Star Micronics LaserPrinter 8 User manual

L A S E R PRINTER 8
Operators Manual

Safety Notices
This printer is certified as aClass 1laser product under the U.S.Department of Health and Human
Services (DHHS) Radiation Performance Standard according to the Radiation Control for Health
and Safety Act of 1968.This means that the printer does not produce hazardous laser radiation.
Since radiation emitted inside the printer is completely confined within protective housings and
external covers,the laserbeam cannotescapefromthe machineduringanyphaseof user operation.
The Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) of the U.S. Food and Drug Administra-
tionimplemented regulationsforlaserproducts onAugust2, 1976.Theseregulationsapplytolaser
products manufactured from August 1, 1976.Compliance is mandatory for products marketed in
the United States. The label on the bottom of the printer indicates currrpliancewith the CDRII
regulations and must be attached to laser products marketcxlin the United States.
Federal Communications Commission
Radio Frequency Interference Statement
This equipment generates”anduses radio frequency energy and if not installed and used properly,
that is, in strict accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, may cause interference to radio
and television reception. It has been type tested and found to ccnrrly with the limits for aClass B
Y
computingdevicein accordancewiththe specificationsin Subpart ofPart 15ofFCCRules, which
are designedto provide reasonableprotectmrtagainst suchirrterferenceirraresidentialinstallation.
However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in aparticular installation. If this
equipment does cause interference to radio or 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 the receiving antenna
●Relucate the computer with respect to the receiver
.Move the computer away frum the receiver
.Plug the computer irrtoadifferent outlet sothat it and the receiver are on different branch
circuits.
If necessary, the user should consult the dealer or an experienced redio/television technician for
additional suggestiurrs. The user may find the following booklet, prepared by the Federal
Communications Commission helpful:
“How to Identify and Resolve Radio-TV Interference Problems.”
This booklet is available frurn the U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC., 20402,
Stock No. 004-000-00345-4.
For compliance with the Federal Noise Interference Standard, this equipment requires ashielded
cable.
Theabove statements app[y only toprinters marketedin the U.SA.
Seff Declaration
Radio interference regarding this equipment has been eliminated according to Vfg 1046/1984
announced by the DBP.
DBPhasbeeninfonnedof theintroduction ofthis specialequipmentandhasheen grantedthe right
to examine the whole series.
It is the user’s responsibility to see that his own assembled system is in accordance with the
technicaf regulations under Vfg 1046/1984.
TOconform to FIZ-regrdations it is necessary to makeall connections to the printer with shielded
cable.
The equipment may only he opened by qualified service representatives.
Theabove statement applies only to printers trrorketedin West Gerrrsany.

Trademark Acknowledgements
LaserPrinter8:Star Microrrics Co., Ltd.
Diablo 630, Ventura publisher: XeroxCorporation
EX-800: Seiko Epson Corpurstion
HP LaserJet Plus: Hewlett Packard Company
XBMPCLXT,IBM Proprinter: International Business Machines Corporation
Lotus 1-2-3: LotusDevelopmentCorporation
Microsoft Worm Microsoft Windows: MicrosoftCorporation
PageMaker: Afdus Corporation
WordPerfect: WordPerfrxt,Inc.
NOTICE
●Alf rights reserved. Reproductimrof any part of this manual in any form whatsoever without
STAR’s express permission is forbidden.
.The contents of this manual are subject to change without notice
●AUefforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of the contents of this manual at the time
of press. However, should any errors be detected, STAR would greatly appreciate being
informed of them.
●The abovenotwithstandirtg,STAR can assumenoresponsibdity for anyerrors inthis manual.
@Copyright 1987Star MiCmniCSCo., Ltd.

Table of Contents
CHAPTER1. HOWTOUSETHISMANUAL................................1
LaserPrinting
TheStarLaserPrinter8— An Introduction
CHAPTER2.SETTINGUP THESTARLASERPRINTER8..........7
Unpacking
InsertingtheTonerCartridge
PaperTypesandPaperLoading
AutomaticPaperFeed
ManualPaperFeed
OptionalRAMExpansionBoard
PowerSupply
ConnectingtoaComputer
Parallel
Serial—RS232
CHAPTER3.INITIALOPERATION..............................................37
FrontPanel
PoweringUp
TheButtons
LightIndicators
HexDump
SelfTestPrintingtheSelfTestStatusSheets
ProgrammingfromtheFrontPanel
CHAPTER4.QUICKSTARTWITHTHE
STARLASERPRINTER8—ATUTORIAL........63
Preliminaries
TheFrontPanel
BasicOperations
ConnectingthePrinterto theComputer
SelectingtheSerialInterface
SavingtheSetting
ReturningtoFactorySettings

