Romeo Classic Braille Embosser & Signmaker Enabling Technologies 1601 Northeast Braille Place Jensen Beach, Florida 34957 USA Toll-Free Phone USA Only (800) 777 3687 Toll-Free Fax USA Only (800) 950 3687 Phone (772) 225 DOTS (3687) Fax (772) 225 FAXX (3299) E-Mail: enabling@brailler.com World Wide Web: http://www.brailler.com Copyright 1986-98 by Enabling Technologies Company All Rights Reserved. Revised June, 1998. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, without the express written permission of Enabling Technologies Company. Every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this manual to ensure the completeness and accuracy of the information it contains. Even so, Enabling Technologies Company assumes no responsibility for such errors or omissions that may occur. Neither do we assume any liability for damages resulting from the use of information contained herein. Apple is a registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc. Braille 'n Speak is a registered trademark of Blazie Engineering. Centronics is a registered trademark of Control Data Computer Corporation. Edgar is a registered trademark of Duxbury Systems. Hayes is a registered trademark of Hayes Microcomputer Products. HP-125 and HP-150 are registered trademarks of Hewlett Packard, Inc. IBM PC is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. Kurzweil is a registered trademark of the Xerox Corporation. Micro Braille is a registered trademark of Micro Engineering. MS-DOS is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation. PokaDots is a registered trademark of Len Dozier. Ransley is a registered trademark of D.K. and A.K. Ransley. The ENERGY STAR logo is a registered service mark of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and does not represent EPA endorsement of any product or service. VersaBraille is a registered trademark of Telesensory, Inc. Page 2 Contents Introduction (Page 3) Getting Started (Page 6) Unpacking (Page 6) Installing Paper (Page 6) Self Test (Page 7) Using The Keypad (Page 7) Setting Top-of-Form (Page 8) Menus, Parameters and Defaults (Page 8) Setting Up a Serial Connection (Page 9) Advancing Paper (Page 10) Tone Messages (Page 10) Graphics (Page 11) Multi-Copy (Page 12) Signmaker Option (Page 14) Possible Sources of Trouble (Page 15) Technical Specifications (Page 18) FCC Compliance (Page 20) Quick Reference Guide (Page 21) Key Descriptions (Page 21) Multi-Copy (Page 21) Configuration Settings (Page 21) The Service Menu (Page 23) Warranty, Support & Service (Page 24) Page 3 Introduction Manuals often open with a serious injunction urging that the entire document be read from cover to cover before readers attempt to operate anything. But when many people encounter that, they're likely to just close the book, pick up the phone and ask customer support to help them get going. We hope instead to guide you to the information you will need in order to use your Romeo right away. If you have mastered the operation of an Enabling embosser which is less than five years old, you can probably get started after merely skimming the manual. In addition to the Braille and print copies of this manual, there is also an electronic text copy on the diskette that came with the Romeo. If this is your first experience with using a Braille printer, we hope you'll read "Getting Started" pretty thoroughly. The Quick Reference Guide at the back of this manual also provides a brief summary of most commands in just a few pages. An occasional glance at the Reference Manual can also help you use some of the many convenience features of the Romeo productively. You will find two versions of the Reference Manual on the enclosed diskette. The file containing a Braille translation of the reference manual is called refman.brf and is already formatted and suitable for embossing at 25 lines per page and 40 characters per line. The print version is stored as refman.prf, and you can read (and search) it with any word processor. We've also included a summary of possible problems and their most likely solutions. Formatting and transmission problems can be caused by your computer or the software creating your Braille files even though the Romeo is functioning exactly as it should. We hope you'll take a little time to become comfortably familiar with your system in order to get the best results on the Braille page as quickly as possible. Page 4 Glossary The following list of words and phrases will be used throughout this manual. It would be helpful to familiarize yourself with them before proceeding. Buffer Memory reserved to store data entered into the embosser. One page uses about 1K or 1000 characters of the buffer. Configuration A collection of settings for a particular computer connection. Default What you get if you don't change anything. Emboss Head Mechanical element that makes the Braille dots. Interface Connection. Interpoint Braille characters on both the front and back sides of a single sheet of paper. Menu A stored collection of settings in the embosser's memory. Multi-Copy Built-in function copies stored text up to 99 times. NOV-RAM Nonvolatile memory. Stores menu settings while the power is off. On-Line Ready to receive data from a computer serial or parallel port. Off-Line