EPSON DFX-8500

Other control panel features

Self test

By holding down the LF/FF Load or

 

Tear Off button while you turn on the

 

printer, you can start the printer’s self

 

test. The self test prints the characters in

 

the printer’s ROM (Read Only

 

Memory).

Hex dump

By holding down both the LF/FF Load

 

and Tear Off buttons while you turn on

 

the printer, you can turn on the hex

 

dump mode. This feature prints the codes

 

that are sent to the printer so that

 

advanced users can find the cause of

 

communication problems between the

 

computer and printer.

Print settings

By holding down the Pause button while

 

you turn on the printer, you can print the

 

current DIP switch settings. See the next

 

section for more information.

Paper memory

By holding down the Paper Select

setting

button while you turn on the printer, you

 

can register the paper form information

 

when you use multi-part forms that

 

overlap or forms with labels on them.

Paper Handling

Using the two-tractor system

Your printer’s paper handling system consists of a front push tractor and a rear push tractor. Both tractors are easy to load and operate, and both accommodate a wide variety of paper types, including labels and multi-part forms. The printer automatically adjusts to the thickness of your loaded paper, so you don’t need to make any manual adjustments to the paper thickness settings.

You can print on continuous paper from 4 inches (101 mm) to 16 inches (406 mm) wide. Your printer senses the paper width automatically.

When using more than two types of paper, load the paper you use most often onto the front tractor. The front tractor, which is easier to reach, will be available for the paper you change more frequently. Use only the front tractor for printing on labels, continuous forms with labels, overlapping multi-part forms, and overlapping multi-part forms with labels.

Note:

Before using your paper, check that it matches the specifications described earlier. Also make sure your paper has a straight edge.

If continuous paper is fed past the sprocket (on the last page, for example), the paper may not feed properly.

Positioning the paper supply

You can load continuous paper from both the front and the rear, so be sure to leave enough room around the printer for the two stacks of fresh paper and for the printed stack. Make sure you align your paper supply with the paper loaded in the tractor so the paper feeds smoothly into the printer.

The following illustration shows three ways to position your printer and paper: with the front tractor loaded, with the rear tractor loaded, and with both tractors loaded.

Note:

Make sure that your stack of printed pages does not interfere with the rear tractor’s paper supply.

What paper types you can use

You can use the continuous paper types listed below. (For some paper types, the rear tractor is not available.)

Continuous Paper Types

Front Tractor

Rear Tractor

 

 

 

Single-sheet

available

available

 

 

 

Multi-part

available

available

 

 

 

Labels

available

not available

 

 

 

Continuous forms with labels

available

not available

 

 

 

Overlapping multi-part forms

available

not available

 

 

 

Overlapping multi-part forms with

available

not available

labels

 

 

 

 

 

Adjusting the paper position

You can adjust the top-of-form position as well as the printing position at any point on the page by using the TOF and Micro Feed buttons. The printer then remembers the new top-of-form position. When you use the optional pull tractor, you can adjust the paper position as described below.

Note:

The printing position (based on the top-of-form position) is controlled by your software. To change the print position, adjust your software’s print settings. Use the following procedure only if your software does not allow print position adjustment.

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