Skip to main content


Anyone have the manual for this Epson "2KIF" RS-232 (maybe current loop too?) serial interface board? It fits inside my Epson FX-100 wide carriage dot matrix printer as a secondary interface. I need to know what the DIP switches do. So far, I think SW2-1 through 4 are baud rate but the rest are a mystery.

EDIT: Located! See next reply.

#RetroComputing

This entry was edited (2 weeks ago)

🌴 Seph 💭 👾 reshared this.

in reply to gloriouscow

@gloriouscow Hey thanks! I found that one too (Y49099103005) but I think it's a different model. My card (Y49020800000) SW1 only four bits while this card SW1 is 8 bits. The baud rate chart does match though. The rest don't seem to behave as that manual indicates.
in reply to gloriouscow

I think@gloriouscow@oldbytes.space I think that's it! Also, I was wrong! The silkscreen for SW1 is ABOVE the 8-bit DIP. The one for SW2 was close to it but it referenced the 4-bit DIP. This will likely solve things. Thanks!!
in reply to paulrickards

in time stuff like this will rot completely off the web...

i wish we could preserve everything

in reply to gloriouscow

cool little card. The NEC D80C35C there on the left does serial to parallel translation
in reply to paulrickards

oh man, mention of an Epson FX-100 brings back memories of reading the manual as a kid, and programming BASIC on my PCjr to print things in double strike. I will never forget the sound!
in reply to paulrickards

Thanks to @gloriouscow for a link to the Epson 2KIF 8145 Y49020800000 RS-232 Serial / Current Loop interface board manual for my Epson FX-100.

Manual was key: it explained the stop bits are automatically determined by baud rate. 9600 baud has 2 stop bits. All others have 1 stop bit. Explains the bizarre behavior! 🙃

The DIPs that worked for me at 9600 8N2:
SW1 10001010
SW2 0101

Wiring (PC->Printer) hardware flow on CTS:
TX -> RX
DTR -> CTS
GND -> GND

oldbytes.space/@gloriouscow/11…

#RetroComputing

in reply to paulrickards

This is from another Epson board’s manual that also has 2 dip switches. Might work for you, settings seem plausible. Taken from files.support.epson.com/pdf/c8…