Optra R+

OZONE: Ozone is an inherent by-product of many laser printing processes, including the older IBM 4019, 4029, and 4028 laser printers. The 3116 does not create any measurable amount of ozone because the charge corona has been replaced with a charge roll.

The Optra Plus is the same engine and controller as the Optra, but with a different P-SIMM. The Optra can be upgraded to a Plus by replacing the P-SIMM in a kit from Lexmark.

expandable to 64MB (4,8,16 and 32MB) using 72 pin 70ns SIMMs, FPM and EDO supported.
RAMSmart intelligent memory management
100MB hard drive option

Flash Memory 2MB

U40 69G3165
U41 Lexmark 1408773

U42 HN624116FB 1408759
U43 Lexmark 1381714

How to format flash memory
From a Ready status message, press Menu> (right arrow) or <Menu (left arrow) until Tests Menu appears on the display.
Press Select to select the Tests Menu.
Press Menu> or <Menu until Format Flash appears.
Press Select to format the flash SIMM.

Warning! Any existing data stored on the flash SIMM will be erased when it is formatted
ROM SIMM (printer microcode)

U40 13A0101
U41 69G8990

U42 69G8989
U43 Lexmark 1381872

Regular memory (J9 and J10):
1364921 2MB DRAM SIMM
1364877 4MB DRAM SIMM
1364876 8MB DRAM SIMM
1364875 16MB DRAM SIMM
1364874 32MB DRAM SIMM

PRINT RESOLUTION/MEMORY REQUIREMENTS:
PCL5 and PostScript Level 2: (On/Off refers to Page Protect)

Page   Simplex Duplex Simplex Duplex Simplex Duplex
DPI      300     300     600       600     1200    1200
ON:      4MB     4MB     4MB       4MB     12MB    12MB
OFF:     4MB     4MB     4MB       4MB     12MB    12MB

The standard 4MB of memory will allow some 1200 dpi print jobs to print successfully. However, an additional 8MB of memory is recommended for complex print jobs and to increase the probability that most print jobs will print.

Adobe PDF Level Support
I had been having a helluva time in getting my R+ to print the newer PDFs. A lot of "BUSY" with no output, documents failing within Print Monitor, and "PRINT BUFFER" . Lots of weak swearing and re-installation of drivers didn't fix it.

Try using GhostScript / GhostGum to convert the file from PDF level 1.5 (Acrobat 6.x) to PDF level 1.2 (Acrobat 3.0). Once I did that, my R+ started to accept and print at 10PPM in duplex.

1402217 - Token Ring 16/4

J1 connection to RIP board
J2 DB9 TR port
J3 50 pin edgecard for ?
U1 LSI L1A7648 1328481
U2 N80C186-16
U3,4 TC518512AF-80

U9 50G6144ESD
U11,12 CY7C188-25VC
U13 1333510 BIOS even?
U14 1333511 BIOS odd?
Y1 32.0000 MHz osc
1

50G6144ESD trivia HERE

The parallel/serial cable port is the funky "beam" type used on the Server 500 backplane for the DASD Status cable header. Mine had a Smart SM532512LP-7 with four NEC 424260-70 chips, two front, two back. Pins 68 and 69 are grounded.
This card has IBM stickers all over. The actual manufacturer is idata a/s, Denmark
IPDS Memory: 4MB or 8MB option. 1 IPDS memory slot on IPDS cards. 2MB is standard. The 2MB may be replaced with the 4MB or 8MB option.

A change to the physical memory media type used on the IPDS feature was phased in around the Jan/96 time frame. New machine orders requiring additional IPDS memory should use Feature Code 4040 or 4050. MES/Field upgrades requiring IPDS memory changes need to first determine what level IPDS feature card is installed to determine which style memory media type is required. One or two techniques can be used to determine the IPDS feature card level:

1) Open the side of the printer and physically measure the length of the IPDS/attachment card. If the card is approximately 6" to 6.5" in length, then the new media style is required and feature codes 4040 or 4050 should be ordered. If the card is approximately 8" in length, then the original memory features are installed and feature codes 4304 (4 MB ASCII Memory) or 4308 (8 MB ASCII Memory) should be ordered.

