Intermec EasyCoder PL4 User manual

EasyCoder PL4
Printer
Quick Start Guide

Intermec Technologies Corporation
6001 36th Avenue West
Everett, WA 98203
U.S. service and technical support: 1-800-755-5505
U.S. media supplies ordering information: 1-800-227-9947
Canadian service and technical support: 1-800-668-7043
Canadian media supplies ordering information: 1-800-268-
6936
Outside U.S.A. and Canada: Contact your local Intermec
service supplier.
The information contained herein is proprietary and is provided
solely for the purpose of allowing customers to operate and/or
service Intermec manufactured equipment and is not to be
released, reproduced, or used for any other purpose without
written permission of Intermec.
Information and specifications in this manual are subject to
change without notice.
2003 by Intermec Technologies Corporation
All Rights Reserved
The word Intermec, the Intermec logo, MobileLAN, JANUS,
Trakker Antares, EZBuilder, Data Collection Browser,
dcBrowser, EasyCoder, EasyLAN, TE 2000, Universal Access
Point, UAP, IRL, and CrossBar are either trademarks or
registered trademarks of Intermec Corporation.
Throughout this manual, trademarked names may be used.
Rather than put a trademark (or ) symbol in every
occurrence of a trademarked name, we state that we are using
the names only in an editorial fashion, and to the benefit of the
trademark owner, with no intention of infringement.
There are U.S. and foreign patents pending.

EasyCoder PL4 Printer Quick Start Guide iii
Contents
Introducing the EasyCoder PL4 Printer............................... 4
Unpacking and Inspecting..................................... 4
Reporting Damage ................................................ 5
Learning About the Printer.................................................. 5
Installing the Battery............................................................ 7
Charging the Battery............................................................ 8
Understanding the Control Panels....................................... 9
Standard Control Panel ......................................... 9
LCD Control Panel............................................. 11
Loading the Media............................................................. 13
Verifying the Printer Is Working ....................................... 17
Using the Belt Clip............................................................ 22
Using the Adjustable Shoulder Strap.................................. 23
What To Do Next............................................................. 24
Specifications..................................................................... 24

EasyCoder PL4 Printer Quick Start Guide 4
Introducing the EasyCoder PL4 Printer
Thank you for choosing the Intermec EasyCoder®PL4 Printer.
This rugged printer is sure to become a productive and efficient
addition to your workplace thanks to its innovative design.
Intermec ensures world-class support for all of your bar code
printers, software, and supplies.
This quick start guide gives you the information you need to
confirm the printer is working and start printing. For
information on connecting your printer to your network or
terminals, see the EasyCoder PL4 Printer User’s Guide
(P/N 073204).
The PL4 uses the CPL programming language. To create and
print labels using the CPL language, refer to the EasyCoder
PL-Series Printer Programmer’s Reference Manual (P/N 073210).
You can also use our Intermec PL-Series Utility Software™
(PLUS™) to create labels and send files to your printer. The
manual and Intermec PLUS are available on the CD that came
with your printer and on our web site at www.intermec.com.
Unpacking and Inspecting
Remove the accessories, packing material, and printer from the
shipping container. Verify the contents of the shipping container
against the next list:
• PL4 printer with belt clip
• Battery
• Shoulder strap
• Cleaning pen
• PL4 Companion CD. This CD contains the EasyCoder PL4
Printer User’s Guide, the EasyCoder PL-Series Printer
Programmer’s Reference Manual, the Intermec PLUS
application, Windows drivers, and sample labels.
• A sample roll of continuous media
• Information on ordering media and contacting Intermec
product support
• This guide and Important PL-Series Printer Information!

EasyCoder PL4 Printer Quick Start Guide 5
Inspect the printer for possible shipping damage:
• Check all exterior surfaces for damage.
• Open the media cover (refer to “Loading the Media” later in
this guide) and inspect the media compartment for damage.
In case shipping is required, save the carton and all packing
material.
Reporting Damage
If you discover shipping damage:
• Immediately notify and file a damage report with the
shipping company. Intermec is not responsible for any
damage incurred during shipment of the printer and will not
cover the repair of this damage under its warranty policy.
• Keep the carton and all packing material for inspection.
• Notify your authorized Intermec reseller or sales
representative.
Learning About the Printer
The EasyCoder PL4 printer is a rugged mobile label and receipt
printer that provides:
• Print resolution of 203 dpi
• Print speeds up to 7.62 cm (3 inches) per second
• Serial or wireless communications options
Use the next two illustrations to familiarize yourself with the
printer.

