Epson 480SX Installation guide

Printer Basics
Printed on recycled paper.
English

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Copyright Notice
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.
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 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 for 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 and EPSON Stylus are registered trademarks and Micro Piezo is a trademark of SEIKO
EPSON CORPORATION.
PhotoEnhance is a trademark of Epson America, Inc.
General Notice: Other product names used herein are for identification purposes only and may be
trademarks of their respective owners. EPSON disclaims any and all rights in those marks.
The ENERGY STAR emblem does not represent EPA endorsement of any product or service.
CPD-10103
Copyright © 2000 by Epson America, Inc. 6/00

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Contents
WELCOME! 1
About Your Software 1
About Your Documentation 3
Warnings, Cautions, Notes, and Tips 3
Windows System Requirements 4
Important Safety Instructions 5
Ink Cartridge Safety Instructions 6
VIEWING YOUR ELECTRONIC PRINTER MANUAL 7
Accessing Your Electronic Printer Manual 7
Navigating Your Electronic Printer Manual 8
PRINTING FROM START TO FINISH 9
Basic Printing 9
Loading Paper 9
Opening the Printer Software 10
Selecting Printer Software Settings 11
Controlling Printing 13
Using PhotoEnhance, Custom, and Advanced Settings 14
Using PhotoEnhance 14
Using Custom Settings 15
Using Advanced Settings 15
Using Special Papers 16
EPSON Photo Paper 16
Envelopes 18
Selecting the Correct Media Type 19

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MAINTAINING YOUR PRINTER 21
Cleaning the Print Head 21
Printing a Nozzle Check 22
Using the Head Cleaning Utility 23
Aligning the Print Head 24
Replacing an Ink Cartridge 25
Ink Cartridge Precautions 26
Replacing a Low or Empty Ink Cartridge 27
Replacing an Outdated Ink Cartridge 28
Cleaning the Printer 29
Transporting the Printer 30
PROBLEM SOLVING 31
Identifying Printer Parts 32
Problems and Solutions 33
Problems Setting Up the Printer or Installing Software 33
Problems with Printing 34
Problems Getting Good Print Quality 36
Problems with Paper Feeding 38
Solving Miscellaneous Printout Problems 40
Uninstalling and Reinstalling Printer Software 40
Where To Get Help 41
EPSON Technical Support 41
EPSON Accessories 42
Bonus Software Technical Support 42
INDEX 43

1
Welcome!
Your EPSON Stylus®COLOR 480SX is a user-friendly, photo quality printer
that’s perfect for printing all your home projects—from homework assignments
and envelopes to full-color greeting cards and banners.
The printer comes with these features:
■EPSON’s exclusive Micro Piezo™ink jet technology for cleaner printed dots
■Resolutions up to 720 by 720 dpi (dots per inch), even on plain paper
■Four-color printing for photo quality color and sharp black text from separate
black and color ink cartridges
■No front panel control buttons or lights—just follow the on-screen
instructions to control all printing and maintenance functions
About Your Software
The printer software CD-ROM includes all the software you need for printing:
■Your printer driver runs your printer and lets you control how your documents
look. You can’t use your printer without it.
■Your electronic Reference Guide gives you complete information about your
printer. (You need an HTML browser—such as Microsoft® Internet Explorer
or Netscape®Navigator,
®version 3.0 or later—to view the guide.)

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■Your bonus software:
If you haven’t yet installed the printer software or Reference Guide from your
CD-ROM, see the Start Here sheet for instructions.
ArcSoft™PhotoPrinter™2000
A photo layout program that lets you print your images in
creative formats, such as multiple photo montages, framed
or bordered pictures, and calendars. Using a variety of
templates, you can print your photos almost any way you
can think of.
ArcSoft PhotoFantasy™2000
Lets you create “photo fantasies” by combining your
personal photos with a wide selection of hilarious fantasy
backgrounds.
DogByte®Greeting Card Store®SE
An easy-to-use program for creating custom greeting cards
and matching envelopes for any occasion. Choose from
hundreds of pre-made designs and customize them however
you like, with imported digital photos, personal message
text, special effects, and drag-and-drop graphics from the
program’s library.
Alfy.com
A shortcut on your desktop lets you view a one minute Alfy
movie introducing you to this fun, creative children’s web
portal.