Ready to receive commands. Not ready to receive data from computer. Parallel Port Connects embosser to a computer with a Centronics type interface. Parameters Settings. ROM Read only memory. Contains the embosser "firmware" (permanent programming) of its features and functions. Serial Port Connects the embosser to a computer with a Serial RS-232C Interface. Sequence A series of key strokes, usually followed by the Enter Key. Page 5 Top-of-Form Offset Top margin of Braille paper during embossing Tractor Moves the paper through the machine while printing. Tractor Well Recess into which the tractors are installed. Page 6 Getting Started Unpacking Check the printer and accessories carefully for damage. If any damage is apparent, notify the shipper immediately. Also, check the contents against the packing list and if you find a discrepancy, notify us as soon as possible. IMPORTANT! Save the carton and the packing material! You will need this should you ever have to return the printer for service. Although the printer is packaged in a sturdy case and is very shock resistant, we do not recommend shipping without proper packing! Installing Paper This printer will produce good quality Braille on paper weights between 20 lb. and 100 lb. Twenty pound (20 lb.) computer paper can be used for rough drafts, but 90-100 lb. paper is recommended for any documents that are going to be kept and reused. Place the printer on a table top. If the paper stack is small, it may be placed on the table in front of the printer. If a large stack is used, it should be placed on the floor in front of the table. Place the front of the printer close to the edge of the table. Install the paper, passing the top edge of the paper under the platen bar, which runs horizontally across the top of the printer. Note that the printer has one set of two paper tractors located near the rear of the machine just behind the platen bar. Each tractor has a paper hold-down which can be opened by lifting on the inside edge. Open the paper tractors. Once lifted to the vertical position they will stay open until closed by hand. Position the tractors so that the pins line up with the holes on the edges of the paper. To move the tractors, pull the release handles, located near the outside edge of each tractor, toward you. You can now slide the tractors right and left on the rails. They may be a little stiff at first. Once you find the best position for the left tractor, leave it there and move the right tractor to adjust for paper width. After inserting the paper on the sprocket pins, close the paper hold-downs and move the release handles toward the rear of the printer. Be sure to allow enough room behind the printer to collect the paper. Page 7 Self Test Place the power switch in the off position. Insert the line cord in the AC interlock. Plug the cord into a grounded outlet supplying at least the power requirements listed under electrical in the "Technical Specifications" section of the Reference Manual. Turn the power switch on. The printer will execute a self test and play a tune from "Tchaikovsky's Romeo And Juliet". If the self test fails, the "Chopin Funeral Dirge" will be played. If the "Chopin Funeral Dirge" or no tone is heard at all, refer to the "Service" section in the Reference Manual. Using The Keypad The 16-key keypad in the right front corner of the printer is how you tell the embosser what to do. The top three rows are laid out in calculator format with 7, 8, and 9 running from the upper left corner on the top row, 4, 5, and 6 just below them, and 1, 2, and 3 next to the bottom. There are also some other keys running down the right column and along the bottom row that are important, too. When you turn the Romeo on, it is automatically on-line and ready to receive and emboss characters from your computer. To change features in the Romeo or advance paper, the Romeo must usually go off-line with: The On-Line/Off-Line Key Located in the upper right corner of the keypad (next to the 9), OL is probably the most frequently used key. Notice when you touch this key, it signals whether it's going on- or off-line with a distinctive two-tone sequence. Below OL is: The Line-Feed (LF) Key When you're off-line, each time the key is pressed the page will advance one line without disturbing the top-of-form setting. Below LF is: The Formfeed (FF) Key Off-line, the formfeed key advances the page to the next top-of-form position. Each time the key is pressed the page will advance one full page. Below FF in the lower right corner is: The View (V) Key Pressing the V key will advance the page by several lines, allowing the operator to read the line that just embossed under the platen. This feature is very handy when editing a document Page 8 or communicating with a computer in terminal mode. Directly to the left of V is: The Enter (E) Key E is most often used to end key sequences, similar to the Return key on your computer. To the left of E is the decimal point, and to the left of that, is the zero key (0). Setting Top-of-Form With paper installed in the tractors, you are ready to set the "top-of-form," a setting inside the embosser that decides where the page of Braille begins. First, locate the paper advance knob, which moves the paper back