Epson LQ-780 User manual

User’s Guide
NPD6761-01 EN

Copyrights and Trademarks
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 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 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.
EPSON is a registered trademark, EPSON EXCEED YOUR VISION, EXCEED YOUR VISION, ESC/P, and ESC/P2 are
trademarks of Seiko Epson Corporation.
Microsoft
®
, Windows
®
, Windows Server
®
, and Windows Vista
®
are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation.
QR Code is a trademark of DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED in Japan and in other countries.
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 contents of this manual and the specifications of this product are subject to change without notice.
© 2022 Seiko Epson Corporation
LQ-780/LQ-780N User’s Guide
Copyrights and Trademarks 2

Contents
About This Manual
Where to Find Information . . . . ........................................................... 7
DescriptionsUsedinthisManual.......................................................... 7
OperatingSystemVersions................................................................7
Safety Instructions
SafetyInstructions.......................................................................9
Warnings,Cautions,andNotes........................................................ 9
HotPartsCautionSymbol............................................................ 9
Important Safety Instructions......................................................... 9
ForSingaporeusers.................................................................12
ForGermanusers.................................................................. 12
ForTurkishusers...................................................................12
ZICTATypeApprovalforUsersinZambia............................................. 13
Chapter 1 Printer Basics
PrinterParts...........................................................................14
ControlPanel..........................................................................16
ButtonsandLights................................................................. 16
Decorationlabel....................................................................... 18
SelectingaFontandMenu............................................................... 19
AboutYourPrinter’sDefaultSettings...................................................... 20
DefaultSettingmode............................................................... 20
Changing default settings. . . . ........................................................25
Lock-OutMode........................................................................ 26
Changingthelock-outmodesetting...................................................27
Chapter 2 Paper Handling
SelectingaPaperSource................................................................. 29
Paper source and paper types. ....................................................... 29
Setting the paper release lever. ........................................................... 30
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Contents 3

Loading Continuous Paper. . . . . ..........................................................31
Positioningthecontinuouspapersupply............................................... 31
Loading continuous paper with the tractor. . . .......................................... 32
LoadingSingleSheets................................................................... 37
Loading single sheets from thesheetguide............................................. 37
LoadingSpecialPaper...................................................................39
Multipartforms....................................................................39
Labels............................................................................ 40
Envelopes.........................................................................41
Postcards......................................................................... 42
Switching Between Continuous Paper and Single Sheets...................................... 43
Switchingtosinglesheets............................................................ 43
Switchingtocontinuouspaper........................................................44
UsingtheMicroAdjustFunction..........................................................45
Adjusting the tear off position........................................................ 45
Adjustingthetop-of-formposition.................................................... 46
Chapter 3 Printer Software
AboutYourPrinterSoftware............................................................. 47
UsingthePrinterDriver................................................................. 47
Accessing the printer driver from Windows applications.................................. 48
Accessing the printer driver from the Start menu........................................ 50
Changingtheprinterdriversettings................................................... 51
Printer Driver Settings Overview..........................................................52
Printersettings.................................................................... 52
Monitoringsettings.................................................................55
SettingUtility......................................................................55
Using EPSON Status Monitor 3. .......................................................... 55
InstallingEPSONStatusMonitor3....................................................56
SettingupEPSONStatusMonitor3................................................... 56
AccessingEPSONStatusMonitor3................................................... 58
UsingBi-DAdjustment..................................................................59
Making adjustment with Bi-D Adjustment. . . . ..........................................59
UsingPrinterSetting....................................................................61
Changing printer setting. . . . . ....................................................... 61
SettingUpYourPrinteronaNetwork......................................................63
Sharingtheprinter................................................................. 63
Setting up your printer as a shared printer. ............................................. 63
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Contents 4

