Epson Stylus 1500 Specifications

INK JET PRINTERReference GuideAll rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrievalsystem, or transmitted in any f

Appendix A, “Using Optional Interfaces,” describes optionalinterfaces you can install in your printer to enhance itscapabilities and explains how to i

SignalPinReturnPin Signal Direction Description12 28 PE OUT A HIGH signal indicates theprinter is in a paper-out stateor in an error state.13 28 SLCT

Note:❑The column heading “Direction” refers to the direction of signal flow asviewed from the printer.❑“Return Pin” denotes the twisted-pair return pi

All three initialization methods reset the font according to the defaultsettings selected using the control panel. However, ESC @ does notinitialize t

Appendix CCommands and Character TablesCommand List This printer works with the two sets of commands described inthis section.EPSON ESC/P 2 CommandsSe

IBM XL24E Emulation CodesThis printer emulates the IBM Proprinter with the followingcommands. (For detailed information, see the IBM X24/X24Ereferenc

These character tables are selected using the printer’s DefaultSetting mode or by using software commands.All tables except the italic are the same as

PC850 (Multilingual) PC860 (Portuguese) PC861 (Icelandic) PC863 (Canadian-French)C-4 Commands and Character Tables

PC865 (Nordic) AbicompBRASCII ISO Latin 1TCommands and Character Tables C-5

Roman 8ItalicNo characters are available forhex code 15 in the italic charactertable.C-6 Commands and Character Tables

International Character SetsYou can select one of the following international character setsusing the printer’s Default Setting mode or the ESC Rcomma

You can purchase ink cartridges, paper, parts, printed manuals,and accessories for EPSON products from EPSON Accessoriesat (800) 873-7766 (U.S. sales)

Characters Available with ESC ( ^ CommandTo print the characters in the table below, use the ESC ( ^command.C-8 Commands and Character Tables

GlossaryASCIIAmerican Standard Code for Information Interchange. A standardizedcoding system for assigning numerical codes to letters and symbols.auto

control codeA special code used to control a printer function such as performing acarriage return or line feed.cpiSee characters per inch.defaultA val

halftoningMethod of repeating tiny dot patterns to represent images.hex dumpA troubleshooting feature that helps identify the cause of communicationpr

resolutionA measure of the amount of detail that can be represented. Resolution ofprinted images is measured in number of dots per inch (dpi). Your pr

IndexAAccessories, purchasing, Intro-4Adjusting the thickness adjustmentlever, 1-2 to 1-3Adjustment mode, 2-5, 3-11AGM, see Alternate Graphics ModeAli

Dpi, B-1Driver, see Printer, driverDump, see Hex dump modeEEconomybutton, 2-4 to 2-6light, 2-3mode, 2-1, 2-3, 4-4Edge guideleft, 1-5, 1-10, 1-12 to 1-

Ink cartridgesconserving ink, 4-17empty, 3-2 to 3-3, 4-2, 4-8 to 4-9life expectancy, 4-8 to 4-9, 4-17, B-7old, 4-8 to 4-9ordering, 3-3print capacity,

OOnline support, Intro-5Operatebutton, 2-5 to 2-6light, 2-2Optional interface, A-1 to A-4PPage length, 2-9, B-14Papercoated, 1-1ejecting, 2-4envelopes

Printingbidirectional, 2-8demonstration page, 2-2, 2-6fast, 2-8method, B-1problems with, 4-7, 4-9, 4-11specifications, B-1 to B-2unidirectional, 2-8Pr

CompuServe online supportCompuServe® members can call the Epson America Forum onCompuServe. If you are already a member, simply type GO EPSON at the m

Important Safety Instructions Before using your printer, read these safety instructions tomake sure you use the printer safely and effectively:❑ Turn

Chapter 1Paper HandlingRead this chapter for information about choosing the bestpaper or other media for your printing needs and forinstructions on lo

To order EPSON papers and transparencies, contact yourdealer or call EPSON Accessories at (800) 873-7766 (U.S. only).In Canada, call (800) BUY-EPSON f

Media typeThicknessadjustment leverposition Media typeThicknessadjustment leverpositionStandard paper 0 Envelopes +Transparency film 0 Previously smea

