NEC SuperScript 1800 User manual

SUPERSCRIPT 1800
USER’S GUIDE
July, 1999
808-878290-012A

ii SuperScript 1800 — User’s Guide
Proprietary Notice and Liability Disclaimer
The information disclosed in this document, including all
designs and related materials, is the valuable property of
NEC Technologies and/or its licensors, as appropriate
reserve all patent, copyright and other proprietary rights to
this document, including all design, manufacturing,
reproduction, use and sales rights thereto, except to the
extent said rights are expressly granted to others.
The NEC Technologies product(s) discussed in this document
are warranted in accordance with the terms of the Limited
Warranty Statement accompanying each product. However,
actual performance of each such product is dependent upon
factors such as system configuration, customer data and
operator control. Since implementation by customers of each
product may vary, the suitability of specific product
configurations and applications must be determined by the
customer and is not warranted by NEC Technologies.
To allow for design and specification improvements, the
information in this document is subject to change at any time
without notice. Reproduction of this document or portions
thereof without prior approval of NEC Technologies is
prohibited.
© NEC Technologies, Inc., 1999
Microsoft, Windows, Windows 95, Windows 98,
Windows NT, Windows for Workgroups, and MS-DOS are
registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
PostScript
®
is a trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated.
All other product, service, brand, or trade names used in this
publication are the trademarks or registered trademarks of
their respective companies or organizations. NEC disclaims
any responsibility for specifying which marks are owned by
which companies or organizations.
Copyright 1999
NEC Technologies, Inc.
1250 N. Arlington Heights Rd.
Itasca, IL 60143
All Rights Reserved.
Copyright 1999
NEC Corporation
7-1 Shiba 5-Chome, Minato-Ku
Tokyo 108-01, Japan
All Rights Reserved.

iii
CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
Overview 1
SuperScript 1800 Highlights 1
Printer Options 1
System Requirements 2
Hardware Requirements 2
SuperScript 1800 Features 2
Printer Driver Features 2
Energy Saving 3
Operator Panel Features 3
CHAPTER 2: GETTING STARTED
Overview 5
Safety Instructions 5
Selecting a Location 5
Unpacking 6
Checking Printer Contents 7
Identifying Printer Parts 8
Front View 8
Back View 8
Top Internal View 8
Back Internal View 8
Installing the Toner Cartridge 10
Loading The 500-sheet Cassette 11
Connecting the Printer Locally 13
Connecting the Printer to a Network 14
CHAPTER 3: INSTALLING THE SOFTWARE
Overview 15
Software for Windows 95 and 98 15
Installing the Software 15
Removing Printer Software 17
Software for Windows NT 4.0 17
Installing the Software 17
Removing Printer Software 17
Software for Windows 3.1x 18
Installing the Software 18
Removing the Software 18
Software for the Macintosh 18
Software Requirements 18
Hardware Requirements 18
Installing the Software 19
CHAPTER 4: PRINTER SOFTWARE
Overview 21
Windows 95 and 98 Operating Systems 21
Opening the Driver Properties Window 21
NEC SuperScript 1800 PCL6 Properties 22
NEC SuperScript 1800 PCL5e Properties 24
Windows 95 and 98 PostScript Properties 26
The SuperScript 1800 Status Monitor 28
Windows NT 4.0 Operating Systems 29
Opening the Driver Properties Window 29
PCL6 Printer Driver 30
PCL5e Printer Driver 34
Windows PostScript Printer Driver 37
Windows 3.1x Operating Systems 40
Opening the Driver Properties Window 40
NEC SuperScript 1800 PCL6 Properties 40
NEC SuperScript 1800 PCL5e Properties 42
Macintosh Operating Systems 44
Opening the
Page Setup and Print Dialog Boxes 44
The Page Setup Dialog Box 44
The Print Dialog Box 46