6 EasyCoder PL4 Printer Quick Start Guide
Platen
roller Black mark
sensor
Rear
media slot
Media support
(2 places)
Self-strip
bar
Media
cover
Media support
disks (2 places)
Printhead
Control
panel
Latch
Latch
release
button
"D" rings
Media rollers
(2 places)
PL4Q002.eps
Front view of the EasyCoder PL4
Communications
port
Belt clip
Battery
Battery charging
recepticle
PL4Q005.eps
Back view of the EasyCoder PL4

EasyCoder PL4 Printer Quick Start Guide 7
Installing the Battery
Note: Batteries are shipped uncharged.
1 Unwrap the battery.
2 Rotate the belt clip to allow access to the battery
compartment.
3 Insert the battery into the printer.
Belt clip
Battery
Charger
jack
PL4Q006.eps
4 Press the battery into the printer until it locks in place.
When the battery is first installed, the Control Panel indicators
may briefly turn on and then go off, which indicates the battery
is not fully charged. For help, see “Charging the Battery” and
“Understanding the Control Panels” later in this guide.

8 EasyCoder PL4 Printer Quick Start Guide
Charging the Battery
Do not attempt to charge batteries with the
charger while printing. Attempting to print
while charging can result in improperly
charged batteries.
Attention: Ne pas essayer de charger des
batteries à l’aide du chargeur pendant
l’impression. Toute tentative d’impression
pendant le processus de charge risque de
produire des batteries mal chargées.
You can order two chargers for the battery:
• Single battery charger (P/N AT15759-7) that comes with an
AC contact adapter for the U.S.A (110V). You can also order
a package of international contact adapters
(P/N AN16740-1).
Single
battery
charger
AC
contact
adapter
Charger
jack
PL4Q008.eps
Charger
LED

EasyCoder PL4 Printer Quick Start Guide 9
• 4-Pack battery charger (P/N AT16305-2). You will need a
power supply for the charger.
Fault
Fast Charge
Fault
Fast Charge
Fault
Fast Charge
Ready
Power
Full Charge
Ready
Full Charge
Ready
Full Charge
Full Charge
Fault
Fast Charge
Ready
Power
supply
Power
indicator
Charger
bay
Green
indicator
Amber
indicator
PL4U009.eps
For help using the chargers, see the documentation that came
with the chargers.
Understanding the Control Panels
The EasyCoder PL4 comes with one of two possible control
panels:
• Standard control panel
• LCD control panel
Standard Control Panel
The next illustration shows the standard control panel with its
three buttons and two LEDs.

10 EasyCoder PL4 Printer Quick Start Guide
Power
button
Green
LED
Yellow
LED
Feed
button
Function
button
PL4Q016.eps
Standard Control Panel Functions
Button or LED Function
Power button Turns the printer on and off.
Green LED Steady on light indicates power on or an established
RF link.
Fast blinking light indicates no RF link (on RF
equipped printers only).
Slow blink indicates a low battery.
For more information, see the EasyCoder PL4 Printer
User’s Guide.
Yellow LED Steady on light indicates an out of media or media
cover not closed error condition.
Fast blink indicates RF activity (on RF equipped
printers only).
Fast blink with a chime indicates that no application is
loaded.
For more information, see the EasyCoder PL4 Printer
User’s Guide.
Feed button Advances the media out one label or a software
determined length of media.

