Digital Equipment LA400plus User manual

User Guide
DIGITALMatrix Printer LA400plus
Order Number:EK-LA45E-UG-001
1

Digital Matrix Printer LA400plus
Setting Up Your Printer
Digital Equipment Corporation
Maynard, Massachusetts

First Printing, September 1998
The contents of this guide may be revised without prior notice and without obligation to
incorporate changes and improvements into units already shipped.
Every effort has been made to ensure that information included here is complete and
accurate at the time of publication: however, Digital Equipment Corporation cannot be
held responsible for errors and omissions.
No part of this guide may be reproduced or translated, stored in a database or retrieval
system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Digital
Equipment Corporation 1998. All rights reserved.
The following are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation: LA400plus MultiPrinter
and the Digital logo.
Centronics is a trademark of Centronics Data Computer Corporation. IBM PC, IBM
Proprinter X24E and IBM Proprinter XL24E are trademarks of International Business
Machines Corporation. ESC/P2 is a trademark of Seiko Epson Corporation. Microsoft is a
registered trademark and MS-DOS, Windows and Microsoft BASIC are trademarks of
Microsoft Corporation.
Other products names mentioned in this guide may also be trademarks of their respective
companies.
As an Energy Star TM Partner. Digital Equipment Corporation has determined that this product
meets the Energy Star TM guidelines for energy efficiency.

Table of Contents
Introduction
System Requirements ...................................................................................................................1
Digital Environment...............................................................................................................1
PC Environment.....................................................................................................................1
Installation Procedure...................................................................................................................2
Step 1 - Unpacking the Printer
Where to Place the Printer............................................................................................................3
Environment...........................................................................................................................3
Work Location........................................................................................................................3
Preparing the Printer.....................................................................................................................5
Checking Carton Contents .....................................................................................................5
Locating the Printer Parts.............................................................................................................6
Removing the Shipment Locks ....................................................................................................8
Step 2 - Mounting the Push Tractor Unit
About Paper Feeding and Paper Paths........................................................................................11
Paper Path for Continuous Forms ......................................................................................11
Feeding Cut Sheets and Envelopes .....................................................................................11
Mounting the Push Tractor Unit in Front Position ..............................................................12
Position of the Push Tractor Locking Buttons.....................................................................14
Step 3 - Starting-up the Printer
Connecting the Printer to the Power Outlet................................................................................15
Powering-on the Printer..............................................................................................................17
Step 4 - Selecting the Display Language
Entering the Set-Up Mode..........................................................................................................18
Selecting the Language...............................................................................................................18
Step 5 - Installing the Black Ribbon Cartridge
Preparing the Cartridge...............................................................................................................20
Installing the Cartridge...............................................................................................................21
Step 6 - Loading Continuous Form
Loading the Paper.......................................................................................................................25
Step 7 - Printing your First Page
Printing the Printer Self-Test Page .............................................................................................30
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Step 8 - Connecting your Printer to the Host System
Connecting your Printer to a Digital Environment.................................................................... 32
Connecting to the Computer, Server or Terminal................................................................ 32
Checking the Connection .................................................................................................... 33
Printing a Test Page from Your Host System................................................................ 33
Connecting your Printer to a PC Environment.......................................................................... 34
Connecting to the PC........................................................................................................... 34
Checking the Protocol ......................................................................................................... 35
What’s a Protocol.......................................................................................................... 35
Setting the Protocol....................................................................................................... 35
Installing the Windows Printer Driver................................................................................. 36
Installing the Printer Driver for Windows 3.x..................................................................... 36
Installing the Printer Driver for Windows 95................................................................ 36
Printing a Test Page ............................................................................................................. 36
Printing a Test Page under Windows 3.x....................................................................... 36
Printing a Test Page under Windows 95........................................................................ 36
iv

Introduction
This is a short guide to installing and setting up the DIGITAL Matrix Printer LA400plus to work
within a Digital or a PC environment. It also introduces some basic concepts defining the global
hardware and firmware organization of the printer.
System Requirements
The following information details the requirements for a proper installation and functioning of
your printer.
Digital Environment
There are no specific requirements since your DIGITAL Matrix Printer LA400plus is a Digital
printer, especially designed and manufactured for perfect integration in the Digital environment.
PC Environment
Check the following interface definition and connectors:
Serial Interface Parallel Interface
- Version: DEC423 (RS423 compatible). - The parallel interface cable is not provided.
Use a Digital parallel cable: BC19M-06
(6 feet) or BC19M-10 (10 feet).
- Connector: Use a Digital MMJ adaptor. For
a 9 pins connector on your PC, use a
H8571-J Digital adaptor.
1

Installation Procedure
The installation procedure described in this guide concerns the use of standard continuous form
(simple part or thin multiple parts). We recommend that you first follow this step by step
procedure for getting to know your printer:
•Step 1 - Unpacking the Printer
•Step 2 - Mounting the Push Tractor Unit
•Step 3 - Starting-up the Printer
•Step 4 - Selecting the Display Language
•Step 5 - Installing the Black Ribbon Cartridge
•Step 6 - Loading Continuous Form
•Step 7 - Printing Your First Page
•Step 8 - Connecting your Printer to the Host System
Note: For information about loading different types of paper, see Chapter 3 "Handling
Different Types of Paper" of the User Guide.
2