iv SuperScript 1800 — User’s Guide
CHAPTER 5: THE OPERATOR PANEL
Overview 47
Using the Operator Panel Buttons 48
Indicator Light 48
Operator Panel Buttons 48
Using the Menu Tree 49
Operator Panel Tasks 50
Taking the Printer Offline and Online 50
Setting Media Type 50
Stopping a Print Job 50
Cleaning the Fuser Unit 50
Restoring Factory Defaults 50
Printing Information Pages 51
The Status Display 51
Overview of Operator Panel Menus 54
Operator Panel Menus 55
CHAPTER 6: USING THE PRINTER
Overview 63
Using the Multipurpose Tray 63
Loading Paper
in the Optional 500-sheet 2nd Cassette 64
Duplex Printing 66
Manual Printing 67
Printing Envelopes 68
Loading Envelopes into the Multipurpose Tray 68
Loading Envelopes
into the 500-sheet 2nd Cassette 69
Printing Envelopes
From the Printer Driver 71
Printing Envelopes
Manually From the Operator Panel 71
Printing Transparencies 72
For Best Results 72
Printing Labels 73
CHAPTER 7: MAINTAINING YOUR PRINTER
Overview 75
Precautions 75
Replacing the Toner Cartridge 76
Cleaning the Printer 77
Moving the Printer 79
CHAPTER 8: PRINTER OPTIONS
Overview 81
Installing the 500-sheet 2nd Cassette 82
Accessing the Printer Controller Board 83
Printer Memory Upgrade 84
PostScript Level 2 Upgrade 85
IrDA and Serial Interface Upgrade 86
System Requirements 86
IrDA Card Installation 86
IrDA and Serial Connection 86
Apple LocalTalk and Serial Interface Upgrade 88
Hardware Requirements 88
Software Requirements 88
Interface Card Installation 88
LocalTalk and Serial Connection 88
10/100Base-TX Network Interface Upgrade 90
NIC Installation 90
CHAPTER 9: TROUBLESHOOTING
Overview 91
Print Quality Maintenance 91
Simple Troubleshooting 91
Paper Jam Problems 92
Jam Recovery feature 92
Understanding the Paper Path 92
Clearing Paper Jams 93
Paper Jams in the Multipurpose Tray Area 94
Paper Jams in 500-sheet Cassette Area 95
Duplex Paper Jam in the Input Tray Area 96

v
Duplex Paper Jam in the Back Area 97
Paper Jams in the Output Area 98
Paper Jams in the Back of the Printer 99
Operator Panel Messages 100
Print Quality 102
PostScript Problems 105
CHAPTER 10: TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Overview 107
Assistance Nearby 107
Help From Within Your Company 107
Help From Your Dealer 107
NEC Technical Support 107
How to Contact NEC 107
Ordering Supplies 108
NEC Warranty and Service 109
NEC Service Contracts 109
SuperScript 1800 Printer Limited Warranty 109
Warranty Period 109
Warranty Coverage 109
Warranty Support 110
Obtaining Warranty Service 110
Limitation of
Damages and Implied Warranties 110
APPENDIX A: PRINTER SPECIFICATIONS
Operating Specifications 111
APPENDIX B: MEDIA SPECIFICATIONS
Media Specifications 113
APPENDIX C: SAFETY INFORMATION
Laser Safety 119
CDRH Regulations 119
Ozone Emission 119
FCC Statement 120
APPENDIX D:
STATUS MONITOR MESSAGES
Status Monitor Messages 121
Index

