Epson FX-2170

Product Controls: EPSON FX-2170

Printer's Self-Test - LF/FF + Power-On (Draft) or Load/Eject + Power-On (NLQ)

Hex Dump Mode - Load/Eject + LF/FF + Power-On

Default Setting Mode - Pitch + Power-On

Paper Park - Hold Load/Eject button until continuous paper feeds backward to the paper park position

Microfeed Forward - Press Pause for 3 seconds (until Pause light flashes), then press Load/Eject to move the paper forward

Microfeed Backward - Press Pause for 3 seconds (until Pause light flashes), then press LF/FF to move the paper backward

What is SmartPark?

SmartPark is an advanced paper handling feature. SmartPark allows consecutive use of continuous paper and single sheets without having to remove the continuous tractor paper. It parks the current paper choice out of the way, while positioning another for printing. The SmartPark feature is not available when using the printer in pull tractor position.

What is paper parking?

Paper parking allows the use of a single sheet or a cut-sheet feeder without having to remove the continuous forms. This feature is selected via the printer's control panel buttons.

What is short form tear-off for?

The short form tear-off feature automatically feeds the perforation of continuous paper to the tear-off position of the top cover when printing is complete. When printing, the paper feeds back to the top-of-form loading position.

Why won't my printer print bidirectional in Windows?

Since Windows is a graphic environment, the drivers are set to print unidirectional for better print quality. Some printer drivers may have access to bidirectional printing. Choose one of the emulation printer drivers and try printing to see if you are able to print bidirectional.

Can I connect this printer to IBM mainframe (IBM 3270) and IBM minicomputer (AS/400 or System 3X) environments?

Yes, you can. For IBM mainframe environments, you can purchase an optional Type-B Coax interface card (C823141) which allows direct connectivity and emulates IBM printer models: 3287, 3268, 4214-1, and 4224 (non IPDS). For direct connectivity to IBM minicomputer environments emulating IBM printer models: 4210, 4214, 5225, 5224, 5256, 5219, and 3812, you will need the optional Type-B Twinax interface card (C823151).

What is the difference between the high-capacity cut-sheet feeder and the second-bin cut-sheet feeder?

The second-bin cut-sheet feeder cannot be used as a stand-alone feeder, whereas the high-capacity cut-sheet feeder can. The second-bin cut sheet feeder must be used in combination with the high-capacity cut-sheet feeder. The second-bin cut-sheet feeder holds 50 sheets, while the high-capacity can hold 150 sheets or 50 envelopes. The user has the ability to print 200 sheets at a time when both cut-sheet feeders are installed. Another advantage to having both cut-sheet feeders installed is that they can load single sheets and envelopes at the same time (50 envelopes in the high-capacity cut-sheet feeder and 50 single sheets into the second-bin cut-sheet feeder).

Will this printer emulate an IBM Proprinter?

Yes, the printer has an IBM emulation, selectable through the Default Settings mode.

How do I install the printer driver in Windows?

Make sure that the Main window is open. Insert the disk into the appropriate disk drive. Click on File, then choose Run. If the driver disk is in drive A:, type A:\DRIVER\SETUP, then click OK. Choose the FX-2170 and click CONTINUE to begin installing the driver. When the installation is complete, a dialog that announces "Setup completed" will appear, click OK. The driver installation automatically makes the FX-2170 the Default Printer for all Windows applications. The printer is automatically connected to LPT1. If you need to connect the printer to a different port, enter the Control Panel and choose Printers. Click on the Connect button and select the correct port. Close the Control Panel and the driver installation is complete.

When I turn my printer on, the paper feeds through about one and a half pages, then stops. I hit the Load/Eject button and it feeds more paper instead of ejecting backwards. Why won't it go to the right top-of-form position?

Check the front panel to see if the Bin 1 or Bin 2 lights are on. If the light sequence for Bin 1 or Bin 2 are is, turn the printer OFF and manually eject the continuous feed paper. Reinstall the paper on the tractor unit. Move the paper release lever on the right side of the printer all the forward, then all the way to the back. Move the lever forward and backward five times, then move it into the second position from the rear of the printer (for front push and front push/pull tractor) or into the third position from the rear of the printer (for rear push and rear push/pull tractor). Turn the printer back ON. The printer should initialize properly and the neither one of the Bin lights should not be on. If you are still having problems, repeat the above steps. If the problem still persists, have the printer taken in to be serviced.

The printer starts printing too far down the page. Is there any way I can adjust the starting point of the print job?

