Technical Tips for Basic (Blue Bar) Embossers

General Advice about Computer Ports: Serial, Parallel, USB, and Network.

The "blue bar" Index embossers are old and pre-date the Index Basic-D. The Index Advanced does graphics, the Index Basic does not.

The Index Basic has both a serial and a parallel port. For use with a PC, use the parallel connection. Just set the S/P switch to P (parallel). The Index Advanced has only a serial interface.

The Index Blue Bar embossers have a series of rocker switches on top. Make note of the one which switches between "normal" and "reformat" modes. Always have the unit set for "normal". It is a frequent problem to accidentally change the setting to "reformat" and then wonder why this software is producing badly formatted output. Please check your unit before calling technical support.

If you use a serial connection, use a straight-through female-to-male cable with a "null modem" adapter to connect the Index to one of your serial ports. We recommend a null modem adapter that has: wires 1 and 7 straight through, swaps wires 2 and 3, swaps wires 4 and 5, and swaps wires 6 and 20.

Set the Index for 9600 baud, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, and hardware handshaking. To do this. set the eight DIP switches to: off, on, on, on, off, off, off, on.

The Index also has a set up disk. Use it to make sure it is set to computer braille.

On most devices turning the power off and on again sets the parameters back to the DIP switch settings. This is not so on the Index. To force the Index to read the DIP switches, you must press the square reset button. Other parameters for the Index are established by sending escape sequences from your computer. To reset those parameters back to their default values, you must do a system reset. To do a system reset. first turn the Index off. Then hold the form feed and paper rocker switches away from you while you turn the power on. Only this full system reset clears parameter changes established by escape sequences.

If you have difficulty with your embosser, contact Index Braille at +46-920-203080.