General Advice about Computer Ports: Serial, Parallel, USB, and Network
You need to identify the model of your Index embosser. Index embossers that do not talk are Version I. Index embossers that communicate only using serial and parallel ports are usually version II. All Index embossers with serial, parallel, USB, and RJ-45 network ports are version III. The Model III Everest-D embossers were introduced in March 2003.
Make sure you declare the correct embosser version in the middle pane of the Embosser Setup in DBT. If you have a version II embosser but leave it at the default of Version III, the result will be no output until the embosser configuration is corrected.
The Version III Index embossers have RJ-45 network ports. The default is for the embosser to obtain an Internet Protocol (IP) address from the Server with a non-expiring lease. If you don't wish to use that address, and prefer a static (permanent) IP address, the Index Embosser Utility can be used to provide a static IP.
From there, installation proceeds as for any networked printer. Each PC wishing to use that networked printer must have appropriate drivers installed. This is normal Windows Server practice. The appropriate driver file be obtained from Index in Sweden (Embosser Utility).
The Everest-D is an interpoint embosser which uses cut sheets instead of the more common tractor fed paper. Be sure to mention your paper requirements to your supplier when you order braille paper. One of the lesser known, but perhaps most versatile, features of the Everest is that it simultaneously monitors both its serial and parallel ports for incoming data. This makes it possible to produce braille from two different computers (perhaps a PC and a Macintosh) without changing the configuration on the embosser.
You need to turn off its internal braille translator to get this software to drive it correctly. There are three built-in setups. labeled A, B, and C. As shipped from the factory, setups A and B do not use the built-in translator, but setup C does.
The last group of buttons on the unit sets the parameters. These keys are labeled in print as setup, group, item, and value; and are labeled in braille as su, gr, it, and va.
Parallel Setup Guidelines
To make setup A the default, press and hold button A while you power on the Everest. Then release button A. Use the Setup, Group, Item, and Value, buttons on the right-hand side of the control panel to configure setup A as follows:
After configuring the Everest, all you need to do is attach it with a standard printer cable to the appropriate parallel port on your computer.
Serial Setup Guidelines
The directions above work for serial connections as well as parallel. It is necessary to set the flow control in the Windows Control Panel (System: Device Manager: COM port properties: Ports Tab: Flow Control) to synchronize the embosser and DBT's embosser configuration. Remember that "handshaking" is the same as "flow control", and that "software handshaking" is the same as "Xon/Xoff". This software should be configured for 9600, n, 8, 1 (for the: baud rate, parity, data bits, and stop bits, respectively). After configuring the embosser, attach it to your computer with an appropriate serial cable (i.e., a "null modem" cable).
Certain conditions, such as high humidity, can cause an occasional paper feed problem in which more than one sheet is fed into the embosser. You can correct this problem by reducing the humidity, fanning the paper before loading it, and changing the Everest's paper type lever to the sheet position.
Since the unit measures the first sheet of paper, it is important to load the hopper only with identically sized sheets of paper.
If you have difficulty with your embosser, contact Index Braille at +46-920-203080.