Close the top cover and turn on the printer or press the
"FEED" button if the printer is already on.
Note: The "FEED" button does not make the printer cut. Cutting
occurs only when the software is properly set.
29
Configuration
This section discusses calibration, printing configuration and
resetting the printer to factory defaults.
Performing Calibration
1. Press and hold the feed button while turning on the power,
until the printing motor is activated.
2. Calibration is performed while the printer automatically
feeds the label stock for a certain length.
Important! You must always carry out calibration when
changing media. Failure to do so will result in
improper detection by the label sensor.
Printing a Configuration Report
1. Press and hold the "Feed" button while turning on the
power, until the printing motor is activated.
2. After feeding 6-inches of blank media, the printing motor
suspends for one second and then prints out a
configuration profile. The profile includes firmware version,
ROM checksum, RS232, thermal transfer/direct thermal
settings, hardware configuration, and font types.
3. At PPLB emulation, the printer enters character dump
mode. To exit from dump mode, press the feed button
again.

30
Resetting to Factory Default Settings
1. Turn on the printer and wait for 5 or more seconds.
2. Press the "Feed" button for 10 seconds, and the "Ready"
indicator and "Power" indicator will go off in order.
3. When the two indicators relight, release the feed button.
4. The printer feeds 8 inches of label stock, and then resets
to the factory defaults.
Note: All settings are stored in non-volatile E2PROM and are
retained even after the printer is turned off.
31
Computer Connections
Note: You must insert the power supply’s barrel connector into
the power jack on the back of the printer before
connecting communication cables.
This printer comes with both a nine-pin Electronics Industries
Association (EIA) RS-232 serial data interface (for OS-203, it is
six-pin) and a standard Centronics parallel interface. In either
case, you must supply the required interface cable for your
application.
Note: This printer complies with FCC Rules and Regulations,
Part 15, for Class B Equipment, for use with fully shielded
six-foot data cables. Use of longer cables or unshielded
cables may increase radiated emissions above Class B
limits.
Serial (RS-232) Interface Requirements
The required cable must have a nine-pin "D" type (for the OS-203,
six-pin) male connector on one end, which is plugged into the
mating serial port located on the back of the printer. The other end
of the signal interface cable connects to a serial port on the host
computer.
For technical and pin-out information, please refer to the
Reference Technical Information, Interface Specification.

32
Power Jack
RS232 Serial Port
Parallel Port
Power Jack
Parallel Port
RS232 Serial Port
OS-204 / OS-214 /
OS-214Zip / OS-314 Models
OS-203 Model
33
Parallel Interface Requirements
The required cable (IEEE 1284-compliant is recommended) must
have a standard 36-pin parallel connector on one end, which is
plugged into the parallel port located on the back of the printer.
The other end of the parallel interface cable connects to the
printer connector at the host computer. For pin-out information,
refer to the Reference Technical Information, Interface
Specification.
Serial and Parallel Cabling Requirements.
Data cables must be of fully shielded construction and fitted with
metal or metalized connector shells. Shielded cables and
connectors are required to prevent radiation and reception of
electrical noise.
To minimize electrical noise pickup in the cable:
•Keep data cables as short as possible (6 ft or 1.83m
recommended).
•Do not tightly bundle the data cables with power cords.
•Do not tie the data cables to power wire conduits.
Notes:
1. Centronics allows a much higher communication speed
than serial.
2. The printer automatically detects parallel or serial port.
No need to set a switch or send a command.
3. Default settings are included in the configuration report.

34
Communicating with the Printer
The bundled printer driver can be applied to all applications under
Windows 98/2000/NT, and Windows XP. With this driver you can
run any popular Windows software applications such as MS-Word
and print to this printer.
Before Installation
1. Check the contents of the driver to ensure it is complete.
2. Make a backup copy of the driver.
Installing the Driver (auto install driver)
1. Double click the driver file (Label Dr. 200 or Label Dr. 300)
to execute in Windows.
2. Click "Next".
35
3. Select a driver for your
printer and click "Next".
For 203 dpi modes with 4
inches print width, you
should select Label
Dr.200 (4 inch model).
4. Select the port of the
printer and click "Next".