Oki Microline Ml184T+ User manual

MICROLINE
ML184T+
Printer Handbook
42590004EE Rev.1
4-11-22, Shibaura, Minato-ku,
Tel : [phone]
Fax : [phone]
Tokyo 108-8551, Japan

Oki Data Corporation
4-11-22 Shibaura, Minato-ku,
Tokyo 108-8551, Japan
Tel : [phone]
Fax: [phone]
www.okidata.co.jp
Oki Data (Singapore) Pte Ltd.
78 Shenton Way, #09-01,
Singapore 079120
Tel : [phone]
Fax: [phone]
www.okidata.com.sg
Oki Systems (Thailand) Ltd.
956 Udomvidhya Building,
6th Floor, Rama IV Rd.,
Bangkok 10500, Thailand
Tel : [phone]
Fax: [phone]
www.okisysthai.com
The IPL Group
63-85 Victoria Street,
Beaconsfield NSW 2015, Australia
Tel : [phone]
Fax: [phone]
www.oki.com.au
Comworth Systems Ltd.
10 Constellation Drive Mairangi Bay,
Auckland, New Zealand
Tel : [phone]
Fax: [phone]
www.comworth.co.nz

i
IMPORTANT
You have just bought the best printer, so be sure to use the only ribbons
recommended for it. Original OKI ribbons are the only ones that the manu-
facturers recommend. Ask for them by name.
Please remember that if you buy any other ribbon your warranty may be
invalidated.
Purchasing inferior ribbons really does not make sense. They do not last as
long. What is more, they are prone to shredding, which can cause damage
to your printhead. Any short term savings on cheap ribbons are quickly
lost.
So do not waste your time and money... insist on OKI consumables for
your OKI printer.
You can order them from your printer supplier.

ii
CONTENTS
Chapter 1: Setting Up Your Printer ........................................... 1-1
Connecting to Your Computer................................................... 1-11
Chapter 2: Operating Your Printer............................................ 2-1
Buttons, Levers and Indicators.................................................. 2-1
Menu Mode................................................................................. 2-6
Sample Menu.............................................................................. 2-7
Summary of Menu Settings ....................................................... 2-8
Paper Loading............................................................................. 2-14
Installing and Using the Roll Paper Stand ............................... 2-19
Loading Single Sheets ............................................................... 2-22
Installing and Using the Tractor Feed Unit.............................. 2-24
Installation of the Cut-Sheet Feeder ......................................... 2-29
Chapter 3: Working with Software ............................................ 3-1
Basic Terminology ..................................................................... 3-1
Printer Drivers ............................................................................ 3-2
Appendix A: Printer Commands ................................................ A-1
Appendix B: Interface Cable....................................................... B-1
Appendix C: ASCII Character Codes........................................ C-1
Appendix D: Menu Selections ..................................................... D-1
Appendix E: Specifications.......................................................... E-1

iii
SPECIAL NOTE
This manual will help you install and use your new IBM/EPSON/OKI ML
compatible MICROLINE 184 Turbo+ printer. It contains everything you
need to know to print with your MICROLINE’s special features. If you
still need assistance after reading this book, please contact your dealer for
fast personal service. If your dealer cannot answer your questions, please
ask us.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this document
is complete, accurate, and up-to-date. OKI assumes no responsibility for
the results of errors beyond its control. OKI also cannot guarantee that
changes in software and equipment made by other manufacturers, and re-
ferred to in this book, will not affect the applicability of the information in
this book.
© Copyright 1992 by OKI.
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions
thereof in any form.

iv
IMPORTANT
The wires in this mains lead are coloured in accordance with the following
code:
GREEN AND YELLOW EARTH
BLUE NEUTRAL
BROWN LIVE
As the colours of the wires in the mains lead of this apparatus may not
correspond with the coloured markings identifying the terminals in your
plug — PROCEED AS FOLLOWS:
The wire coloured GREEN AND YELLOW must be connected to the ter-
minal in the plug marked with the letter E or by the safety earth symbol or
coloured GREEN or GREENANDYELLOW. The wire coloured BROWN
must be connected to the terminal marked with the letter L or coloured
RED. The wire coloured BLUE must be connected to the terminal marked
with the letter N or coloured BLACK.
WARNING: THISAPPARATUS MUST BE EARTHED
Ensure that your equipment is connected correctly. If you are in any doubt
consult a qualified electrician.