Settingfortheclients............................................................... 65
CancellingPrinting..................................................................... 69
Uninstalling the Printer Software..........................................................70
Uninstalling the printer driver and EPSON StatusMonitor3.............................. 70
Chapter 4 Troubleshooting
CheckingthePrinterStatus.............................................................. 73
UsingtheErrorIndicators........................................................... 73
ProblemsandSolutions................................................................. 74
Powersupplyproblems..............................................................75
Printing.......................................................................... 75
PaperHandling.................................................................... 79
CorrectingUSBProblems................................................................81
ClearingaPaperJam....................................................................82
For jammed continuous paper. . . .....................................................82
For jammed single sheet paper. ...................................................... 85
For jammed paper remains inside the printer. . . ........................................ 87
AligningVerticalLinesinYourPrintout....................................................88
CancellingPrinting..................................................................... 89
Usingtheprinterdriver............................................................. 89
Usingtheprinter’scontrolpanel...................................................... 89
PrintingaSelfTest......................................................................90
PrintingHexDump.....................................................................91
Chapter 5 Where To Get Help
Technical Support Web Site. . . . .......................................................... 93
Contacting Customer Support. . . ......................................................... 93
BeforeContactingEpson............................................................ 93
HelpforUsersinEurope............................................................ 94
Help for Users in Singapore. ......................................................... 94
Help for Users in Vietnam. . . ........................................................ 94
HelpforUsersinIndonesia.......................................................... 95
Help for Users in Malaysia. . ......................................................... 97
HelpforUsersinthePhilippines......................................................98
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Contents 5

Chapter 6 Options and Consumables
ReplacingtheRibbonCartridge...........................................................99
Genuine Epson ribbon cartridge...................................................... 99
Replacing the ribbon cartridge....................................................... 99
RollPaperHolder..................................................................... 103
Assemblingtherollpaperholder.....................................................103
Installingtherollpaperholder...................................................... 104
Loadingrollpaper.................................................................105
Removingrollpaper............................................................... 107
Chapter 7 Product Information
PrinterSpecifications.................................................................. 108
Mechanical.......................................................................108
Electronic........................................................................109
Electrical........................................................................ 111
Environmental....................................................................112
Paper........................................................................... 113
Printablearea.....................................................................119
SystemRequirements.............................................................. 121
StandardsandApprovals............................................................... 121
Safetyapprovals...................................................................121
CleaningthePrinter................................................................... 122
TransportingthePrinter................................................................123
LQ-780/LQ-780N User’s Guide
Contents 6

About This Manual
Where to Find Information
The following manuals are supplied with your Epson printer.
Start Here (paper manual)
Provides information on setting up the printer and installing the software.
User’s Guide (this manual)
Provides overall information and instructions on using the printer.
Network Guide ( LQ-780N only)
Provides network information on management and printer settings.
Descriptions Used in this Manual
❏Screenshots of the printer software screens are from Windows 10 unless otherwise specified.
The content displayed on the screens varies depending on the model and situation.
❏Illustrations of the printer used in this manual are examples only. Although there may be slight
differences depending on the model, the method of operation is the same.
Operating System Versions
Regarding the operating systems, the explanations in this manual are mainly for Windows users
and terms such as "Windows 11", "Windows 10", "Windows 8.1", "Windows 8", "Windows 7",
"Windows Vista", "Windows XP", "Windows Server 2022", "Windows Server 2019", "Windows
Server 2016", "Windows Server 2012 R2", "Windows Server 2012", "Windows Server 2008 R2",
"Windows Server 2008", "Windows Server 2003 R2", and "Windows Server 2003" refer to the
following operating system. Additionally, "Windows" is used to refer to all versions.
❏Microsoft
®
Windows
®
11 operating system
❏Microsoft
®
Windows
®
10 operating system
❏Microsoft
®
Windows
®
8.1 operating system
LQ-780/LQ-780N User’s Guide
About This Manual 7

❏Microsoft
®
Windows
®
8 operating system
❏Microsoft
®
Windows
®
7 operating system
❏Microsoft
®
Windows Vista
®
operating system
❏Microsoft
®
Windows
®
XP operating system
❏Microsoft
®
Windows
®
XP Professional x64 Edition operating system
❏Microsoft
®
Windows Server
®
2022 operating system
❏Microsoft
®
Windows Server
®
2019 operating system
❏Microsoft
®
Windows Server
®
2016 operating system
❏Microsoft
®
Windows Server
®
2012 R2 operating system
❏Microsoft
®
Windows Server
®
2012 operating system
❏Microsoft
®
Windows Server
®
2008 R2 operating system
❏Microsoft
®
Windows Server
®
2008 operating system
❏Microsoft
®
Windows Server
®
2003 R2 operating system
❏Microsoft
®
Windows Server
®
2003 operating system
LQ-780/LQ-780N User’s Guide
About This Manual 8