ManualFeed
PrintinginLandscapeOrientation
ChangingCharacterSet
ChangingFontAttributes
Programmingon YourOwn
CHAPTER5. SETTINGUPAPAGE.............................................79
CHAPTER6.PRINTING..................................................................81
Fonts HewlettPackardLaserJetPlus
Diablo630
EpsonEX-800
IBMProprinter
InstallingOptionalFontCartridges
AdjustingPrintQuality
CHAPTER7.EMLJLATINGOTHERPRINTERS..........................95
Emulations
SupersetCommands
OptionsCommontoAllEmulations
SpecificEmulations
HewlettPackardLaserJetPlus
Diablo630
EpsonEX-800
IBMProprinter
CHAPTER8.INTERFACINGWITH
APPLICATIONSPROGRAMS................125
Lotus1-2-3
OriginalVersion
LotusRelease2
WordPerfect
MicrosoftWord
MicrosoftWindows

CHAPTER9.MAINTAININGTHESTARLASERPRINTER8..135
CHAPTER10.TROUBLESHOOTING.........................................141
ErrorMessagesDisplayedon theScreen
ServiceCallMessages
OperatorCallMessages
EngineProblems
FonmmulationCartridgeProblems
ChangePaperSize
ManualPaperFeed
OperatorInformationMessages
HostCommunicationProblems
FunctionorSizeIncompatibility
StatusMessages
PaperJumming
AdjustingPrintQuality
StreakyPrints
WhiteStreaks
DarkStreaksorStains
GarbledTextorFormats/HexDump
APPENDIXA. SPECIFICATIONS................................................165
APPENDIXB.ASCIICHARACTERCODETABLE...................173
GLOSSARY....................................................................................186
INDEX.............................................................................................189

cHA PTER
How to Use This
Manual
Welcometo the world of laserprinting! And congratulationson
purchasingaStarLaserPrinter8. Youwillbedelightedwithboththe
qualityof theprintedimagesand the easeof operation. With your
computerandthisprinter,youcancreateprofessional-lookingdocu-
mentsrangingfromofficecorrespondenceand researchmaterialto
desktoppublishing.
ThisOperationsManualisoneoftwothatexploretheentirerangeof
printingpossibilitiesof theStarLaserPrinter8. Thismanualis for
beginnersandforthosewhoplantoconcentrateonthebasicsoflaser
printing.Advancedusersandthoseinterestedinprogrammingshould
referto theApplicationsManual.
Chapter2beginswithanoverviewofthemanualandoftheStarLaser
printer. Thischapterexplainshowtn unpackyournewprinterand
prepareitforinitialoperation.Chapter3explainshowtooperatethe
printer’sfrontoperatingpanelanddisplayscreen.
Somepeopleliketoskip,thepreliminaryexplanationsandbeginusing
theprinterimmediately.Chapter4providestheinformationforsuch
afaststart. IfyoubeginwithChapter4,atsomelatertimeyoushould
read therest of thebook,in chaptersequence,foramorecomplete
pictureofyourprinteranditsoperations.
Chapter5explainshowtosetupapage,whileChapter6describesthe
typecharacteristicsandprinteroperationsthatwillenableyoutogive
yourprintedpagesthatprofessionallook.
1

TheStarLaserPrinter8emulatestheoperationoffourwidelyused
printers:
cHPLaserjetPlus,alaserprinter
●Diablo630,adaisywheelprinter
●EpsonEX.800,adotmatrixprinter
●IBMProprinter,adotmatrixprinter
Withthiscapability,theStarLaserPrinter8willoperatewithawide
rangeof applicationsprogramson the market,bothold and new.
Chapter7inthismanualprovidesthecharactercodesthatwillallow
your Star Laser to emulateeach of these printers (for detailed
instructiononusingthisinformation,pleaserefertotheApplications
Manual).Chapter8providestheinformationthatwillallowyouto
useyourprinterwithfourpopularapplicationsprograms:
Lotus1-2-
3, WordPe~ect, Microsoft Word, andMicrosoft Windows.
Chapters9and 10 describethe maintenanceand troubleshooting
operationstokeepyourStarLaserworkingin“likenew”condition.
LASER PRINTING
BeforeyoubeginlearningaboutyournewStarLaserPrinter8,you
mayfindit helpfultoknowsomethingaboutlaserprintingitself.
Alaserisactuallyabeamoflightofjustonewavelength(Laserisan
acronymforLight Amplification by Stimulated Emission ofRadia-
tion). Suchabeamoflight,describedasintenseor<’highlycoherent,”
canbefocusedverysharply.Lasers,generatedbygases,liquids,or
semiconductors,arewidelyusedin applicationsrangingfromsur-
gerytothevisualarts.
Laserprintingis aprocessthatusesalaserbeam—in this case,
generatedby asemiconductor—to activateportionsof an electri-
callychargedsurface. Theseactivatedparts~present the words,
numbers,or graphicsbeing sent from the computerfor printing.
Otherpartsoftheprintertransferthisimagetopaper,thencleanthe
surfaceandprepareittoreceivemoreinformationtobeprinted.
2

