Epson TM-T88 Series Use and care manual

Technical Reference Guide
Describes the features of the product.
Describes the setup and installation of
the product and peripherals.
Describes the advanced usage of
the product.
Describes how to control the printer and gives
information useful for printer application development.
Describes the product specications,
interface specications, and character code.
Describes the basic handling of the printer.
Liner-Free Label Paper Model
M00123000
Rev. A
Product Overview
Setup
Application Development
Information
Handling
Appendix
Advanced Usage

CAUTION
• No part of this document 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 contents of this document are subject to change without notice. Please contact us for the latest information.
• While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this document, Seiko Epson Corporation assumes no
responsibility for errors or omissions.
• Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.
• Neither Seiko Epson Corporation nor its affiliates shall be liable to the purchaser of this product or third parties for
damages, losses, costs, or expenses incurred by the purchaser or third parties as a result of: accident, misuse, or abuse of
this product or unauthorized modifications, repairs, or alterations to this product, or (excluding the U.S.) failure to strictly
comply with Seiko Epson Corporation’s operating and maintenance instructions.
• Seiko Epson Corporation shall not be liable against any damages or problems arising from the use of any options or any
consumable products other than those designated as Original Epson Products or Epson Approved Products by Seiko
Epson Corporation.
Trademarks
EPSON is a registered trademark of Seiko Epson Corporation.
Exceed Your Vision and ESC/POS are registered trademarks or trademarks of Seiko Epson Corporation.
Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners and used for identification purpose only.
ESC/POS® Command System
EPSON ESC/POS is a proprietary POS printer command system that includes patented or patent-pending commands. ESC/
POS is compatible with most EPSON POS printers and displays.
ESC/POS is designed to reduce the processing load on the host computer in POS environments. It comprises a set of highly
functional and efficient commands and also offers the flexibility to easily make future upgrades.
©Seiko Epson Corporation 2019. All rights reserved.

3
For Safety
Key to Symbols
The symbols in this manual are identified by their level of importance, as defined below. Read the following
carefully before handling the product.
Warnings
!WARNING
You must follow warnings carefully to avoid serious bodily injury.
!CAUTION
Provides information that must be observed to prevent damage to the equipment or
loss of data.
• Possibility of sustaining physical injuries.
• Possibility of causing physical damage.
• Possibility of causing information loss.
Provides information that must be observed to avoid damage to your equipment or a
malfunction.
Provides important information and useful tips.
!WARNING
• Do not cover the printer with cloth or place it in a poorly ventilated location.
• The internal temperature may increase, leading to fire.
• Keep the printer away from volatile substances, such as alcohol and thinner, and
fire. Failure to do so may result in electrical shock or fire.
• Shut down your equipment immediately if it produces smoke, a strange odor, or
unusual noise. Failure to do so may result in electrical shock or fire.
• If an accident occurs, turn off the power immediately and unplug the AC cable.
Then contact qualified service personnel.
• If foreign matter or liquid such as water spills into this equipment, do not continue
to use it. Continued use may result in electrical shock or fire.
• Immediately unplug the equipment and contact qualified service personnel.
• Do not disassemble the printer except for the locations indicated in the manual.
• Never attempt to repair this product yourself. Improper repair work can be
dangerous.
• Do not use the printer in a location where flammable gas, explosive gas, or similar
gas might exist in the air. Do not use aerosol sprayers containing flammable gas
inside or around this product. Doing so may cause fire.
• Do not connect cables in ways other than those indicated in this manual.
• Doing so may lead to fire. Doing so may also damage the connected equipment.
• Do not insert or drop metal or flammable objects into the printer from the
openings. Doing so may result in electrical shock or fire.
• Make sure to use this product at the specified voltage. Failure to do so may result in
fire or electrical shock.

