Epson ActionPC 5000 User manual

EPSON
®
24-PIN DOT MATRIX PRINTER
ActionPrinter
™
5000+
User’s Guide

NOTICE
NOTE
To prevent damage during shipping,
several pieces of protective material are
packed with your printer. You must
remove these before you assemble your
printer.
-HINWEIS
Zur Vermeidung von Transportschäden
wurde der Drucker durch schützende
Verpackungsteile gesichert. Diese Teile
mssen vor dem Zusammenbau des
Druckers entfernt werden.
ATTENTION
Afin d’eviter tout dommage durant le
transport, des matériaux de protection
ont été emballés avec l’imprimante.
Veillez à bien les retirer avant de
I’installer.
- NOTA
L’imballaggio della vostra stampante
contiene molti elementi protettivi, per
prevenire danni durante il trasporto. Non
dimenticate di toglierli prima di iniziare a
utilizzare la stampante.
NOTA
Para evitar daños durante el transport, su
impresora viene protegida por varias
piezas de material protector. Debe retirar
estas piezas antes de montar su impresora.
Printed in U.S.A. 95.01 -12.5 400213800D0 R01 -00

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, mechanical, photocopying,
record ing, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Seiko Epson Corporation.
No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of the information contained herein.
While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, 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 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.
Epson and Epson ESC/P are registered trademarks and Epson ESC /P 2 is a trademark of
Seiko Epson Corporation.
IBM and IBM PC are trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation
Helvetica and Times are trademarks of Linotype AG and/or its subsidiaries.
Copyright © 1992 by Seiko Epson Corporation
Nagano, Japan
ii

FCC Compliance Statement
For United States Users
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B 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 or
television reception. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a
particular installation. If this equipment does cause interference to radio and television
reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is
encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures.
Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna
Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver
Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the
receiver is connected
Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
WARNING
The connection of a non-shielded equipment interface cable to this equipment will
invalidate the FCC Certification of this device and may cause interference levels which
exceed the limits established by the FCC for this equipment. It is the responsibility of the
user to obtain and use a shielded equipment interface cable with this device. If this
equipment has more than one interface connector, do not leave cables connected to
unused interfaces.
Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the manufacturer could void the
users authority to operate the equipment.
For Canadian Users
This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for radio noise emissions from
digital apparatus as set out in the radio interference regulations of the Canadian
Department of Communications.
Le présent appareil numénque n’émet pas de bruits radioélectriques dépassant les limites
applicable aux appareils numériques de Classe B prescribes dans le règlement sur le
brouillage radioélectrique édicté par le Ministère des Communications du Canada.
iii

TIPS FOR PRINTING ON SINGLE SHEETS
There are a few things you should know about printing on
single sheets as opposed to continuous paper. When you print
on single sheets, you may notice that your printer prints the
first page of your file correctly but then prints too low on the
next page, or that it prints the last few lines from one page onto
the next.
These differences in print position are easy to adjust; you can
simply change some of the settings in your software as
described below to get the right results.
1. When you install software, it normally asks you what printer
you are using. Make sure you choose the correct printer.
See Chapter 1 for the right printer to choose.
2 Many programs include an option to set the maximum lines
per page. If your program has a lines-per-page setting and
you are using standard 8½ x 11-inch paper, set the lines
per page to 61.
Note:
To find the right lines-per-page setting for paper that is not 8½ x
11, create a test document using your software. Set your top and
bottom margins to 0 and then create a file of numbered lines from
1 to 66. When you print your file, notice the last number printed
on the first page. This is your maximum lines-per-page setting.
3. If your program doesn’t have a lines-per-page setting, try
decreasing the top margin or increasing the bottom
margin, or both, until you get the results you want.
4. You can also try adjusting the form length setting. For a
standard 8½ x 11l-inch page, try setting the form length at
10 inches.
5. Some programs also let you indicate whether you are using
single sheets or continuous paper. Make sure you choose
single sheets.
iv

