Epson LQ-2550

Product Controls: EPSON LQ-2550

Printer's Self-Test - LINE FEED + Power-On (Draft) or FORM FEED + Power-On (LQ)

Hex Dump Mode - LINE FEED + FORM FEED + Power-On

Paper Park - Press PAPER SELECT button until continuous paper feeds backward to the paper park position.

Microfeed Forward - Press MICROFEED + FORM FEED buttons to move the paper forward.

Microfeed Backward - Press MICROFEED + LINE FEED buttons 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.

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. 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.

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.

What command language does the LQ-2550 utilize?

The LQ-2550 features the ESC/P (EPSON Standard Code for Printers) printer command language which is supported by nearly every software manufacturer.

Is there a scanner kit for the LQ-2550?

No, there will not be a scanner kit available.

How many colors are in the color ribbon?

The color fabric ribbon has four colors that combine to print out seven different colors. Color can be set in the macros and other color selection is software controlled.

Does the optional cut-sheet feeder feed envelopes?

Yes, up to 25 envelopes can be placed in the front bin of the dual-bin cut-sheet feeder for automatic feeding and printing.

Can I print IBM graphics characters with the LQ-2550?

Yes, ESC/P provides an extended character set that includes both sets of the IBM style graphic characters.

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

Choose from any of the following printer drivers: LQ-2550, LQ-2500, LQ-850/1050, LQ-800/1000, LQ-500, LQ-1500.

Does EPSON provide a Windows driver disk for the LQ-2550?

EPSON does not provide the driver for the LQ-2550. The driver for the LQ-2550 was written by Microsoft. If you are using Windows 3.1x or higher, the driver should already be in your list of printers. You can install the LQ-2550 driver from the Control Panel in Windows. Double-click on the Control Panel icon in the Main window, then double-click on the Printers icon. Once the driver installation is complete, the LQ-2550 on LPT1 will appear on your list of Installed Printers. If you need to connect the printer to a different port, click on the Connect button and select the correct port. Close the Control Panel and the driver installation is complete.

Sometimes the printer beeps and the display shows either an ERROR 10, ERROR 11, or ERROR 12. What do these mean?

If you receive an ERROR 10, turn the printer OFF and check for paper jams. Turn the printer back ON and try printing again. If the same problem occurs again, take the printer in to be serviced. An ERROR 11 indicates that the paper is not straight. Turn the printer OFF, remove the paper and turn the printer back ON. Reload the paper with the LOAD/EJECT button. If the platen knob was used to advance paper, an ERROR 12 will occur. Turn the printer OFF, remove the paper and turn the printer back ON. Reload the paper with the LOAD/EJECT button. If the errors occur frequently and you are positive the paper is being loaded correctly, you may want to consider taking the printer in to be serviced by an Authorized Epson dealer.

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 PAPER SELECT is on FRICTION OR CSF. If either of these are selected, turn the printer OFF and manually eject the continuous feed paper. Turn the printer back ON without reinstall the paper on the tractor unit. Make sure that the ON LINE light is OFF, then press the PAPER SELECT button until the TRACTOR light is ON. Install the continuous feed paper onto the tractor. Press the ON LINE button until the ON LINE light comes ON. Hit the LOAD/EJECT button to see if the paper loads correctly. 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 FEED that allows you to adjust the top-of-form (TOF) position in increments of 1/180th of an inch. To use this feature, load the paper into the printer. Press the MICRO FEED button and the light above the button will come on. The display reads "TOF ADJUST." Press FORM FEED to move the paper forward or press LINE FEED to move the paper backward. Once you have the TOF position set where you want it, press the MICRO FEED button again to exit out of this feature. 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 page 30 of your User's Manual.

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

Yes, the LQ-2550 or its emulation drivers will support a User Defined page length. Double-click on the Control Panel icon in the Main window, then double-click on the Printers icon. Click on the Setup button, click on the Paper Size and scroll down the list until you see User Defined Size. Select User Defined Size and make sure there is a dot in front of 0.01 inch in the Unit dialog box. Enter 300 for the length of the check and click OK. Click OK again to return to the Printers window. Close the Control Panel. Select the User Defined page size in your software application and try printing.

How can I change the default settings?

The defaults can be changed by entering into the SelecType menu. Press the SelecType button and the light above it will come on. The display flashes "SelecType MODE" for a brief moment, then displays "LOAD MACRO." Use your up (FORM FEED) or down (LINE FEED) arrow to browse through the SelecType menu. When "CHANGE MACRO" is displayed, press the right arrow (LOAD/EJECT) button to select that option. Once you are in the CHANGE MACRO option menu, you can the settings of the macro that is currently loaded. Once you have finished changing the settings, press the left (ON LINE) arrow button and the display alternately reads "SAVE MACRO" and "ABORT SAVE." Press the up or down arrows to select a number for the macro to be saved as (1 to 4), then press the right arrow button to save your changes. After changes have been saved to a macro, the display will again read "CHANGE MACRO." To exit the SelecType feature, press the SelecType button. For more information on the SelecType feature, please see Chapter 3 page 8 of your User's Manual.

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 1/180th 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.

Can I use the platen knob to load and adjust paper?

No, the platen knob is not to be used to load or adjust paper. The knob should only be used to clear paper jams after the printer has been turned off. Use the Load/Eject button to load or remove paper and the Microfeed feature to adjust the top-of-form position of the paper.

My printer will not power-on at all when I connect the parallel cable. What should I do?

Disconnect the cable from the back of the printer and see if the power comes on. If the printer turns on after disconnecting the cable, you probably have a cable problem. Try a different cable, making sure that it is fully-shielded and preferably six-feet or less in length. If a different cable still has the same problem, try "masking" pin 31 on the cable connector that attaches to the printer. If you decide to mask pin 31, use masking or electrical tape.

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.

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.

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.

What are the differences between the LQ-2500 and the LQ-2550?

The LQ-2550 is a replacement for the LQ-2500 and has enhanced printing features such as SmartPark, short form tear-off, micro-adjustment, and auto platen gap adjustment. Colour is now standard. Print speeds and print resolution has been increased. OCR-A and OCR-B fonts have been added to the LQ-2550's resident LQ fonts.

Is there an optional color kit?

No, the color feature is standard.