Epson TM-T88IV will not print!

[coxy30933]

Hi all, I wonder if anyone can help me?

I recently bought two thermal printers (Epson TM-T88IV) and know they were both working when I bought them. I have hooked them both up via parallel cable, (not simultaneously) yet neither will print. They both performed their self-test successfully, and they both say 'ready', yet they never print.

I spent 15 hours on them in the last 24 hours and I am at my wits end. I fix computers for a living and have never struggled like this to get a printer working. I have tried all sorts of drivers, all bios printer settings, different DIP switch combinations, still nothing.

At some point I managed to print a test page which consisted of rows of question marks, but that only happened once, and subsequent attempts at printing have succeeded only in making the paper feed out about 1mm.

I read on one forum somewhere that someone solved this problem by using a parallel to serial cable, but my computer does not have a serial port, and I don't see why it won't work with a straight parallel to parallel cable?!

I would be very grateful for any help as I am completely stumped and on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

Many thanks!

 

[Circle9]

When you print the test page, does it say serial interface or parallel? If it is a serial interface, you will need to purchase a special null modem cable.

 

[pasupport]

You can buy a parallel interface card for about 40 bucks on CDW.

Did you match the Dip switch setting to a printer you know works?

Are you using these in a place that had a parallel printer before?

Windows XP is really slow for the parallel version of this printer so I'd suggest switching to serial if possiable.


--
Visit my website site a pasupportsolutions.com for cool tips and tricks

 

[coxy30933]

Thanks for the replies, I have tried it on about 5 working parallel ports with printers previously working on them. I have tried USB to parallel, a parallel PCI card, straight on board parallel, all combinations of ECP, standard, bi directional...tried a generic text driver, various different Epson drivers, various different dip switch settings...I'm beginning to wonder if it is supposed to be connected via parallel at all? I cannot find any info on the recommended cable, I was told it supports straight parallel. Windows installs the printer fine, just WILL NOT EVER print. It's so, so frustrating.

To make matters worse, I have tried installing another similar printer from the same range, that does exactly the same damn thing.

 

[sanfranqsr]

Did you install the windows driver from epson (you can d/l it directly from them), or just add a printer in xp?

I had a similar problem about 3 years ago and know that I fixed it - and the printers ran perfectly on xp with a parallel interface (I actually found them to be significantly faster than serial). I think it was a cable issue because I remember going to radio shack. I usually make notes when I figure problems like this out so I'll take a look....

 

[coxy30933]

I've tried drivers from both, several of each, in fact. I will try another cable now!

 

[coxy30933]

Tried yet another brand new cable, nothing.

 

[pasupport]

Previously were you using the TM-88III?
My suggestion would be to switch to serial. There are no drivers to worry about just the correct pin out. What type of terminal are you using?


--
Visit my website site a pasupportsolutions.com for cool tips and tricks

 

[coxy30933]

I haven't used any thermal printers before. I have a TM-88III aswell but I really wanted the TM-88IV working. I'm on a Windows XP setup. Tried Pro and Home edition. I'm about to try to diagnose the problem on MS Dos. Somebody else suggested the serial cable, but the printer doesn't have a serial interface, and I am not sure a parallel to serial cable would work.

Many thanks for your suggestions! This is the hardest thing I have ever tried to set up in my entire life!

 

[coxy30933]

It won't even print from DOS. Just shuffles the paper up about 1mm, same as it did in Windows. It is driving me insane. I'd like to think it might just be a dodgy printer but it is doing it on two of them.

 

[coxy30933]

It's working! Ordered a serial interface card and cable, it now works fine. To be honest I think it was the baud rate which was the problem though. It is now set to 3800. Thanks for all your help, by the way, does anyone know how much luck I'm likely to have printing graphics on this printer? And how I'd go about it?