Epson MX-80 IIIF/T User manual

EPSON
EPSON
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EPSON
EPSON
EPSON
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EPSON
EPSON
EPSON
EPSONAMERICA, INC.
MX-80PRINTER User'sManual

User'sManual
for
MX-80Printer
by
DavidA.Lien
COMPUSOFT™PUBLISHING
ADivisionofCompuSoft,Inc.
Box19669• SanDiego,California92119U.S.A.

ThisBookwaspreparedespeciallyforEpsonAmerica,Inc.by
CompuSoftPublishing.Allrights,domesticandinternational
arereservedbyCompuSoft,Inc.Requestsforpermissionto
reproduceordistributethisUser'sManualshouldbeaddressed
COPYRIGHTDEPT
CompuSoft,Inc.
P.O.Box19669
SanDiego,CA92119
Copyright © 1980 by Compusoft Publishing,
ADivision of CompuSoft, Inc.
San Diego, CA 92119
Allrights reserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybe
reproduced,storedina retrievalsystem,ortransmitted,in
anyformorbyanymeans,electronic,mechanical,photo-
copying,recordingorotherwise,withoutthepriorwritten
permissionofthepublisher.Nopatentliabilityisassumed
withrespecttotheuseoftheinformationcontainedherein.
Whileeveryprecautionhasbeentakeninthepreparationof
thsbook,thepublisherassumesnoresponsibilityforerrors
oromissions.Neitherisanyliabilityassumedfordamages
resultingfromtheuseoftheinformationcontainedherein.
Compusoftisa registeredtrademarkofCompuSoft,Inc.
*TRS-80istheroisteredtrademarkofRadioShack,a
DivisionofTandyCorporation.
InternationalStandardBookNumber:0-932760-04-X
LibraryofCongressCatalogCardNumber:80-70122
10987654321
Printed in Japan

APersonalNoteFromtheAuthor
CongratulationsonyourdecisiontobuyanEPSONMX-80
printer!Inmyopinion,itisthebestdollar-valueonthe
printermarkettoday.
"WHO NEEDS A LEARNER'S MANUAL FOR A PRINTER?"
Theanswer— ALMOST EVERYONE EXCEPT A COMPUTER
PROFESSIONAL.
Today'sprintersareverysophisticatedcomparedtothose
ofevena yearago.Mostarenotfullyutilizedbecausethe
instructionsaretoovagueandcomplicated.We'redoing
ourbesttoeliminatethatproblemwiththeEPSONMX
Series.
IencourageyoutolearnALLaboutyourremarkable
MX-80.Youpaidforit.Putittowork
Dr.DavidA Lien
SanDiego— 1980

TableofContents
]
1
Introduction7
Chapter1:TheStartingLine9
Chapter2:Sendita Message23
Chapter3:MorePrintControlCommands35
Chapter4:IntroductiontoGraphics41
Chapter5:HowDotMatrixPrintingWorks47
Chapter6:AdvancedPrintingandEndlessFormControl55
Chapter7:AdvancedGraphics63
Chapter8:TRS-80ModeandMisc69
Chapter9:SwitchingtoForeignLanguageCharacters71
AppendixA:ASCIIChartsforMX-80andTRS-80Modes79
AppendixB:ControlCodes81
AppendixC:InternalSwitchExplanationTables83
AppendixD:UsewithOtherComputers87
AppendixE:Usewitha RadioShackprintercable91
AppendixF:SpecialconsiderationsforModelIITRS-8093
AppendixG:CharacterandGraphicFonts95
AppendixH:TechnicalSpecifications99
AppendixI:FunctionCodes101
AppendixJ:LogicBlockDiagram103
AppendixK:PinoutSignalChart105
AppendixL:DataTransmissionSequence107
Index109

Introduction
"But do I REALLY have to take a course on 'How to Operate A Printer' to use
this one?" No— notifyouonlywanttouseitformundaneprinting.Itprints
"mundanes"verynicely.
Ifyouwanttolearntousetheexoticfeaturesitoffers,approachyournew
Printerinthesamewayasyourfirstcomputer— witha healthycuriosityandan
openmind.Itprobablyfarexceedswhatyoueverexpectedfroma printerinex-
pensiveenoughtocallyourown.
TheMX-80Printerworkswithvirtuallyanycomputerproperlyinterfacedtoit.
This"Learner'sManual"usesthepopularModel1 TRS-80asitsteachingmodel
sincetheTRS-80graphicssetissimilartotheonebuiltintotheMX-80.What's
taughthereappliestoallcomputers,thonotallarepowerfulenoughtoutilize
everyMX-80feature.Moreonthatingoodtime.
ImpatientreadersshouldheadfortheAppendicesandusualreferencematerials
attheback.TherestofuswillbelievethatthisisnoordinaryPrinterandtakethe
timetolearntouseitright— the first time.
AgoodworkingknowledgeoftheBASIC*languageisallthat'srequiredaswe
begin,withChapter1.
*UserswhofeeltheirBASICskillsarea littlerustyarereferredtothefollowing
booksbythesameauthor:
The BASIC Handbook, An Encyclopedia of the BASIC Language. Available
thruCompuSoftPublishing,Box19669SanDiego,CA92119.
TRS-80 Level I User's Manual. AvailablethruallRadioShackstoresas
CatalogNumber62-2016or26-2101.
LEARNING LEVEL II. CompuSoftPublishing.