4
!WARNING
• Check that the plug is clean before plugging it in. Failure to do so may result in
electrical shock or fire.
• Be sure to push the plug all the way in. Failure to do so may result in electrical
shock or fire.
• Do not use a damaged power cable. Doing so may result in electrical shock or fire.
• If the power cable is damaged, contact qualified service personnel.
• Do not place multiple loads on the power outlet. Overloading the outlet may lead
to fire.
• Be sure to disconnect the plug from the power outlet and clean the base of the
blades and the area between the blades. Leaving the plug inserted in the power
outlet for a long time may cause dust to stick to the base of blades, leading to fire.
• When you disconnect the plug from the power outlet, hold the plug and do not
pull the cable. Failure to do so may damage the cable or deform the plug, resulting
in electrical shock or fire.
• When handling the AC adapter, observe the instructions described below. Failure
to do so may result in electrical shock or fire.
* Avoid exposure to rain or water.
* Do not hang the adapter on the power cable.
* Avoid contact between a metal object such as a paper clip and the connector.
* Do not cover the adapter with a blanket or similar item.
• Do not insert a telephone line into the drawer kick connector. Doing so may
damage the telephone line or printer.
• Do not place the printer in a dusty or humid location. Doing so may result in
electrical shock or fire.
• Before relocating this product, turn off the power, disconnect the plug from the
power outlet, and make sure that all the cables are disconnected. Failure to do so
may result in electrical shock or fire.

5
Cautions
!CAUTION
• Do not place/store the printer on an unsteady location or a location subject to the
vibration of other equipment. Otherwise, the product may break or cause injury if it
falls.
• Do not place heavy objects on top of this product. Never stand or lean on this
product. Otherwise, the product may fall or break and cause injury.
• When connecting cables or installing optional products, follow the procedures and
make sure that the cables and products are installed in the proper direction. Failure
to do so may cause injury.
• Follow the instructions in the manual for proper installation.
• While opening/closing the printer cover, keep your hands away from the joint
between the cover and the main body. Otherwise, your hand or finger may be
pinched and get injured.
• To ensure safety, unplug this product when leaving it unused for an extended
period.
• Do not touch the inside of the printer except for the locations indicated in the
manual. Doing so may result in electrical shock or burns.
• Observe the instructions below to prevent the power cable from being damaged.
• Do not modify or attempt to repair the cable
• Do not place any heavy object on top of the cable
• Avoid excessive bending, twisting, and pulling
• Do not place the cable near heating equipment
• Never insert or disconnect the power plug with wet hands. Doing so may result in
severe shock.
• Take care not to push your hand or finger against the manual cutter. Doing so may
injure your hand or finger.
* When you remove printed paper
* When you perform other operations such as loading/replacing roll paper

6
Caution Labels
The caution labels on the product indicate the following precautions.
!KCAUTION:
Do not touch the thermal head during or immediately after use. After printing, the thermal head and its
surroundings can be very hot.
Restriction of Use
When this product is used for applications requiring high reliability/safety, such as transportation devices
related to aviation, rail, marine, automotive, etc.; disaster prevention devices; various safety devices, etc.; or
functional/precision devices, etc., you should use this product only after giving consideration to including
fail-safes and redundancies into your design to maintain safety and total system reliability.
Because this product was not intended for use in applications requiring extremely high reliability/safety,
such as aerospace equipment, main communication equipment, nuclear power control equipment, or
medical equipment related to direct medical care, etc., please make your own judgment on this product's
suitability after a full evaluation.
Thermal head

7
About this Manual
Aim of the Manual
This manual provides developers/engineers with all the necessary information for design, development
and installation of a POS system, and also design and development of a printer application.
Manual Content
The manual is made up of the following sections:
Chapter 1 Product Overview
Chapter 2 Setup
Chapter 3 Advanced Usage
Chapter 4 Application Development Information
Chapter 5 Handling
Appendix Product Specifications
Specifications of Interfaces and Connectors
Character Code Tables

