SATO M-8400RV manual BI-DIRECTIONAL Communications

Section 5. Interface Specifications

Cable Requirements

HOST	INTERCONNECTION		PRINTER
FG	←⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯→	1	FG (Frame Ground)
RD	←⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯	2	TD (Transmit Data)
TD	⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯→	3	RD (Receive Data)
	⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯	4	RTS (Request to Send)
	⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯	5	CTS (Clear to Send)
	⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯	6	DSR (Data Set Ready)
	⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯	20	DTR (Data Terminal Ready)
SG	←⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯→	7	SG (Signal Ground)

Data Streams

The data streams for X-On/X-Offare constructed in the same way as they are for Ready/Busy flow control. The STX and ETX control characters must frame the data stream. (NOTE: All characters, including STX, ESC and ETX are in ASCII).

<STX><ESC>A . . Job#1 . . <ESC>Z<ESC>A . . Job#n . . <ESC>Z<ETX>

Example: <STX>A . . Job#1 . . <ESC>Z<ETX>XXXXX

BI-DIRECTIONAL COMMUNICATIONS

This is a two-way communications protocol between the host computer and the printer, thus enabling the host to check printer status. When this protocol is selected, there is no busy signal from the printer (pin 20, DTR, is always high). The host must request the complete status from the printer, including ready/busy. Whenever the host requests printer status, it transmits an ENQ to the printer and the printer will respond with its status within five milliseconds. If printing, it will respond upon finishing the current label, then resume printing. In order for this protocol to work properly, pin 6 (DTR) and pin 5 (CTS) must be held high by the host. One way to ensure these pins are always in the correct state is to tie pin 20 (DTR) to pin 6 (DSR) and pin 4 (RTS) to pin 5 (CTS) at the printer end of the cable.

Cable Requirements

HOST	INTERCONNECTION			PRINTER
FG	←⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯→		1	FG (Frame Ground)
RD	←⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯		2	TD (Transmit Data)
TD	⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯→		3	RD (Receive Data)
		⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯	4	RTS (Request to Send)
		⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯	5	CTS (Clear to Send)
		⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯	6	DSR (Data Set Ready)
		⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯	20	DTR (Data Terminal Ready)
SG	←⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯→		7	SG (Signal Ground)

SATO M-8400RV 9001041 Rev. D Page 5-6