Adding a remote printer to a Micros 3700 system 1

[quicksilver84]

This is my first post so please bare with me.
I have been asked by some friends of the family to help set up another printer for their restraunt/bar. They currently have the Micros 3700 sytem on a desktop pc running Windows 2000 NT. It connects to a router which also connects to the two POS terminals running win95. One POS is located behind the bar and the other is accross the room in a wait station. Each POS has its own Epson TM-88II connected via parrallel port. There is also an EPSON TM-U200B printer, with ethernet inerface, located in the kitchen. It is connected via cat5/ethernet cable to the POS at the bar via the CLL port. The kitchen printer prints off the food orders from the two POS terminals and the POS at the bar prints off all drink orders.What I have been asked to do is add another printer (probably going to be Epson TM-U220B) at the other end of the bar, so that when an order for drinks is placed for drinks from the POS at the wait station they print off at the end of the bar.
To my understanding I need to get a cat5 cable from the CLL port of the wait station POS to the ethernet port of the new printer.?
Also, all of the printers currently in use have a Micros sticker on them, do I have to buy directly from the or can I order just the aboved mentioned Epson?
Finally what type of programing/setup is required to enable the new printer to print drink orders made from the wait station POS while still allowing food to be sent to the kitchen and tabs to be closed from the local printer?

It seems overwhelming to me but I am really hoping that some of you guys could help me out. It would truly be appreciated.

 

[pmegan]

Adding a remote printer is a bit involved but here you go.

Physical setup
1) There are 2 ports labeled IDN1 and IDN2 on the back of the printers. The new remote will be daisy chained off the bar terminal's printer using these ports. The cable from the workstation will go into one port on the check printer, the cable to the new remote will go into the other one. It doesn't matter which port you use, they're on a common bus line.
2) The IDN ports use RJ11 jacks, not RJ45's. The wiring is straight through pin for pin.
3) There's a bank of dip switches on the back of the printer. #'s 4, 3, 2 & 1 set the ID for the printer.
Its binary, with #4=1, #3=2, #2=4 & #1=8.

Programming Changes
1) set the new printer up as a device.
POS Configurator/Devices tab/Devices button.
General tab
Device Type: roll printer
Network Node: your bar workstation
Printer Definition Tab
Interface Type: IDN
Printer Type: select your printer type
Line Feed/Column: copy these from a kitchen printer setup
Printer Interface Tab
IDN ID: the dip switch setting from the printer
Com Port: 4

2) set the printer up as an order device
POS Configurator/Devices tab/Devices button.
General tab:
Add the printer name
Header: select one or leave blank
Device: the device you just set up
Backup: I'd use the bar's check printer
Redirection Device: the device you just set up
Options Tab:
Copy all settings from a kitchen printer setup

3) make/modify a print class
POS Configurator/Sales tab/Print Classes button
Look for a Bar print class. If they have one find the order device
you just set up in the Remote Devices list and check it.
Uncheck previously checked Remote Devices for the Bar print class.

4) tell the workstations they can use the new printer
POS Configurator/Devices tab/User Workstations button
Order Devices Tab
Go to each workstation that will be printing to the new device and check it in the order device list.

Obviously, make sure this is done off-hours and make a backup before starting. Start/run "runbackup -n"

Pat

 

[quicksilver84]

So it is okay to use a non-micros labeled printer?

Im also pretty sure they are rj-45 ports and their is only one per printer, Ill hopefully check later tonight.

If it is like you say though what is the point of using the CLL port on the bar POS to go to the kitchen printer?

 

[pmegan]

Are the check printers connected to the workstations with a serial cable or a flat phone cord looking cable?

 

[quicksilver84]

The check printers use parallel(TM-88II), the "remote" kitchen printer(TM-U200B) uses an ethernet connection from the bar POS.

Since they dont make the TM-U200B anymore I was going to get the new version, the TM-U220B, and wire it to the wait station POS using the open "CLL" port.

BTW thanks for the quick response.

 

[quicksilver84]

The POS printers are definitely connected via parrallel ports.
Im still curious what the CLL port is and if the configuration differs. Thanks in advance!