vi SuperScript 1800 — User’s Guide

1
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
O
VERVIEW
The fully-featured NEC SuperScript™ 1800 laser printer
offers the best value today for fast monochrome duplex
printing. The 1800 delivers high resolution, laser output for
business presentations and reports. The Multipurpose Tray,
500-sheet Cassette, and optional 500-sheet 2nd Cassette
combine to hold 1,100 sheets of paper.
The SuperScript 1800 has been designed to support all major
personal computer operating systems, including: DOS,
Windows
®
3.1x, Windows
®
95/98, and Windows NT
®
4.0.
Macintosh System 7.x and 8.x are supported with the
optional 10/100Base-TX network interface card (NIC), or the
Apple
®
LocalTalk
®
and serial interface card. These
networking features allow users or workgroups on a TCP/IP,
Novell
®
Netware
®
, DLC/LLC, or Apple EtherTalk
®
network
to share the printer.
The following section reviews the features and options that
will allow you to take full advantage of your SuperScript
1800 capabilities.
SuperScript 1800 Highlights
•Prints up to 17 pages per minute
• Internal duplexer allows printing on both sides of the
page
• PCL6 and PCL5e printer languages
• 1,200 dpi quality with NEC Sharp Edge Technology
(SET)
• A 100MHz 64-bit PowerPC RISC processor
• 12 MB of RAM standard, expandable to 132 MB
• Year-2000 compliant
Printer Options
You can add these options to increase productivity and
performance.
• 500-sheet/40-envelope 2nd
Cassette
• Industry standard 72-pin SIMM’s
• PostScript
®
Level 2 Upgrade Kit
• Apple
®
LocalTalk
®
and Serial Upgrade Kit
• IrDA and Serial Interface Upgrade Kit
• 10/100Base-TX internal Network Interface Card
note:
The instructions in this guide assume that you are
familiar with your computer and/or network
configuration, and that your system is configured and
operating properly.
The SuperScript 1800 Laser Printer
NEC
SuperScript 1800

2 SuperScript 1800 — User’s Guide
System Requirements
Your SuperScript 1800 printer and software can operate using
the following minimum system configurations.
Windows Operating System
• Microsoft Windows 3.1x, Windows 95/98,
or Windows NT 4.0
• 486 or higher CPU
• CD-ROM drive
• 5 MB of free hard disk space
• 8 MB or more of RAM
Macintosh Operating System
• MacOS 7.1 or higher
• CD-ROM drive
Hardware Requirements
You need to provide the following additional hardware to
setup and connect your printer.
• For a direct connection, an IEEE 1284-compliant parallel
cable.
• If you are connecting a SuperScript 1800N printer or if
you have installed the optional 1800 NIC, you will need a
Category 5 twisted pair cable with RJ-45 connectors for
10/100Base-TX Ethernet.
note:
The SuperScript 1800 with a network interface
card (NIC) automatically detects whether you have a
10 Mbps or 100 Mbps Ethernet connection. For better
performance, NEC recommends that you use shielded
cable when connecting to 100 Mbps Ethernet.
S
UPER
S
CRIPT
1800 F
EATURES
SuperScript 1800 printer features give you many ways to
customize your print jobs. There is often more than one place
to change the same printer setting. These include:
• PCL 5e and PCL6 printer drivers and the optional
SuperScript 1800 PostScript Level 2 driver
• The printer’s operator panel
Printer Driver Features
Duplex Printing
Duplex printing or “duplexing” allows you to print on both
sides of the paper. This can speed up the print time and help
conserve paper. You can use duplex printing two ways.
Choosing
Long Edge
lets you have the
binding orientation along the long edge of
the paper as in a magazine.
Choosing
Short Edge
lets you have the
binding orientation along the short edge of
the paper as in a calendar.
The duplexing feature can be accessed from
the printer driver’s Properties pages or from
the Operator Panel.
Proof Sheets
This layout mode allows you to print out a
reduced version of your document or
booklet. It lets you scan multiple pages at a
glance and is accessible through the Layout
Mode area of the Finishing tab in your
Window’s driver.

