Star Micronics 10X User manual

GEMI -10X/ 5X
USE MANUAL
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Your Gemini
User's Manual
Not Intended
for Sale

Trademark Acknowledgement
Geminl·10X, Gemini·15X, grafstar, Universal/Atari Parallel Interface,
Universal/Commodore Parallel Interface: Star Micronics, Inc.
Apple, Apple II, Apple 11+, Apple lie, Apple III, Applesoft: Apple Computer Inc.
Atari
400, Atari 800, Atari 850: Atari Inc., a Warner Communications Company
Commodore, VIC·20,
C·64: Commodore Business Machines, Inc.
CP/M: Digital Research
IBM Personal Computer, IBM
PC: International Business Machines Corporation
Microsoft BASIC: Microsoft Corporation
Osborne 1: Osborne Computer Corporation
TRS·80: Radio Shack, a division of Tandy Corporation
© 1983, Star Micronics, Inc.
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Preface
Congratulations on having purchased a serial, impactdotmatrixprinterthat
offers you more quality, greater flexibility and convenience, and superior
reliability than you could find in any other printer
in the same price range.
As you already know (or are about
to learn), the Gemini-10X and
Gemini-15X let you print both regular and italicized alphabets, as well as
normal, elite(smaller), condensed, enlarged, emphasized, and double-strike
characters. You can print
on regular stationery, multiple-sheet forms, fan-
fold computer paper, or paper fed from a roll (European style).
The graphics capability provided by the Gemini printers is limited only
by your graphic talents, and includes three bit-image modes: Low Resolu-
tion
(60 by 72 dots per square inch), High Resolution (120 by 144) and Ultra
High Resolution
(240 by 144). With all this printing powerat your fingertips,
what are you waiting for? Let's get started!
This User's Manual
is organized to serve both the first-time userand the
sophisticated computer buff. The first five chapters provide the basics you
need for putting your printer
to work in most home and office applications.
Chapters 6 through
10 deliver information for intermediate and advanced
users, supported
by technically rich appendices. If you are a beginner, you
might want to look at Chapters
6-10 sometime in the future, when your
curiosity about how the printer does what it does has replaced your initial
interest
in what it can do.
Take a moment to examine theTable ofContents
on the following page.
It shows you how this manual is organized
to best serve your information
needs. You should note, if you are just now unpacking yournew printerfrom
itsshipment packaging, thatAppendix G shows you what you have and how
it all fits together. This manual's first several appendices are computer-
specific, and help you connect yournew Gemini with your computer. At the
back
of this manual, there is a glossarythat gives simpledefinitions of com-
mon terms. Following the glossary is
an index to help you quickly find
answers to your questions.
A Quick-Reference Guide
is printed on the inside folding flap of the back
cover. By reading this manual carefully, and practicing withyourGemini, you
should soon be able to achieve full printer performance just by referring to
this Quick-Reference Guide.
Congratulations on your purchaseof aGemini. May it work foryou long
and well.
iii

This User's M
of the Gemini_1~~U:ln~e~~. t~e operators
1n1-15X printers.
The Gemini-10X accommodate Inches wide.
s paper up to 10 .
The Gemini-1
print mor 5X can handl
e characters per I~ paper up to 155 .
iv me.' Inches wid
e, and can
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Table of Contents
• Chapter
1. Introduction 1
Chapter
2. Paper and Ribbon 13
I Chapter
3. The Gemini Self-Test 39
Chapter
4. Interfacing Gemini with Your Computer 47
Chapter 5.
Putting Gemini to Work for You
57
• Chapter
6. The Fundamentals of Dot Matrix Printing 81
Chapter 7.
The Full Range of Printing Capabilities 99
• Chapter
8. Downloadable Characters 115
Chapter
9. The Function Codes 123
I Chapter
10. Maintenance 143
Appendix
A.
Apple" Plus
151
Appendix B.