8
Contents
■For Safety......................................................... 3
Key to Symbols ..........................................................................3
Warnings......................................................................................3
Cautions.......................................................................................5
Caution Labels ...........................................................................6
■Restriction of Use ............................................ 6
■About this Manual........................................... 7
Aim of the Manual....................................................................7
Manual Content ........................................................................7
■Contents........................................................... 8
Product Overview.......................11
■Features ......................................................... 11
■Product Configurations ................................ 12
Models....................................................................................... 12
Identification of LAN interface models.......................... 12
Accessories............................................................................... 13
■Part Names and Functions............................ 14
Front ........................................................................................... 14
Control Panel........................................................................... 15
Connectors............................................................................... 16
Online and Offline ................................................................. 17
■Status and Errors........................................... 18
Automatically Recoverable Errors.................................... 18
Recoverable Errors................................................................. 18
Unrecoverable Errors............................................................ 19
Status Display.......................................................................... 20
■NV Memory .................................................... 21
NV Graphics Memory ........................................................... 21
User NV Memory.................................................................... 21
Memory Switches (Customized Value) ......................... 21
User-defined page................................................................. 21
Maintenance Counter .......................................................... 21
Setup ...........................................23
■Flow of Setup................................................. 23
■Installing the Printer..................................... 24
■Changing the Paper Width ........................... 25
Removing the Roll Paper Guide ....................................... 26
Installing the Roll Paper Guide ......................................... 27
■Connecting the AC Adapter.......................... 29
AC Adapter Connection Procedure .................................29
■Connecting the Printer to the Host ............. 31
USB Interface ........................................................................... 31
Ethernet Interface..................................................................31
For Serial Interface Models.................................................32
■Connecting the Cash Drawer ....................... 33
Cash Drawer Requirements................................................33
Connecting the Drawer Kick Cable..................................35
■Connecting the Optional Wireless
LAN Unit......................................................... 36
Advanced Usage .........................37
■Software Settings ......................................... 37
Memory Switch 1 ...................................................................39
Memory Switch 2 ...................................................................39
Memory Switch 6 ...................................................................40
Memory Switch 8 ...................................................................41
Customized value ..................................................................42
Communication condition of serial interface..............47
■Setting/Checking Modes.............................. 48
Self-test Mode .........................................................................50
NV Graphics Information Print Mode..............................51
Software Setting Mode........................................................52
Starting Hexadecimal Dumping Mode ..........................54
Application Development
Information.................................57
■Controlling the Printer ................................. 57
ePOS-Print XML.......................................................................57
ESC/POS.....................................................................................57
■Controlling the Cash Drawer........................ 58
■Software ........................................................ 59
Development Kits ..................................................................59
Drivers........................................................................................60
Utilities.......................................................................................60
Download .................................................................................61
Handling......................................63
■Installing and Replacing Roll Paper ............ 63
■Removing Jammed Paper ............................ 65

9
■When the Roll Paper Cover Cannot be
Opened .......................................................... 67
■Cleaning the Printer ..................................... 68
Cleaning the Printer Case ................................................... 68
Cleaning the Inside of the Printer.................................... 68
■Preparing for Transport ............................... 70
Appendix ....................................71
■Product Specifications ................................. 71
Printing Specifications......................................................... 73
Character Specifications ..................................................... 74
Details of Characters Per Line and Character
Specifications with Auto Scaling Enabled.................... 76
Paper Specifications ............................................................. 83
Printable Area ......................................................................... 88
Printing and Cutting Positions......................................... 90
Electrical Characteristics ..................................................... 91
Environmental Conditions ................................................. 92
External Dimensions and Mass......................................... 93
■Printing and Cutting Positions With
Software Setting ........................................... 94
■Specifications of Interfaces and
Connectors .................................................. 100
RS-232 Serial Interface.......................................................100
USB (Universal Serial Bus) Interface ..............................103
■Character Code Tables................................ 104

10

11
Chapter 1 Product Overview
1
Product Overview
This chapter describes features and specifications of the product.
Features
Printing
• Printing on liner-free label paper
• High speed receipt printing (170 mm/s maximum).
• Supports the maximum paper width of 80 mm, and paper width of 40 mm or 58 mm by using the roll
paper guide*
∗For 65* model, paper width of 80/40mm only supported
Handling
• Horizontal and vertical installation layouts are selectable.
• Easy drop-in paper loading
• Cable connectors can be stored inside the printer.
68* model only
• Paper taken sensor can detect that issued label is taken before issuing the next paper.
• The back-feed function has enabled top margin scaling.
Software
• Command protocol is based on the ESC/POS Proprietary Command System.
• Various layouts are available by using the page mode.
• A maintenance counter function is supported.
Environment
• Paper reduction function is available.
Others
• The interface is selectable.
• A built-in USB interface is also available.

