TallyGenicom LA48N User manual

LA48N
LA48W
User Guide Matrix Printer

TRADEMARK ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
• Centronics is a trademark of Centronics Data Computer Corporation.
• IBM and IBM PC are trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation.
• Microsoft, Windows, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows 2000, Windows 2003 Server, Windows XP
and Windows Vista are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
• PostScript is a trademark of Adobe Systems Inc.
• DEC is a trademark of Digital Equipment Corporation
• Epson is a registered trademark of Seiko Epson Corporation
• All other brand or product names are trademarks of their respective companies or organizations.

Table of contents
I
Table of contents
1Introduction 1-1
Features 1-1
Consumables 1-2
2Setting up the printer 2-1
Selecting a location 2-1
Unpacking the printer 2-2
Assembling the printer 2-4
Installing the Cut Sheet Stand 2-4
Installing the Ribbon Cartridge 2-5
Getting acquainted with your printer 2-8
Connecting the power cord 2-9
Connecting the printer to your computer 2-11
Selecting a Parallel Interface Cable 2-11
Selecting a Serial Interface Cable 2-11
Selecting a USB Cable 2-12
Connecting the Interface Cable 2-12
Removing the shutter 2-14
Attaching the shutter 2-14
Selecting an emulation 2-15
Operations of the control panel 2-18
Control panel indicators and buttons 2-18
Basic states of the printer 2-18
Control Panel Operations 2-20
Printer Acoustical Feedbacks 2-22

Table of contents
II
3Paper Handling 3-1
Selecting Paper 3-2
Paper Specifications 3-2
Paper Size 3-2
Paper Thickness and Number of Copies 3-2
Overview of Paper Operations 3-3
Levers and Buttons Used for Paper Handling 3-4
Adjusting for Paper Thickness 3-6
Paper Thickness Lever Positions 3-7
Using Single Sheets 3-8
Loading a Single Sheet of Paper 3-8
Ejecting Single Sheets 3-10
Using Continuous Forms 3-11
Positioning the Paper Stack 3-11
Good placement 3-11
Bad placement 3-11
Loading Continuous Forms 3-12
Adjusting the left margin 3-13
Adjusting the Tear-off position 3-15
Adjustment procedure 3-15
Unloading Continuous Forms 3-16
Installing the Tractor Unit 3-16
Tearing Off Continuous Forms 3-17
Feeding and Positioning Paper 3-18
Print Area Definition 3-18
Line Feed/Form Feed 3-20
Top-of-Form Adjustment 3-20
Switching Paper Types 3-22
Switching from Continuous Forms to Single Sheets
(Push-Feed Mode) 3-22

Table of contents
III
Switching from Single Sheets to Continuous Forms
(Push-Feed Mode) 3-22
Tips on Paper Handling 3-23
General Tips 3-23
Multipart Forms 3-23
Envelopes 3-23
Labels 3-23
4Printing 4-1
Selecting Print Features 4-1
Using Commercial Software 4-1
Using the Control Panel 4-2
Macrol selection 4-2
Macro 1 and Macro 2 Settings 4-3
Installation Settings 4-5
Adjustments Settings 4-5
Menu Access Settings 4-5
Changing the Protocol 4-6
Starting or Stopping Printing 4-8
Starting Printing 4-8
Stopping and Viewing Printing 4-8
Resuming Printing 4-8
Resuming from a Paper-Out 4-8
Removing Printed Pages 4-10
Removing Single Sheets 4-10
Removing Continuous Forms 4-10
5Using Set-Up Mode 5-1
What is Set-Up Mode for? 5-1
How Set-Up Works 5-2
Entering the Set-Up Mode 5-2

Table of contents
IV
Overview of the Set-Up Mode 5-4
Set-Up Mode Functions 5-4
Example: Changing the Vertical Pitch 5-5
Options with Undetermined Values 5-7
Range Management for a Wide Range of
Values 5-7
Example: Changing the Left Margin 5-7
Options with Both Pre-determined and
Undetermined Values 5-8
Points to Remember 5-11
Printing the Printer Configuration 5-12
Deciding Which Options to Change 5-14
Required Options 5-14
Changing Macro 1 and Macro 2 Options 5-15
Macro 1 and Macro 2 Options and
Values 5-16
Changing Install Options 5-25
Install Options and Values 5-26
Adjusting Top-of-Form Origin 5-30
Adjust Options and Values 5-30
Changing Menu Access Options 5-31
Menu Access Option and Values 5-32
Save Settings and Exit Set-up mode 5-33
Recall Factory Settings 5-33
Using the Diagnostic Functions 5-34
Printing Test 5-34
Hex Dump Mode 5-35
Set-Up Mode Quick Reference 5-37
6Maintenance 6-1
Cleaning 6-1
Cleaning and Vacuuming the Printer 6-1
Cleaning the Platen 6-2