Atari 800/400 165
• Appendix
C. Commodore VIC-20, C-64 179
Appendix
D. IBM-Personal Computer 192
I Appendix
E.
Osborne 194
Appendix
F. TRS-80 206
• Appendix
G. When You First Get Your Gemini 217
Appendix H. ASCII Code Charts 226
I Appendix
I. ASCII Code Tables 230
Appendix J. International Character Sets
231
Appendix K.
Character Style Tables 232
I Appendix
L. Control Circuit Block Diagram
241
Appendix M.
Function Code Summary 242
• Appendix N. Gemini's Parallel Interface 246
Appendix
O. Code Chart 250
• Glossary 254
Index 258
I Consumer Response
261
Regional Service Offices
265
FCC
Notice
266
I Warranty
Reference Guide
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I INTRODUCTION
Allow us to introduce you to yourGemini printer: "Gemini, this is
your new user:' "User, this is the remarkable new Gemini - a
versatile and dependable printer that lets you do tricks with the
dot matrix and bit image capabilities:'
In this chapter, we'll answer the question: What are the parts
of the printer and how do they work together? We'll define the
operating environment forGemini, and we'll discuss itstechnical
specifications. Ifyou are just now unpacking your newlyacquired
Gemini, refer to Appendix G
to learn how the pieces fit together,
then return to this chapter
to discover how to put your printer to
work for you.
A TOUR AROUND GEMINI
Let's begin with a tour around the outside of the Gemini. On the
top, right, front part
of your machine, you'll see the controlpanel
(as shown in Figure
1-1). These three buttonsand the fourstatus
lamps are your day-to-day operational controls. These are fully
explained later
in this chapter, but for nowwe'll move on because
this is
an express tour.
On the right side of your printer is a large knob and, toward
the back, you'll find the
"on/off" power switch. The knob is
attached to the platen (pronounced plat-en), which is the padded
roller around which the paper is fed to the printing mechanism.
Hence, the handle is called the platen knob, and allows you to
manually turn the platen (with the power "off"), just like
on a
typewriter.
The power switch, located on the lower right side, is the
"on/off" switch that controls the flow of electricity to your
machine. The Gemini printers use
U.S. standard 110-120volt A.C.,
found in wall outletsofhomesand offices. As asafety precaution,
you should make sure that your printer is turned
"off" before
plugging the three-pronged safety plug into the electrical outlet.
Turning the cornerand examining the back
of your machine
(as shown in Figure 1-2), you'll see the power cord, grounding
connector, interface ports, and
DIP switches.
The
DIP switches (a popularacronym forthe electronicterm,
"dual in-line package") control important printerfunctions. Some
companies call these "microswitches" because their engineers
made them so small you almost need a microscope
to find and
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I Gemini User's Manual
set them. Other products call them "internal switches" because
you must take their printers apart to get
to them. The Gemini DIP
switches are easy to set, which is explained in Chapter 4.
Next to the DIP switches is the connector for the parallel
interface. This is where you connect yourGemini toyour personal
computer,
so they are "interfacing;' and able to communicate with
each other. (Appendices A through F provide information
on
hooking-up your Gemini with six widely used types of
microcomputers.) This connector is for a "parallel" interface, a
type of interfacing that is accomplished
by having the printer
"parallel-wired" like a string of double-wired Christmas lights,
where each lightbulb burns independently. Data from your
computeris sent down the cable wires toyourGemini side-by-side,
or "parallel:'
Between the parallel interface
and the powercord is the "port
hole"
(a punch-out plastic tab) forthe serialinterface. This optional
interfaceallows you to connect Gemini with a computer requiring
serial communications.
Printercover Control
panel
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Figure 1-1. The operational controls are on the right side of the •
Geminiprinters.
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Introduction
/7'~--- Connectorfor
parallel Interface
~,...::....-- __ "Port hole" for serial
Interface(optional)
terminal
Figure 1-2. The connectors and DIP switches are located on the
back
of the Geminiprinters.