Where to Get Help for United States
Users
Epson America provides customer support and service
through a nationwide network of authorized Epson dealers
and Service Centers.
Epson also provides the following support services through
the Epson Consumer Resource Center at [phone]:
Assistance in locating your nearest Authorized Epson
Reseller or Service Center
Technical assistance with the installation, configuration,
and operation of Epson products
Information on software drivers
Sales of the Epson ESC/P Reference Manual, which
contains comprehensive information on ESC/P 2
Epson technical information library fax service
Product literature with technical specifications on our
current and new products
Sales of ribbons, supplies, parts, documentation, and
accessories for your Epson product
Customer Relations
Information about user groups
v

For United Kingdom Users
Epson product guarantee
Under the law, goods sold must comply with their description
and must be of merchantable quality and fit for their purpose
or correspond with any sample.
This guarantee does not affect the seller’s legal obligation or
the rights of the consumer in the “consumer transactions”
under any Statute, including Sections 12 to 15 of the Sales of
Goods Act, 1979.
All Epson Products, other than OEM products, are fully
guaranteed against faulty operation or performance for a
period of
ONE YEAR from date of purchase by the user of the
product.
All claims under this guarantee MUST be supported by
evidence of purchase, normally the bill of sale invoice, and it is
the responsibility of the claimant to furnish such proof. Epson
(UK) Limited does not issue or operate any form of guarantee
registration card.
Claims are made by the user returning the product to the
supplier from whom it was purchased or, if this is impractical,
to any Epson supplier who also handles the same product. In
the event of any difficulty, users are requested to contact the
Service Co-ordinator Manager at Epson (UK) Limited.
Epson (UK) limited, or Epson Appointed Distributors, will at
their discretion repair or replace part or all of the product to
provide, in their judgement, a satisfactory performance of the
product consistent with its age and apparent usage.
This guarantee covers the cost of both the parts and labour
required to correct any malfunction of the equipment, but
specifically excludes wear and tear, consumables, physical
damage due to unauthorized and inexpert repair.
vi

The guarantee is restricted to the performance of the product
alone, and Epson (UK) Limited does not accept responsibility
for any consequential loss or damage, nor claimed or implied
performance, when the product is used in any combination
with other equipment or program software.
Product guarantee may be invalidated as a result of excessive
or inappropriate use, use in adverse environment or in
conditions outside the specifications or if the product has been
subjected to unapproved modifications.
The guarantee does not cover visits to the user’s premises or
the repair or commissioning of the product on site.
Use of options
Epson (UK) Limited shall not be liable against any damages or
problems arising from the use of any options or consumable
products other than those designated as Original Epson
Products or Epson Approved Products by Epson (UK) Limited.
Safety information
Warning: This appliance must be earthed. Refer to rating
plate for voltage and check that the appliance voltage
corresponds to the supply voltage.
Important: The wires in the mains lead fitted to this appliance
are coloured in accordance with the following code:
Green and yellow - Earth
Blue - Neutral
Brown - Live
As the colours of the wires in the mains lead of this appliance
may not correspond with the coloured markings identifying
the terminals in your plug, proceed as follows:
vii

The green and yellow wire must be connected to the terminal
in the plug which is marked with the letter E or with the earth
symbol or coloured green or green and yellow.
The blue wire must be connected to the terminal in the plug
marked with the letter N or coloured black.
The brown wire must be connected to the terminal in the plug
marked with the letter L or coloured red.
If damage occurs to the plug, replace the cord set or consult a
qualified electrician.
Replace fuses only with a fuse of the correct size and rating.
viii

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Read all of these instructions and save them for later
reference.
Follow all warnings and instructions marked on the product.
Unplug this product from the wall outlet before cleaning. Do
not use liquid cleaners or aerosol cleaners. Use a damp
cloth for cleaning.
Do not use this product near water.
Do not place this product on an unstable cart, stand, or table.
The product may fall, causing serious damage to the
product.
Slots and openings in the cabinet and the back or bottom are
provided for ventilation; to ensure reliable operation of the
product and to protect it from overheating, these openings
must not be blocked or covered. The openings should
never be blocked by placing the product on a bed, sofa,
rug, or other similar surface. This product should never be
placed near or over a radiator or heat register. This product
should not be placed in a built-in installation unless proper
ventilation is provided.
This product should be operated from the type of power
source indicated on the marking label. If you are not sure
of the type of power available, consult your dealer or local
power company.
This product is equipped with a 3-wire grounding-type plug,
a plug having a third (grounding) pin. This plug will only
fit into a grounding-type power outlet. This is a safety
feature. If you are unable to insert the plug into the outlet,
contact your electrician to replace your obsolete outlet. Do
not defeat the purpose of the grounding-type plug.
ix