and forth. The knob is protruding through the top of the printer surface near the left edge of the tractor well. Roll it forward or back with your thumb to move the paper. A commonly used setting for the start of Braille pages on a sheet of paper is about three sixteenths of an inch beyond the platen. When you find the setting that best suits your needs, turn the embosser's power OFF and then ON again to set the top- of-form. Once set, the printer will remember the top-of-form setting. Moving the paper with the line-feed LF, formfeed FF or the view key V does not disturb the top-of-form setting. Menus, Parameters and Defaults Now that you have installed paper and set top-of-form, turn off the printer, connect a parallel cable between your computer and the Romeo, turn the printer back on, and proceed to send a short sample file. A simple DOS copy command may be all you ever need to transmit files; if you're in Windows, use the Generic/Text Printer Driver to connect with the Romeo. Even if the file is just a plain text file, the Romeo should begin embossing at once, confirming that the parallel connection to your computer is working as it should. It's unlikely that your first embossing job looks exactly as you might hope, especially if this is your first experience with Braille, but fortunately there are thirty-two different settings you can easily change. Some of these settings (such as left and right margin, page and line length, word wrap and auto line-feed) are found in virtually all computer environments. Others are unique to Braille environments, and most you probably will never have to change. If you do alter the settings, you will only have to do it once Page 9 because your changes are stored in memory which is preserved even when the Romeo is turned off. Sixteen sets of settings are already mapped in the embosser's memory. Eight of these are factory customized for environments which many of our customers have asked for. The other eight are yours to set as you need them, and all of them can be changed to suit your needs. When the Romeo is set up at the factory, menu one is the default, that is the menu which will have control when the Romeo is turned on. This is the preset environment for parallel connection to an IBM-compatible computer. But assume you need to make a change to menu one anyway. You want to change the right margin to 30 characters. The following typical key sequence shows how to do this: OL Take the Romeo off line 0.1E Enter Menu One 14.30E Change setting 14--right margin--to 30 1.1E Go back on line and use Menu One right now Setting Up a Serial Connection If your computer is an IBM-compatible set to its default value: OL Go off-line 0.1E Go into Menu One 2. 0E Turn on the serial port 1.1E Use these settings now This will set the Romeo for 2400 baud, seven data bits, even parity, one stop bit, and DTR/CTS handshaking. These settings match the IBM defaults. If the host computer is an Apple with a serial card, you may obtain the necessary settings simply by switching to Menu Two. On the keypad, enter: OL Go off-line 0.2E Go to Menu Two 1.0E Always use Menu Two from now on 1.1E Start using Menu Two right away The third step in the above sequence makes Menu Two the default so that this menu will have control whenever you turn the printer on. You might want to skip that line until you are sure that Menu Two meets your needs. If you are establishing a serial connection to Braille 'n Speak, set the latter for 9600 baud, no parity, eight data bits, one stop bit and software handshaking. OL Go off-line 0.2E Go to Menu Two 8.0E Change the software handshaking 1.1E Use these settings now Page 10 Again, it's a good idea to send a short test file using whatever copy, transmit or print command your computer requires to make sure the connection is working well. Advancing Paper Press the OL key followed by the FF key two rows below. The Romeo may resume embossing in order to finish the last fraction of a page. If so, wait till it finishes, then repeat the form-feed command with FF to advance the finished pages past the case. Tone Messages The various sounds produced by the Romeo indicate the status of the printer and help you know if a particular key sequence was correctly or incorrectly executed. To hear these sounds played, type the key sequence in the leftmost column while off-line. Sequence Tone Function 1.0E Romeo & Juliet Power on self test ok 1.1E Chopin Funeral Dirge Power on self test failed 1.2E 2 short beeps Good sequence executed 1.3E Buzz Invalid sequence 1.4E 4 long beeps Overrun error (serial data) 1.5E Low to high On-line 1.6E High to low Off-line 1.7E 1 short beep Console bell 1.8E Series of low to high Paper out 1.9E Series of low beeps Exit tone 1.10E Beethoven's 5th Multi-copy buffer full Finer Points of Embossing When producing Braille, people often set their embossers to leave just enough left margin to allow for binding, then set the right margin for the maximum line length allowed by the embosser. --42 spaces for the Romeo Classic. With a Braille translator regulating uniform line length at 38 or 40 characters, it makes sense to leave the embosser right margin at maximum value. Once your Braille production system is fully operational, you may be surprised