2) By printing the IPDS PRINT MENUS, the micro-code level can be found and used to determine which IPDS memory media type is required (MENUS/NETWORK MENU 1/TEST MENU/PRINT MENUS). The second page that prints out, is titled IPDS - MENU SETTINGS. Next to the "Firmware Version" you'll find some numbers that reference the exact micro-code level. Find the first number that has 106.XXX. If the .XXX is equal to or greater than 004, then the new media style is required and feature codes 4040 or 4050 should be ordered. If the .XXX is less than 004, then the original memory features are installed and feature codes 4304 (4 MB ASCII Memory) or 4308 (8 MB ASCII Memory) should be ordered.

BTW, the rear envelope feeder that fits the 4039's in yukky green/olive are the same thing as the pretty beige and blue ones sold for the 4049 Optras, just different pigment in the plastic.

The envelope feeder will have a picture of an envelope on the feeder.
The 100 Sheet feeder will have a picture of a piece of paper.
1408893 Envelope+ Feeder
1364895 100-Sheet Auxiliary Feeder

Once you get a 10baseT card get the MarkVision software, setup a network address, and then let the software auto-detect the options in the printer. Less crap to deal with and you can tell hpw the print server is responding with the printer.

The R+ comes standard with collating on board so if you are printing multiple copies of a duplexed report the Optra can handle it. Operating cost; if you use the 7,000 page toner cartridge the cost per page is about .03 cents. If you use the 14,000 page toner cartridge the cost per page goes down to about .02 cents (that includes paper0 you need not worry about additional parts that need to be replaced because when the toner cartridge is replaced about 70% of the print process is also replaced - thus assuring the user of consistently clear, crisp output

The duplexor is very easy to remove/reinstall. The printer software does "Plug 'n Play" on it. You have the duplexor itself and a duplexor tray. Pull the standard tray out, put the duplexor tray in. Remove the front exit cover, open the top cover, pop the two small plastic guards that cover the guides where you hang the duplexor, "hang" the duplexor on the printer. The biggest trick would be not losing the front exit cover or the two small plastic covers while you are duplexing.

You really need the 500 sheet lower tray if you are serious about big duplex jobs. The duplex tray can only hold 75 sheets. What I do is store a different type of paper in the duplexor, and the plain paper in the 500 sheet lower tray.

I was preparing to massacre another ream of paper when my duplexor started to make noises like a gear was jumping. Puzzled, I unhooked the motor unit, worked the gears, and didn't find a problem. Reinstalled the duplex motor unit and tried to print. It rattled for about 15 (very long) seconds before it set Error 23 and stopped.

Flipped open the top cover on the duplex tray assembly, and I saw the roller had ripped apart and the chunk had jammed in the roller opening in the top cover. The gear is well designed, where it is held in place by spring tension, so if it's jammed for whatever reason, it can bounce against a spring instead of grinding teeth. Good job, Lexmark!

When I find out the part number or source for replacement rollers, I'll post it.

Jeffrey M. Wells wrote:
I'm not certain if this pertains to the LJ5L, but I just bought a Lexmark Optra R+, a bad-ass machine to be sure. After a week or so, I tried an envelope in the manual feeder, letting it exit out the front tray. This printer began making a loud clicking noise, as if someone were inside with a tackhammer, very periodic, about five clicks per envelope. These clicks were strong enough to rattle my desk. I called Lexmark and they told me that this was a FEATURE, called "Envelope Enhance". The fuser rollers exert about 25lbs of pressure during a print cycle and air bubbles can build up in envelopes causing wrinkling - but the "Envelope Enhance" feature fires a solenoid which releases the fuser bar for a split- second four or five times per envelope to make sure no air build-up occurs. Envelopes printed on my LaserJet III do invariably wrinkle in one corner, but the Lexmark prints them perfectly so it seems to work, but it sounds like the thing is about to croak! It turns out that if I feed a regular sheet of paper in the manual tray before telling the printer it is a normal sheet (through software) and not an envelope, it will assume that it is an envelope (just to be safe, I guess) and begin its clicking - so if I did a lot of manual feeding, I would hear it often.

MPWN95AE.EXE contains the .SPD files for use with Microsoft's PostScript driver (PSCRIPT.DRV) which ships with the operating system. There is also a readme.1st file which describes how to install the printer driver for your printer.