In otherwords,thisprocessis atypeof laser-activatedtemporary
engraving.
IntheStarLaserPrinter8,twointerconnectedunitsproducethecom-
pleteprintingprocess:thetonercartridgeandtheprinterbody.
Thetonercartridge(Fig.l-l) containsthedrum,whichistherotating
surface. In the darknessof the tonercartridge,the drum holdsa
negativechargeplacedonitbytheprimarycoronawireintheprinter
(Fig.1-2).Shuttersonthebottomofthetonercartridgeassurethatno
unwantedlightpenetratesitsinterior.
Whentextorgraphicsaresentbythecomputertotheprinter,alaser
beamis generatedby the semiconductorlaserdiode. Thisbeamis
focusedbyspecialscanningmirrorsthatturnthelightbeamintoatool
that’’writes”or“paints”onthesurfaceofthedrum. Theareasofthe
drumtouchedbythelaserbeamlosetheirnegativechargeandcontain
areverseimageof theinformationsentfromthecomputer. As the
drumrotates,itpassesadeveloperunitthatisalsorotating,butinthe
oppositedirection.Thesurfaceofthedeveloperunitiscoveredwith
toner(“ink”)whichhasanegativecharge.Theneutralizedportionsof
thedrum,containingtheinformationtobeprinted,pickupnegatively
chargedtonerfromthedeveloperunit.
Fig. 1-1
3

r
~Print Density
Dial
@TransferGuide
@WireCleaner
@Spacers
Upper Fixing Assembly
Cover
Rear Fixing Assembly
Cover
TransferCoronaWires
TransferPaperGuide
Fig. 1-2
At thispoint,paperfed fromthepapercassettemovesthroughthe
transferunit,fromwhichitreceivesapositivecharge. Asthedrum
rotates,thenegativelycharge#particlesof tonerare attrdctedto the
positivelychargedsurfaceofthepaper.
Acombinationofheat andpressurefusetheimagetothepaper. The
paperisthenejectedfromtheprinter.
Finally,acleaningmechanismin thetonercartridgecleansexcess
tonerfromthedrum,andaspeciallightbeamneutralizesitsentire
surface. Thentheentireprocesscanbeginagain.
A
.
111111

THE STAR LASERPRINTER8–
AN INTRODUCTION
YouwillmeeteachportionofyourStarLaserPrinter8asyoureadthis
manual.Butabriefintroductionisinorderhere.Figure1-3showsthe
printerfromthefront.Figure1-4showstheprinterfromtherear.You
canejectpaperfaceupwhenthepapertrayisfoldedoutasshownin
Figure1-5.
@UpperCoverReleaseButton @FontCartridgeSlots
@CarryingGripPlate 6PaperCassette
@HoleforTestPrintButton @PaperSetGuidesforManual
@ControlPanel Feeding
Fig. 1-3 5

FacedownPrintDeliveryTray
RAM Expansion Board Slot
(covered)
ParallelInterfaceConnector
SerialInterfaceConnector
InterfaceExpansionBoard
Slot(coveredkeserved)
PowerCordConnector
PowerSwitch
FaceupPrintDeliveryTray
6
(foldedup)
Fig. 1-4
Fig. 1-5

cAPT ER
Setting Upthe Star
LaserPrinter 8
Thefactthatyou’renowreadingthismanualshowsthatyou’vegotten
atleastasfarasopeningthecartoncontainingyournewStarLaser-
Printer8. Mostlikely,it’ssittinginthemiddleofthefloor,andyou’re
eagertogetitunpacked,setup,andrunning.Thischapterwillhelpyou
dojustthat.
First,though,youshouldmakesomepreparations.Youmayalready
havedecidedontheprinter’snewlocation.Whetheryouhaveorhave
not,runthroughthischecklistofrequirements:
●environmentalcontrol-The printerand tonercartridgeshould
neverbeexposedtostrongsunshineorotherdirecttisources. It
shouldalsorelocated awayfromair conditioningducts, dust,and
fumes. Excessivemoistureshouldbeavoided,suchashumidityin
excess of8070orlessthan20%. If itiscomfortableforyou,then
itwillbecomfortableforyourprinter.
●alarge,strongtableorstand-Theprinterweighs45 lbs.(20kg),
and mustbe fmly supported. Also,theprinterwillneedmore
roomthanit takesup in the shippingcarton,becausethe paper
cartridgewillextendforwardfromthefront,andanauxiliarypaper
traywillunfoldfromtherear;soplanforaspaceatleast3x4ft.
(1mz). Becausethetopoftheprintermustopen,be surethereis
atleast24 in.ofheadroomabovethetablehmd.
●athree-prongedoutlet- Theoutletshouldbenomorethan5feet
(1.5m)fromtheprinter(thelengthofthepowercord),preferably
7

