Vivitar Transtar 315 User manual

Tran
Star 315
Color Graphics Printer
Operator’s
Manual

Installation Checklist
1. Carefully unpack the printer from the box, noting the ribbon, top cover,
and paper separator.
2. Lift open the top cover and remove the head lock. tube.
3. Install the ribbon according to the directions in Section 2.
4. Load paper into the printer as instructed in Section 2.
5. Plug the power cord into a110V AC outlet.
6. With the power turned OFF, depress and hold the Line-Feed switch down
and turn the power ON. The printer will automatically perform aself-test
to check its operation. When the printer stops printing, turn the power OFF.
7. Connect the Transtar 315 to your computer with the cable.
8. Transmit characters to your printer by running one of the sample programs
in Section 4.
9. Refer to the Troubleshooting Guide if you encounter any difficulties.
10. Read the Warranty Statement in Appendix F.

Transtar 315
Color Graphics Printer
Operators Manual

The following trademarks are acknowledged in the Transtar 315 Operator’s
manual:
Apple II/IIe -Apple Computer, Inc.
Centronics —Centronics
CP/M -- Digital Research
Mbasic ~- Microsoft
IBM PC -International Business Machines
Transtar —Transtar
Softcard —Microsoft
Version 2.0
Second Printing July 1983
Copyright 1983
Vivitar Computer Products
2100 116th Avenue N.E.
P.O. Box C-96975
Bellevue, Washington 98009
phone [phone]
Printed in the United States of America
Transtar and Seikosha reserve the right to change the contents as stated herein at-any time
and without notice. Although every effort has been made to insure that the contents as sta-
ted herein are complete and without error, Transtar and Seikosha cannot be responsible for
any damage that may occur should this not be the case.
ii

Table of Contents
Installation Checklist
FCC Notice
Introduction
Part
Part
Part
Part
1: Getting Acquainted with the Transtar 315
Product Description
Specifications
Parts of the Printer
2: Installation and Use
Installing and Removing the Ink Ribbon Cassette
Ink Cartridge Replacement
Loading Paper
continuous forms
single sheets
Head Position Adjustment
Self-test Printing
Automatic Printing Function
Error Conditions
Caring for your Printer
3: Configuring your Printer
Making aCable
Electrical Condition
Timing Chart
Setting the Dip Switches
4: Programming your Printer
Appendix A: Using the Optional PICS Interface
Appendix B: ASCII Code Table
Appendix C: Troubleshooting Guide
Appendix D: Color Tips
Appendix E: Using the PICS Card Under CP/M
Appendix F: Warranty Statement
Glossary
Index
User Comment Form
ili
Fwnnr
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22
23
55
58
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61
62
65
66
67
69

___Introduction
Part 1of this manual will acquaint you with your new Transtar 315 color
printer, its physical aspects and specifications. Part 2 shows you how to
use the printer in everyday applications. Part 3provides the information
you need to do the initial set-up of the printer. Part 4provides technical
details for those persons interested in programming the Transtar 315.
Appendices, aglossary of selected terms, and an index will provide further
assistance as you learn to use the Transtar 315.

___Part 1
Getting Acquainted
with the Transtar 315
Product Description
The Transtar 315 color printer provides color text and graphics at an affordable
price. Its special programming code and design make it simple to use. Scikosha’s
unique “four-hammer”’ technology provides 7-color mixing in asingle pass of
the printhead.
The Transtar 315 uses a Centronics® -compatible parallel interface. An optional
Apple II/Tle° and Franklin® PICS interface allows for softwarc-independent
graphics printing. Thus, most business and entertainment programs can be
printed by simply depressing the printer’s COPY button. The optional Serial
Interface Board allows for interfacing with computers that do not provide a
parallel connector.

Specifications
1. Printing specifications
Printing method
’Printing direction
Printing colors
Character composition
Character types
Character size
Character spacing
Characters per line
Printing speed
Line spacing
Number of copies
Graphics
2. Paper feed specifications
Paper feed direction
Minimum line feed
Line feed speed
Paper feed method
3. Ink ribbon specifications
Cassette type
Ink colors
Individual re-inking cartridges
4. Operating environment
Power supply
Power consumption
Temperature
Humidity
External dimensions
Weight
Impact type dot matrix
(Seikosha’s unique 4-hammer method)
Unidirectional (left to right)
Black, cyan, purple, magenta, red, yellow,
green (colors can be specified down to the
individual dot level)
5x8(horiz xvert) +1dot space
7x8(horiz xvert) +1dot space
Alphanumeric English character set and symbols
.8” x.9” (horiz xvert) 10.0 cpi
-6” x.9” (horiz xvert) 13.3 cpi
10 cpi and 13.3 cpi
80 cpl and 106 cpl
38 cps and 50 cps
1/6, 1/8 and N/120 inch (software selectable)
Original +2copies (15 Ib. paper)
(color is only on the original)
Arbitrary combinations of any color of dot in
in an 8-dot column with up to 640 columns
per line. Text and graphics can be mixed on
the same line
Forward direction only, loaded from the rear
1/120 of an inch
10 lines per sec (1/6” continuous line feeds)
15 lines per sec (1/10” continuous line feeds)
Pin feed and friction feed used together.
Order #TR-70050
Black, cyan, magenta, yellow
Set of four, order #TR-70500
120, 220/240 VAC +10% 50/60 Hz
30 watts (continuous printing of text)
13 watts (standby)
41°F —104°F
20% —80% (no condensation)
17.7°W x4.47H x12.6”D
(15.5”D with paper shelf)
13.2 Ibs

Parts of the Printer
~<i— _ Upper case
A/Paper feed
Figure |
-Printer cover

Operator Switches and Indicators
1. POWER switch
The power switch is located on the left side of the printer toward the rear.
2. STOP switch
a) Pushing the STOP switch causes the printer to stop, or if stopped, it
clears the STOP condition.
b) Pushing the STOP switch the first time causes the PAPER EMPTY
light to blink on and off, and temporarily stops printing.
c) If the STOP switch is pushed while doing a screen copy, the COPY
lamp blinks and the screen copy is temporarily halted. Pushing the
STOP switch again causes the STOP condition to be cleared and
printing resumed.
*The screen copy condition does not function without the optional
PICS interface board.
3. LINE FEED switch
a) A1/6 inch line feed is executed each time it is pushed.
b) If held down, line feeds are continuously executed.
c) Line feeds are performed only in the STOP condition.
4. FORM FEED switch
a) Pressing this switch causes a form feed to the top of the next page
or next Top of Form.
b) This switch is valid only in the STOP condition.
5. COPY switch
a) Pressing this switch causes ascreen copy to occur.
b) After asingle screen copy is complete, the copying condition is automatic-
ally terminated.
c) If the STOP condition is entered during a screen copy process, pushing
this switch will reset the screen copy condition.
*Without the optional PICS card, this switch does not function.
6. POWER lamp (red)
a) This lamp is on when the power is on.
b) It blinks during an error condition.
7. PAPER EMPTY lamp (red)
a) This lamp blinks when the printer is out of paper. The Paper Empty
signal is output to the host device.
b) It also blinks when the STOP switch is pressed (except when pressed
during a screen copy).