MPLX952E.EXE contains Lexmark's custom PostScript Level 2 printer driver (LEXPS). This package will contain all of the files necessary to install that driver. There is a file in the package called readme.1st which contains a list of all of the files that will be installed for this driver. This file also contains information on how to install.

The Format Disk menu item only appears when the printer detects that a Disk Option is installed. Formatting deletes all resources stored on the disk and prepares the disk to receive new resources. The Format Disk option can be found in the printer's Test Menu.

Warning! If you select Format Disk and then Continue, any data stored in the disk is lost. Do not turn off the printer while the disk is formatting.

Calibration
Timo Autiokari
The Optra R+ (and most of the Lexmark new PS printers) *can* be calibrated. It is easy, one only needs to send the calibration data as a PostScript file to the printer, there after the printer is calibrated until it is powered off. If the printer has a flash memory card or a hard disk the calibration can be written in either and it will be persistent until it is changed.

Howard C. Cochran
I would like to point out that Lexmark laser printers are designed to provide a nearly linear gray curve, so long as one of the printer's builtin halftone screens is used.
In Mr. Autiokari's case, he configured the driver for a higher screen frequency of 130 lpi. Such user-defined screens are uncalibrated, so they can appear dark due to dot gain. If you stick to the printer's built-in screen, calibration is generally unnecessary.

The installation directions in the engine code file are as follows:

Go to a DOS prompt.
Change directory to the one containing the engine code files.
Turn the printer on and make sure it is connected and in the Ready state. NOTE: Make sure you are using a high quality (IEEE 1284) 6 foot cable or Lexmark's 10 foot cable.
Type the following command, depending on which OPTRA you are updating: OPTRA R or L: Copy P4394-12.PJL /B LPTx OPTRA Rx,Lx,Lxi,R+,Rt+,Rn+,Lx+,Lxn+ or Lxi+: Copy P4394-16.PJL /B LPTx NOTE: The in the above commands represents the port to which you are copying; this port can be physical, redirected, or captured.
The printer display panel should read Programming Engine Code. NOTE: Do not power off the printer or touch any menus during this operation. If the printer does not return to Ready after 15 minutes, it is safe to turn the printer off and back on.
When the printer returns to the Ready state, print the menu settings page. To print the menu settings page:

Press the button next to Menus.
If you do not see Test Menus, press More until you find it. Now select Test Menus.
Press the More button until you find Print Menus. Select Print Menus.

The appropriate updated engine code should be displayed in the bottom right corner of the menu settings page. Make sure the engine code on this printer has been updated - that is, an engine code level of 43.94 should be displayed.

This document assumes the firmware revision has already been downloaded and expanded on the local hard drive. For a list of which firmware extensions go with which adapter, refer to the list at the end of this document.

Flash memory is a type of ROM (read-only memory) that can be electronically erased and reprogrammed. The flash memory in the network adapter contains the firmware that operates it. This firmware communicates with the network, the printer, and the network utility. When the firmware is updated, the flash memory on the network adapter is reprogrammed. This procedure overwrites old firmware and replaces it with the upgraded version. Although many adapters can accept each firmware file, there are some intermediate levels that must be reached before the adapter can accept the current level, as explained below.

Warning! While the code is being updated, be careful not to turn the adapter (or printer) off!

After reprogramming, all of the network adapter's settings should be saved; however, this is not always the case. Be sure to print a network settings page before starting the procedure in order to compare it with network settings after the firmware update.

From Windows:
From most Windows operating systems as well as OS/2, MarkVision Classic and MarkVision Professional can be used to update the print server firmware. Firmware can also be sent using a TFTP session from Windows NT, 2000 and XP. For the MarkNet S series, N series, Pro series, and X series adapters, the internal web interface is another option for updating firmware. Some adapters also accept PJL files which can be sent via FTP and over a parallel port.

Via FTP:
For adapters that support PJL files, an FTP session can be used to update print server firmware. First download and expand the PJL file to a local directory on the hard drive. This file is usually available for download from our FTP site as *pjl.exe under the firmware directory for each adapter. It is useful to start the FTP session from within the directory where the PJL file has been saved. For example, if you were upgrading a MarkNet Pro adapter to 1.10.17 code, and the 1_10_17.pjl flash file was in the C:\inaflash directory, you would perform the following steps from a command prompt: