Hello,
https://learn.adafruit.com/mini-thermal ... r/overview
over the past few months I've purchased 4 mini thermal printer packs for various arduino projects - Two of which are working 100% and are, in fact, currently part of an installation at a local contemporary art museum.
I pulled out printers #3 and #4 today to work on a new project and I can't tell if I'm going crazy or what, but I keep running in to some weird stuff that I can't seem to get past (warning: I also have no idea what I'm doing most of the time, so the solution may be really stupid - I am prepared for this):
[*]I've followed the guide as I did in the past for initial testing/setup -
[*]power is running,
[*]printer properly prints test sheet,
[*]baudrate confirmed 19200,
[*]I open the printertest from the download,
[*]compile and upload to arduino,
[*]printer prints almost correct, however: Inverse Text is not working, UPC print is either really small or not working? (images attached).
normally I'd just ignore, but 1/2 of these non-working functions (inverse) is pretty important to the project I'm working on. Please tell me I'm doing something dumb...
Mini Thermal Receipt Printer Issues
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Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.
- adafruit_support_rick
- Posts: 35092
- Joined: Tue Mar 15, 2011 11:42 am
Re: Mini Thermal Receipt Printer Issues
What are you using for power supplies? The printers are sensitive to being underpowered, and will perform in a flaky manner.
- spencerb
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Sun Aug 25, 2013 4:02 pm
Re: Mini Thermal Receipt Printer Issues
The printer power is running through the power supply and terminal block adapter included in the printer pack, directly in to the wall outlet.
Arduino running through USB power from iMac atm
Arduino running through USB power from iMac atm
- adafruit_support_rick
- Posts: 35092
- Joined: Tue Mar 15, 2011 11:42 am
Re: Mini Thermal Receipt Printer Issues
Can you try a different power adapter? that one may have gone bad.
- spencerb
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Sun Aug 25, 2013 4:02 pm
Re: Mini Thermal Receipt Printer Issues
I've swapped out the adapter and power supply for a new pair straight from the box and I'm still experiencing the same issues . I also swapped out the printer for another but it's having the exact same problem (with both power/adaptor setups).
I compiled and uploaded code from a previous (working) project and it's running (outputting correct values) but a lot of the coded formatting doesnt seem to be applying (centered, print size, line height, etc).
I guess I can wait until I get the working projects back and try to compare the setups and try to identify any differences.
I compiled and uploaded code from a previous (working) project and it's running (outputting correct values) but a lot of the coded formatting doesnt seem to be applying (centered, print size, line height, etc).
I guess I can wait until I get the working projects back and try to compare the setups and try to identify any differences.
- adafruit_support_rick
- Posts: 35092
- Joined: Tue Mar 15, 2011 11:42 am
Re: Mini Thermal Receipt Printer Issues
That is really strange. Something must have changed someplace.
- spencerb
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Sun Aug 25, 2013 4:02 pm
Re: Mini Thermal Receipt Printer Issues
received previous working projects today. Pulled the printer out and placed one of the newer units I have been having issues with in and it was displaying the same symptoms - so it must be something with the printer (not the arduino, power supply or adapter...
the printers are the same model (CSN-A2-T)
only noticible difference is when printing the test/character code table sheet (by holding the power button when pluggin in) a few values at the bottom are different:
Older (working) Printer:
the printers are the same model (CSN-A2-T)
only noticible difference is when printing the test/character code table sheet (by holding the power button when pluggin in) a few values at the bottom are different:
Older (working) Printer:
Newer (not working) Printer:Bauderate:19200
Degree:29 Voltage:5.3
Heat Dot=80 ON=1100 OFF=100
Version 2.64 2013-04-09
SN:13061900
Bauderate:19200
Degree:30 Voltage:5.3
Heat Dot=80 ON=1300 OFF=100
Version 2.69 2013-11-22
SN:13061900
- adafruit2
- Posts: 22111
- Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2005 7:36 pm
Re: Mini Thermal Receipt Printer Issues
Thanks, we'll ask for a new datasheet for that firmware - hopefully its something fixable with code. all documentation we have is on the tutorial/webpage. we have no other printers, no old printers, or methods for backgrading the printers.
-
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Mon Apr 28, 2014 11:41 am
Re: Mini Thermal Receipt Printer Issues
Just to mention, I'm having the same problem as above.
I have:
Baudrate:19200
Degree:28
Voltage:5.4
Version 2.69
I have:
Baudrate:19200
Degree:28
Voltage:5.4
Version 2.69
- spencerb
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Sun Aug 25, 2013 4:02 pm
Re: Mini Thermal Receipt Printer Issues
I've also tried re-downloading the printer library incase anything has changed since my original download, but no luck.
