Impact Printer / Dot-Matrix Printer
2001. Can I detect the end of the paper roll before it run out completely?
The SP700& SP500 has an optional low cost "Near End Paper Sensor" that will alert a warning when the paper roll is nearly empty. The sensor is adjustable to identify paper near end or almost coming to end. Full fitting instructions are supplied with each sensor.
Instead of adding optional "Near End Paper Sensor" on SP700, the transparent window located at the "Top-rear" side of SP700 is designed for checking the amount of residual paper visually.
2002. Can I mount the printer vertically on the wall?
The SP700 & SP500 has an optional "Vertical kit" as well as "Wall Mounting Kit" .
"Vertical kit" can be used to stand the printer vertically on the table without any stand frame.
"Wall Mounting Kit" of SP500 & SP2000 can be used to mount the printer onto a vertical surface.
However, it is impossible to use the"Re-wind" (or called "Journal" ) option and the "Near End Paper Sensor" option when the printer is vertically mounted.
2003. What is the maximum paper width and paper thickness of the printer?
SP700 support 76mm, 70mm and 58mm wide paper. It is adjustable by paper guide.
SP500 supports 76mm and 58mm wide paper. It is also adjustable by paper guide.
In addition, both printers can use 1-ply paper or paper with copies.
1-ply is up to 0.1mm thickness, 2-ply is up to a total thickness of 0.14mm and 3-ply is up to a total thickness of 0.20mm.
Pleae browse their product information for checking the specification in details.
2004. Can I keep a second copy of the receipt?
The SP700 have re-winder model and the SP500 have a paper re-wind option that will enable a "Journal" copy of all output to be winded onto an internal spindle. Full fitting instruction is supplied with each rewinder unit.
2005. Can SP700 & SP500 print in Red/Black?
By using 2 colour ribbon on SP700 and related print command sent by host, red or black colour can be printed by SP700.
Due to the mechanical limitation, SP500 is unable to print 2 colour. Instead of dual colour function, SP500 has highlight printing. The 4 types of high lighting method are selectable by MSW. When you send a 2 color command, you can select 4 types of highlight printing alternatively.
Set MSW#0 to choose among 4 types of emphasis printing
Chinese Characters are also supported with 4 types of emphasis printing by <ESC> "4" (SP500 ver 1.5 F/W or higher.)
2006. Why SP2000 cannot print at full speed in ESC/POS mode?
SP2000 may run under "Uni-directional" mode. It could be a result of the ESC/POS Windows driver selecting the Uni-directional mode at the end of each line. In this case, there is a MSW setting to ignore the Uni-directional control code.
2007. Why SP2000 cannot print at full speed of 3.1 lps in Star mode?
SP2000 is set (by default) to uni-directional printing for all graphics and bi-directional printing for text. However, selected text functions will automatically revert to uni-directional printing, including red/black printing, emphasized printing and enlarged printing.
To increase the throughput to the full 3.1 lines per second, it is possible to set the MSW to uni-directional text "Invalid" and also bi-directional graphics to "Valid" .
2008. How do I perform a self-test print with an SP298?
2009. How do I get my SP700 & SP500 to print Chinese characters by direct command?
With Chinese font installed into the printer, you need to set MSW setting from single byte to double byte.
2010. On SP300, the alarm light goes on and it will not print a self-test. What is the cause to this situation?
Printer has a cover open sensor, make sure front cover is closed correctly.
SP500 and SP2000 don't have cover open switch.
2011. Can I print Traditional Chinese characters (Big5) by SP700 or SP500 or SP2000?
In case of SP700 and SP500, the printers need to install the Big5 font and set MSW setting to double bytes. In case of SP2000, it needs to add the optional character rom.
2012. How can I control the black mark by SP700 & SP500?
- There are several control codes for black mark after setting MSW#1-8=1.
- <FF> ---Simply, after this command is executed, paper feed executes until black mark sensor detects coming black mark. The feed length after black mark detection can be defined with MSW7 or command <ESC> <FF> n1 n2. (default = 0 mm)
- <ESC> "d" n --- In case of n=2 or 3, simply, after this command is executed, paper executes <FF> command function as above, and paper is cut. If the cutting position locates before black mark detecting position. It is better to set cutting position by command, <ESC> <GS> "(F" .
2013. What is "Contextual auto cut" ?
Contextual auto cut is the paper cutting function without cutting command. In case of paper feeding continues 7/6 inch, paper cutting is executed automatically. This function is for the system which can send only ASCII and cannot send escape sequence such as <ESC> command.
It is useful for replacing the tear bar model to cutter model without application change. After setting MSW2-3=1, "contextual auto cut" will be valid.
Since this function changes LF command to cutting command, you can apply it to auto macro printing like auto logo printing.
2014. What is the Chinese font specification of Star impact printers?
The Chinese fonts installed inside Star SP700 and SP500 series conform to GB18030 and BIG5, while SP298 conform to GB2312.
2015. What is the length of fabric inside ribbon used on SP700 & SP500?
2016. Is it possible to use fanfold paper in SP700 & SP500, likes SP322?
2017. Why is pause occurred when continuously printing for long time?
There is a thermistor detecting the temperature of print head.
When the temperature is increasing while printing continuously, printer will slow down or even pause in order to decrease the temperature. It will prevent print head from damage.
2018. Will data be kept when front cover of SP700 is opened?
2019. Can buzzer be plugged into SP700 & SP500?
Buzzer can be plugged into connector near the interface. Star also produced buzzer which can be mounted on SP700 and certain thermal printer models.
2020. What is the advantage of SP700 18-pins printer?
Using 18 pin print head, one line of Chinese character only needs 1 time of moving carriage horizontally. But using 9 pin print head, it needs 2 times of movement.
Therefore, the speed of printing Chinese character by 18 pins print head will be double faster than 9 pins print head.
Also, printing graphical image, 18 pin print head will be faster.