Safety Instructions
Safety Instructions
Warnings, Cautions, and Notes
!
War ning s
must be followed carefully to avoid bodily injury.
!
Cautions
must be observed to avoid damage to your equipment.
Notes
contain important information and useful tips on the operation of your printer.
Hot Parts Caution Symbol
This symbol is placed on the print head and other parts to indicate that they may be
hot. Never touch those parts just after the printer has been used. Let them cool for a
few minutes before touching them.
Important Safety Instructions
Read all of these safety instructions before using the printer. In addition, follow all warnings and
instructions marked on the printer itself.
Some of the symbols used on your printer are to ensure safety and proper use of the printer. Visit
the following Web site to learn the meaning of the symbols.
http://support.epson.net/symbols
When setting up the printer
❏Do not place the printer on an unstable surface or near a radiator or heat source.
❏Place the printer on a flat, stable surface. The printer will not operate properly if it is tilted or
placed at an angle.
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Safety Instructions 9

❏Do not place this product on a soft, unstable surface like a bed or a sofa, or a small, enclosed
area, as this restricts ventilation.
❏Do not block or cover the slots and openings in the printer’s cabinet, and do not insert objects
through the slots.
❏Leave adequate room around the printer for easy operation and maintenance.
❏Place the printer where you can easily connect it to a network interface cable, if necessary
(LQ-780N only).
❏Use only the type of power source indicated on the printer’s label. If you are not sure of the
power supply specifications in your area, contact your local power company or consult your
dealer.
❏Connect all equipment to properly grounded electrical outlets. Avoid using outlets on the same
circuit as photocopiers or air control systems that regularly switch on and off.
❏Do not use a damaged or frayed power cord.
❏The power cord should be placed to avoid abrasions, cuts, fraying, crimping, kinking, and
other damage.
❏If you use an extension cord with the printer, make sure the total ampere rating of all devices
plugged into the extension cord does not exceed the cord’s ampere rating. Also, make sure the
total ampere of all devices plugged into the electrical outlet does not exceed the electrical
outlet’s ampere rating.
❏Use only the power cord that comes with this product. Use of another cord may result in fire or
electric shock.
❏This product’s power cord is for use with this product only. Use with other equipment may
result in fire or electric shock.
❏Be sure the AC power cord meets the relevant local safety standards.
❏Avoid using or storing the printer in places subject to rapid changes in temperature and
humidity. Also keep it away from direct sunlight, strong light, heat sources, or excessive
moisture or dust.
❏Avoid places subject to shocks and vibrations.
❏Place the printer near a wall outlet where you can easily unplug the power cord.
❏Keep the entire computer system away from potential sources of electromagnetic interference,
such as loudspeakers or the base units of cordless telephones.
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Safety Instructions 10

❏Avoid electrical outlets controlled by wall switches or automatic timers. An interruption in
power can erase information in the memory of your printer or computer. Also avoid outlets on
the same circuit as large motors or other appliances that can cause voltage fluctuations.
❏Use a grounded power outlet; do not use an adapter plug.
❏If you plan to use a printer stand, follow these guidelines:
- Use a stand that can support at least twice the weight of the printer.
- Never use a stand that tilts the printer. The printer should always be kept level.
- Position your printer’s power cord and interface cable so they do not interfere with paper
feeding. If possible, secure the cables to a leg of the printer stand.
When maintaining the printer
❏Unplug the printer before cleaning it, and always clean it with a piece of damp cloth only.
❏Do not spill liquid onto the printer.
❏Do not attempt to service the printer yourself except as specifically explained in this guide.
❏Unplug the printer and refer servicing to qualified service personnel under the following
conditions:
i. If the power cord or plug is damaged.
ii. If liquid has entered the printer.
iii. If the printer has been dropped or the cabinet damaged.
iv. If the printer does not operate normally or exhibits a distinct change in performance.
❏Do not use aerosol blowers which contain flammable gas inside or around this product. Doing
so may cause fire.
❏Adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating instructions.
❏If you plan to use the printer in Germany, observe the following:
To provide adequate short-circuit protection and over-current protection for this printer, the
building installation must be protected by a 10- or 16-amp circuit breaker.
Bei Anschluss des Druckers an die Stromversorgung muss sichergestellt werden, dass die
Gebaudeinstallation mit einer 10A- oder 16 A-Sicherung abgesichert ist.
When handling the paper
❏Do not leave labels loaded in the printer between jobs; they may curl around the platen and
jam when you resume printing.
❏Do not load paper that is curled or has been folded.
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Safety Instructions 11