Setting Up 1 -- 1
Chapter 1
Setting Up Your Printer
Your IBM/EPSON/OKI ML-compatible ML 184 Turbo+ printer is packed
in a protective container along with some extra items you need. These
items include:
Optional equipment available for your ML 184 Turbo+ printer includes:
Paper separator
Platen knob
AC cable
Ribbon
cartridge
Roll Paper stand

1 -- 2 Setting Up
Interface Equipment:
Super-Speed (19,200 baud) RS-232C serial board
Tractor feed option kit
Tractor feed unit
Access cover
Acoustic cover
Paper test lever
Left paper guide
Cut-Sheet Feeder
Cut-Sheet Feeder unit
Rear sheet support
Front sheet support
Front sheet guide

Setting Up 1 -- 3
1. Do not plug in your printer until the following steps have been com-
pleted.
2. Remove the access cover by inserting your hand in the top cover slot
(see figure below) and lifting.
Slot Access cover

1 -- 4 Setting Up
3. Remove the carriage shipping restraint that keeps the print head in
place.
4. Gently slide the print head to the middle of the printer or to the lefthand
side so that it is away from the rollers on the Bail bar.
Carriage shipping restraint
Print head
Bail bar

Setting Up 1 -- 5
5. Place the black ribbon cartridge on the ribbon cartridge holder. The
easiest method is to tilt the back of the cartridge so that it slides into
the area of the plate that is nearest the front of the printer, then lower
the top of the cartridge (where the plastic ribbon shield is located)
over the print head. The tabs on both sides of the cartridge should
align perfectly with the inserts on the print head plate.
Important: Only use genuine OKI ribbon cartridges in your printer. Do not remove the
ribbon shield.
Ribbon cartridge
Ribbon cartridge holder
Ribbon shield
Ribbon shield
Print head
Bail bar
Holding position

1 -- 6 Setting Up
6. Press gently on the cartridge until you feel it snap into place. To re-
move the ribbon cartridge, make sure the print head is moved away
from the edge of the platen, then grasp the cartridge on both sides of
the print head and lift up.
7. The blue lever located to the left of the ribbon cartridge is used to
adjust the print head gap for single or multi-part paper. When single
part paper or two part paper is in the printer, slide the blue lever for-
wards towards the print head. To print on three or four part paper,
slide the lever towards the front of the printer.
Print head gap lever
Print release lever
Bail bar

Setting Up 1 -- 7
8. Put the platen knob shaft in the hole on the right-hand side of the
printer as shown.
9. Try running a self test to make sure your new printer is working cor-
rectly. Insert a piece of computer paper (with sprocket holes) or a sin-
gle sheet of typing paper into the printer as you would insert it in a
typewriter. If you are unfamiliar with typewriters, here is the method:
a. Open the paper release lever by sliding it towards you.
b. After letting the slit of the paper separator pass, the paper as far
as you can into the slots provided by the black paper guides.
Paper guides

1 -- 8 Setting Up
c. Close the paper release lever.
d. Turn the platen knob clockwise away from you to pull the paper
around the platen and behind the Bail bar.
e. Move the Bail bar back on to the platen so that the rollers rest on
the paper you have just inserted.
10. Advance the paper, using the platen knob, until 1 inch of paper ap-
pears above the Bail bar.
11. Replace the access cover:
a. Insert the three tabs in the edge of the access cover into the holes
on the top front edge of the printer.
b. Lower the access cover on to the printer.
12. Grasp the paper and pull it through the opening in the access cover.
Use the platen knob if you need more paper.
13. Insert the connector end of the power cord into the socket at the rear
of the printer.
14. Make absolutely certain that the ON/OFF power switch on the side of
the printer is OFF. (A sudden power surge can damage the printer.)
15. Plug the power cord into a earthed (three-pronged) electrical socket.
Important: The printer must be earthed at all times.