by the amount of finished work you can produce. For each continuous hour of operation, the Romeo Classic can produce more than 120 finished pages of Braille (70 pages for the RB-20). Thus if you operate the machine for 100 hours during a month, you could produce around 12,000 finished pages of Braille during that month (7,000 pages for the RB-20). If your production goals call for more than this monthly average of output, we strongly suggest that you consider adding a second Braille embosser. This will increase your ability to handle peak Page 11 volume when orders are especially high, and provide you with a backup unit when maintenance or service is required. Finally, if you plan a high volume of production, you might want to investigate purchase of binding and/or bursting equipment. Some binding systems combine the tasks of punching necessary holes in the pages and inserting rings into the holes. A burster can save you tremendous quantities of time when it comes to removing the sprocket holes from your finished pages and separating them from each other. If you need help in locating suitable bursting or binding equipment, consider contacting Enabling Technologies Company, for the names and addresses of possible vendors. Because heavy paper with embossed characters places special demands on a bursting system, we do recommend the equipment of a particular company: Uarco Incorporated. Upon request, we will be glad to supply you with price quotations on Uarco bursting equipment. Graphics To emboss graphics on the Romeo Classic, you must reverse the platen bar and make a few adjustments to the menu you are using. The platen across the top of the Romeo Classic is held down by two screws on either end. Note that the platen bar also has a pattern embossed on it and a notch at the left end. The embossed pattern resembles, as it faces up, three rows of Braille dots with no spacing between characters. The notch at the left end is facing up as well. This is the "graphics" side of the platen bar. There is a "text" side, too, and it's on the other side of the platen bar, facing down. IMPORTANT! The graphics side of the platen bar MUST FACE DOWN to emboss graphics. If you loosen and remove the two screws, the platen bar lifts easily up and off its supporting posts. Remove the platen bar now and turn it upside down. The notch at the left end is now facing down, and the pattern on the platen bar is different too. The side of the bar facing up has a pattern of Braille cells, too, only with spaces in between like real characters. This is the "text" side of the platen bar, the side that is down for normal Brailling. For graphics, however, you want the text side UP and the graphics side (and the left notch) DOWN. A few adjustments to your current menu are necessary for graphics, too. After you prepare your Braille graphic but before you try embossing it, follow these steps for best results: First, turn the platen bar so that the graphics side (and the left notch) are DOWN. Next, make the following adjustments on the keypad to the menu you are using (we'll assume Menu 1 for this example): OL Go off-line Page 12 0.1E Enter Menu 1 23.1E Turn "recognize escape sequences" on 1.1E Reset the embosser This menu change is necessary so that the embosser will understand and use the special codes in your Braille graphic that instruct it to put the dots very close together. Now copy your graphic to the embosser just as you would any other file. After you're finished embossing graphics, reverse the platen bar so that the graphics side (and the left notch) are UP. Your text may look strange if you resume regular Brailling with the platen bar with the graphics side down. It's OK to leave the menu set to 23.1E because that does not interfere with proper text processing. Multi-Copy Multi-Copy mode allows you to download up to 28,000 characters of text from a computer into a reserved portion of memory, the Multi-Copy buffer. From 1 to 99 copies can be made of the text stored in the buffer without reloading the text from the computer. Run a single test copy of your file first, to be sure margins, paper size, page breaks, etc., are correct. Whatever menu is active when you start Multi-Copy is the one that continues to control the embosser once you start making multiple copies, so make any necessary adjustments to the menu before starting Multi-Copy. IMPORTANT! Stay ON-LINE while using Multi-Copy. When your file is ready for multiple copies, remain on-line, and enter the following on the embosser's keypad: 3.0E Turn on Multi-Copy Go back to your computer and send or copy your file to the embosser. After the file is copied into the embosser's memory, go back to the embosser's keypad and, staying on-line, enter the following: 3.1E Tell the embosser that the file is completely copied If no data was received from the computer, an error tone will sound, warning you that the buffer is still empty. If the file is too large for the embosser, the "Buffer Full" tone will sound and the embosser will also begin printing the text that has exceeded the buffer. This allows you to see where in your file the overflow occurred so you will know where to split your document. Last, tell the embosser how many copies to make. Enter the following on the embosser's keypad. 