12
Product Configurations
The installed functions and the included accessories differ depending on the model.
Models
TM-L90 Liner-Free Label Paper Model has the following specifications with different functions.
• 65* model: Paper width of 40/80 mm supported
• 66* model: Paper of 40/58/80 mm supported
• 67* model (multilingual): Paper width of 40/58/80 mm supported
• 68* model (ANK/multilingual): Paper width of 40/58/80 mm supported, paper taken sensor installed,
back-feed function installed
Identification of LAN interface models
TM-L90 has LAN interface models as shown below. To check the technical reference guide for the interface
board specifications and how to set the network, see the technical reference guide shown below.
*: For details, see the technical reference guide for the interface board.
Interface Board Interface
External View Name Ethernet Wireless LAN
UB-E03 ✔-
UB-E04 ✔✔
*
127)257(/(&20081,&$7,2186(
.(,17(/()21$16&+/8660

13
Chapter 1 Product Overview
1
Accessories
Included
• Control panel label for vertical installation*
• Roll paper spacer*
• AC adapter*
•ACcable
*
• Manuals and documents
*Not included with some models
Options
• Affixing tape for fixing the printer (Model: DF-10)
• Wall hanging bracket (Model: WH-10)
• Wireless LAN Unit

14
Part Names and Functions
Front
1 Manual cutter Use this cutter when you cut the roll paper manually.
2 Cutter cover If the roll paper cover will not open due a paper jam, open this cover and
unlock the autocutter blade.
3 Power switch Turn on/off the printer.
4 Cover open lever Operate this lever to open the roll paper cover.
5 Roll paper cover Open this cover to install/replace the roll paper.
Before turning the printer off, it is recommended to send a power-off command to the
printer. If you use the power-off sequence, the latest maintenance counter values are
saved. (Maintenance counter values are usually saved every two minutes.)
For information about ESC/POS commands, see the ESC/POS Command Reference.
1
2
3
4
5

15
Chapter 1 Product Overview
1
Control Panel
1 LED • On when the power supply is on.
• Off when the power supply is off.
• Flashes during the network startup process after power-on and power-off
standby status, and while updating firmware.
2 (Error) LED • Lights or flashes when the printer is offline.
• Lights after the power is turned on or after a reset (offline). Automatically
goes out after a while to indicate that the printer is ready.
• Lights or flashes when an error occurs. (For information about the indica-
tion patterns, see "Status and Errors" on page 18.)
• Off when the printer is in standard mode (online).
3 (Paper) LED • Lights when there is no more roll paper.
• Flashes to prompt the user to operate the Feed button.
68* model only: Flashes to prompt the user to remove the issued paper
and to operate the Feed button.
4 (Feed) button Press this button to feed the roll paper by one line. Hold down this button to
feed the roll paper continuously.
When using liner-free label paper, and while waiting for the issued paper to
be removed (for 68* model only), the button operation is disabled.
• Attach the control panel label for vertical installation when vertical installation is used. The
control panel label for vertical installation is upside down. ("Installing the Printer" on page
24)
• The Feed button is also located inside the roll paper cover. (See "Software Setting Mode" on
page 52)
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
68* model

16
Connectors
All connectors are located on the bottom of the printer. Different interfaces are used depending on the
printer model to be used.
1 Serial interface Connects the serial cable for connecting to a computer.
2 LAN connector Connects the 10BASE-T/100BASE-TX Ethernet cable.
3 USB connector Used only for connecting optional Wireless LAN unit and customer display.
4 Drawer kick connector Connects the cash drawer or the optional external buzzer.
"Connecting the Cash Drawer" on page 33
5 USB connector Connects the USB cable for connecting to a computer.
6 Power supply connector Connects the AC adapter.
"Connecting the AC Adapter" on page 29
The USB (Type A) interface is used only for connecting the optional Wireless LAN unit.
For details about the connection procedures, see "Connecting the Printer to the Host" on
page 31, "Connecting the AC Adapter" on page 29, and "Connecting the Cash Drawer" on
page 33.
1
23
456

