Datamax H-4212X User manual

Operator’s Manual

Copyright Information
CG Triumvirate is a trademark of Agfa Corporation.
CG Times based upon Times New Roman under license from the Monotype Corporation.
Windows is a registered trademark of the Microsoft Corporation.
Ethernet is a registered trademark of Xerox Corporation.
All other brand and product names are trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks,
or registered service marks of their respective companies.
Firmware (Software) Agreement
The enclosed Firmware (Software) resident in the Printer is owned by Licensor or its
suppliers and is licensed for used only on a single printer in the user’s Trade or Business.
The User agrees not to, and not to authorize or permit any other person or party to
duplicate, or copy the Firmware or the information contained in the non-volatile or
programmable memory. The firmware (Software) is protected by applicable copyright
laws and Licensor retains all rights not expressly granted. In no event will Licensor or its
suppliers be liable for any damages or loss, including direct, incidental, economic, special, or
consequential damages arising out of the use or inability to use the Firmware (Software).
Information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a
commitment on the part of Datamax Barcode Products Corporation. No part of this manual
may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, for any purpose other than
the purchaser's personal use, without the expressed written permission of Datamax
Corporation.
All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America
© Copyright 2007 by Datamax Corporation
Part Number: 88-2329-01
Revision: E

Agency Compliance and Approvals
C US
Listed
UL60950-1: 2003 1st Edition Information Technology Equipment
CSA C22.2 No. 60950-1-03 1st Edition; April 2003
EN60950
For 230 Volt Operation (Europe): Use a cord set, marked "HAR," consisting of a min
H05VV-F cord which has a minimum 0.75 square mm diameter conductors, provided
with an IEC 320 receptacle and a male plug for the country of installation rated 6A,
250V
Für 230 Volt (Europa): Benützen Sie ein Kabel, das mit "HAR" markiert ist, bestehend
mindestens aus einem H05VV-F Kabel, das mindestens 0,75 Quadratmillimeter
Drahtdurchmesser hat; sowie eine IEC320 Steckdose und einen für das Land
geeigneten Stecker, 6A, 250 Volt.
As an Energy Star Partner, the manufacturer has determined that this product meets
the Energy Star guidelines for energy efficiency.
The manufacturer declares under sole responsibility that this product conforms to the
following standards or other normative documents:
EMC: EN 55022 (1993) Class B
EN 50024 (1998)
Safety: This product complies with EN 60950-1, 1st Edition
Gost-R
FCC: This device complies with FCC CFR 47 Part 15 Class A.
Note: 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 when the equipment is operated in a commercial
environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy, and if
not installed and used in accordance with the instructions in this manual, it may cause harmful
interference to radio communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely
to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be required to correct the interference
at their own expense.

Important Safety Instructions
The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user
to the presence of important operating and maintenance instructions.
This unit has been carefully designed to provide years of safe, reliable performance. As with
all electrical equipment, however, there are some basic precautions that you should follow
to avoid personal injury or printer damage:
yBefore using the printer, carefully read all the installation and operating instructions.
yObserve all warning instruction labels on the printer.
yInstall the printer on a flat, firm surface.
yDo not place the printer upon or near a heat source.
yNever insert anything into the ventilation slots and openings of the printer.
yDo not use the printer near water or spill liquid into it.
yEnsure that the AC power source matches the ratings listed for the printer. (If unsure,
check with your dealer or local utility provider.)
yDo not step on the AC power cord. If the AC power cord becomes damaged or frayed,
replace it immediately.
yIf the printer ever needs repair, consult only qualified, trained service personnel. No
user-serviceable parts are inside; do not remove the cover.
Special Instructions
;
The green check box is intended to alert the user to conventions used within this
text or to notable operating details of the printer.

i
Contents
Overview ...........................................................................................1
1.1 About the Printer ...................................................................................1
1.1.1 Standard Features ...................................................................... 2
1.1.2 Optional Features ....................................................................... 3
Getting Started..................................................................................7
2.1 Unpacking............................................................................................. 7
2.1.1 Additional Requirements.............................................................. 8
2.2 Installation ........................................................................................... 8
2.2.1 Connecting the Power Cord .......................................................... 8
2.2.2 Connecting the Interface Cable(s)................................................. 9
2.2.3 Connecting to the SDIO Slot and USB Host Ports........................... 11
Setting up the Printer......................................................................13
3.1 Media Loading ...................................................................................... 13
3.1.1 Internal Media Sources.............................................................. 15
3.1.2 External Media Sources ............................................................. 17
3.1.3 Rewinding Media....................................................................... 19
3.2 Media Sensor Adjustment...................................................................... 25
3.3 Ribbon Loading.................................................................................... 26
3.4 Quick Calibration ................................................................................. 29
Using the Control Panel ...................................................................31
4.1 Layout................................................................................................ 31
4.1.1 The Display, Icons and Indicators, and Keys and Buttons ............... 32