9. Do not locate this product where the cord will be walked on.
10. If an extension cord is used with this product, make sure
that the total of the ampere ratings on the products
plugged into the extension cord does not exceed the
extension cord ampere rating. Also, make sure that the
total of all products plugged into the wall outlet does not
exceed 15 amperes.
11. Never push objects of any kind into this product through
cabinet slots as they may touch dangerous voltage points
or short out parts that could result in a risk of fire or
electric shock. Never spill liquid of any kind on the
product.
12. Except as specifically explained in the User’s Manual, do not
attempt to service this product yourself. Opening or
removing those covers that are marked “Do Not Remove”
may expose you to dangerous voltage points or other risks.
Refer all servicing in those compartments to service
personnel.
13. Unplug this product from the wall outlet and refer servicing
to qualified service personnel under the following
conditions:
A. When the power cord or plug is damaged or frayed
B. If liquid has been spilled into the product
C. If the product has been exposed to rain or water
D. If the product does not operate normally when the
operating instructions are followed. Adjust only those
controls that are covered by the operating instructions
since improper adjustment of other controls may result
in damage and will often require extensive work by a
qualified technician to restore the product to normal
operation.
x

E. If the product has been dropped or the cabinet has been
damaged.
F. If the product exhibits a distinct change in performance,
indicating a need for service.
xi

Contents
INTRODUCTION 1
Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
More about ESC/P2. . . . . . . . . . .
Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Finding Your Way Around. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Warnings, Cautions, and Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Printer Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1
2
2
4
4
5
CHAPTER 1 SETTING UP THE PRINTER
1-1
Unpacking the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking the parts . . . . . . . . . . .
Choosing a Place for the Printer . . . . . .
Assembling the Printer . . . . . . . . . . .
Removing the protective materials .
Installing the ribbon cartridge . . . .
Attaching the paper guide . . . . . .
Testing the Printer. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Plugging in the printer . . . . . . . .
Running the self test . . . . . . . . . .
Connecting the Printer to Your Computer
Configuring Your Software for the Printer
Choosing from a menu . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .
1-2
1-2
1-3
1-4
1-4
1-5
1-9
1-10
1-10
1-10
1-13
1-15
1-15
CHAPTER 2 PAPER HANDLING
2-1
Selecting a Paper Feeding Method. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Setting the paper-release lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
xiii

Using Single Sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 2-4
Loading single sheets from the top . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
Loading single sheets from the front . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
Using Continuous Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Tractor position and available paper paths . . . . . . . 2-9
Changing tractor positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Installing in the push-tractor position—Installing
in the pull-tractor position
Loading continuous paper with the push tractor . . . . . 2-12
Removing continuous paper from the push tractor . . . . . 2-15
Loading continuous paper with the pull tractor . . . . . . 2-15
Removing continuous paper from the pull tractor . . . . . 2-20
Switching Between Continuous Paper and Single Sheets . . . . 2-21
Switching to single sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-21
Switching to continuous paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-22
Printing on Special Paper.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-23
Paper-thickness lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 2-24
Multi-part forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 2-25
Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 2-26
Envelopes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 2-27
CHAPTER 3 USING THE PRINTER
3-1
Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Lights . . : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 3-4
Other control-panel features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
DIP Switches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Changing a DIP-switch setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
DIP-switch tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 3-8
DIP-switch functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 3-10
International character sets—Character tables—
Print direction—Printer mode—Input buffer
capacity—Skip-over-perforation—
Continuous-paper page length—Tear off—Auto
line feed
xiv

