Preface | Compaq LA36 specification

Preface

About this Manual

Thank you for buying a Compaq LA36 Companion Printer. You can expect years of reliable service with very little maintenance. The information provided in this guide applies both to the Compaq LA36 Companion Printer (80-column printer) and to the Compaq LA36W Companion printer (136-column printer). However, illustrations are of LA36N Companion Printer. This guide explains how you can use your printer to full advantage. It is written for both new and experienced printer users.

This manual consists of two parts: an Installation Guide and a User Manual. The former, provided as a hardcopy document with your printer, describes how to install and set up your printer. This part, describes how to use your printer and printer options, how to keep the printer in good working condition, and what to do should something go wrong. Detailed procedures are provided for first-time users. Experienced users can skip some of the details, using the table of contents and chapter introductions to locate specific information.

This part has several appendixes, a glossary, and an index. Appendix A lists supplies and options available from your dealer or authorized representative of Compaq Computer Corporation.

Printer Models and Options

Model LA36N is an 80-column printer and model LA36W is a 136-column printer. Both models have a dual interface made up of Bitronics parallel and DEC-423 serial. The power supply of the printer is either for 100-120 VAC input or for 220-240 VAC input. You must specify the print line and the power rating when purchasing the printer. Other options include a color print feature which you can add by yourself after purchasing the printer. The configuration is:

LA36N/LA36W

Basic specifications

Print line at 10 cpi*: 80 columns for LA36N 136 columns for LA36W

Interfaces: Bitronics parallel and DEC-423 serial Alternative specification

Power supply: 100–120 VAC or 220–240 VAC User add-on options

Color Kit

* cpi: characters per inch

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Compaq LA36 user manual Preface