Loading Plain Paper The following procedure explains how to load plain bond,letter-size paper in the sheet feeder. You can load up to100 sheets of pla

3. Slide the right edge guide to the left as far as it will go. Thenslide the left edge guide to match the width of your paper.4. Move the center sup

6. Load the stack of paper, printable side down, all the way into the sheet feeder. Make sure the right edge of the stackis against the right edge gui

FCC Compliance StatementFor United States UsersThis equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digitaldevice, pursuan

When you load paper in the landscape direction (wider than it is tall), the rear edge guide may not match thelength of your paper. In this case, remov

Loading Oversized Paper When you load paper more than 14.3 inches (364 mm) wide or16.5 inches (420 mm) long, you need to adjust the edge guideson the

4. Move the center support to a point midway between the edge guides.5. Pull the output tray extension out as far as it will go.6. Gently extend the r

8. Load the stack of paper, printable side down, so that the right edge of the stack is against the right side of the sheetfeeder. Next, slide the lef

Loading Single Sheets Manually You can load single sheets of paper from the manual feed slotwithout removing the paper supply from the sheet feeder. T

2. Lower both page eject guides.3. Position the right edge guide to the right of the arrow markon top of the manual feed slot. Then slide the left edg

4. While holding both edges of the paper, load it printable side up into the slot until it meets resistance, aligning theright edge of the paper with

Using Special Papers and Other Media When using special coated paper, glossy paper, transparencies,envelopes, labels, or banner paper, keep the follow

Loading Coated or Glossy Special Papers andTransparenciesUse the same procedure described in “Loading Plain Paper” onpage 1-4 or “Loading Oversized Pa

Follow these steps to load envelopes:1. Make sure you set the thickness adjustment lever to thecorrect position for envelope printing, as described on

ContentsIntroductionEnergy Star Compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Energy-saving Tips . . . . . .

5. If you are using the manual feed slot, position the right edge guide to the right of the arrow mark on top of themanual feed slot. Then slide the l

Loading LabelsYou can print on labels using single sheets or continuoussheets. For loading instructions, follow the procedure under“Loading Single She

❑ Make sure the printing stays entirely within the printablearea. See Appendix B for specifications.❑ Make sure the auto tear-off feature is set to of

Loading Banner PaperTo load banner paper, follow steps 1 through 4 under “LoadingSingle Sheets Manually” on page 1-11. Note:If you are printing from W

Printing on Continuous Paper The built-in tractor feeder lets you print on continuous paperfrom 4 inches (102 mm) to 16 inches (406 mm) wide. You canu

Loading Continuous Paper Follow these steps to load continuous paper in the printer:1. Place the supply of continuous paper directly behind theprinter

4. Release the sprocket units on the tractor by raising thesprocket-lock levers.5. Move the sprocket units to match the paper’s width; thenposition th

6. Open both sprocket covers.7. Make sure the printable side of the paper is up. Then fit thefirst four holes of the paper over the sprocket pins and

8. Position the left sprocket unit so its right edge is aligned with the arrow mark on the printer. The arrow markindicates the left edge of the print

10. Reattach the manual feed guide to the printer. Match theholes of the guide to the pins on both sides of the printerand push until they click into

Chapter 2Controlling the PrinterUsing the Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1Lights . . . .

12. Make sure the rear edge guide of the paper support ispushed under the output tray, as shown below, to preventa paper jam. 13. When the printer re

3. Press the Load/Eject button. The printer feeds thecontinuous paper backward to the paper-park position.Note:If you are using continuous labels, see

1. Make sure the printer is turned on.2. Press the LF/FF button to load a sheet of paper to thetop-of-form position.3. Hold down the Pause button for

cCaution:Never use the tear-off feature with labels. When fed backward,labels may come off the backing and jam the printer. When youuse labels, alway

Switching Between Continuous Paper and Single Sheets When using the tractor feeder, you can easily switch betweensingle-sheet and continuous printing

5. The printer is ready to print. When it receives data, it loads a single sheet from the sheet feeder or manual feed slot.Note:The paper eject guides