Table of contents
V
Replacing the ribbon 6-3
Replacing the Print Head 6-7
7Trouble-Shooting 7-1
Solving Problems 7-1
Print Quality Problems 7-1
Paper Handling Problems and Solutions 7-4
Operating Problems and Solutions 7-6
Printer Failures 7-7
Diagnostic Functions 7-8
Checking Vertical Alignment 7-8
ASupplies A-1
Supplies A-1
BPrinter and Paper Specifications B-1
Physical Specifications B-1
Functional Specifications B-2
Performance Specifications B-4
Certification B-4
Paper Specifications B-5
Print Area B-5
Paper Thickness B-7

Table of contents
VI
CCommand Sets C-1
DEC PPL2 Quick Reference Guide C-2
IBM Proprinter X24E and XL24E Quick Reference
Guide C-22
Epson ESC/P2 Quick Reference Guide C-27
DInterface Information D-1
Parallel Interface D-1
Serial Interface D-4
USB Interface D-7
ECharacter Sets E-1
DEC PPL2 Protocol E-1
Common to IBM Proprinter X24 and XL24E Protocol
and EpsonESC/P2 Protocol E-19
IBM Proprinter X24E and XL24E Protocol E-25
Epson ESC/P2 Protocol E-26
FResident Fonts F-1

Introduction
1-1
1
Introduction
Congratulations on purchasing a LA48N/LA48W printer. This printer is a compact,
versatile printer that offers maximum compatibility with today’s software packages
and personal computers. The 24-wire print head provides crisp, clear printing for
business, office, and home environments. This printer is also easy to install and use.
Matrix Printer LA48N
Features
Key printer features and options are listed in the next two sections.
Software compatibility. This printer operates with the DEC PPL2, IBM XL24E,
and EPSON ESC/P2 command sets.
Various character sets. For the DEC PPL2 protocol, 31 character sets (twenty-
five 94-character sets and six 96-character sets) are available. For IBM Proprinter
X24E and XL24E protocol, set 1, set 2, and 30 default sets (code pages and spe-
cific character sets) are available. For Epson ESC/P2 protocol, 15 national char-
acter sets and 30 default sets (code pages and specific character sets) are available.
Multiple fonts. The printer has 12 resident fonts: Draft, High speed Draft, High
impact Font, Courier 10, Pica 10, Prestige 12, Compressed, Boldface PS, Time-
less Normal, Nimbus Sans Normal, OCR-A, OCR-B.

Introduction
1-2
High-speed printing. At 10 cpi, print speed ranges from 113 cps for letter quality
to 400 cps (80-column printer) or 448cps (136-column printer) for high-speed
draft quality.
Large print buffer. 64 Kbytes are available in total for storing input data and
downloading fonts. A large input data buffer allows you to send files to the print-
er and return quickly to work in your application. A large download buffer allows
you to use custom fonts.
80-column or 136-column print line. 80-column printers are the most suitable
for printing in landscape mode using letter or A4 size paper.136-column printers
are the most suitable for printing in landscpe mode using legal or standardsize
computer forms.
Simple switching of paper types. The ability to "park" continuous forms makes
it easy to switch between continuous forms and single sheets.
Auto tear-off. Continuous forms are fed automatically up to the tear-off position
at the end of each job.
Maintenance-free. The printer only requires periodic cleaning and changing of
the ribbon cartridge.
Consumables
For details, see Appendix A, “Supplies”.

Setting up the printer
2-1
2
Setting up the printer
Your new printer is easy to install and set up. This chapter tells you how to set up the
printerand start printing right away. If this is your first printer, you should read the
entire chapter before attempting to use the printer. In this chapter, you will learn how
to:
Unpack, assemble, and select a good location for the printer
Identify the printer’s major parts
Connect the power cord and the interface cable
Test the printer before connecting it to your computer
Select an emulation and print a sample page using your software
If you have a problem while setting up the printer, review the section “Solving Prob-
lems” in Chapter 7. If the problem persists, contact your dealer or service.
Selecting a location
This printer is suitable for most business, office, and home environments. To obtain
peak performance from the printer, select a location that meets the following guide-
lines:
3Place the printer on a sturdy, level surface.
3Place the printer near a well-grounded AC power outlet.
3Ensure easy access to the front and rear of the printer by leaving several inches of
space around the printer. Do not block the air vents on the front, left, and right sides
of the printer.
3Do not place the printer in direct sunlight or near heaters.
3Make sure that the room is well-ventilated and free from excessive dust.
3Do not expose the printer to extremes of temperature and humidity.
3Use only the power cord supplied with the printer or recommended by your dealer.
Do not use an extension cord.
3Do not plug the printer into a power outlet that is shared with heavy industrial equip-
ment, such as motors, or appliances, such as copiers or coffee makers. Such equip-
ment often emits electrical noise or causes power degradation.