4.NNE "NN" stands for "any number up through 99." Page 13 For example, if you want 10 copies, you'd enter 4.10E. If you want 99 copies, you'd enter 4.99E. Other Controls in Multi-Copy 3.2E stops printing at the end of the current copy. 3.3E cancels Multi-Copy and clears the buffer. 3.4E suspends Multi-Copy at the top of the next sheet of paper. If you don't turn off the power or reset the machine, you can send another short document and resume printing where you left off. 3.5E resumes Multi-Copy after the 3.4E sequence. Check that the paper is at top-of-form prior to entering this command. OL stops printing temporarily in Multi-Copy. Printing continues when OL is pressed again. V stops printing and moves the paper out from under the platen, so the Braille which was just printed can be read. Press V again to move the paper back and resume printing. IMPORTANT!: Pressing (LF) Line-Feed, (FF) Formfeed or entering the Service Menu while Off-Line will exit Multi-Copy BUT only the current copy will not be completed. Your document remains in the copy buffer unchanged, and you can continue copying by going back On-Line and entering a 4.NNE sequence. Page 14 Signmaker Option A Romeo Classic with a signmaker option has an impact adjustment knob on the upper left side of the cover plate so the Romeo Classic can work with thick plastic or other sign material. The number of strikes the solenoid makes can be increased by making an adjustment to setting 19 in the menu you are using. You can increase the number of strikes from 1 to 70. Here are some examples of how to use these adjustments: You need to emboss on thin plastic about .010 inch thick. Before you begin embossing, turn the impact adjustment knob to approximately the 10 o'clock position. Then enter the following on the keypad: OL Go off-line 0.1E Enter Menu One (for example) 19.10E Increase the number of strikes to 10 1.1E Save this setting and start using it now Now assume the plastic is thicker, perhaps .015 inch thick. Turn the impact knob all the way clockwise. Then enter the following on the embosser's keypad: OL Go off-line 0.1E Enter Menu One (for example) 19.30E Increase the number of strikes to 30 1.1E Save this setting and start using it now If the material is really thick or adhesive-backed, try turning up the impact even more. Turn the impact knob all the way clockwise. Then enter the following on the embosser's keypad: OL Go off-line 0.1E Enter Menu One (for example) 19.70E Increase the number of strikes to 70 1.1E Save this setting and start using it now In general, try to set the number of strikes as low as will deliver acceptable Braille, since multiple strikes do cause the embosser to operate more slowly. Page 15 Possible Sources of Trouble Generating well formatted Braille requires the harmonious performance of your word processor, Braille translator, computer interface and Braille embosser. In some instances, these components may be perfectly functional when used alone, but will not function at all when connected as a system. In fact, if you consistently get perfect printouts from such a system without a bit of "tinkering" or fine tuning of software and hardware, your circumstances are unusual as well as fortunate. We at Enabling Technologies have been helping people set up and learn to use Braille embossers and translators for over twenty years. We may not have experienced every possible problem in the process, but we have probably run into most of them. To make this section as complete as possible, we have reproduced many of the questions users have posed on our support line, along with the remedies which seem to be relevant most frequently. If you experience a condition not covered here, or find a remedy not included, call our toll free Customer Support phone number at (800) 777 3687. We will be equally pleased to help or to benefit from your experience. Q. Could I have a bad cable? I have a parallel connection; the printer makes the right tone sequence at power on; the computer seems to send data in response to the print or copy command, but nothing happens in the embosser. A. First press the O/L key, then the FF key to rule out the possibility of a partial page left in the buffer. If nothing is embossed then the quickest way to check the integrity of a cable connection is to try an exact replacement if you have one. If you have another printer with a parallel cable attached, borrow it temporarily, and attach it between the computer and the Romeo. If the cable was at fault, the borrowed cable will fix the problem at least temporarily. If this test does not produce a printout, you can probably eliminate the cable from your list of suspects, as it is extremely unlikely that you have two "bad" cables. Make sure your parallel port hasn't been redirected to com1 via a mode command buried somewhere in your autoexec file. Also, be sure that you aren't inadvertently connected to a second parallel port. Or, if you are attempting to route your document through a device called the Ransley Braille Translator, the dip-switches on the Ransley could be set in such a way that the data is coming out the serial port instead of the parallel. Q. Could I have the wrong serial cable connected between printer