A SNEAK PREVIEW INSIDE GEMINI
By referring to Figure 1-3 we can examine more closely the parts
that make your Gemini printer work.
Ifyou are
just getting started, you should refer to Appendix
G for instructions on unpacking and assembly, then
to Chapter
2for information on loading the ribbon and setting the print head's
gap. After you've cleared those hurdles (which you'll do soon
enough), this is what your printer will look like.
Insidethe front
of the machine are tworibbonspools. Gemini
uses standard typewriter ribbons, saving you money you might
have
had to spend for special-purpose ribbon cartridges. When the
ribbon has run completely from one spool onto the other, the
Gemini automatically reverses the ribbon direction. When the
ribbon starts wearing (and the print copy lightens), simply take the
ribbon off, turn it upside down, and print on the other edge.
The cylindrical
print head(observable behind and above the
ribbon spools) is the ingeniousdevicethatcan print 120 characters
persecond
(CPS) ontoa variety of papers. What's more, the print
head is engineered to work consistently
for an average of 100
million characters without fail (expressed as 10 x 10
7 Mean
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I Gemini User's Manual
Figure 1-3. For more information about how the paper guide,
separator,
and holder should be attached to the printer, please refer to
Appendix G
at the back of this manual.
4
Curve Between Failures). If you ever need to replace the print head,
you can detach it yourself for replacement.
The Gemini prints by means
of pins that are thrust from the
"working" side of the print head. These pins impact against the
paper, which is backed by theplaten. As already mentioned, the
platen is like the roller on a typewriter. The individual characters
(letters, numerals, and symbols) that are printed result from the
action
of thedot-producing pins. These wiry little pins "fire" dots
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Introduction
ontothe paper, with the dots arranged according to preset matrix
patterns (imaginary grids). Because the characters are printed in
aseries (one aftertheother), Gemini is called aserial, impact
dot
matrixprinter.
Above and behind the platen is a device for bearing and
propelling fanfold computer paper. The tractorunit is used with
computerpaper having perforated and punched paper guides on
the sides.
DpOWER
DREADY
DON LINE
o PAPER
OUT
@
LINE
8
G
The "power" lamp glows green when the power is "on:'
The "ready" lamp gives you the green light for "go" when the
printer is ready to accept data. During transmission,
the lamp
flickers.
The
"on line" lamp is green, and glows when data transmission
is possible.
The red lamp
of "paper out" means just that: your printer is out
of paper and has stopped printing.
The "On Line" button letsyou alterthe printerstatus between be·
ing
"local" (which means independent and on its own) and being
"on line" (which means able to receive data transmitted from a
computer). When you turn the printer's power
"on;' you're
automatically "on line:'
F.F. stands for
"Form Feed:' When you're in the "local" mode, you
can tap
this button and advance the paper that is being "fed" in·
to the printer to the first line of the n~xt page, or to the start of the
next form.
L.F. means
"Line Feed" and allows you to advancethe paper one
line at atime. It's like rolling a page through a typewriter, advanc·
ing
you to the next line. If you hold this button down, you'll get con-
secutive line feeds, one right
after the other.
Figure 1-4. The controlpanel(atop the right front of yourprinter) tellsyou
the status
of yourcontrols, lets you switch between "on line" and "local;'
as well asfeed morepaperthrough yourmachine. Take Gemini "off line"(so
the "On
line" lamp goes off) to operate the form feed and the line feed.
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I
Gemini User's Manual
---------------------
THE CONTROL PANEL
Let's turn our attention to the buttons and status lamps on the
control panel. Figure
1-4 shows what the buttons and lamps can
do for you.
The two buttons in front are used to advance paper through
the printer, to the next line on which you want to print. L.F.
advances the paper one line at a time, and F.F. moves the entire
form (or page) forward.
The Online button allows you to switch between being
"online" (meaning hooked-up and in a data transfer mode) with
yourcomputer, and being "local:' Localmeans
that the printer is
incommunicado -not in a communicating mode with your
computer.
A PRIMER OF YOUR PRINTER'S BASIC COMPONENTS
6
This section is provided forthose ofyou who are new to computer
printertechnology, and for now onlywant to knowthe most basic
information about
how the Gemini works.
Figure
1-5 shows what is called an "exploded" view of
Gemini-10X's majorcomponents, and Figure
1-6 is an elementary
logic block diagram for both models. But, because the Gemini
printers are so well designed, it isn't necessary
to know detailed
information about how it works -
just that it does.
Expressed simply, when you turn the powerswitch "on:' the
alternating current is converted into direct current for the power
unit. The direct current powers the motors and the print head, as
well as providing power to the control board. The control board
does
just that: controls the printer by means of a maze of
transistors, resistors, diodes, capacitors, and integratedcircuits
(Ie, for short).
The control board contains the ROMs and RAMs,
as
explained in the Glossary at the back of this manual. For now, it
is enough
to know that the control board is the "brains" of the
machine.
In fact, your new printer is smart enough to realize when
it has finished printing a short line, and instead of the print head
making
an unnecessarytrip along the rest ofthe blank line, Gemini
moves the paperup automatically, so no time is wasted before the
next characters are printed.This is whyGemini is said to
be logic-
seeking.
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Introduction I
-----------------------
Cover
Uppercasing
Connector
for
.~ ~ .A. i ~. "'.' . ~ y p~:~~:~:n~::::e
Optional serial Interface I ~.
(punch-outtab) --""""""~-- ~ /'"'''' >. .J
j·1 '."'-
~ : I ........ ,/
Powerunit
Lowercasing
" Power switch
~@
Figure 1-5. The main components of the Gemini printerare the power
unit, the control board unit, and the printer mechanism (which features a
detachable tractor).
The control board also contains the
buffer that allows your
computer to send a batch of information to
be printed, which
Gemini then stores until itcan get to it. Although Gemini
is afast
7

I Gemini User's Manual
printer, computers communicate dataeven faster. The buffercan
accommodate
816 characters of memory, with an optional buffer
that can
be expanded to 4K or 8K. Qu'est-ce que UK"?
Computer memory is measured in terms of K, meaning
kilobytes. A kilobyte is 1,024 bytes, and a byte equals one letter
of the alphabet (or a symbol, or a number).
The print-out is accomplished by the
printer mechanism, also
shown
in Figure 1-5 and represented in Figure 1-6. The printer
mechanism can produce a variety
of typographical styles and
sizes (including superscriptsand b . t ) variable line spacing
su SCriP s' ,
adjustable tabs, and block graphics. Plus, the Gemini is
outstanding for the full range
of papers upon which it can print.
Ir=---------i
I I CONTROL LOGIC I
I BOARD UNIT I
Control & Drive K:===:::I I
:==C=i=rc=u=it=B=IO=C=k~ Printer Mechanism
Parallel Interface I
Block
r Serlailntertac; -,
I Block (optional) I
L ______ ..l
I r------,
Power Supply Unit I
I
I 4KJ8K Buffer I
~ ~:~~~~~_...J _____ _
~
A.C. Power
Figure 1-6. This block diagram presents, in simple terms, the relationship
among the transformer, power supply, printer mechanism, and circuit control.
For more information on the control circuit, please refer to Appendix L.
8
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_'n_t'_o_d_u_ct_io_n _____________________ 1
GEMINI'S OPERATING ENVIRONMENT
When you install your Gemini printer, you should use common
sense and good judgment about where you place it. The following
are worthy of consideration
in evaluating a potential operating
environment:
Position Gemini horizontally
on a level surface.
Pick a place that does not have
extremes
in temperature
(very hot or very cold)
strong vibrations
dusty atmosphere
oil present
metal particles nearby.
Avoid placing Gemini where it will be exposed
to
direct sunlight, or close to a heater or heat-
generating applicances.
Provide a separate power supply, away from
noise-generating motors.