oneshieldedfrompowerfluctuations.Inanycase,nomotor-driven
applianceshouldbeconnectedtothesameoutlet,toavoidinterfer-
encewiththeprinter’soperations.
●accesstothecomputer/workstationhetwork-Ifyouwillbeusing
aserialconnection,theprintershouldbeamaximumof50feetaway,
withaparallelconnection,nomorethan6feet.
●afresh tonercartridge(product#EP-S).
●paper-Apackageof 16-20 lb(60-135 ~mz)photocopierpaper
isbesttostartwith;however,theprintercanusethickerpaper,aswell
asspecialmedia,suchasenvelopes,mailinglabels,andtransparent
sheets.
●someonetohelpyouIifttheprlnterfromthecartontoitsnewlocation.
UNPACKING
The shippingcarton containstwo layers of material. On top is a
Styrofoamtraycontainingthepapercartridge,powercord,groundwire,
andtheusers’manual.
Removethehay withitscontentsandsetitaside—NOTonthetable
wheretheprinterwillgo. On thebottom,youwillseetheprinterin a
plasticbag,restinginitsownStyrofoamnest.
Summonyourliftingpartnerandpreparetoremovetheprinter. Since
itistightlycradledintheshippingcarton,itmaybenecessarytotipthe
cartonslightlytogetafirmgrip. Liftinghandlesarelocatedhalf-way
backoneachundersideoftheprinter,buttheywillbedifficulttouse,
becauseoftheplasticbag.LifttheprinterfiomtheStyrofoamandplace
it onthetableor stand,plasticbagandall. Nowslidethebagoffby
slightlyliftingtheprintergently.
To stabilizetheprinterduringshipment,it containsseveralkindsof
protectivematerials.Thefrontoftheprinter(Fig.2-1)hasthreeslots,
oneabout9in.wideandtwonarrowerslotsbelowit. Thewideslotis
packedwithapaperpackageof silicagel (to absorbmoistureduring
shipping)andabrickofStyrofoam.Removebothoftheseandsavethem
foruseifyoumustmoveorshiptheprinteroverlongdistances.
Therearealsopackingmaterialsinsidetheprinter.Neartherightfront
of the printer’stop you will see apostage-stampsized,rectangular
button(Figs.2-2&2-3).
8

Fig.2-l
Fig.2-2
9

Fig.2-3
Placeyourfingeronthearrowandslidethebuttonforwrud,thenpress
downonit. Thetopoftheprinterwillpopopenslightly,justlikethe
“hoodofanautomobile.Thetophastwoopenpositions,oneatabout
90 degreesand the otherfullyopen. Lift the top to its fullyopen
position,soyoucanseetheinterioroftheprinter(Fig.2-4).
10
Fig.2-4
—

Youmustremoveseveralpiecesofpackingmaterial.Thelargest,alarge
wedgeofStyrofoamisatthecenterfrontoftheinterior(Fig.2-5). Lift
thisoutandsaveitforfuturerepacking.
Fig.2-5
Towardthebackoftheinterioryouwillseeagreenlidwithawarning
labelinredlettering.Ontheleftandrightsidesofthisareaareorange
stabilizers(Fig.2-6). Eachstabilizerbearsatag withblacklettering,
tellingyou(inseverallanguages)toremovethem. Grasponeofthese
andpullitdown,thenforwardinthedirectionofthearrowsonthetag.
Removethesecondonethesameway. Savethestabilizersforfuture
repacking.
Afteryouremoveallthepackagingmaterial,leavetheprintertopopen,
sothatyoucaninsertthetonercartridge,whichcontainsthe“ink”that
willprintyourdocuments.
INSERTING THE TONER CARTRIDGE (OPTION )
Thetonercartridgecomesinaseparatesealedcarton. Openthisand
removeafoil package,containedwithinStyrofoambolsters. Also
11

Spacm
Fig.2-6
packedis asmallplasticbag containingcleaningmaterial,someof
whichyouwillinstallinsidetheprinter,andaninstallationsheet(Fig.
2-7).
Afterseparatingthetwopackagesfromthe Styrofoam,pickup the
smalleroneandopenit.Inthispackageisagreenandblack8-inchlong
rodandacottonswab.Therodisafixingrollercleaner,withcleaning
pad attachedto one end. Open the green lid to the upperfixing
assembly(Fig.2-8)andinsertthecleaningpadendoftherollercleaner
12

I
leane
anual
Fig.2-7
Fig.2-8
13

Fig.2-9
intotheslot(Fig.2-9). Slidethecleaningpadbackandforthseveral
times.
Movethecleanerfromtheslot. Peeloffthecleaningpad(Fig.2-10)
anddiscardit.
Fig.2-10
14