When operating the printer
❏Adjust only those controls that are covered in the user documentation. Improper adjustment of
other controls may result in damage requiring extensive repair by a qualified technician.
❏Whenever you turn off the printer, wait at least five seconds before turning it back on;
otherwise, you may damage the printer.
❏Do not turn off the printer while it is printing the self test. Always press the Pause button to
stop printing and then turn off the printer.
❏Do not reconnect the power cord to an electrical outlet that has the wrong voltage for your
printer.
❏Never replace the print head yourself; you may damage the printer. Also, other parts of the
printer must be checked when the print head is replaced.
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.
For Singapore users
Replace fuses only with fuses of the correct size and rating.
For German users
Importeur
EPSON EUROPE. B.V.
AMSTERDAM. THE NETHERLANDS
For Turkish users
LQ-780/LQ-780N User’s Guide
Safety Instructions 12

ZICTA Type Approval for Users in Zambia
See the following website to check the information for ZICTA Type Approval.
https://support.epson.net/zicta/
LQ-780/LQ-780N User’s Guide
Safety Instructions 13

Chapter 1
Printer Basics
Printer Parts
1 printer cover Open this when replacing the ribbon cartridge or removing jammed paper.
For your safety, printing cannot be performed if the printer cover is open, so
make sure you close the printer cover when you are done.
2 power switch Turn the printer on or off.
3 tear off edge Use this to cut paper for continuous paper.
4 edge guide Guides the paper straight into the printer.
5 paper support Install these to prevent paper from falling when manually feeding vertical
single cut sheets.
6 sheet guide Allows you to manually feed sheets one-by-one into the printer.
7 paper release lever Select the paper-feeding method you want the printer to use.
8 control panel The printer’s operation panel.
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Printer Basics 14

1 parallel interface connector Connects the parallel interface cable.
2 USB port Connects a USB cable.
3 LAN port (LQ-780N only) Connects a LAN cable.
4 status sheet button (LQ-780N only) Press and hold this button for approximately three seconds to
check the network status.
5 tractor unit Use this to feed continuous paper.
6 center paper support Place this in the middle of the sprockets to maintain the center of
the continuous paper.
7 sprocket When feeding continuous paper, adjust the sprockets to the width
of the paper and use them to secure the paper.
8 AC inlet Connects the power cable.
1 ribbon cartridge Contains ink ribbon.
2printhead Prints on paper.
3 paper bail Roller assembly unit to apply pressure to the paper.
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Printer Basics 15

Control Panel
Buttons and Lights
Note:
The control panel is designed to easily convey functions and operations.
Single button operations: The Tear Off (o), LF/FF (d), Load/Eject (u), and Pause ( ) buttons are designed to
perform common paper operations.
Button combinations: Activate [Menu] and [Reset] by using a combination of button operations.
Functions mode: Activate [Font] and [Micro Adjust] by holding down the button for three
seconds.
1Font lights (Blue) One of the lights turns on when the power is on. The lighting pattern indicates
the font that is selected on the printer.
2Tear Off light (Blue) Flashes when continuous paper is in the tear off position.
3[Font]
(Functions mode)
Hold down the button for three seconds to enter [Font] select mode, and
then press the obutton to change the font settings.
For details, see “Selecting a Font and Menu” on page 19.
4Tear Off button (o)
(Single button)
Advances continuous paper to the tear off position.
Feeds continuous paper backward from the tear off position to the top-of-form
position.
5[Menu]
(Button combinations)
Press both button oand dat the same time, the printer enters or exits the
Default Setting mode and you can set the various printer settings. For details,
see “About Your Printer’s Default Settings” on page 20.
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Printer Basics 16

