Epson 836XL - Expression - Flatbed Scanner User manual

EPSON Expression™836XL
User’s Guide
Color Image Scanner
®

Page 2
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 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 that 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 user’s authority to
operate the equipment.

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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 numérique n’émet pas de bruits radioélectriques dépassant les limites applicables aux
appareils numériques de Classe B prescrites dans le règlement sur le brouillage radioélectrique édict‚ par le
Ministère des Communications du Canada.
A Note Concerning Responsible Use of Copyrighted Materials
Like photocopiers, scanners can be misused by improper scanning of copyrighted material. Although Section
107 of the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976 (Title 17, United States Code), the “fair use” doctrine, permits limited
copying in certain circumstances, those circumstances may not be as broad as some people assume. Unless
you have the advice of a knowledgeable attorney, be responsible and respectful by not scanning published
material without the permission of the copyright holder.

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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 scanner. EPSON is not responsible for any use of this information as applied to other
scanners.
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 and its affiliates 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 of SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION. EPSON Expression, EPSON
SoundAdvice, and EPSON FaxAdvice are trademarks of Epson America, Inc.
General Notice: Other product names used herein are for identification purposes only and may be
trademarks of their respective companies.
Copyright © 1997 by Epson America, Inc., Torrance, California, USA
E836XL1297-00
12/97

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Contents
Introduction 11
Optional Equipment 13
How to Use This Manual 14
Warnings, Cautions, and Notes 15
Important Safety Instructions 16
Where to Get Help 18
1Scanner Basics 21
Scanner Parts 21
Lights and Buttons 23
Scanner Errors 24

Contents Page 6
Scanning 25
Scanning Oversized Documents 27
2Using Optional Equipment 28
Using the Transparency Unit 29
Unpacking the Transparency Unit 30
Removing the Shipping Screws 31
Installing the Transparency Unit 33
Installing the Transparency Guide 36
Scanning Transparencies and Oversized Film 39
Using the Film Holders 40
Scanning Normal Documents with the Transparency
Unit Installed 50
Adjusting the Transparency Guide Angle 52

Contents Page 7
Using the Auto Document Feeder 53
Unpacking the Auto Document Feeder 54
Installing the Auto Document Feeder 55
Loading Paper in the Auto Document Feeder 60
Fixing Paper Jams in the Auto Document Feeder 64
Adjusting the Scanning Position of the Auto
Document Feeder 67
3Maintaining and Transporting Your
Scanner 69
Cleaning the Scanner 70
Replacing the Fluorescent Lamp 71
Transporting the Scanner 72

Contents Page 8
4Troubleshooting 73
Diagnosing Problems 73
Indicator Lights 75
Upgrading Your System 76
Problems and Solutions 78
Operation Problems 78
Scan Quality Problems 80
Image Matching Problems 84
Using the Document Guide 86
Installing the Document Guide 87
Scanning the Document Guide 90
Calculating the Adjustment Angle 95
Scanning Your Aligned Document 97
Using the Clear Document Guide 98

Contents Page 9
5Specifications 99
Scanner Specifications 100
Scanning 100
Supported Documents 102
Electrical 102
Environmental 103
Safety Approvals 103
Parallel Interface 104
SCSI Interface 106
Initialization Methods 109
Auto Document Feeder Specifications 110
Basic Specifications 110
Documents Supported 111
Electrical 112
Environmental 113
Safety Approvals 113

Contents Page 10
Transparency Unit Specifications 114
Basic Specifications 114
Electrical 115
Environmental 115
Index 116

Page 11
Introduction
The EPSON Expression™ 836XL is a true 800-dpi full-color
flatbed scanner with a US B (12.2 inch ×17.2 inch) or A3 size
scanning area. It has the ability to scan in color or grayscale,
making it ideal for virtually all uses, from simple drawings to
complex full-color illustrations. It achieves extremely high
quality in color by reading and saving 36 bits per pixel.
Your EPSON®scanner offers the following features:
◗Full color scanning of up to 68 billion colors or grayscale
scanning in up to 4,096 shades of gray.
◗Scanning resolution of 800 dpi. You can adjust the output
resolution to match the resolution of your output device.
◗Automatic Area Segmentation (AAS) gives you the ability
to separate text from photographs on a page so grayscale
images are clearer and text recognition is more accurate.
◗Text Enhancement Technology enhances optical
character recognition (OCR) accuracy when scanning text.

Introduction Page 12
◗Three resident interfaces: one bidirectional parallel and
two SCSI. With these interfaces, you can connect multiple
computers to the scanner at the same time.
◗Software control of all scanner functions.