Setting Up 1 -- 9
16. To print the self test, hold down the LF (line feed) and SEL(SELECT)
button (located on the front panel) and turn the power switch ON.
When the printer is powered on (indicator lights), release the LF and
SEL button.
17. The following test pattern will be printed, beginning with a printer
revision number that is followed by a rolling character pattern.
Note: During self test printing the SELECT indicator is not lit.
Line feed
SEL button
SELECT indicator

1 -- 10 Setting Up
18. To stop the test, press the SEL button (located on the front panel) or
turn the power switch OFF.
After the printer has shown that it is functioning correctly, you are ready
to connect your computer. First, you need an interface cable. If you do not
have one, see your computer dealer or, if you have the equipment and the
technical expertise, make your own cable using the instructions inAppen-
dix C.
Attention: Install your printer away from a CRT. An electromagnetic field may create a
distortion on your computer screen.

Setting Up 1 -- 11
Connecting to Your Computer
You will need either a parallel, usb or serial interface cable to connect
your computer to your ML 184 Turbo+ printer. Before you connect the
cable, make sure both printer and computer power is OFF.
* More than one interface cannot be connected simultaneously.
Connecting a Parallel Interface
1. Insert the 36-pin plug into the appropriate socket on the rear of the
printer.
If there is no frame ground (FG) included in your interface cable, con-
nect a frame ground wire from the computer to the frame ground con-
nection hole at the back of the printer.
Parallel interface cable
Locking tab
Frame
ground
screw
Frame
ground
wire
Frame
ground
Connector
hole

1 -- 12 Setting Up
2. Snap the two wire locking tabs on to the plug.
3. Insert the other end of the cable into your computer. You may also
connect it to another peripheral device, such as a disk drive, if your
equipment is designed for daisychain connection.
4. Turn on the equipment and try the one line BASIC program shown
below, using the proper print statement for your computer (the exam-
ple uses LPRINT). Make sure you have paper and ribbon in the printer.
5. Type: LPRINT “Everything’s okay” and then run the program.
6. Your printer should print “Everything’s okay” at 10 characters per inch.
Note: If the printer did not print, make sure you entered the program correctly. Some com-
puters require that you assign a number to the printer and specify that number in your print
statement; for example OPEN # 3 means the printer is on line # 3 to the computer.
7. Now try this BASIC program (change it, if necessary, to suit your
computer’s requirements):
10 LPRINT “EVERYTHING’S OKAY”
20 LPRINT “THIS LINE SHOULD BE SPACED 1/6“”;
CHR$(34);”UNDER THE FIRST”
8. The printout should look like this:
EVERYTHING’S OKAY
THIS LINE SHOULD BE SPACED 1/6” UNDER THE FIRST

Setting Up 1 -- 13
If it is overprinted, make a small adjustment to the printer menu settings
so that a line feed is automatically inserted at the end of a line.
Connecting a USB Interface
1. Connect a USB cable to a USB port on the back of a printer.
USB cable
Serial Interfaces
The Super-Speed board has a maximum speed of 19,200 baud with a choice
of either printer Ready/Busy or XON/XOFF protocol.
Before connecting your interface cable, make sure both your printer and
computer are off. If you are using a serial cable, you are probably required
to use an OPEN and PR #1 statement in BASIC programming instead of
LPRINT. Consult your computer documentation for details.

1 -- 14 Setting Up
Connecting a Serial Interface
1. Insert the 25-pin plug in the socket on the rear of the printer.
2. Tighten the mounting screw on each side of the connector shell so that
it is securely attached to the printer.
3. Insert the other end of the cable into your computer. You may also be
able to connect the cable to another peripheral device, such as a disk
drive, if your equipment accommodates daisychain connection.
4. Make sure you have a ribbon cartridge and paper in the printer.
Serial interface cable
Screw 25-pin plug