Contents

Compaq Matrix Printer LA36 Page Table of Contents Printing Supplies and Options Resident Fonts Glossary GL-1 Index IN-1 Preface Organization Maintenance Viii Introduction Options Paper Handling Parts of the Printer 1812 Front View Basic States of the Printer Operations of the Control Panel Control Panel Operations Will turn blinking Paper Thickness and Number of Copies Paper Specifications Paper SizeSelecting Paper Printer Acoustical Feed-Backs Ready state but not receiving or printing data Pause state Paper select lever Font indicators Paper thickness leverOverview of Paper Operations Control panel Buttons Levers and Buttons Used for Paper Handling AdjustingforPaperThickness Loading a Single Sheet of Paper Using Single SheetsCopy Copies Ribbon replacement Paper Thickness Lever Positions Setting Paper Select Lever and Left Paper Guide Ejecting Single Sheets UsingContinuousForms Positioning the Paper Stack Loading Continuous Forms Push Tractor and Rear Feed Positioning the Tractor Using the Tractor Guide Adjusting Paper Tension Better manipulate the metallic parts of the tractor unit Loading Continuous Forms Pull Tractor and Bottom Feed Removing the Tractor Unit Installing the Tractor Unit for Pull-tractor Feed Passing Continuous Forms Paper From Under the Printer Setting Continuous Forms Paper on the Tractors Recovering from an Unexpected Unloading Operation Unloading Continuous Forms Push-Feed ModeTearing Off Continuous Forms Automatic-Tear-Off Advancing Manual Tear-Off Advancing Print Area Definition Feeding and Positioning Paper Abcdefghij ··· Line Feed/Form Feed Top-of-Form Adjustment Switching Paper Types Switching between Push-Feed and Pull-Feed Turn the printer off Tips on Paper Handling Envelopes Use the no Tear value of the Tear option in the Set-Up modeGeneral Tips Multipart Forms Printing Selecting Print Features Using the Control Panel Using Commercial Software Selecting Macro 1 or Macro DEC Macro 1 and Macro 2 SettingsEpson IBM Epson mode DEC modeIBM&Epson mode IBM mode Menu access Installation SettingsAdjustments Settings Menu Access Settings Selecting a Resident Font Changing the Protocol Resuming Printing Starting or Stopping PrintingStarting Printing Stopping and Viewing Printing Removing Single Sheets Removing Printed PagesRemoving Continuous Forms What is Set-Up Mode for? Using Set-Up Mode How Set-Up Works Entering the Set-Up Mode OFF on Initial Printout in the Set-Up Mode Set-Up Mode Functions Overview of the Set-Up Mode DEC Options with Pre-determined Values Print the menu of the vertical pitch option Enter the Set-Up modeExample Changing theVertical Pitch Select the Macro 2 function Example Changing the Left Margin Options with Undetermined Values Print the menu of the left margin option Options with Both Pre-determined and Undetermined ValuesChange the left margin from column 1 to column Summary of the Set-Up Mode Points to Remember Printing the Printer Configuration Printout of Factory Settings Using the Print Function Required Options Deciding Which Options to Change Changing Macro 1 and Macro 2 Options Install Baud Rate BIT&PARITY Buffer CTL Disc Fault Macro 1 and Macro 2 Options List Macro 1 and Macro 2 Options and Values HI-IMPACT Prtcl ParlFont Hsdraft Form Width Line ModeForm Lengh Left Margn Print DIR Unidir Paper SRCManual Rsvd EOT Discon DEC PRT IDLA50 ID Auto Wrap Truncate French DEC G0 CSTBritish Finnish Latin GK User PrefLatin Latin HB Ecma Deflt SETCP DHN Turkey CHR SET IBM SETDBL Higt IBM AGM Install Options List ChangingInstallOptions Install Options and Values Provided. If you need a larger capacity for Input buffer, a minimal download buffer isDownloading fonts, reduce the input buffer Number of data bits Parity bit Mnual ADJ AdjustingTop-of-FormOriginAdjust Options and Values Fnfold ADJ LF and FF/Load buttons at the same time. ChangingMenuAccessOptionsMenu Access Option and Values Exiting and Saving Using the Diagnostic Functions RecallingFactorySettingsPrinting Test Print the hex dump Hex Dump ModeStart the Hex Dump mode select the HEX-DUMPoption Exit the Hex Dump mode Sample Hex Dump Setup Mode MACRO1 MACRO2 Set-Up Mode Quick Reference Print Install Adjust Tests RCALL-FACT MENU-ACCES SAVE&EXIT Using Set-Up Mode Cleaning and Vacuuming the Printer Cleaning Cleaning the Platen and Paper Bail Rollers Replacing the Ribbon Cartridge Cleaning the Print Head Remove the new ribbon cartridge from its package and install Replacing the Print Head Maintenance Print Quality Problems and Solutions Solving problems Thickness of your paper. See the Paper Thickness Top margin is wrong Paper cannot be loaded or fed Paper Handling Problems and Solutions Depressed Operating Problems and Solutions Printer Failures DiagnosticFunctions CheckingVerticalAlignment Adjust the vertical print alignment at Letter quality speedStart the vertical alignment test Exit the vertical alignment function Vertical Alignment Adjustment Options Supplies Installing the Color Kit InstallingOptions PhysicalSpecifications FunctionalSpecifications Fonts Character setsBarcode PerformanceSpecifications Print Area PaperSpecifications Print Area for Continuous Forms Paper Thickness Do not use in high humidity environments Command Sets DEC PPL2 Quick Reference Guide Escape 1/11, introduces an escape sequence ConventionsControl string CSI Pn ... Pn u Positioning ControlsC0 Control Code C1 Control Code Sheet Size and Margins Type Size and Spacing, Managing Implicit Cursor Motion Font Management and Attribute Selection TBC TabsCSI Pn . . . Pn u CSI Pn . . . Pn Selecting Character Sets Ascii SCS Final Characters Reports Brief CSI Ps n DCS Ps Pn2 Pn3String ST CSI Ps n Miscellaneous CSI Ps1 Pn2 Barcode PrintingDecbar Decsbca Sixel Graphics Device Control String Envelope Sixel Graphics Grid Size defined by Pn3 Sixel Graphics Protocol Selector Ps1 Pn1 Pn2 Pn3 Pn4 Sixel Graphics Control CodesPc Pu Px Py Pz Standard 8-bit Code Table Left Half Standard 8-bit Code Table Right Half Designating and Invoking Character Sets ISO JIS National Replacement Character Sets IBM Proprinter X24E and XL24E Quick Reference Guide Print Mode Control Tabulation Horizontal ControlESC Vertical Control Color Selection FormattingCharacter Set Control Bit Image Graphics CanDC1 Downloading ESC EM R Cut Sheet Feeder ControlESC EM ESC EM E Epson ESC/P2 Quick Reference Guide ESC P ESC M Line feed Form feed Advance paper n/180 inch 1 £ n £ ESC J n £ d1 £ 255 0 £ d2 £ £ character codes £ Character codes Font Selection and Downloading Timeless Nimbus Sans Courier Set scalable font mode ESC @ Function Command Parallel Interface Interface Information Centronics Compatible signals To printer HostClk High in reverse data transfer phase Ieee 1284-B Nibble Mode signals Serial Interface Serial Options Cable WiringBuffer Control DTR XON/XOFF DC1/DC3 DEC PPL2 Protocol Character Sets Character Sets Character Sets Character Sets Character Sets Character Sets Character Sets Character Sets Character Sets Character Sets Character Sets Character Sets Character Sets Character Sets Character Sets Character Sets Character Sets Character Sets Code Default Sets Code Ecma Turkish ISO Latin Hungarian Slovenian Polish Elot Latin Polish Mazowian Kamenicky Cyrillic Macedonian Lithuanian IBM Set 1/2 IBM Proprinter X24E and XL24E ProtocolIBM Set National Character Sets Epson ESC/P2 ProtocolCommon Characters National Characters Character Sets Resident Fonts Timeless outline Nimbus Sans outline Glossary Carriage Return CR Dpi Line Spacing Pitch Tear Bar BIT&PARITY Bottom MRG Disc FaultAnswer ENQ Autoansbk Horz Pitch Error BeepEOT Discon Form Lengh Recovering form an Unexpected Unloading Operation Vert Pitch International Standards Conformity