 

[quicksilver84]

Any one else?
All the help I can get is appreciated. I feel rude being a first time poster asking for someones time. The only reason I do so is because MICROS is forgein to me and this seems to be the only place on the web with a chance of helping me.

 

[pmegan]

The LCC port on the workstation is basically an old school connection to COM4 which it uses as the IDN printing line. It's a holdover from the old DOS based systems. It's got an 8-pin connection on the workstation end and a 6-pin on the printer end. I'm pretty sure this is a proprietory Micros interface so you'll probably have to buy the printer from a Micros dealer.
If you already have a printer from Epson with a 25 or 9 pin connector you may be able to get an IDN port from the Micros dealer and replace the parallel port with it. Depending on the workstation model you'll have a port labeled either LCC or IDN/COM4 that will run to the printer.
There's also either a 6 or 8 pin jack on the printer right next to the power supply port, mine is labeled DX. This is for an alternative power supply or something to that effect.

THe last thing you're friends are going to have to consider is support. If they have a service contract through Micros they probably won't support the printer if it's straight from Epson or may up the cost of the contract a little. They're usually based on the amount of equipment.

 

[quicksilver84]

I really appreciate your help but I still have a couple ?s

1. If the system is proprietory can I just connect the printer directly to the router and install it on the individual sytems?

2. Also as far as the printer having a chip in it,

http://www.foodservicei.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10491&page=5&pp=10

...any truth in this?

 

[pmegan]

1) Nope. Even though it looks like a network cable/connection it isn't. The printer has to be hardwired to the workstation. It's running off COM4 on the workstation. With the IDN ports you can connect up to 15 printers off that one port, even though more that 2 or 3 will slow it down a bit.

2) He's right on the money. There aren't any proprietory chips, just the IDN port. This looks like a parallel port card with 2 phone jacks instead of the 25 pin connector and is only available from Micros. If you don't have a printer yet, order one from the local Micros dealership. It's the easiest route.

 

[quicksilver84]

I have done more research and have come to this (correct me if I am wrong)...

From my back POS (already has a Tm-88II hooked up via parallel) I am going to get an adapter that converts the rs232 serial input to rj-45. From their I will run cat5 to my desired remote location and bassically install the same adapter except the serial end will plug into the rs232 port on the printer.

???sss
1. Is it possible to use two printers on the same machine?
2. Will an off the shelf epson (non-micros branded) printer work?
3. Will the signal be strong enough?

Here are links to the pdf's that show the wiring schematics and also a link to the adapter.

https://shasta.ups.edu/EndUserDocumentation/din_lib/OneCard/cbordwelcomekit/pdf/3700siteprep.pdf

http://www.electronicsoutfitter.com/store/gc98ff.html

 

[quicksilver84]

Pegman you are awesome, but I havent given up yet!!!!!

See what you think^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[regilobo]

1. Is it possible to use two printers on the same machine?
Yes. You should have no problem if the com port is enabled and functioning.

2. Will an off the shelf epson (non-micros branded) printer work?
Yes. Just specify the serial interface when ordering.

http://www.posworld.com/

has good pricing and customer service in my experience.

3. Will the signal be strong enough?
Unless it is the world's longest bar, you'll be fine. How far is it from the PCWS to where you want the remote printer? You may be able to avoid the whole DB9-RJ45/RJ45-DB25 conversion by just purchasing a long serial printer cable.

Or if it is easier to find a long parallel cable, you could swap the printer boards on the TMT88 and the U200., making the TMT88 serial and the U200 parallel. You just unscrew the 2 screws on the back of the board and pop it out...easy.

But if you still want to do the connector conversion, you will also need an adapter for the printer side:

http://www.electronicsoutfitter.com/store/gc258mf.html

Make sure you purchase a few extra adapters in case you screw up the wiring, although it usually isn't too difficult to pull the pins back out.

 

[pmegan]

I totally agree with regilobo. If you go the serial route try to get a cable long enough to reach the printer. There's more chance of things falling apart the other way, especially behind a bar with things getting thrown behind the printers & on top of the cables.

You may have to add the serial port to the bar terminal's network node setting. It's probably com1 but double check at the terminal.