SuperScript 1800 Features 3
INTRODUCTION
Watermarks
With the watermark feature found in the
Window’s printer driver you can superimpose
a line of text diagonally across your final
output. Typical examples of watermarks are
the words “Draft” or “Confidential.”
Scale to Paper Size
This feature allows you to scale your print job
to any supported paper size regardless of the
digital document size. This can be useful when
you want to check the detail in a small file.
Energy Saving
The SuperScript 1800 printer meets the
requirements of the Environmental
Protection Agency’s Energy Star
Computers program for printers. The
purpose of this program is to promote
the manufacturing and marketing of energy-efficient office
automation equipment, thereby potentially reducing
combustion-related pollution. (The Energy Star emblem does
not represent EPA endorsement of any product or service.)
Operator Panel Features
You can use the Operator Panel to quickly cancel a print job
or change settings. If you do not have an on screen printer
driver because you are using DOS or UNIX operating
systems, use the Operator Panel to set up your print jobs.
You can view messages on the Operator Panel to help
diagnose printing problems. In addition, the Operator Panel
allows you to print out informational pages. These pages
include font lists and test pages that show you things like the
total page count. If you have a networked printer you can
also set the printer’s TCP/IP address or reconfigure network
settings. Chapter 5, “The Operator Panel,” provides
instructions for using the printer’s Operator Panel.
ORIGINAL
Menu
Item
Value
GO
Continue
Select/Cancel
NEC
SuperScript1800
note: The LCD
message display tilts
up for easy viewing.

4 SuperScript 1800 — User’s Guide

5
CHAPTER 2
GETTING STARTED
O
VERVIEW
This chapter tells you how to safely set up your printer and
begin printing right away. Included are instructions for
• Selecting a location and unpacking
• Checking printer contents and identifying printer parts
• Installing the standard 500-sheet Cassette and the Toner
Cartridge
• Loading the 500-sheet Cassette
• Connecting the printer to your computer or network
S
AFETY
I
NSTRUCTIONS
To protect yourself and your equipment from possible
damage, always follow these precautions.
• Protect the printer from dampness or spills.
• Save the printer box and all packing materials that came
with your printer in case you need to ship it later.
• Do not block or cover the ventilation holes on the side
and back of the printer.
• Unless otherwise indicated in this guide, do not attempt
to repair or modify the printer yourself.
• Read the installation instructions carefully before you
plug in your printer, and follow all warnings.
• Keep this User’s Guide handy for reference.
• The fuser area, under the Top and Back Covers is very
hot. Let the printer cool at least 15 minutes before
touching these areas.
WARNING! This printer is intended to be electrically
grounded.It comes with a three-wire grounding plug.This
plug will only fit a grounded AC outlet or power strip.This
is a safety feature.Do not defeat the purpose of the
grounding plug by removing the third pin.
S
ELECTING A
L
OCATION
Select a level, stable place with adequate space for air
circulation and opening covers and trays. The area should be
well ventilated and away from direct sunlight or sources of
heat, cold, and humidity. See image below for clearance
space. Do not set the printer close to the edge of your desk or
table!
20”
12”
12”
Keep printer vents
unobstructed
For more details on printer
dimensions see Appendix A,
“Printer Specifications.”
note: In order for this printer to
work, it is very important to
properly install the printer driver
software after the printer is
connected. See Chapter 3 for
specific installation instructions for
your operating system.

6 SuperScript 1800 — User’s Guide
U
NPACKING
Follow these steps to safely unpack the printer.
1. Open the top cover of the packing box and remove the
Accessory Kit, QuickStart Guide, Toner Cartridge, and
Power Cord
(A)
.
2. Carefully lift the printer out of the box. Use the hand
grips on both sides of the printer
(B)
.
3. Make sure all items are included in your box (see the list
on the next page).
4. Remove any packing tape from the printer.
5. Remove the 500-sheet Cassette from the printer
(C)
and
remove the packing material from inside
(D)
.
6. Insert the tray into the printer
(E)
.
Unpacking the Printer
1800
note: Do not discard the box and
packing material.
Hand Grip
The back of the printer should
be facing you when you lift it!
This printer weighs about
36 lbs.
B
A
CDE