6LF/FF button (d)
(Single button)
Feeds paper line by line when pressing shortly.
Ejects a single sheet or advances continuous paper to the next top-of-form
position when held down.
7[Micro Adjust]
(Functions mode)
Hold down the button for three seconds, the printer enters the [Micro
Adjust] mode. Then press the button dand uto adjust the top-of-form or tear
off position. For details, see “Adjusting the tear off position” on page 45.
8Load/Eject button (u)
(Single button)
Loads a single sheet of paper.
Ejects a single sheet of paper if a sheet is loaded.
Loads continuous paper from the standby position.
Feeds continuous paper backward to the standby position if a sheet is loaded.
9Pause button ( )
(Single button)
Press this button while printing to temporarily stop printing.
Press again to resume printing.
10 Pause light (Yellow) The light is on when the printer is paused.
When the printer cover is open, the printer pauses automatically, and when you
close the printer cover, it is ready to print.
11 Paper Out light (Yellow) On when no paper is loaded in the selected paper source or paper is not loaded
correctly.
Flashes when paper has not been fully ejected or a paper jam has occurred.
12 [Reset]
(Button combinations)
Press both button dand u, simultaneously, the printer clears buffer and returns
to its default settings.
LQ-780/LQ-780N User’s Guide
Printer Basics 17

Decoration label
This product comes with a label that contains the light patterns for the control panel operation
functions and links (QR codes) to the "Clearing a Paper Jam" and "Replacing the Ribbon
Cartridge" web pages. Attach these links to easy-to-access locations if necessary.
1 Network settings notes Use this to enter notes regarding network settings such as the model name and
IP address.
2 Paper set position mark Use this to mark the paper feed position, paper direction.
3 Paper settings notes Use this to enter notes regarding special settings according to the paper type.
4 Control panel menu Shows the light patterns for the control panel operation functions.
5 QR code Use these QR codes to access web pages to view the procedures for "Clearing a
Paper Jam" and "Replacing the Ribbon Cartridge". These are the same as the
“Clearing a Paper Jam” on page 82 and the “Replacing the ribbon cartridge” on
page 99 in this manual.
!
Caution:
When using the decorative labels, attach them to a prominent place on the product. Do not
attach them to any parts that may interfere with the paper or moving parts when printing.
LQ-780/LQ-780N User’s Guide
Printer Basics 18

Example of label attachment position:
Selecting a Font and Menu
You can select one of the printer’s fonts and Menu (default settings) by using the buttons on the
printer’s control panel, as described below.
Note:
❏You can select other fonts than the seven fonts on the control panel by selecting Others. Other fonts
can be set in the Default Setting mode. See “Changing default settings” on page 25. This function
is disabled when using the Windows driver. Driver control is enabled.
❏Settings you make in application programs usually override settings you make from the printer’s
control panel. For best results, use your application to select a font and make other settings.
❏Bar code fonts cannot be selected via the control panel.
1. Make sure that the printer is not printing. If it is, hold down the Pause button for three
seconds.
2. Press the obutton until the three Font lights indicate the desired font as shown below.
HSD Courier
Draft Prestige
LQ-780/LQ-780N User’s Guide
Printer Basics 19

Roman Script
Sans Serif Others
= on, = off, = flashing
3. Make sure that the desired font is selected.
About Your Printer’s Default Settings
The default settings control many printer functions. While you can often set these functions
through your software or printer driver, you may sometimes need to change a default setting from
the printer’s control panel using the Default Setting mode.
Default Setting mode
The following table lists the default settings and the options you can select in the Default Setting
mode. The settings are explained in detail after the table. For instructions on changing the default
settings, see “Changing default settings” on page 25.
Item Setting / value *1
Page length for tractor 3inch, 3.5inch, 11/3inch, 4inch, 5.5inch, 6inch, 7inch, 8inch, 8.5inch,
11inch, 70/6inch, 12inch, 14inch, 17inch
Skip over perforation Off, On
Auto tear off Off, On
Auto tear off wait time 0.5 seconds, 3 seconds
Auto line feed Off, On
Print direction Bi-D, Uni-D, Auto
Software ESC/P2, IBM PPDS
0 slash Off (0),
I/F mode Auto, Parallel, USB, Network*
3
Auto I/F wait time 10 seconds, 30 seconds
Parallel I/F bidirectional mode Off, On
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Printer Basics 20