EasyCoder PL4 Printer Quick Start Guide 11
Standard Control Panel Functions (continued)
Button or LED Function
Function button Performs functions controlled by the printer
application such as:
• Print a battery level report
• Print the Local Area Network (LAN) status
• Print the status of the Bluetooth radio
• Print a media supply report
For information on printer applications, see the
EasyCoder PL-Series Printer Programmer’s Reference
Manual.
LCD Control Panel
The LCD control panel has buttons for the power on/off and
media feed functions just as in the standard control panel. In
addition, it has two keys that allow easy navigation and selection
of menu options affecting many printer functions.
Printer status icons
Feed
button
Power
button LCD
Select
button
Scroll
button
PL4Q017.eps
LCD Control Panel Functions
Button or LED Function
Feed Advances the media out one label or a software
determined length of media.
Scroll Scrolls through the options and settings.
Select Selects an option or setting.
Power Turns the printer on and off.

12 EasyCoder PL4 Printer Quick Start Guide
The top of the screen has a row of status icons that indicate the
state of various printer functions.
Status Icon Functions
Icon Function
Indicates the printer is associated with a wireless LAN. This
icon is functional only with PL4 802.11b network printers.
A flashing icon indicates low battery status. You should
suspend any printing operations and recharge or replace the
battery pack as soon as possible.
A flashing icon indicates that the media cover is open or not
properly latched.
A flashing icon indicates that a file is being downloaded to the
printer.
A flashing icon indicates that the printer does not detect any
media. This could indicate an out of media condition or
improperly loaded media.
In addition to the status icons, the LCD control panel can
display many of the printer’s settings and functions as text. Refer
to the next table, “LCD Functions,” for the full set of printer
features that you can see with the LCD panel. To set these
functions, see the EasyCoder PL-Series Printer Programmer’s
Reference Manual.
LCD Functions
Function Default Setting Options
Sensor Type Gap Black mark
Gap
Baud Rate 19200 9600
19200
38400*
57600
115200
Data Bits 8 7
8
WLAN ID** Factory Set Value N/A
Label Top-of-
Form
000 Increase (+120 dots max)
Decrease (-120 dots max)

EasyCoder PL4 Printer Quick Start Guide 13
LCD Functions (continued)
Function Default Setting Options
Left Position 000 Increase (+120 dots max)
Decrease (-120 dots max)
LCD Contrast 0 Increase
Decrease
No activity
Timeout**
60 sec. 60 sec.
5 min.
10 min.
30 min.
Custom
Tear-off Position 00 Increase (+120 dots max)
Decrease (-120 dots max)
Media Type Label Label
Continuous
LCD Backlight Off On
Off
Momentary on with time
delay
Factory Reset No No
Yes
* The highest baud rate with consistent results is 38400.
** Some parameters, such as the WLAN ID number and non-standard no-
activity timeout values can be set using a PC running Intermec PLUS and a
data cable link to the printer.
The LCD has a backlight option that allows viewing of the
screen in a dark environment or provides better contrast in a
very bright environment. Using the backlight decreases the time
the printer runs between charges. For more information on
battery life, see the EasyCoder PL4 Printer User’s Guide.
Loading the Media
You can operate this printer in one of two different modes:
Tear-Off or Self-Strip. Tear-Off mode allows you to tear off
each label (or a strip of labels) after it is printed. In Self-Strip
mode, the backing material is peeled away from the label as the
label advances. After you remove this label, the next one is
printed.

14 EasyCoder PL4 Printer Quick Start Guide
The PL4 printer supports direct thermal receipt, label, or tag
media.
Note: To print a configuration label, you need to
load continuous media (media with no black marks
or gaps) into the printer. The printer shipped with a
sample roll of continuous media. For help printing a
configuration label, see “Verifying the Printer Is
Working” later in this guide.
To load the media
1 Press the latch release button on the side of the printer. The
latch assembly flips open automatically.
2 Rotate the media cover back to expose the media
compartment and the adjustable media supports.
PL4Q011.eps

EasyCoder PL4 Printer Quick Start Guide 15
3 Pull the media supports apart, insert the roll of media
between them, and let the media supports close. Make sure
the media pulls off the core in the direction shown in the next
illustration.
PL4Q013.eps
Media
supports
The supports adjust themselves to the width of the media.
The media should be able to spin freely on the supports.
4 If you want to use the printer in Tear-Off mode, continue
with Step 6.
If you want to use the printer in Self-Strip mode, peel one or
two labels off of the backing material.
5 Close the media cover.
6 If you want to use the printer in Tear-Off mode, flip the
self-strip bar down away from the latch assembly.
If you want to use the printer in Self-Strip mode, slide the
self-strip bar up with your thumbs until it locks into place on
the latch assembly.