Introduction Page 13
Optional Equipment
The following optional items are available to expand the
versatility of your scanner. For detailed information on using
these options, see Using Optional Equipment.
Auto Document Feeder (B81311*)
The auto document feeder allows you to scan up to 30 pages
automatically.
Transparency Unit (B81310*)
This option allows you to scan transparent materials, primarily
35 mm slides and negatives. It has a maximum reading area
of 11.4 ×16.5 inches (290 ×420 mm), which allows you to
scan transparent materials up to A3 or US B size.
SCSI System Cable (25-pin to 50-pin) (B860081)
This cable allows you to connect a SCSI device to an
Apple®Macintosh®computer or a SCSI adapter card on a
Windows®PC.
SCSI Peripheral Cable (50-pin to 50-pin) (B860091)
This cable allows you to connect two SCSI devices in a daisy
chain.

Introduction Page 14
Bidirectional Parallel Interface Board (B80818*)
This board installs in an IBM-
®compatible computer and
provides parallel connection between the scanner and
computer. Setup and installation of this board are fully
described in the manual that comes with the board. An
interface cable must be purchased separately.
How to Use This Manual
Scanner Basics describes the scanner’s lights and buttons,
and gives instructions for basic scanning and scanning of
oversized documents.
Using Optional Equipment gives instructions for installing and
using the optional transparency unit and auto document
feeder.
Maintaining and Transporting Your Scanner gives tips on
caring for your scanner and preparing it for a move.
Troubleshooting provides solutions to problems you may
encounter.

Introduction Page 15
Specifications provides technical details on your scanner and
its optional equipment.
Warnings, Cautions, and Notes
Warnings must be followed carefully to avoid bodily injury.
Cautions must be observed to avoid loss of data or damage
to your equipment.
Notes contain important information about your scanner.

Introduction Page 16
Important Safety Instructions
Read all of these instructions carefully. Follow all warnings
and instructions marked on the scanner.
◗The scanner must be placed on a sturdy, level surface.
◗Unplug the scanner before cleaning it. Clean it with a
damp cloth only. Do not spill liquid on the scanner.
◗Do not place the scanner near a radiator or heat source.
◗Do not block or cover the openings in the scanner’s
cabinet. Do not insert objects through the slots.
◗Place your scanner close enough to the computer or
workstation for the scanner cable to reach both ends.
Make sure you can easily unplug the power cord.
◗Use only the type of power source indicated on the
scanner’s label.
◗Connect all equipment to properly grounded power outlets.
Avoid using outlets on the same circuit as photocopiers or
air control systems that regularly switch on and off.
◗Do not let the power cord become damaged or frayed.

Introduction Page 17
◗If you use an extension cord with the scanner, 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.
◗Do not attempt to service the scanner yourself.
Unplug the scanner, lock the carriage in place with the
transportation lock screw, and bring it to qualified service
personnel under the following conditions:
◗If the power cord or plug is damaged
◗If liquid has entered the scanner
◗If the scanner has been dropped or the cabinet
damaged
◗If the scanner does not operate normally or exhibits a
distinct change in performance.

Introduction Page 18
Where to Get Help
EPSON provides customer support through the following
services:
Electronic support services
Service Access
World Wide Web From the Internet, you can reach EPSON’s Home Page at
http://www.epson.com.
EPSON Internet FTP
Site If you have Internet FTP capability, use your Web browser (or other software for FTP downloading) to log onto ftp.epson.com with the user
name anonymous and your e-mail address as the password.
EPSON Download
Service You can call the EPSON Download Service at [phone]. Set your communications software to 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity. Modem
speed can be up to 28.8 Kbps.
EPSON Forum on
CompuServe®Members of CompuServe can type GO EPSON at the menu prompt to
reach the Epson America Forum. For a free introductory CompuServe
membership, call (800 848-8199 and ask for representative #529.

Introduction Page 19
Automated telephone services
Service Access
EPSON SoundAdvice™ For pre-recorded answers to commonly asked questions about EPSON
products 24 hours a day, seven days a week, call [phone].
EPSON FaxAdvice™ Access EPSON’s technical information library by calling
[phone]. You must provide a return fax number to use this
service.
EPSON Referral
Service For the location of your nearest Authorized EPSON Reseller or Customer Care Center, call [phone].

Introduction Page 20
EPSON also provides technical support and information on
the installation, configuration, and operation of EPSON
products. Dial [phone] (U.S. and Canada) or
[phone] (U.S. only), 6 A.M. to 6 P.M., Pacific Time,
Monday through Friday.
Before you call, please have the following information ready:
◗Product name
◗Product serial number
◗Computer configuration
◗Description of the problem
You can purchase optional equipment, manuals, accessories,
and parts from EPSON Accessories at [phone] (U.S.
sales only). In Canada, please call [phone] for dealer
referral.
Note:
If you need help
using software with
an EPSON product,
see the
documentation for
that program for
technical support
information.