Checking Printer Contents 7
GETTING STARTED
C HECKING P RINTER C ONTENTS
Take a moment to verify that the following items were
included in your printer box.
• SuperScript 1800 Printer
• 500-sheet Cassette (already installed in printer)
• QuickStart Guide
• Accessory Kit (contained in an envelope)
• Power Cord
• Toner Cartridge
SuperScript1800
SolutionsCD
1800
Not Included …
For network connection:
Cable with RJ-45 Connectors
for 10/100Base-TX Ethernet
IEEE 1284-compliant
Bidirectional Parallel Cable
To connect your printer,
you need to provide the
proper parallel and/or
network cable.
note: Save the box and packing
material.
Power Cord
Toner Cartridge
Accessory Kit
• SuperScript 1800 User’s Guide
• SuperScript 1800 Solutions CD
• ServiceXpress Brochure
Category 5 Twisted Pair
For local connection:
QuickStart Guide
If any items are missing or damaged, contact the store where
you purchased the printer.

8 SuperScript 1800 — User’s Guide
I DENTIFYING P RINTER P ARTS
Use the illustrations on the facing page to identify standard
parts for the SuperScript 1800.
Front View
•Operator Panel —for displaying messages and
configuring the printer. The LCD message area pops up
for easy viewing.
•Power Button —for turning on and off the printer.
•Hand Grips —used for lifting printer.
•Top Cover —provides access to the Toner Cartridge (also
serves as the Output Tray).
•Output Tray (Bin) —holds up to 250 printed sheets.
Referred to as output bin on the Operator Panel.
•Paper Sensor (internal)—senses when the Output tray
has reached its limit of printed sheets. Operator Panel
will display a message when this happens.
•Top Cover Release Button —unlocks and opens the Top
Cover.
•Multipurpose Tray —drops open to hold various
amounts of paper, envelopes, labels, or transparencies.
ReferredtoasTray1intheprinterdriverandOperator
Panel.
•500-sheetCassette —standardinputtray. Referredtoas
Tray 2 in the printer driver or Operator Panel.
•PaperLevel Indicator —a see through window showing
paper level.
Back View
•Back Label —contains the printer’s serial number
necessary for warranty registration.
•Interface Panel —contains the Controller Board and any
added options such as a network interface card (NIC).
•Power Cord Connector —for attaching the Power Cord.
•Back Vent —allows ventilation.
•Side Vent —holds ventilation fan.
Top Internal View
•Transfer Roller —transfers image to paper.
•Toner Cartridge Area —holds Toner Cartridge.
•Laser Brush —used to clean the laser beam window.
Back Internal View
•Back Cover —opens to facilitate clearing paper jams
occurring in the back area.
•Fuser Unit —uses heat and pressure to adhere image to
the paper.
•Duplex Unit —prints double-sided documents.

Identifying Printer Parts 9
GETTING STARTED
Top Cover
Operator Panel
Output Tray
Back Vent
Connector
BACK INTERNAL VIEW
BACK VIEW
TOP INTERNAL VIEW
500-sheet Cassette
FRONT VIEW
Important Printer Parts
Back Label
Interface Panel
Hand Grip
Power Cord
Transfer Roller
Power Button
Multipurpose Tray
Back Cover
Top Cover
Toner Cartridge
Fuser Unit
(Tray 2)
Side Vent
Laser Brush
Paper Level Indicator
Paper Sensor
Release Button
Area
(Tray 1)
Duplex Unit

10 SuperScript 1800 — User’s Guide
I NSTALLING THE T ONER C ARTRIDGE
1. Press the Top Cover Release Button, then lift the Top
Cover (A).
2. Remove the Toner Cartridge from its bag (B). Do not
open the shutter or touch the shiny green material on the
underside of the Toner Cartridge.
3. Hold the cartridge horizontally and shake as shown
about 10 times (C).
4. Rock the Toner Cartridge forward and back several times
(D).
note: Please shake the Toner Cartridge thoroughly to
loosen and distribute the toner inside, which may have
settled during storage.
5. Facing the front of the printer, gently place the Toner
Cartridge inside (E). Make sure the arrow on top of the
Toner Cartridge points to the back of the printer.
6. Close the Top Cover of the printer (F).
A
D
BC
E F