ii
4.2 The Menu System ................................................................................ 33
4.2.1 Media Settings ......................................................................... 35
4.2.2 Print Control ............................................................................ 38
4.2.3 Printer Options......................................................................... 40
4.2.4 System Settings ....................................................................... 51
4.2.5 Communications....................................................................... 60
4.2.6 Diagnostics.............................................................................. 67
4.2.7 MCL Options ............................................................................ 70
4.3 The Test Menu..................................................................................... 71
4.3.1 Print Quality Label .................................................................... 71
4.3.2 Ribbon Test Label ..................................................................... 72
4.3.3 Test Label................................................................................ 72
4.3.4 Validation Label........................................................................ 72
4.3.5 Print Configuration.................................................................... 73
4.3.6 Print Last Label ........................................................................ 73
4.3.7 User-Defined Label ................................................................... 73
Operating, Adjusting and Maintaining the Printer............................75
5.1 Display Messages................................................................................. 75
5.1.1 Prompts and Condition Messages ................................................ 75
5.2 Calibration .......................................................................................... 78
5.2.1 Standard Calibration ................................................................. 78
5.2.2 Advanced Entry Calibration ........................................................ 80
5.3 Reset Methods..................................................................................... 88
5.3.1 Soft Reset ............................................................................... 88

iii
5.3.2 Level One Reset ....................................................................... 88
5.3.3 Level Two Reset ....................................................................... 88
5.4 Printhead Assembly Adjustments............................................................ 88
5.4.1 Leveling Cam Adjustment .......................................................... 88
5.4.2 Printhead Pressure Adjustment................................................... 90
5.5 Printhead Removal and Replacement ...................................................... 91
5.6 Maintenance........................................................................................ 92
5.6.1 Cleaning the Exterior Surfaces.................................................... 94
5.6.2 Cleaning the Fan Filter............................................................... 94
5.6.3 Cleaning the Interior Compartment ............................................. 95
5.6.4 Cleaning the Media Sensing Components ..................................... 95
5.6.5 Cleaning the Platen and Assist Rollers.......................................... 96
5.6.6 Cleaning the Printhead .............................................................. 97
5.6.7 Cleaning the Ribbon Path Components......................................... 99
5.7 Updating the Firmware ........................................................................100
5.8 Updating the Boot Loader.....................................................................102
5.9 Downloading Fonts..............................................................................103
Troubleshooting ............................................................................105
6.1 Problem Resolution .............................................................................105
6.1.1 General Resolutions .................................................................105
6.2 Warning and Fault Messages.................................................................109
6.3 Hex Dump Mode .................................................................................116
Specifications ................................................................................117
7.1 General .............................................................................................117

iv
7.2 Model-Specific Specifications ................................................................118
7.3 Approved Media and Ribbon .................................................................128
7.4 Print Quality Controls ..........................................................................130
Appendix A ....................................................................................131
Module Assignments, and File Handling Definitions and Messages.....................131
Appendix B ....................................................................................135
Resolutions, Widths, Speeds, Emulations, and Custom Adjustment Settings.......135
Appendix C ....................................................................................139
RS-422/485 Port Configuration....................................................................139
Appendix D....................................................................................141
Changing the Display Language...................................................................141
Appendix E ....................................................................................145
Saving a Configuration File..........................................................................145
Appendix F ....................................................................................147
Ethernet Setup..........................................................................................147
Appendix G....................................................................................149
Using the HTML Pages................................................................................149
Appendix H....................................................................................157
Printer Driver and Port Setup ......................................................................157
Warranty Information ...................................................................171
Glossary ........................................................................................173

H-Class 1
1 Overview
1.1 About the Printer
Congratulations on your purchase of an H-Class printer (hereafter referred to as ‘the
printer’). This manual provides information regarding printer setup, operation, and care. To
print label formats, refer to the instructions provided with your labeling software; or if you
wish to write custom programs, a copy of the Class Series Programmer’s Manual can be
found on the Accessories CD-ROM and at our web site at http://www.datamaxcorp.com.
As detailed below, each model offers many standard and optional features that allow the
printer to meet all of your label generation needs.

