Understanding the printer features and functions

Feature/function

2580/2581

2590/2591

Multi-speed printing

FastDft (Fast Draft)

  • 10 characters per inch (cpi)

  • 12 cpi

  • 440 characters per second (cps)

  • 520 cps

  • 410 cps

  • 520 cps

Draft

309 cps

274 cps

Courier

Gothic

77 cps (Near-Letter-Quality mode)

91 cps (Letter-Quality mode)

Character spacing

Note: Fast Draft supports only 10, 12, and 15 pitch.

Prints in 10, 12, 15, 17, and 20 cpi, as well as proportional spacing

Prints in 10, 12, 15, 17, 20, and 24 cpi, as well as proportional spacing

Resident fonts

  • Fast Draft

  • Draft

  • Gothic

  • Courier

  • Fast Draft

  • Draft

  • Gothic

  • Courier

  • Prestige

  • Presentor

  • Orator

  • Script

Print styles

Note: This feature is available through printer commands.

Highlighting capability:

  • Double-high

  • Double-strike

  • Double-wide

  • Emphasized

  • Italics

  • Overscore

  • Subscript

  • Superscript

  • Underline

Highlighting capability:

  • Double-high

  • Double-strike

  • Double-wide

  • Emphasized

  • Italics

  • Overscore

  • Subscript

  • Superscript

  • Underline

  • Shading

  • Outline

Graphics printing

Note: This feature supports existing graphics programs.

Resolution of up to 144 x 240 dots per square inch (dpi)

Resolution of up to 360 x 360 dpi

Multiple-part forms

Prints original plus five copies (six-part forms)

Prints original plus three copies (four-part forms)


Feature/function

All models

Control panel

Button control for Load/Unload, Tear Off, Font, Setup, Pitch, Macro, and paper movement functions. Control panel lights indicate current status.

Font lock

  • Locks the font selection you make from the control panel so it is not changed by your program.

  • Font lock is deactivated when you turn the printer off unless it is set in the printer default settings.

Pitch lock

  • Locks pitch selections you make from the control panel so they are not changed by your program

  • Pitch lock is deactivated when you turn the printer off unless it is set in the printer default settings.

Load/Unload

Loads and unloads continuous form paper (tractor fed)

Macro function

The printer has the capability of storing four unique document formats to enhance flexibility when using different styles of pre-printed forms.

Manual front loading for cut sheets

Enables printing on cut sheets or envelopes

Tear Off bar

  • Assists in removing printed continuous forms at the perforation

  • Assists in tearing non-perforated forms

  • Reduces the amount of paper used, thus reducing costs

Adjustable tractor

Lets you handle continuous form paper without purchasing additional options. It can be repositioned to function as:

  • Push tractor

  • Pull tractor

Control panel disable

Limits control panel functions to the Start/Stop, FormFeed, Tear Off, and Load/Unload buttons only, thus limiting the potential that untrained operators may accidentally change forms settings

Ribbon cartridge

Contains the inked fabric ribbon

Printer tests

  • Power-on Self Test

  • Printer test page—Determines whether your machine has print problems

  • Demonstration Print

Box and line drawings

Prints tables, charts, and other graphics as shown on your computer screen

Greek and math symbols

Prints a variety of symbols used in mathematical equations, including subscript and superscript

Code pages

Selects the characters and symbols corresponding to various country languages

Bar code function

These bar codes are resident in the printer:

  • 3 of 9

  • Codabar (NW-7)

  • Code 39

  • Code 128

  • Interleaved 2 of 5

  • UPC-A

  • UPC-E

  • EAN 8

  • EAN 13

  • PostNet

Note: For more information on the Bar code function, see the Technical Reference available on the Lexmark Web site at www.lexmark.com.

Software compatibility

  • Compatible with all programs that support IBM emulation or Epson emulation

  • Compatible with Okidata MICROLINE emulation (with the M320 turbo), which is standard on the 9-wire printer and 2580/2581 printer models.

Interface connection

Warning—Potential Damage: Do not touch the Network connector except when the printer is turned off.

Allows the printer to work with all computers with compatible interface connections

Both parallel and USB interfaces are standard. The internal serial interface (RS-232) is optional for the 2580/2581 and 2590/2591 models.

The Network option is standard on the 2580n/2581n and 2590n/2591n models.