Loading The 500-sheet Cassette 11
GETTING STARTED
L OADING T HE 500- SHEET C ASSETTE
The 500-sheet Cassette (Tray 2) can hold up to 500 sheets of
medium weight paper—letter size (U.S.), legal, folio or A4.
SeeAppendix B, “Media Specifications,” for a complete list of
paper that can be used.
1. Pull the 500-sheet Cassette tray out of the printer (A).
2. Squeeze the metal plate on the Back Paper Guide and
slide it to the desired paper length. It will click into place
(B). Paper size markings are embossed on the inside
bottom of the tray.
3. Pinch the top of the Right Corner Guide, lift slightly, and
slide the guide to the width of your paper (C). Paper size
widths are embossed on top of the Back Paper Guide.
4. To load legal or folio size paper, make sure the lever on
the front left side of the cassette is locked (D). If it is not
all the way down as shown, pull the lever out slightly
and snap it into the small hole under the slot.
5. Push down metal plate in bottom of tray (E).
6. Load the paper stack against the back left corner of the
cassette tray (F).Directions continued on next page.
D
Lever
C
note:
The 500-sheet Cassette
will be referred to as Tray 2 in the
printer driver and Operator Panel.
B
A
Back Paper Guide
Print-side down
E F

12 SuperScript 1800 — User’s Guide
7. Make sure the bottom of the paper stack is under the
metal tab (G).
note: Load paper in this cassette print-side down.
8. Squeeze the Paper Width Guide and slide it lightly
against the paper as shown (H).
9. Gently insert the 500-sheet Cassette into the printer (I).
Metal Tab
Paper Limit Line
Do not overfill the cassette!
GH
I
note: The directions for loading paper into the optional
500-sheet 2nd Cassette differ from these directions (see
Chapter 6, “Using the Printer”).

Connecting the Printer Locally 13
GETTING STARTED
C ONNECTING THE P RINTER L OCALLY
To connect the SuperScript 1800 printer locally we
recommend using an IEEE 1284-compliant bidirectional
parallel cable that is no more than 6 feet in length. If you use
a cable that is longer than 6 feet, it should be certified as 1284
bidirectional. Make sure the printer and computer are both
turned off and disconnected from the power.
1. Plug the appropriate end of the parallel cable into the
connector on the back of the printer. Fasten the clips at
the end of the connector into the notches on the plug (A).
2. Plug the other end of the cable into the appropriate
parallel connector on your computer (B).
3. Connect the Power Cord to the rear of the printer. Plug
the other end of the Power Cord into a properly
grounded outlet (C).
note: If you are running Windows 95 or 98 on your
computer, make sure both the computer and the printer
are turned off before you install the printer software. See
Chapter 3, “Installing the Software,” for printer driver
installation instructions.
A
C
B

14 SuperScript 1800 — User’s Guide
C ONNECTING THE P RINTER TO A
N
ETWORK
If you have a SuperScript 1800 with a NIC
installed, you can connect to an Ethernet
network. Use a Category 5 twisted pair cable
with RJ-45 connectors for
10/100Base-T Ethernet.
Follow these basic steps to connect the printer and verify that
it is communicating with the network.
1. Make sure your computer and printer are turned off (A).
2. Connect the network’s twisted pair cable with RJ-45
connectors to the network port on your printer (B).
3. Attach the power cord to the printer and plug it in (C).
4. Turn on the printer. It may take up to a few minutes to
warm up.
5. A network settings page will print out showing the
network status of the printer.
6. For more details about configuring your printer for the
network refer to the SuperScript 1800 Network User’s
Guide.
note: If you are running Windows 95 or 98 on your
computer, turn off both the computer and the printer
before you install the printer software. See Chapter 3,
“Installing the Software,” for printer driver installation
instructions.
A
C
B