Setting up the printer
2-2
Unpacking the printer
Unpack the printer as follows:
1. Open the carton and remove the printer and its components. Make sure that you
have all of the items shown below. Note that the power cord supplied depends
on the printer model (100-120 or 220-240 VAC power supply).
Checking items received
2. Carefully examine each item for damage. Report any problems to your dealer or
shipping agent.
3. Place the printer where you plan to use it.
4. Remove the tapes securing the front cover, ejection cover, and back cover. Open
the front cover and remove the shipping restraint cardboard that holds the print
Quick Start Guide
Pleaseconfirmthatthefollowing thingsare enclosed inthe shippingcarton:Printer(1),Cutsheetstand(1),
Blackribboncartridge(1),Power cord(1), MMJinterfaceadapter (1),CD-ROM (1), thisQuick Start Guide(1)
Setting up
1-1
1-4 Installing the Ribbon Cartridge
1-5Connecting the interfacecable 1-6
Openthe carton and remove the printerand its components. Removethetapessecuring thetractor unit.
Openthefront cover and remove
theshipping restraint cardboard.
1-2
Installingthecut sheet stand.
1-3
Movethepaper thicknesslever to D.
Plugoneend ofthe power
cordinto thepowerconnector
onthe rear of the printer.
Powercord
Releasetheribboncartridge fromits package andpush
Inthe gray ribbon releasetabs on the side,a
ndslidethe
rollerfromthe LOCKpositiontothe FREEposition
.
Alignthe print headpositionwith the dotmark(green)on the
printerejection cover. Threadtheribbonbetweenthe print
headandthe print guide,then gentlypress down on the ribbon
cartridgeagainst the printer untilitclicks into place.
(Makesurethattheribbonfeed knob isfacingu
pward.)
SafetyGuidelines
Fordetailed information, refer to the User Guide ofthe printer. The User Guide is provided asan Adobe Acrobat PDF file onthe CD
shippedwith your printer. Be sure to readthe safetyguidelinesin the UserGuide before usingthis product.
KeepthisU
serGuideinaplacewhich is easily accessible at all times.
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!Verify theproper source voltage beforepluggingthe! Keep the power cord clear of thepaperpath to avoid the
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!Protecttheprinter from shock, impact and vibration.
Paperthicknesslever
Dotmark(green)
Cardboard
Frontcover
Ribbonfeedknob
Turntheknob clockwise
Roller
Release
tabs
Cutsheet stand
Mountingpins
Printguide
Printhead
Ribbon
Printguide
Tipofprinthead
Ribboncartridge
LA48N / LA48W
379839a-EN
Dotmark (green)
Ribbon
Printguide
Tipof print head
Ribboncartridge
Printhead
Centronicsparallel Centronics parallel+ USB
Centronicsparallel + RS-232C
Ribbon cartridge
(Black)
Cut sheet stand
Printer
Power cord Quick Start Guide
and CD-ROM
MMJ Interface adapter

Setting up the printer
2-3
head carriage in place (shown below).
Removing the shipping restraint cardboard
5. Store the original shipping carton and packaging materials for future use. For
example, the original packaging is ideal for use when you move or ship your
printer to another location.
NOTE: The interface cable is not included with the printer. You must purchase it
separately. Connection of the interface cable is described later in this chap-
ter.
Front cover
Cardboard