Micro Feed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14
Using micro feed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14
Adjusting the loading position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15
Tear Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17
Tear-off mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17
Using the TEAR OFF button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-18
Adjusting the tear-off position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19
Typestyles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20
Character fonts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20
Character spacing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-25
Condensed printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
Data Dump Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
CHAPTER 4 USING PRINTER OPTIONS
4-1
Cut-Sheet Feeders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Installing a cut-sheet feeder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Loading paper with the single-bin cut-sheet feeder . . . . 4-4
Loading paper or envelopes with the high-capacity
cut-sheet feeder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6
Assembling the double-bin cut-sheet feeder . . . . . . . . 4-10
Switching between continuous paper and the cut-sheet
feeder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12
Switching to continuous paper—Switching to the
cut-sheet feeder
Pull Tractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-13
Loading paper with the push tractor and the optional
pull tractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-13
Interface Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-16
Installing an interfacecard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-17
The C823051 /C823061 serial interface card . . . . . . . . 4-18
Selecting a baud rate-Handshake timing—Error
handling
xv

CHAPTER 5 MAINTENANCE AND TRANSPORTATION
5-1
Cleaning the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Replacing the Ribbon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
Transporting the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
CHAPTER 6 TROUBLESHOOTING
6-1
Power Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Paper Handling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
CHAPTER 7 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
7-1
Printer Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 7-2
Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 7-2
Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-4
Mechanical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8
Environmental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10
Interface Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-11
Specifications and pin assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-11
Interface timing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 7-14
Option Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 7-14
Cut-sheet feeders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 7-14
Initialization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 7-16
Default settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-17
xvi

CHAPTER 8 COMMAND SUMMARY
8-1
Using the Command Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Commands Arranged by Topic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
General operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Paper feeding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Page format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Print position motion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Font selection . . . .
Font enhancement .
Spacing . . . . . . .
Character handling
Bit image . . . . . .
Graphics . . . . . . . . . .
APPENDIX
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8-2
8-2
8-2
8-3
8-4
8-5
8-6
8-8
8-9
8-10
8-13
8-14
A-1
Character Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Italic Character Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Graphics Character Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
International Character Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
GLOSSARY
A-2
A-2
A-3
A-8
GL-1
INDEX
IN-1
xvii

Introduction
Features
These features make your Epson printer an outstanding value:
Quiet operation. This printer makes far less noise than
previous dot-matrix printers.
Fast printing speed. You can print up to 269 characters per
second in 12-cpi draft mode.
A wide choice of scalable fonts. Four scalable fonts are
available: Epson Roman, Epson Roman T, Epson Sans Serif,
and Epson Sans Serif H.
Easy paper handling. The printer has four paper paths to
suit your printing needs top, rear, bottom, and front.
Epson’s ESC/P2. This is the first dot matrix printer control
language to offer scalable fonts and enhanced graphics.
Compatibility. The printer supports the Epson ESC/P
commands widely used in application software.
Unique control-panel design. You can choose from nine
popular letter-quality fonts and one draft font.
IBM emulation mode (European version only). This mode
emulates an IBM Proprinter X24E.
Introduction 1

More about ESC/P 2
Epson’s enhanced printer control language, ESC/P 2, offers
four scalable fonts in sizes from 8 to 32 points. You can use this
feature if your software supports scalable fonts. For DOS-based
word processing software, new ESC/P2 drivers may be
available to enable your software to use your printer’s scalable
fonts. Contact your software manufacturer or Epson to ask
about special ESC /P 2 drivers.
For graphic-based software, such as Microsoft Windows,
ESC/P2 works with your software to provide enhanced
graphics printing capability. In the Windows environment,
you’ll be able to print the Windows scalable fonts instead of
the Epson fonts.
If you’re an experienced printer user, you may also want to
order the Epson ESC/P Reference manual for complete
programming information. Contact your Epson dealer or see
Where to Get Help for United States Users in this manual for
further information.
Options
For more information on these options, see Chapter 4.
Single-Bin Cut-Sheet Feeder
(C80637*)
This economical cut-sheet feeder automatically feeds up to
50 sheets of paper into your printer without reloading. You
can load continuous paper and manually load single sheets
without removing the cut-sheet feeder.
High-Capacity Cut-Sheet Feeder
(C80638*)
This cut-sheet feeder automatically feeds up to 150 sheets
of paper or 25 plain bond envelopes without reloading.
You can create a double-bin cut-sheet feeder by connecting
this cut-sheet feeder to the single-bin model.
2 Introduction