16 EasyCoder PL4 Printer Quick Start Guide
Latch
assembly
Self-strip
bar shown
in tear-off
position
Media
cover
Label
Tear-Off mode
Self-Strip mode Media
cover
Backing
Latch
assembly
Self-strip
bar shown
in self-strip
position
PL4U045.eps
7 Rotate the latch assembly until it locks in place.
8 Turn on the printer or press the Feed button if the printer is
already on. The printer advances the media.

EasyCoder PL4 Printer Quick Start Guide 17
Tear-Off mode Self-Strip mode
Latch
assembly
Media
cover
Latch
assembly
Media
cover
PL4U044.eps
The printer advances the media to the next label, if printing
labels. If you are printing on continuous media, the printer will
advance a short strip of media and will then be ready for
printing.
Verifying the Printer Is Working
Before you connect the printer to your computer or portable
data terminal, make sure that the printer is in proper working
order. You can do this by printing a configuration label using
the next procedure. If you cannot get this label to print, see the
EasyCoder PL4 Printer User’s Guide.
To print a configuration label
1 Turn the printer off. Load the media compartment with
continuous media (media with no black marks or gaps). The
printer shipped with a sample roll of continuous media.
2 Press and hold the Feed button.
3 Press and release the Power button and keep the Feed button
pressed. When printing starts, release the Feed button.

18 EasyCoder PL4 Printer Quick Start Guide
The printer prints a line of interlocking “x” characters to make
sure all elements of the printhead are working, prints out the
version of software loaded in the printer, and then prints two
reports.
The first report indicates model, firmware version, serial
number, baud rate, and other printer information. The second
report prints out a print quality test and then more detailed
information on the printer’s configuration and parameter
settings. If no second report appears, there is no application
loaded. The following illustrations are examples of the first
report followed by the second report.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Intermec PL4
V79.40 12/23/02
CHK: FFFF
HTSE7940 /18
Testing Memory...
Memory tested and OK
Baud Rate: 19200 BPS
In-activity Timeout: 120 Secs
Low battery Shut-down: 170
End of report.
Printhead test
Example of the first report of the configuration label

EasyCoder PL4 Printer Quick Start Guide 19
Intermec PL4 V79/00 08/24/01
Serial Number:
XXEC00-10-0042
xxQF00-10-0042
Name: xxQF00-10-0042
Program:
Firmware:HTQ47940 /18
Chksum:F18A
Software:HTK44L
Chksum:5C8F
Ver:L4.R79.40.U176.B19.T19.A00
Cable Communications:
19200 BPS, N,8,1
Handshake:hardware
DSR: 1
Bridge mode: off
Wireless Communications:
Unit serial number
Application number
Report appears only
on units with wireless
options installed. Units
with no wireless options
will print an empty line
and resume the report.
1
2 3
4 5 6
7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15
1234567890
Example of the beginning of the second report

20 EasyCoder PL4 Printer Quick Start Guide
PCMCIA/CF Adapter 1.0
Build Date: Jan 15 2003
Build Time: 12:09:01
Card Detected.
Spectrum24 802.11b
MAC Adress: 00:a0:f8:a3:50:99
Operating Mode: infrastructure
Preamble Length: long
Power Save: best
Encryption: 128-bit
Authentication: open system
Kerberos: off
Stored ESSID: TJX_2100
Associated ESSID: TJX_2100
802.11b settings
Example of 802.11b with Compact Flash radio part of the second report
Wireless Communications:
Bluetooth:
.version 1.2.0
.date 08/01/02
.baud 9600
.device printer
.mode slave
.local_name ?
.authentication off
.discoverable on
.encryption off
.address 00:80:37:17:1E:B0
Debug Mode: Disabled
Bluetooth software version
Bluetooth settings
Example of the Bluetooth part of the second report