Chapter 2Controlling the PrinterThis chapter explains how to control the printer using thecontrol panel. It also describes the additional printer func

❑ Pause the printer temporarily❑ Reset the printer.LightsSee page 4-1 for information on using the lights to aid introubleshooting.OperateOn when the

EconomyOn when economy printing mode is selected. Ineconomy mode the printer uses less ink by printingfewer dots per character. Note that black may pr

Economy/Condensed (or Cleaning O)Selects economy or condensed mode as indicated bythe Economy and Condensed lights. Use thisbutton only if you print

Paper Handling Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12Paper Jam Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Alt + LF/FF (Cleaning O)Cleans the black print head; see “Cleaning the PrintHeads” in Chapter 3 for more information.Alt + Load/Eject (Cleaning NNN)

LF/FF + Load/Eject + Operate button (Hex dump)When connected to a PC, prints a page containing ahexadecimal representation of the data sent to theprin

To turn on Default Setting mode and print instructions, turn offthe printer. Make sure there is paper loaded in the printer.Then hold down the Economy

Setting OptionsPrint mode Plain paper (true black), Plain paper(composite black), Exclusive paper,TransparencyBanner paper Off, On* IBM mode onlyPrint

Software. Specifies the printer control language to use whenprinting from DOS: EPSON ESC/P 2 (default) or IBM XL24E. If your software allows you to se

Skip over perforation. Selects whether or not the printer skipsover the perforations of continuous paper, providing a 1-inchmargin between the last li

Chapter 3MaintenanceInstructions in this chapter tell you how to do the following tomaintain and care for your printer:❑ Clean the print heads❑ Replac

To clean the color print head:1. Make sure the printer is turned on and press the Pausebutton. 2. Hold down the Alt button and press Load/Eject. Thecl

cCaution:If you replace a cartridge when the Data light is on, you mustturn off your printer and then turn it back on. This erases thedata received b

Replacing the Black Ink CartridgeFollow these steps to remove the empty black ink cartridge andinstall a new one:1. Make sure the printer is on.2. Pre

Appendix CCommands and Character TablesCommand List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-1EPSON ESC

6. Insert the end of the cartridge with the foil plug into the inkcompartment following the directions on the cartridge label.7. Push the cartridge al

9. Press the Pause button to resume printing.10. If you want to check the print quality, print a demonstrationpage. If you need to initiate a cleaning

6. Lift the cartridge out of the printer and dispose of it carefullyso any excess ink does not spill out. Do not take the usedcartridge apart or try t

8. Lower the ink cartridge into its holder with the label facingup and the arrow pointing to the back of the printer. Do notpush down on the ink cartr

cCaution: The Pause light flashes for about 60 seconds while ink isbeing charged in the system. Never turn off the printerwhile the Pause light is fl

cCaution:Never use alcohol or thinner to clean the printer; thesechemicals can damage the components and the printer case.Do not use a hard or abrasi

5. Remove any paper from the sheet feeder and rear tractor.Then remove the output tray and paper support.6. Attach the protective material to the prin

Chapter 4TroubleshootingThis chapter offers solutions to problems you may encounterwith printing. It is divided into three sections:❑ Print quality pr

Light(s) Problem SolutionPaper Out isflashingPaper jam Clear the paper jam.Ink Out O or Ink Out NNNis on or flashing Ink cartridge islow on ink orem

Print Quality Problems Most print quality problems can often be solved by cleaningthe print heads as described in Chapter 3. After cleaning theprint h

Printer Partsthicknessadjustmentlevermonochrome print headcolor print headcompartmentprinter coverpaper-releaseleverknobcontrol paneltear-offedgeblack

Printed output is faint, blurred, or of poor quality.You may not be printing on the correct side of the paper. Testboth sides to determine which side

If you are using a DOS application and the black ink in theimage is blurred, select Plain paper (composite black) using theDefault Setting mode, as de

You see white banding in your printouts.Turn on MicroWeave in the printer driver.If you still see white banding, clean the print heads asdescribed in

You see incorrect colors in your printout. Make sure EPSON Stylus 1500 is selected as the defaultWindows printer driver (Windows driver) or is the las