TheStartingLine
Chapter1
TheStartingLine
ThisimportantChaptershowshowtounpackthePrinter,setitupandtestit.
Readitbeforeyougetintotrouble.Thetimespentwillbeyourbestinvestment
sincebuyingthePrinteritself.
CountingtheParts
Opentheboxcarefullyandremovethecontents.Thereshouldbe:
1.ThisUser'sManual(obviously. . .)
2.TheEPSONMX-80Printer
3.A longboxcontainingtheribboncartridge
4.A wireracktoguidethepaper
YoualsoneedanEPSONcabletoconnectthePrintertoyourparticularcom-
puter.ComputerswhichdonotusetheCentronicsStandardParallelInterface
schemeneedtheproperEPSONmatchingkit.YourEPSONdealercansupply
whateverisneeded.
SettingItUp
Lifttheprinterlidandlocatethe2 shippingscrews.SeeFigure1.
Figure1-1
ThesescrewsaretoprotecttheMX-80fromdamageduringshipping.Let's
removetheprinterlidsowecangetatthescrewswithoutbreakingsomething.
PARTS

Chapter9
\aythePrinterflatona firmsurfaceandraiseitslidtothefullverticalposi-
.ion.SeeFigure1-2.
WiththePrinterfacingyou,asshowninFigure1-3,graspthelidfirmlyonits
fttopsidewithyourrighthand.UseyourlefthandtoholdthePrinter
"Tfownonthetableand"spread"thecaseopenjusta bit.Pullthelidoffas
aleitisn'tabsolutelynecessarytoremovethelidtogetatthescrews,itdoes
reducethechanceofaccidentaldamage.Italsogivesusanopportunitytolearn
howtoremovethelidsowecanlearnaboutotherinterestingthings.
10

Usinga Phillipstypescrewdriver,removethepackingscrewsandstorethemfor
possiblefutureuse.Ifit'snecessarytomovetheprintheadtotherightorleftto
getatthescrews,dosowithgreatcare.(Ifyou'venotfollowedthedirectionsand
havealreadytriedtorunthePrinter,becarefuloftheprinthead!Itrunsvery
HOTundernormaloperation.)
InstallingtheRibbon
PositionthePrinterwiththeEPSONlabel(front)facingyou.Locatethepaper
bail(themoveablemetalbarwithnumbers1-80onit)andpushittowardsthe
back,awayfromyou.
Removetheribboncartridgefromitsboxandturntheplasticknobcounterclock-
wisesotheribbonistight.(Figure1-4A)
Figure1-4A
Holdingthecartridgebyitsverticalfin(soundslikea shark),steerthe4 tabson
itssidesintothe4 slotsinthePrinter'smetalframe.(Figure1-4B)Pressthecartridge
firmly intoplace.
Figure1-4B

Chapter9
Usinga pencil(oryourfingers)lifttheribbonintotheslotinfrontoftheprint
headasshowninFigure4-1C.Witha littlepractice,youcandoalltheabovein
onequickoperation.
Windtheribbontightagainwiththelittleplasticknob,andit'sallsettogo.
MatchingthePrintertoYourComputer
Thereare12differentswitchesinsidethePrintercase.Theycanbesettomake
theMX-80matcha widevarietyofcomputersandcomputerinterfaces.Wenow
havetosetthemtomatchourcomputer.Ina laterChapterwewillresetsomeof
themanddosomeveryuniquethings.
OpeningtheCase
Togetattheswitcheswehavetoopenthecase.Thetransparentlidshouldstill
beoff.Removetherollerknobbypullingstraightout,withfirmbutsteady
pressure.(Figure1-5)
TurnthePrinterupsidedownona softsurface.Witha Phillipsheadscrewdriver,
:ompletelyloosen(butdon'tremove)all4 cornerscrewsasshowninFigure1-6.
^Placetapeoverthe4 holessothescrewswon'tfalloutwhenwetipthePrinter
rightsideupagain.
Figure1-4C
Figure1-5
12