2H-Class
1.1.1 Standard Features
Depending upon the model and type, the printer offers the following standard features:
Model and Type
Feature H-4xxx
(Standard
Models)
H-6xxx
(Standard
Models)
H-xxxxX
(Tall
Models)
Control Panel Security X X X
Default Configuration Restorable X X X
Diagnostic Display and Modes X X X
Die Cast Media Hub N/A N/A X
Direct Thermal Printing X X X
Downloadable Firmware Upgrades X X X
DRAM Memory (MB) 16 16 16
EFIGS Multi-Language Support X X X
Ethernet LAN X X X
Fanfold Media Handling X X X
Fault Handling with Reprint & Void X X X
Flash Memory (MB) 8 8 8
Graphics Display (128 x 64 pixels) X X N/A
Graphics Display (240 X 320 pixels) Optional Optional X
Host-Accessible Memory X X X
IEEE 1284 Compliant Parallel Interface X X X
IntelliSEAQ Printhead X X X
Internal Test & Configuration Labels X X X
Label Retract Control after Print X X X
Line Mode (ASCII Text Input) Printing X X X
Media Counters X X X
Media Tear Bar X X X
Option Hardware Auto-Detection X X X
On-Demand and Batch Printing X X X
Power-up Diagnostics X X X
Resident Multiple Setup and Restore X X X
Resident Option Hardware Diagnostics X X X
RFID Upgrade Availability X X X

H-Class 3
Model Number
Feature H-4xxx
(Standard
Models)
H-6xxx
(Standard
Models)
H-xxxxX
(Tall
Models)
Ribbon Low Detection and Warning X X X
Scalable Font Engine, Dynamic Font Attributes,
Bold and Italic X X X
SDIO Interface (internal remote) Optional X X
Serial RS-232/422 Interface X X X
Text, Bar Code, Graphics, and Image Printing X X X
Three-Inch Media Hub X X X
Time and Date Battery Backup X X X
Time Stamping X X X
USB (device) Interface, Version 2.0 X X X
USB Host Ports (2) (internal remote) Optional X X
1.1.2 Optional Features (available except as noted)
The following optional features are offered for the printer:
40 mm Media Hub (H-4xxx and H-4xxxX models only)
A media hub that accommodates 40-millimeter cores.
Cover Dampener (H-6xxx, H-6xxxX, and H-8308X models only)
A hydraulic mechanism that stalls sudden cover closures.
DMXrfNETII
A WiFi Ethernet card with many features, including:
802.11b WiFi LAN standards-based technology
Integrated module with radio, baseband, MAC, and application processors
Built-in TCP/IP and UDP for flexible LAN connectivity options
Built-in Web server for drop-in LAN and internet connectivity
Built in WEP security protocol
Integrated command interface that eliminates the need for complicated software
drivers

4H-Class
External Media Rewinders
Precision-crafted, bi-directional rewinding mechanisms with device-dependant features:
DMXREW1 - accommodates 1 to 4-inch (25 to 101 mm) diameter cores, accepts a
maximum label width of 4.5 inches (114 mm), and rewinds to an 8-inch (203 mm)
maximum outer diameter at 10 inches per second.
DMXREW2 - accommodates 3-inch (76 mm) diameter cores, accepts a maximum
label width of 9.5 inches (241 mm), and rewinds to a 12-inch (304 mm) maximum
outer diameter at 30 inches per second.
ILPC Fonts
Font sets that allow International Language Print Capability, consisting of one of the
following:
CG-Times (western European) Scalable font
Kanji Gothic B Scalable font
Simplified Chinese GB Scalable font
Korean Hangul font
Internal Rewinder, Power-Assisted (Standard models only)
An internal mechanism to wind printed labels, or backing material when using a Peel and
Present option, into a maximum outer diameter roll of five and half inches (139 mm).
Internal Rewinder, Powered "Full Roll" (Tall models only)
A motorized internal mechanism to wind printed labels, or pull the backing material when
using a Peel and Present option, into to a maximum outer diameter roll of eight inches (203
mm).
Linear Scanner (H-4xxx and H-4xxxX models only)
A CCD scanning device with data capture and integrated label voiding features to ensure the
integrity of printed bar codes.
Media Cutter
A rotary-type device that cuts material with a maximum thickness of .01 inch (.254 mm)
into lengths as small as 1.25 inches (31.8 mm).
Peel and Present Mechanism, High Performance
(H-4xxx and H-4xxxX models only, Internal Rewind optional)
An output regulator that automatically separates die-cut labels from the backing material
and inhibits printing when a label is presented. (Minimum label length is 1.5 inches [38
mm]).