There is a feature called Micro Adjust that allows you to adjust the top-of-form (TOF) position in increments of 1/360th of an inch. To use this feature, load the paper into the printer. Press the Pause button for three seconds (until Pause light flashes), then press LF/FF to move the paper forward or press Load/Eject to move the paper backward. Once you have the TOF position set where you want it, send a print job. The printer will remember the TOF setting and will position the print head accordingly for the next page. For more information on adjusting the page setting, please see Chapter 3 of your User's Guide.

Can I set the printer up to print on continuous feed 3-inch checks from my Windows application?

Yes, the driver supports a 3-inch page length. For more information on supported page lengths, please see Chapter 3 page 10 of your User's Guide.

Can I switch between tractors using escape codes?

No, you cannot switch between tractors using escape codes. However, if you have installed an optional high-capacity cut-sheet feeder and the optional Second Bin cut-sheet feeder, you can switch between Bin 1 and Bin 2 via escape codes.

I'm replacing my FX-1050 with the FX-2170. Can I use the same serial interface that I used on the FX-1050, with the FX-2170?

No, they cannot be interchanged. The FX-1050 uses a Type-A interface and the FX-2170 uses a Type-B interface.

Can I connect this to an Apple Macintosh computer?

You may be able to connect the parallel port of the printer to an Apple Macintosh using a "Grappler" or "PowerPrint." Grappler is manufactured by Orange Micro, Inc. PowerPrint is manufactured by GDT Softworks, Inc.

What is micro-adjustment used for?

The micro-adjustment feature allows you to make fine top-of-form adjustments and short form tear-off position adjustments in increments of 1/360th of an inch. The printer remembers adjustments made to continuous paper, even after the printer is turned off. When micro-adjust reaches the minimum or maximum adjustment point, the printer will begin to beep continuously.

Why does my printer print garbage from MS-DOS and Windows?

When a printer prints garbage, it usually indicates a faulty cable or a loose connection. Power OFF your printer and computer. Disconnect and reconnect the cable on the printer and computer. Once the cable has been reconnected, power the printer and computer back ON. Try printing from MS-DOS. If you are still getting garbage, change the cable. We recommend getting a fully shielded cable, preferably 6 feet or less in length. If you are still experiencing problems after changing your cable, you may have a computer or printer port issue. If you take the cable and printer to another computer and it works fine, have your computer's port checked by an authorized dealer. If it still gives you garbage from another computer, have the printer taken in to be serviced.

Why won't the printer print serially from my PC?

If you are using a straight through modem cable, change the cable to a null modem cable (pins 2 and 3 are reversed). If you are already using a null modem cable, ensure that the Default Settings for the serial port on the printer match the settings on your computer. There is always the possibility of a loose connection or a bad cable. Disconnect and reconnect the cable on the PC and the printer and try printing again. If you are still experiencing difficulty, try a different cable or take the printer to another computer to see if the computer's port is malfunctioning.

My printer prints fine from MS-DOS. Why am I getting garbage only in Windows?

If you have already reconnected the cable on the computer and the printer, changed to another cable, and are positive you are using a fully-shielded parallel cable, chances are that you are having a conflict in Windows. The Print Manager or the printer driver usually causes the conflict in Windows. Save your work, then exit Windows (this will clear the Print Manager of any pending print jobs). Go back into Windows and verify the printer driver that has been selected is correct. To verify the driver in Windows 3.x, go to the Control Panel and choose Printers. For Windows 95 or 98, click on Start, go to Settings, choose Printers. Make sure that the driver you have selected as your default printer is compatible. You should have one of the drivers listed in Chapter 1 of your User's Guide. If you are using an IBM Proprinter driver, make sure that the default setting on the printer is in IBM mode. Try printing again. If you are still getting garbage, disable the Windows Print Manager. In Windows 3.x, go to the Control Panel, choose Printers, and remove the "x" from the box in front of Use Print Manager, then click Close. For Windows 95 or 98, click Start, go to Settings, choose Printers, point to the default printer then right click once on your mouse. Select Properties, go to the Details tab, click on the Spool Settings button, and choose the option "Print directly to the printer," click OK to exit the Properties window. Click OK again to save the new setting, exit the Printers window, then restart Windows 95 or 98. Try printing again. If this does not resolve your problem, take the cable and printer to another computer to determine if the problem is hardware related. If the printer prints fine from another computer, have your computer's port tested.

What driver should I choose in my MS-DOS program?