Setting up the printer
2-4
Assembling the printer
This section explains how to install the cut sheet stand and ribbon cartridge.
Installing the Cut Sheet Stand
The cut sheet stand enables smooth feeding of both single sheets and continu-ous
forms. Install the cut sheet stand as described below:
1. Referring to the following figure, locate the two grooved notches on the top of
the printer, behind the top cover. Note that each notch has a front groove and a
rear groove.
2. Locate the two mounting pins on each side of the cut sheet stand.
Installing the cut sheet stand
3. Hold the cut sheet stand at an angle over the top of the printer. Slide the mount-
ing pins into the long, front grooves of the notches. This is the cut sheet stand's
up position, used for printing single sheets.
To rotate the cut sheet stand to its down position, grasp it at the sides and lift it up
until the two upper mounting pins clear the front notches. Rotate the cut sheet
stand backward to place the upper mounting pins in the rear grooves.
Cut sheet stand
Mounting pins

Setting up the printer
2-5
Installing the Ribbon Cartridge
The printer uses a black ribbon cartridge. To install the ribbon cartridge:
1. Turn the printer off. Open the front cover of the printer. For easy installation,
slide the print head carriage to the middle.
2. The paper thickness lever, located on the right of the printer, has nine positions.
Before you install the ribbon cartridge, move this lever to D.
Preparing to install the ribbon
Paper thickness leve
r
Move to D.

Setting up the printer
2-6
3. Using the procedure below, release the roller from the LOCK position and turn
the ribbon feed knob clockwise to take up any ribbon slack. Push in the gray rib-
bon release tabs on the side of the ribbon cartridge to release them, and slide the
roller from the LOCK position to the FREE position.
Preparing the ribbon cartridge
CAUTION:Do not turn the ribbon feed knob in counterclockwise direction.
4. Verify that the power to the printer is off (make sure that the circle mark on the
power switch is pressed).
Verify that the printer is switched off
5. Move the paper thickness lever to the D position.
6. Open the front cover.
Ribbon feed knob
Turn the knob clockwise
Release tabs
Roller

Setting up the printer
2-7
7. Align the print head position with the dot mark (green) on the printer ejection
cover.
WARNING: Avoid touching the print head while using or immediately after using
the printer, as doing so may lead to burns. Wait until the print head
cools down before touching it.
8. Thread the ribbon between the print head and the print guide, then gently press
down on the ribbon cartridge against the printer until it clicks into place.
(Make sure that the ribbon feed knob is facing upward.)
9. Turn the ribbon feed knob clockwise to take up any ribbon slack.
10.After the ribbon cartridge has been installed in the printer, adjust the paper thick-
ness lever to match the thickness of the paper and the number of sheets of paper
to be used.
For information about the paper thickness lever, see the section entitled “Adjust-
ing for Paper Thickness” in Chapter 3.
Dot mark (green)
Print guide
Print head
Ribbon
Print guide
Tip of print head
Ribbon cartridge

Setting up the printer
2-8
Getting acquainted with your printer
Now that your printer is assembled, take a moment to become familiar with its major
parts.
Looking at the printer from the front right side, you can see the parts of the printer
shown in the figure below.
Printer components (front and right)
The printer control panel has the buttons and indicators used to load and feed paper
(see Chapter 3, “Paper Handling”) and select print features (see Chapter 4, “Print-
ing”). The control panel also allows you to change the printer’s optional settings (see
Chapter 5, “Using Set-Up Mode”).
Front cover
Cut sheet stand
Acoustic cover
Paper thickness lever
Platen knob
Print guide
Print head
Control panel
Platen
Powerswitch

Setting up the printer
2-9
Looking at the printer from the back with the cut sheet stand and back cover re-
moved, you can see the following parts of the printer:
Printer components (rear)
Connecting the power cord
Before you plug in the printer:
3Make sure that the printer power is switched off. The side marked “1” on the power
switch should be raised.
3Make sure that the power outlet is properly grounded.
3Make sure that you use the power cord shipped with the printer. This cord is de-
signed to minimize radio frequency interference.
To plug in the power cord:
1. Plug one end of the power cord into the power connector on the rear of the
printer.
Ejection cover
Interface
connecto
r
Pa
p
er select lever
Power
connector
Forms tractors
Back cover
Paper guide

Setting up the printer
2-10
2. Plug the other end of the power cord into the power outlet.
Connecting the power cord
3. Make sure that the power cord is securely connected.
4. Turn on the power by pressing the side marked “I” on the power switch. Within
a few seconds, the POWER indicator on the printer control panel will light, the
print head will move to its home position, and the ONLINE indicator will light
(green).
NOTE: If no forms are loaded, the printer may beep and the grenn FAULT indicator
may light and the ONLINE indicator will not light if the paper select lever is
set backward to the continuous forms position. Move the paper select lever
forward to the single sheet position (as described in the next section). The
FAULT indicator will go out. This condition is a result of the factory default
settings and poses no problem.