and computer, or are all serial cables the same? A. You could easily have the wrong cable connected, although we try to find out what type of serial connection you require when preparing your order to avoid this very problem. If Page 16 you have followed our earlier directions for matching serial parameters and the printer is not responding to a transmit or print command, make sure the cable involved is the one which came with the Romeo. If it is, check to be sure it is connected to the computer serial port where the data is being routed. Many systems have more than one serial port. It could also pay to take a careful look at the serial settings on the host device. If any of these settings are different than you expect, this could be the source of trouble. But if everything checks out as it should and you are unable to get data with the cable we supplied, call us; one way or another, we will help you puzzle out the problem. Q. I get characters from the printer all right, but they are mostly the letter x and they don't seem to have many spaces. Could the Braille translator be messing up my document? A. This sounds more like a baud rate error. The Romeo and your data source are probably set to different baud rates. Change the one which is easier to adjust. Since the baud rate or speed of data transfer cannot be set or changed in a parallel interface, the most likely cure for "garbage" characters in a parallel printout is to try a different parallel interface cable. Q. Could it be that this Braille printer doesn't understand Grade II Braille? The files all come out without contractions, and the punctuation doesn't look right at all. A. Actually, the Romeo is printing exactly what the computer is sending. In order to produce well formatted Grade II Braille, your files must be passed through a translator program. If you have one installed on your computer, there may be some reason why it is being bypassed, perhaps your batch file has been changed or renamed by another user. If you do not have Braille translation software installed on your computer, call Enabling Technologies Customer Support for information about prices and features. We have worked with most of the translators currently on the market. Q. What causes the Romeo to skip a blank page after each full page? A. The lines per page in your document most likely exceeded the lines per page setting on the Brailler. With perf skip on, the Brailler automatically sends out a form feed if the lines per page exceeds the value set with parameter seventeen. You can also change the setting of a parameter called perf skip in your printer's current menu. This is a feature which keeps the pages neatly divided even if your program doesn't send a form-feed character at the end of each page. Assuming that menu one has control of your Romeo, the following command sequence should do away with this problem: Press the OL key followed by zero point one E (0.1E). Then press 11 point zero E (11.0E) and Page 17 finally one point one E (1.1E). If you experience drifting of the top of form, keep perf skip turned on, set parameter seventeen to 27 and translate your document to 25 lines per page. Q. I get the first line of a document but the rest is blank. How could that happen? A. The default parameters described earlier were chosen with the expectation that a Braille translator would regulate the length of your lines and pages. But some programs and devices such as Braille 'n Speak allow you to set line and page length to zero, and have the printer take care of these format considerations by itself. If you receive one line of a document followed by a lot of blank space, the problem may be that there are no line or page endings in your document. To adjust for this situation, enter the current menu and turn on perf skip (11.1E) word wrap (10.1E) and hot zone (22.1E). You will find these parameters already set in menu four. However, this menu is set up for serial transfers where the host device provides absolutely no formatting, and this may or may not correspond exactly to your situation. Feel free to experiment with menu four and customize it. The problem could be the absence of line-feeds in your file. Some devices and programs provide the option of ending each line with a carriage return but no line-feed. The Romeo needs a line-feed paired with each carriage return. If you have line endings for each line of your document, but only one line is being acted on by the Romeo, check the documentation of your translator if you are using one, or the Braille 'n Speak if this is your host device. There should be an option which allows you to specify whether line-feeds should be transmitted with each return. In the case of the Apple II series, the transmission of line-feeds is determined by a dip switch setting on the serial card. The addition of line-feeds should fix the problem instantly. Incidentally, all of the examples used so far have been related to Braille translation software. But they all apply equally to programs such as Edgar, MicroBraille and PokaDots, which are designed to receive Grade II Braille entered by a skilled transcriber, and transmit the finished product to a disk file or a printer. In fact, menu six of the Romeo is set up specifically for