Printing has stopped but the Pause light is off.One or both ink cartridges may be empty or too old. Acartridge is too old if it has been used longer t

The printer sounds like it is printing, but nothing prints.The print heads may need cleaning. See “Cleaning the PrintHeads” in Chapter 3 for instructi

If you’re printing text from DOS applications and you selectedcomposite black mode using the Control Panel Print Modebuttons, text printing will be mu

The printer does not seem to receive print jobs.On a PC, release any print jobs that may be held in the EPSONSpool Manager. Open the Spool Manager and

Paper Handling Problems This section describes how to prevent paper jams and ensurethat paper feeds properly.Paper Jam ProblemsIf paper jams inside th

❑ The paper was exposed to excess humidity, over 60%. SeeAppendix B for specifications on required environmentalconditions.❑ The left edge guide is to

IntroductionThis manual contains general operating and maintenanceinstructions for your EPSON® Stylus® 1500, as well astroubleshooting guidelines and

The perforation of continuous paper is not aligned with thetear-off position.Adjust the tear-off position using the Micro Adjust button inmicro adjust

The continuous paper does not eject properly.The page is too long. Tear off the last printed page and pressthe Load/Eject button to feed the paper bac

Make sure the printer driver’s Copies setting and the copiessetting in your application software are set to print one copy ata time. Also verify that

Other Problems Printing starts too high or too low on the page, or thepage length or margins are not what you expect.Make sure you selected the correc

Appendix AUsing Optional InterfacesYou can use various interface boards to supplement thecapabilities of your printer’s built-in hardware interfaces f

Using the C823051 or C823061 Serial Interface BoardTo use the C823051 or C823061 interface board, see the sectionsbelow for information on selecting t

Installing an Optional Interface Board 1. Turn off the printer.2. Unplug the printer’s power cord from the electrical outletand disconnect any interfa

5. Slide the interface board along the slots on both sides of theinterface compartment. Push it in firmly to fully insert theconnector at the rear of

Connecting the Printer to the NetworkHow you connect the printer to the network depends on yournetwork type:❑ If you are connecting to an Ethernet net

Appendix BTechnical SpecificationsPrinting Printing method: On-demand ink jetNozzle configuration: 64 monochrome (black) nozzles 60 color* (cyan, mage

Energy-saving TipsHere are a few tips you can use to be even more energy-wise:❑ If your monitor isn’t Energy Star compliant, turn it offwhen you’re no

Line spacing:1⁄6-inch (default), 1⁄8-inch, or programmablein 1⁄360-inch increments Character tables: 1 Italic and 10 graphics character tablesCharacte

Envelopes:SizeNo. 10 9.5 × 4.1 inches (241 × 104 mm)DL 8.7 × 4.3 inches (220 × 110 mm) C5 9.0 × 6.4 inches (229 × 162 mm) Paper types Plain bond or ai

Continuous paper:Size4 to 16 inches × 4 inches (102 to 406 × 102 mm)(minimum folding length)Paper types Plain paperThickness 0.065 mm to 0.1 mmWeight

The following EPSON genuine papers are available:S041062 Special coated paper for 720 dpi printing (Letter)S041067 Special coated paper for 720 dpi pr

EnvelopesAThe minimum top margin is 0.33 inch (8.5 mm). BThe minimum left margin is 0.12 inch (3.0 mm).The minimum right margin is 0.12 inch (3.0 mm).

Ink Cartridges Black ink cartridge (S020062):Color BlackPrint capacity* 1900 pages (A4 paper; text)Cartridge life* 2 years from production date and up

cCaution:Use only genuine EPSON ink cartridges and do not refill them. Otherproducts may cause damage to your printer that is not covered byEPSON’s w

Electrical Input voltage range: 103.5 to 132 VRated frequency range: 50 to 60 HzInput frequency range: 49.5 to 60.5 HzRated current: 0.7 APower consum

Fonts The printer comes with an installed set of fonts, which are selectable usingthe Default Setting mode. However, the printer always uses the fonts

Interface Specifications Data format: 8-bit parallel, IEEE P1284 compatible modeSynchronization:STROBE pulseHandshake timing: BUSY and ACKNLG signalsS