The power supply must not
be more than 10%
more or less than
120 volts A.C. (as specified on
the product identification plate). Note: Extremely
high or low voltage will cause printer problems.
The Gemini printers are valuable information-handling tools.
These tipswill help you pickagood setting forthe Gemini. Chapter
10 provides maintenance suggestions for keeping your printer in
good working order.
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I Gemini User's Manual
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
10
The following table provides asummary ofthe technical specs for
the Gemini-10X and the Gemini-15X. If you understand all
of it,
great! If you don't,
that's okay, too. Either way, by the time you
finish reading this manual, you should know more than enough
to use your printer to its full potential.
Note: The technical specifications
of the Gemini printers are
subject to change without notice.
Printer:
Print head:
Print speed:
Pri
nt buffer:
Character matrix:
Character sets:
Character fonts:
Special features:
Serial
impact dot matrix
9 wire (user replaceable)
120 CPS (at
10 CPI)
bidirectional logic seeking. Graphics mode:
unidirectional
816 bytes (expandable up to 4K or 8K)
9 x 9 standard
with true descenders
18 x 9 emphasized
18 x 18 double strike
6 x 6
block graphics
60 x 72 low-resolution bit-image graphics
120 x 144 high-resolution bit-image graphics
240 x 144 ultra-high-resolution bit-image graphics
96 standard ASCII characters
96 italic characters
64 special characters
32 block graphic characters
96
Downloadable characters (programmable)
88 International characters (selectable)
Normal
(10 CPI)
Elite
(12 CPI)
Condensed
(17 CPI)
Emphasized
Double
strike
Enlarged (5, 6, 8.5 CPI)
Super/subscripts
Italic
Self-Test
Continuous underline
Backspace
Vertical, horizontal programmable
tabs
Left and right margin set
7 or 8-bit
selectable interface
Bit image column scan
Perforation
skip
Downloadable characters (programmable)
Macro
instruction
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I
• Introduction I
• Mean curve between
failure (MCBF): 5 x
10
6 lines (excluding print head)
I Print head MCBF:
10 x 10
1 characters
• Columns (maximum): GEMINI-10X GEMINI-15X
Normal
80 136
• Elite
96
163
Condensed 136
233
Enlarged
40,48,68
68,82,116
• Line spacing: 1/6, 1/8, 7/72 plus programmable by
nfi2 or nl144 inches
• Paper slew:
10 lineslsecond (at 1/6-inch spacing)
• Paper handling: GEMINI-10X GEMINI-15X
Fanfolded width =
3-10 inches width =
5-15_5 inches
copies 3
sheets' copies 3 sheets'
• thickness = thickness =
0_07-0_1 mm (1 part) 0_07-0.1 mm (1 part)
0.28
(3 parts) 0.28
(3 parts)
• Roll paper width =
8.5 inches width = 8.5 inches
thick = 0.07-0.1 mm thick = 0.07-0.1 mm
I diameter
of roll = diameter of roll =
5 inches maximum 5 inches maximum
Single width =8-10 inches width =
8-15 inches
I
thick = 0.07-0.1 mm thick = 0.07-0.1 mm
'Note: fanfold = 1 original & 2 carbonless copies
• Interface: Standard parallel (Centronics compatible)
• Serial
RS-232C (optional)
I/F protocol: Parallel by BUSY, ACK
• Serial by
BUSY, XON/XOFF', ACK'
'When used in conjunction with the STAR Gemini 10Xl15X
buffered interface.
• Ribbon: Standard Underwood spool-type,
13 x 50 mm
I Dimensions: GEMINI-10X GEMINI-15X
Width 15.2 inches 21.3 inches
• 392 mm 542
mm
Depth 12.4 inches 12.4 inches
315 mm 315
mm
• Height 5.8 inches 5.8 inches
148 mm 148
mm
I Weight: GEMINI-10X GEMINI-15X
pounds 15.4
22
• kilograms 7
10
Power:
120 VAC ± 10%,60 Hz., approx. 1A
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