embossing documents from MicroBraille. Page 18 Technical Specifications Printing Printing method: Impact (Triad Matrix) Printing speed: 40 cps, 40 chrs/line. Actual printing speeds may vary based on page layout and data format. Printing direction: Bidirectional Line width: Alpha: 42 characters (maximum) Graphics: 110 characters (maximum) Dot spacing: 0.090" Dot base diameter: 0.062" Dot height: Adjustable (0-0.024") Character matrix: 6 dot or 8 dot Character sets: USA default (8 total) Character spacing: 0.240" Line spacing: 0.3875" Paper feed: Sprocket Paper width: Adjustable (1.5" to 13.25") Page length: Selectable (0.5" to 13.25") Paper weight: 20 lb. to 100 lb. Text buffer: 30,000 characters Mechanical Size: 13.25"L x 21.25"W x 8.25"H Height (to printing surface): 6.00" Weight: 33 lb. Case style: Attache with handle Sound level: 72 dba average. With optional sound cover: 68 dba average. Sound level measurements may be affected by ambient conditions. Environmental Temperature: Operating: 35 F to 120 F (2 C to 50 C) Storage: -55 F to 175 F (-50 C to 80 C) Humidity: Operating: 10% to 95% (noncondensing) Storage: 0% to 99% (noncondensing) Shock: 3 ft drop (approx. 5G) Electrical Line voltage: USA: 100 to 130 VAC EURO: 200 to 260 VAC Amperage: USA: 0.95 Amps max. Page 19 EURO: 0.60 Amps max. Fuse size: 115 VAC: 1.6 Amp Slow Blow 230 VAC: 0.8 Amp Slow Blow Watts: approx. 100 Interface Port 1: Centronics compatible parallel Port 2: Serial RS-232C (DTE) Service User Maintenance: None required MTBF: excluding print head 100,000,000 characters Print head life 50,000,000 characters Accessories Standard: Line cord 3 wire (USA), Parallel interface cable Optional: Signmaker option. Special interface cables Special line cords. Jumbo Braille option. Page 20 Special Features 1. Fully configurable print format 2. Fully configurable communications 3. Sixteen independently selectable configuration menus plus a special service menu 4. Configuration stored in nonvolatile RAM 5. Graphics capability 6. Computer Braille or Grade 1 translation built in 7. Six or eight dot Braille codes 8. Eight Braille character sets 9. User definable Braille codes 10. Thirty thousand character text buffer (about 27 pages) 11. Multi-copy buffer 12. Paper out detector 13. Special view feature allows reading the current line 14. Word wrap and hot zone formatting 15. Four screen dump modes 16. Vertical printing capability 17. No user maintenance required 18. All modular construction makes service easy FCC Compliance Warning: Changes or modifications to this unit not expressly approved by Enabling Technologies Company could void the user's authority to operate the equipment. NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures: 1. Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna. 2. Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver. Page 21 3. Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected. 4. Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help. Quick Reference Guide This guide is a short summary of the commands and functions of the Romeo Classic. Key Descriptions OL key On-line / Off-line (toggle) LF key Line-feed FF key Formfeed V key View (toggle) 0-9 and decimal point Numeric entry (edit keys) E key Enter key Multi-Copy 3.0E Start Multi-Copy (copy document from computer) 3.1E Tell the Romeo that the document is copied 4.NNE Start printing "NN" (2 to 99) copies of the document 3.2E Halts printing at end of current copy 3.3E Deactivates the Multi-Copy mode 3.4E Suspend Multi-Copy at top of next sheet 3.5E Resume Multi-Copy where you left off (following 3.4E) Enter A Menu 0.NE Places you in menu #N (1 through 16) Exit A Menu E Exits to command mode (Off-line) 1.1E Exits and installs this menu as the current configuration Configuration Settings 1.0E Makes this menu the printer default 1.1E Exits and makes this menu the current configuration 2.0E Selects serial port 2.1E Selects parallel port Page 22 3.NE Sets baud rate to N 4.NE Sets the number of data bits to N 5.NE Sets the number of stop bits to N 6.NE Selects parity (0 = none, 1 = odd, 2 = even) 7.NE Sets communication code (0 = ASCII, 1 = Baudot) 8.NE Sets handshake (0=Xon/Xoff, 1=DTR & CTS, 2=DTR & DSR 3=RTS & CTS, 4=RTS & DSR) 9.NE Auto line feed after carriage return (0 = no, 1 = yes) 10.NE Word wrap (0 = off, 1 = on) 11.NE Perf Skip (0 = off, 1 = on) 12.NE Paper out detector (0 = off, 1 = on) 13.NE Reserved 14.NE Set right margin to N 15.NE Set left margin to N 16.NE Emboss control characters. (0 = off, 1 = on) 17.NE Set lines per page to N 18.NE Page length to N (1.0 inch increments) 19.NE Set multistrike count to N 20.NE Enter character N into control character table 21.NE Remove character N from control character table 22.NE Hot zone (0 = off, 1 = on) 23.NE Recognize escape sequences (0 = off, 1 = on) 24.NE Set bell position to N 25.NE Reserved 26.NE Local echo (0 = off, 1 = on) 27.NE Braille format (0 = computer, 1 = grade 1, 2 = 8 dot, 3 = Jumbo Braille--REQUIRES JUMBO BRAILLE PLATEN) 28.NE Eighty column mode. (0=off, 1=80 horizontal, 2=80 vertical, 3=160 horizontal, 4=160 vertical). 29.NNE Alpha character set. (0=none, 1=IBM 437, 2=IBM 850, 3=Spain, 4=France) (0=USA, 1=Spain, 2=Germany, 3=Swiss, 4=Denmark, 5=Austria, 6=France, 7=Italy). 