Step 1
Unpacking the Printer
Where to Place the Printer
When choosing the location for your printer check the following:
Environment
•Away from any heat source and not exposed to direct sunlight.
•Avoid dusty, dirty or humid environment.
Work Location
•Choose a flat, stable surface near to the host system or PC.
•Avoid obstructing the openings of the casing (located on both side of the casing) for correct
ventilation.
•You need an independent power outlet to which you can connect the printer nearby.
•Avoid interference between cables at the rear of the printer and loaded continuous form.
3

We recommend that you free up some space around the printer as shown in the following picture,
to allow automatic paper routing for continuous form and easy access:
Free Space Dimensions
4

Preparing the Printer
Checking Carton Contents
1. Take out the accessories from the foam blocks and remove the blocks from the printer.
2. Check if all printer parts are present and undamaged according to the following list.
1DIGITAL Matrix Printer LA400plus 5Push tractor unit
2Power cable 6Black ribbon cartridge
3"Setting Up Your Printer " + User Guide 7Serial interface cable
4Printer driver disk (Windows 3.1 and
Windows 95)
3. Place the printer at its location.
Note: Keep the carton and all the packing materials in case you have to transport the printer,
relocate it, or return it to Digital Services for maintenance.
1
2
3
46
7
5
Carton Contents
5

Locating the Printer Parts
1Power switch 4Operator panel
2Platen knob 5Cut sheet stand
3Top cover 6Front slot cover
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2
3
4
5
6
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7Rear slot cover 0Slot for optional Set-Up card or font card
8Power socket !Pull tractor mechanism covers
9Interface connectors "Large rear cover
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09
!
d400-c03
!"
7

Removing the Shipment Locks
Caution: Before performing any operation, you must remove the four orange shipment locks.
Keep them in order to reuse them in case you have to transport the printer, relocate it
or return it to Digital Services for maintenance.
1. Open the front slot cover ①by pulling it up at the center of the cover.
2. Lock the front slot cover ①to the printer casing by pushing on its center to the top.
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d4001c04
Opening the Front Slot Cover
1
d4002c05
Locking the Front Slot Cover
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3. Remove the basic assembly shipment locks ②, ③and ④.
4. Open the top cover ⑤by pressing the two gray locking buttons ⑥.
2
34
d4001c06
Removing the Basic Assembly Shipment Locks
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5
d4001c07
Opening the Top Cover
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5. Remove the carriage motor shipment lock ⑦.
6. Close the top cover ⑤.
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d4001c08
Removing the Carriage Motor Shipment Lock
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Step 2
Mounting the Push Tractor Unit
About Paper Feeding and Paper Paths
The DIGITAL Matrix Printer LA400plus is designed for use with a wide range of paper types,
from continuous form (simple part, multipart or adhesive labels) to cut sheets (simple part or
multipart) and envelopes.
Several paper feeding devices are available depending on the type of paper you intend to use.
Paper Path for Continuous Forms
A paper path is mainly defined by:
– the paper feeding device used
– the position of the paper feeding device on the printer
Two paper feeding devices are available:
– the Push tractor unit (standard)
– the Pull tractor unit (option)
You can mount the feeding devices in two positions:
– the Front position (under the front slot cover)
– the Rear position (under the rear slot cover)
The most common paper path uses the Push tractor unit mounted in the Front position and is
compatible with most of the paper types. This paper path, called Push-Front, is factory set in the
printer as the path to be used at first power-on.The following instructions explain how to set up
this paper path.
Feeding Cut Sheets and Envelopes
The Cut sheet stand of your DIGITAL Matrix Printer LA400plus defines the Manual paper path
available for cut sheets and envelopes.
Note: For more information about feeding different types of paper, see Chapter 3 "Handling
Different Types of Paper" of the User Guide.
11

Mounting the Push Tractor Unit in Front Position
Warning: The printer must be powered-off before you start this procedure.
1. Remove the Push tractor unit ①from its plastic packet.
2. Remove the black plastic protection ②from the electrical connector ③.
3. Disengage the plastic protection ④from the feeding motor gear wheel, rotating it as shown in
the picture.
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4
Disengaging the Gear Wheel Protection
1
2
3
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Removing the Protection from the Electrical Connector
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4. Identify the place ⑤of the Push tractor unit ①in the printer with the help of this figure. The
electrical connector ③must be on the right.
5. Mount the Push tractor unit ①in its place ⑤, aligning both its left and bottom sides with the
printer casing and inserting the electrical connector into the corresponding plug on the printer.
Warning: Ensure that the paper separator ⑥is correctly retracted into the tractor unit casing.
Otherwise, paper may not be loaded.
3
1
5
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Identifying the Tractor Unit Place
d400-a58
1
6
Mounting and Aligning the Push Tractor Unit in its Place
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6. Push both the left and right sides of the Push tractor unit ①upward, until it is fully engaged.
Note: The Push tractor is engaged when you feel and hear the click of both left and right
locking buttons ⑦. The Push tractor locking buttons must be in the up position as
shown in the following picture.
7. Check that the paper separator ⑥seats inside the printer and does not overhang the casing.
Position of the Push Tractor Locking Buttons
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1
Engaging the Push Tractor Unit
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Right Position (up)
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Wrong Position (down)
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