I did notice during this process that if the data cable is unplugged when, for example, the test program starts running on the arduino, and I then plug it in with a short delay (after the first few lines of code run) the remainder of the code performs a bit better - the UPC actually prints, but the inverse code still doesnt work when i move it down to the bottom to test in this scenario.
I've also noticed that all the text weights on the non-working setups seem slightly heavier (almost bolded) and the actual, coded bold text is maybe double-bold....if that makes any sense
I did notice during this process that if the data cable is unplugged when, for example, the test program starts running on the arduino, and I then plug it in with a short delay (after the first few lines of code run) the remainder of the code performs a bit better - the UPC actually prints, but the inverse code still doesnt work when i move it down to the bottom to test in this scenario.
I've also noticed that all the text weights on the non-working setups seem slightly heavier (almost bolded) and the actual, coded bold text is maybe double-bold....if that makes any sense
- doctorwhen
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2013 4:05 pm
Re: Mini Thermal Receipt Printer Issues
Hi,
I recently purchased (last week) 3 of the "597" Thermal Receipt Printers. I am also very disappointed to find that my printers only print 4 of the 10 barcodes, don't print inverse or upside down. I haven't checked all the modes so there may be more. I also notice that I can print an array of text 10 times like "hello world" (with a one second delay between prints) and eventually one of the lines gets clobbered i.e. missing most of the upper character dots. There is definitely something hosed in the printer firmware, which on my printers is Version 2.68 2013-06-07.
I hope there is a way to reflash the firmware otherwise I have three extremely limited printers. Anyone have any ideas??
Regards,
Bob
@dr_when
I recently purchased (last week) 3 of the "597" Thermal Receipt Printers. I am also very disappointed to find that my printers only print 4 of the 10 barcodes, don't print inverse or upside down. I haven't checked all the modes so there may be more. I also notice that I can print an array of text 10 times like "hello world" (with a one second delay between prints) and eventually one of the lines gets clobbered i.e. missing most of the upper character dots. There is definitely something hosed in the printer firmware, which on my printers is Version 2.68 2013-06-07.
I hope there is a way to reflash the firmware otherwise I have three extremely limited printers. Anyone have any ideas??
Regards,
Bob
@dr_when
- pburgess
- Posts: 4161
- Joined: Sun Oct 26, 2008 2:29 am
Re: Mini Thermal Receipt Printer Issues
Hi Bob. I don't know of any way to update the firmware on these printers. If we can't get these working satisfactorily, a refund can be arranged.
I've noticed with barcodes that each type expects a very specific number of characters; anything else and it may either truncate or (more often) simply skip printing altogether. There's some info on barcode types in the manual, which I've attached here.
Unsure about the inverse/upside-down issues...I'll have to check this when I have access to a specimen from the latest batch of printers.
I've noticed with barcodes that each type expects a very specific number of characters; anything else and it may either truncate or (more often) simply skip printing altogether. There's some info on barcode types in the manual, which I've attached here.
Unsure about the inverse/upside-down issues...I'll have to check this when I have access to a specimen from the latest batch of printers.
- Attachments
-
- Thermal Printer Manual.pdf.zip
- (1.82 MiB) Downloaded 306 times
- spencerb
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Sun Aug 25, 2013 4:02 pm
Re: Mini Thermal Receipt Printer Issues
I still have 2 printers I purchased for a project in May that never seemed to work right. It's a shame, the 3 or 4 I purchased in the past work great. Something clearly changed in the past year.
- doctorwhen
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2013 4:05 pm
Re: Mini Thermal Receipt Printer Issues
I hope that Adafruit has discontinued shipping these printers until the problem is found. Looks like very sloppy firmware control on behalf of the manufacturer. If these are surplus printers, I can understand somewhat that there might be issues. If these are being sold as new to hobbyists, then I believe Adafruit has some responsibility to occasionally audit the quality of these printers and/or at least be sure that there are not random firmware versions being shipped. I now need to determine how to send these back and actually get non-buggy versions. I still cannot print more than 4 of 11 bar code symbologies and I did a "quickcheck" quality check of a couple of the codes I could print and they would not verify. That needs further study.
Bob
Bob
- doctorwhen
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2013 4:05 pm
Re: Mini Thermal Receipt Printer Issues
It looks like I was in error with the bar codes being messed up. Per the message from pburgess and going through the lastest manual, I do indeed see that the different symbologies require some exact string lengths or else they will be ignored, for example 12 bytes for UPC-A, and UPC-B. My bad and I apologize for jumping the gun.
I have been using a serial analyzer to verify what is being sent to the printer as a sanity check and going over all the commands in the printer manual. I will come back here if I see anymore quirkiness (which I am seeing but still may be cockpit error).
Bob
I have been using a serial analyzer to verify what is being sent to the printer as a sanity check and going over all the commands in the printer manual. I will come back here if I see anymore quirkiness (which I am seeing but still may be cockpit error).
Bob
Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.