17
Chapter 1 Product Overview
1
Online and Offline
Online
The printer is online and ready for normal printing unless there is a reason to go offline.
Offline
The printer automatically goes offline under the following conditions:
• While the printer power is turning on/off
• While setting/checking mode is being executed (excluding hexadecimal dumping mode)
• While roll paper is fed using the Feed button
• When the printer stops printing due to a paper end (when the paper out detector detects that there is no
paper)
• During an operation standby state
• When an error has occurred ("Status and Errors" on page 18)
•While the roll paper cover is open

18
Status and Errors
The LEDs light or flash to indicate the printer status.
Automatically Recoverable Errors
The printer cannot print when automatically recoverable errors occur. It can be recovered as described
below.
*: When the memory switch 8-8 is set to OFF (Roll paper cover open while the printer is printing: automatically recoverable error)
Recoverable Errors
The printer cannot print when a recoverable error occurs. It can be recovered easily by turning the power
on again or sending an error recovery command from the driver after eliminating the cause of the error.
The printer cannot print while an error is left unresolved.
Error Error description Error LED flash code Condition for Recovery
Roll paper cover
open error*
The roll paper
cover was
opened while
printing.
Recovers automatically
when the roll paper
cover is closed.
Head
temperature
error
A high
temperature
outside the head
drive operating
range was
detected.
Recovers automatically
when the print head
cools.
Error Error description Error LED flash code Condition for Recovery
Roll paper cover
open error*
The roll paper
cover was
opened while
printing.
Recovers when the roll
paper cover is closed
and the error recovery
command is executed
or the power is turned
on again.
LED OFF
LED ON
Approx. 320 ms
LED OFF
LED ON
Approx. 320 ms
LED OFF
LED ON
Approx. 320 ms

19
Chapter 1 Product Overview
1
*: When the memory switch 8-8 is set to ON (Roll paper cover open while the printer is printing: recoverable error)
Unrecoverable Errors
The printer cannot print when an unrecoverable error occurs. If the error persists after turning the printer
off and then on again, the printer may be defective. Contact qualified service personnel.
Autocutter error The Autocutter
does not work
correctly.
Recovers when the
jammed paper or
foreign matter is
removed and the roll
paper cover is closed,
and then the error
recovery command is
executed or the power
is turned on again.
The error recovery command is valid only if a recoverable error (excluding automatically
recoverable errors) occurs.
CAUTION
Turn off the power immediately when an unrecoverable error occurs.
Error Error description Error LED flash code
R/W error in memory After R/W checking, the printer does not
work correctly.
High voltage error The power supply voltage is extremely
high.
Low voltage error The power supply voltage is extremely
low.
CPU execution error The CPU is executing an incorrect
address.
Internal circuit
connection error
Internal circuits are not connected
correctly.
Error Error description Error LED flash code Condition for Recovery
LED OFF
LED ON
Approx. 320 ms
Approx. 5120 ms
LED OFF
LED ON
Approx. 320 ms
Approx. 5120 ms
LED OFF
LED ON
Approx. 320 ms
Approx. 5120 ms
LED OFF
LED ON
Approx. 320 ms
Approx. 5120 ms
LED OFF
LED ON
Approx. 320 ms
Approx. 5120 ms
LED OFF
LED ON
Approx. 5120 ms

20
Status Display
-: Changes depending on whether or not paper is detected.
Interface error Interface error
LED Error LED PaperLED
Online ON OFF OFF
Initializing after power-on ON ON -
Running a self-test ON OFF -
Waiting to continue self-test ON OFF Flashing
Feeding using the Feed button ON OFF -
Waiting to execute a macro ON OFF Flashing
Roll paper cover open while the
printer is not printing
ON ON -
No paper ON ON ON
Near end ON OFF ON
While updating firmware Flashing OFF OFF
In power off standby status Flashing OFF OFF
Waiting to print status sheet ON ON Flashing
68* model only: Paper removal
standby
ON OFF Flashing
Error Error description Error LED flash code
LED OFF
LED ON
Approx. 320 ms
Approx. 5120 ms