30.NE Graphics character set (0 = 6 dot, 1 = 4 dot) 31.NE Eight bit character handling (0=print 8 bit chrs, 1=ignore eighth bit, 2=print space, 3=discard) 32.NNE Autoprint constant (1 second increments) Special menu functions V.NE Prints parameter N in this menu V.E View function while in menu N.VE Prints all parameters in menu #N 0.VE Prints all parameters in current configuration Page 23 The Service Menu This menu contains some special functions used in the testing, aligning, and trouble shooting of the printer. These functions are primarily for the use of qualified service personnel who are trained in their use. Some of these functions may be of use to the operator from time to time. These are: system reset 1E, print test pattern 2E, print 6 dot pattern 3E, print test documentation 9E, print keypad and all configurations 10E. Load defaults into NOV-RAM 95E can be used to reinstall the factory default values into the NOV-RAM. You enter the service menu from command mode by typing 0.0E. Listen for the good sequence tone. Typing any of the key sequences in parentheses will execute that function. Some of the functions exit back into the service menu when they are completed. These are labeled "Auto" in the right most column. The other functions will remain active until you press any key. You get out of the service menu by pressing the E key until you hear a series of beeps. You are now back in command mode. Service Menu Sequence Function Exit 1E System reset Auto 2E Print test pattern (E5) Any key 3E Print 6 dot test pattern (=) Any key 4E Carriage Motor on high power Any key 5E Line feed motor on high power Any key 6E Home sensor alignment test (tone) Any other (0=1 step left, . =1 step right) 7E Graphics sensor test (tone) Any key 8E Paper out sensor alignment test Any key 9E Print test documentation Any key 10E Print keypad and all configurations Any key 11E Prints a graphics mode test pattern Any key 20E EPA Energy Star mode Inactive Auto 21E EPA Energy Star mode Active Auto 22E EPA Energy Star low power mode test Any key 95E Load defaults into NOV-RAM Auto 96E Zero the NOV-RAM checksum Auto 98E Calculate new checksum Auto 99E Verify the NOV-RAM checksum Auto (Dirge if fail) Page 24 Warranty, Support & Service Enabling Technologies Company warrants all parts and workmanship of the embosser to be free of defects for a period of one year (365 days) from date of delivery. This warranty is extended only to the original purchaser who must return such defective part(s) to Enabling Technologies Company immediately upon customer's discovery of the defect in question. Return shipment of such defective part(s) must be pre-paid by customer. This warranty does not extend to defects resulting from improper use or unauthorized service by purchaser. Also, the warranty is invalid if any of the instructions accompanying the product are not carefully followed. This limited warranty is made in lieu of all other warranties, expressed or implied, and is limited to the repair or replacement of the product. No warranty, expressed or implied, is extended concerning the completeness, correctness, or suitability of the Enabling Technologies Company equipment for any particular application. There are no warranties which extend beyond those expressly stated herein. Enabling Technologies Company offers an Extended Warranty Program. For further details, contact: Contract Administrator Enabling Technologies 1601 Northeast Braille Place Jensen Beach, Florida 34957 USA For support and service, first, contact our Customer Support Group at (800) 777 3687 in the continental US or (772) 225 3687 internationally. They may be able to resolve your problem quickly on the phone. If your problem cannot be resolved on the phone, request a Return Authorization (RA) number from the Customer Support Group. You MUST have an RA number BEFORE you can return your embosser to us for service. This number is necessary for us to schedule service time for your embosser. After you obtain a Return Authorization number from Customer Support, pack your embosser in the original carton and packing material. If the original carton was discarded, use a container that provides at least three inches of packing material around all sides of the embosser. Include a letter inside the package containing the following information: 1. Your name. 2. Your company name (if applicable). 3. Your shipping address and zip code. 4. Your mail drop code (if applicable). 5. Your RA number. 6. A description of the trouble you are experiencing. Please include as much information as possible about the problem and the conditions under which it occurs. Page 25 Please have your RA number printed clearly on the outside of the carton so we can begin work on your embosser as quickly as possible. Address the box containing your embosser to the location below for quickest service: Enabling Technologies Company Customer Support Group 1601 Northeast Braille Place Jensen Beach, Florida 34957 USA Finally, before you ship your embosser, insure the package. We are not responsible for shipping damage, and the carrier is not responsible if the package is not properly packaged and insured. You could be charged for shipping damage if the embosser was not properly packed. Page 26