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About Your Documentation
To set up your printer and install its software, see the Start Here sheet. This book
contains system requirements, important safety information, and instructions on:
■Viewing your electronic printer manual
■Printing with Windows®
■Using special papers
■Maintaining the printer
■Solving basic problems
You’ll find your product warranty on page 48.
For more details about printing with, maintaining, or troubleshooting your
printer, see your electronic Reference Guide. For instructions on viewing it, see
page 7.
Warnings, Cautions, Notes, and Tips
Please follow these guidelines:
Warnings must be followed carefully to avoid bodily injury.
Cautions must be observed to avoid damage to your equipment.
Notes contain important information about your printer.
Tips contain additional hints for better printing.

4
Windows System Requirements
To use your printer and its software, your system should have:
■An IBM®compatible PC with at least a 486/66 MHz (for Windows 98),
Pentium®133 MHz (for Windows 2000), or 486/25 MHz (for Windows 95
or Windows NT®4.0) processor (Pentium or higher processor recommended)
■Microsoft Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT 4.0, or Windows 2000
■At least 16MB (for Windows 95, 98, or NT 4.0) or 32MB (for
Windows 2000) of RAM (32MB for Windows 95 or 98, or 64MB for
Windows NT 4.0 or 2000 recommended)
■At least 50MB of free hard disk space (100MB recommended)
■VGA, Super VGA, or better display adapter and monitor
■Double-speed (2x) CD-ROM or DVD drive (quad-speed [4x] or faster
recommended) for installing the printer software
■For parallel connection: a high-speed, bidirectional, IEEE-1284 compliant
parallel cable (6 to 10 feet long); the cable must have a D-SUB, 25-pin, male
connector for your computer and a 36-pin, Centronics®compatible connector
for the printer.
For USB connection: an EPSON®USB/Parallel Adapter cable.

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Important Safety Instructions
Before using your printer, read the following safety instructions to make sure you
use the printer safely and effectively:
■Be sure to follow all warnings and instructions marked on the printer.
■Use only the type of power source indicated on the printer’s label.
■Connect all equipment to properly grounded power outlets. Avoid using
outlets controlled by a wall switch or automatic timer, or those on the same
circuit as photocopiers or air control systems that regularly switch on and off.
■Place the printer near a wall outlet where the plug can be easily unplugged.
Placez l’imprimante près d’une prise murale où la fiche peut être débranchée
facilement.
■Do not let the power cord become damaged or frayed.
■If you use an extension cord with the printer, make sure the total ampere rating
of the devices plugged into the extension cord does not exceed the cord’s
ampere rating. Also, make sure the total ampere rating of all devices plugged
into the wall outlet does not exceed the wall outlet’s ampere rating.
■Unplug the printer’s power cord from the electrical outlet when you don’t use
the printer for a long period of time.
■Keep your printer and computer system away from potential sources of
electromagnetic interference, such as loudspeakers or cordless telephone base
units.
■Avoid locations for the printer that are subject to rapid changes in heat or
humidity, shocks or vibrations, or dust.
■Leave enough room around the printer for sufficient ventilation.
■Do not place the printer near a radiator or heating vent or in direct sunlight.
■Place the printer on a flat, stable surface that extends beyond the printer base
in all directions. The printer won’t operate properly if it is tilted.
■Leave enough room at the front of the printer for paper to eject smoothly.
■Do not block or cover the openings in the printer’s case or insert objects
through the slots.

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■Unplug the printer before cleaning. Clean with a damp cloth only. Do not spill
liquid on the printer.
■Except as specifically explained in this manual, do not attempt to service the
printer yourself.
■Unplug the printer and refer to your warranty on page 48 for service
instructions.
Ink Cartridge Safety Instructions
■Keep ink cartridges out of the reach of children and do not drink the ink.
■Under normal circumstances, ink will not come out of the cartridge. If it does
get on your skin, wash it off with soap and water. If it gets in your eyes, flush
them immediately with water.
■Do not put your hand inside the printer or touch the cartridge during
printing.
■Do not move the print head by hand; otherwise you may damage the printer.
■Install the ink cartridge immediately after you remove it from its foil package.
Leaving the cartridge unpacked for a long time before use may result in
reduced print quality.
■Do not use an ink cartridge beyond the date printed on the cartridge package.
For best results, use up the ink cartridges within six months of installing them.
■Do not shake an ink cartridge; this can cause leakage.
■Once you install an ink cartridge, do not open the clamp or remove the
cartridge except to replace it with a new one. The cartridge may become
unusable otherwise.
■Do not dismantle the ink cartridges or try to refill them. This could result in
damage to the print head.
■Before transporting the printer, make sure the print head is capped in the far
right position and the ink cartridges are in place.