Choose from any of the following printer drivers: FX-2170, FX-880, FX-870/1170, FX-850/1050, FX-800/1000, FX-85/105, FX-80+/100+, FX-80/100.

Does the printer support Apple EtherTalk?

Yes, with the optional Ethernet/EtherTalk interface card available through EPSON Accessories.

What is the recommended duty cycle for the printer?

The specification recommended is 25 percent. Epson's definition of a 25 percent duty cycle stands for the printer printing (not idle) for two hours per day based on an eight hour day at 22 days per month.

Why does the printer stop or pause in the middle of a print job?

The printer has a built-in sensor that monitors the temperature of the print head. When the print head begins to get too hot, the printer may pause or slow down the speed of the print head unit to ensure that the print head does not overheat. If the print head begins to overheat, the thermistor will stop the print head completely until it has cooled down. Once the print head has sufficiently cooled down, the printer will resume the print job. Another reason for the printer to pause or stop can be that the printer is waiting for more data or is in the middle of processing data already received.

What are the most commonly used escape codes?

Some commonly used escape codes include (in decimal values) - Reset (27, 64); Set page length in lines (27, 67, n - where n is a number from 1 to 127); Carriage return (13); Line feed (10); Form feed (12); Select 1/8-inch line spacing (27, 48); 10 cpi (27, 80); 12 cpi (27, 77); Select bold font (27, 69); Cancel bold font (27, 70); Select italic font (27, 52); Cancel italic font (27, 53); Turn underline on/off (27, 45, n - where n equals 49=ON or 48=OFF); Select condensed print (15); Cancel condensed print (18). For more escape codes, please refer to the Command Summary of your User's Manual.

When printing a multiple page document on single sheets, the first page prints correctly, but the pages after start printing too low.

The difference in print position is usually caused by the page length setting in the software application program. Most applications have a default page length of 66 lines per page when using 11" continuous paper. When using single sheets, the printer automatically provides a small top and bottom margin. Since the top and bottom margins are non-printable areas, the maximum number of lines per page is reduced from 66 to 61 lines per page. Many applications have an option to change the number of lines per page. You should change the number of lines per page to 61. If the program offers a selection for "cut-sheet feeder," change the paper type to cut-sheet feeder.

When printing from MS-DOS applications, I'm getting italic characters instead of lines.

To print lines instead of characters, the printer needs to be in graphics mode. Select a graphics character table (PC437). To switch to PC437, enter your Default Settings mode and select character table PC437.

I'm printing serial, my baud rate is at 9600, and intermittently the printer will lose data. What can I do to correct this?

If you are using a non-buffered serial interface board and XON/XOFF is enabled, the XOFF signal may not reach the printer in time to delay data transmission that would result in an overflow and loss of data. If you can use a DTR setting, change XON/XOFF to DTR. If you must use XON/XOFF, try decreasing the baud rate. Another option would be to purchase a 32KB buffered serial interface card (C823071). The buffered serial interface has a flag reset timing, which sets aside additional buffer space to "catch" the data overflow. The flag reset timing feature settings are selectable through dip switches on the serial interface card.

I was printing labels and one of the labels peeled off. Now my paper won't feed. Can I remove the platen to get the label out?

No, you cannot remove the platen from the printer. If you press the LF/FF button and the label does not appear on the platen for you to remove, you will need to take the printer in to be serviced. When printing labels, it is recommended that you only print with a pull tractor. Labels have a tendency to curl and peel off underneath the platen when being fed through the rear push tractor.

How do you select bar codes on the printer?

The eight built-in bar codes are only selectable through software using an ESC code sequence. The built-in bar codes include: EAN-13, EAN-8, Interleaved 2 of 5, UPC-A, UPC-E, Code 39, Code 128, and POSTNET.

How can I change the printer's default settings?

There are two ways to change the default settings on the printer. You can use the EPSON Remote! utility program to change the printer's default settings from your computer or you can change the default settings manually with the printer's front control panel buttons.

There is paper loaded on the tractor unit. Why won't the printer load paper?

Make sure the paper release lever is set to the tractor position. Facing the back of the printer, make sure the paper is loaded over to the left side of the printer. The paper sensor is located on the left side of the printer. If the sensor does not sense that there is paper loaded, the printer will not operate properly.

What are the differences between the FX-1170 and the FX-2170?

The FX-2170 has 8 built-in bar code fonts, an additional standard tractor unit, Lexmark/IBM 2391+ emulation mode, computer-based setup program, increased print speeds, and 13 internal page length settings.