H-Class 5
Peel and Present Mechanism, Standard (Internal Rewind required)
A plate-style output regulator that automatically separates die-cut labels from the backing
material and inhibits printing when a label is presented. (Minimum label length is 1.5 inches
[38 mm]).
Present Sensor
An output regulator that inhibits printing when a label is presented.
RFID (All models except H-8308X)
An integrated Ultra High Frequency (UHF) RFID encoding and reading device with data
capture, available in three different configurations:
Factory Installed - complete, ready to use from the factory.
Ready - factory installed antenna, requiring the installation of an RFID module and
hardware.
Full Upgrade - antenna, RFID module, and hardware require installation.
SDIO Interface and USB Host Ports (H-4xxx models only)
An interface that accepts external memory storage devices for fonts, graphics, label
formats, and firmware; as well as a port that can accept a USB keyboard for direct data
input applications (e.g., Line Mode).
Thermal Transfer
A hub assembly that allows printing with ribbon for exceptional image clarity and durability,
as compared to most direct thermal media types.
Option Installation
The table below lists the experience needed to install the options described above. For more
information, contact your dealer or Datamax.
Option Installation
Option Recommended Installer
40 mm Media Hub Factory only
Cover Dampener DMX Certified Technician
External Media Rewinder Operator
Graphics Display DMX Certified Technician
ILPC Fonts DMX Certified Technician
Internal Rewinder Operator
Linear Scanner DMX Certified Technician
Media Cutter Operator

6H-Class
Option Installation (continued)
Option Recommended Installer
Peel and Present Mechanism Operator
Present Sensor Operator
RFID (Ready and Full Upgrade) DMX Certified Technician
SDIO Interface and USB Host Ports DMX Certified Technician
Thermal Transfer Operator

H-Class 7
2 Getting Started
2.1 Unpacking
The printer has been carefully packaged to prevent transit damage. (Inspect the container
for damage and, if evident, notify the shipping company before acceptance.)
After removing the packaging, check the contents of the shipment.
The following items are included:
Printer
Power Cord
Quick Start Guide
Accessories CD-ROM
Warranty Card
Any special or additionally purchased items.
;
Save the carton and packing material for future use.

8H-Class
2.1.1 Additional Requirements
Other items can also be needed for operation:
An interface cable (see Section 2.2.2);
Applicable media (see Section 7.3); and,
Applicable software (consult the Accessories CD-ROM, your dealer, or Datamax).
2.2 Installation
The printer features an auto-ranging power supply and several different interface types for
easy installation.
Ensure that the Power Switch is OFF when making printer connections.
2.2.1 Connecting the Power Cord
With printer placed upon a firm and level surface, connect the Power Cord as follows:
A. Ensure that the Power Switch is turned OFF.
B. Connect the Power Cord to the AC receptacle on the printer, and then to a properly
rated and grounded AC outlet.

H-Class 9
2.2.2 Connecting the Interface Cable(s)
The printer can be interfaced to your host system via the Ethernet, Parallel, Serial, and USB
ports. Following power-up (or after a period of inactivity) communications will automatically
be established through the first port that receives valid host data.
Once established, communication through another port will only occur after the selectable
Host Time-out period is reached or if printer power is cycled OFF and ON.
;
Unless otherwise noted, refer to Section 4.2.5 for communication setup options.
Ethernet Connection
The Ethernet interface supports several menu-selectable modes. Depending on the length,
the cable should be Category / Type 3 or better. Refer to Appendix F for setup information.
Parallel Connection
The parallel interface supports directional communications. Choose and connect cabling as
follows:
For unidirectional communication, use a Centronics IEEE 1284 cable with a 36-pin
male connector; or,
For bi-directional communication, use an IEEE 1284 Compliant cable with a 36-pin
male connector (and supporting host software).
Serial Connection
The serial interface supports RS-232C, RS-422, and RS-485 communications (see Appendix
C for RS-422/485 details). RS-232C cabling configurations and part numbers are shown
below (contact your reseller for ordering information).

10 H-Class
;
"Off the shelf" serial cables can be used with Xon/Xoff handshaking.
USB Connection
The USB interface connection may differ slightly depending upon the operating system and
hardware configuration of the host computer. Basic connections are shown below.