Search code examples
printingthermal-printeropos

Star TSP700 TSP743U using OPOS prints line-by-line


We have a POS application we have developed that can use any ESC/POS printer via MS POS.Net v1.12. Our application runs fine with Epson printers, but with a Star TSP700 it prints correctly, but it "stutters"/line-by-line (think calling PrintNormal repeatedly rather than using a StringBuilder and dumping it all at once into the queue). Setting the dip switch to what should be ESCPOS emulation does nothing, as I don't think the USB interface supports that according to the docs found on page 98 of https://www.star-m.jp/eng/service/usermanual/tsp700um.pdf. I am building a string and dumping it all at once using Transaction printing in OPOS. The print speed to the customer is unacceptable and replacing 100 printers is also not acceptable. There is another mode we use to connect to the printer aside from OPOS, and that is setting up the printer as a "Generic / Text Only" printer and then I send the escape codes to the printer, but it doesn't print everything out correctly at all - I imagine this is because the printer is expecting Star Line commands.

Phew. Anyone have any input on what to try? Worst case scenario I build in printing via Star commands, so all is not lost, and I'm going to try HexDump mode first to see if I am missing anything, but I would much prefer to not write out a whole library just to handle Star printers if I can avoid it.


Solution

  • ESC + | + N on an Epson printer resets the font to normal after setting it to big, bold, etc. However, this causes the Star to stutter to the point of shaking violently. I was able to remove that escape sequence from my code and have it not affect the output from Epson printers, so now the Star stutters less. Note, it doesn't stop stuttering, it prints 50 lines, flips out for 2 or 3 lines, and repeats. It's really a huge improvement if you are able to see the printer print before and after the fix.