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Topic: Boca Printer Problem - Help!

Ky Boyd
Hey I'm #23

Posts: 314
From: Santa Rosa, CA, USA
Registered: Jun 99

posted 09-15-2001 09:45 PM

One of my two Boca Verticle Micro printers is giving me fits. It will print a few tickets just fine and then all of a sudden it prints a ticket and spits out 5 blank ones all in a strip without cutting. I've read the manual, cleaned the print head, cleaned the platten roller, blown off the optical eyes as instructed and nothing has helped to solve this problem. This printer worked just dandy for about 17 months and now its just screwy. Has anyone else experienced this? If so, what did you do to ultimately solve the problem? Thanks. Ky

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Mark Huff
Film Handler

Posts: 69
From: Springfield, IL, USA
Registered: May 2000

posted 09-15-2001 10:28 PM

I have had this problem before. Turn off the printer, then unplug it and turn it back on. Next turn off your computer and turn it back on. finally after the computer reloads plug in the printer and turn it back on. This should fix the problem.

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Jerry Chase
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1068
From: Margate, FL, USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 09-15-2001 11:12 PM

Ky, if the other suggestion doesn't work, look for a buildup of dirt or paper scrap blocking or slowing the movement of the mechanicals.

Pacer printers were notorious for spitting tickets and oftentimes it could be traced to crud on the printhead bars. The resistance to the movement would cause problems with the way the stepper motors interacted with the other circuitry. Tearing the printer down and cleaning out the crud was successful about 60 to 70 percent of the time. The temporary fix was a shot of silicone spray on the printhead bars. Restrictions in the paper path could cause similar problems, as could power supply problems.

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Kyle Abel
Film Handler

Posts: 56
From: Plano, TX, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 09-16-2001 01:57 AM

Something that has worked well for me is whenever I start up a register, after the selling program has loaded, etc., turn off the printer, wait a few seconds, then turn back on the printer. It kind of "resets" the printer, and you shouldn't have any problems. After a while, you get in the habit of doing it all the time.

------------------
Kyle Abel
General Manager
Plano Movies 10

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Marc Jones
Film Handler

Posts: 82
From: Elizabethtown, KY
Registered: Jun 99

posted 09-16-2001 07:47 PM

I have had a simuliar problem before, the operation of one of the photo eyes was working 90 % of the time depending on how well the bar was printed on the ticket. There are 2 photo eyes I swapped them around and it seemed to work. One of the photo eyes is to sense the black strip for it to load and the other to stop on the ticket being printed.
Good Luck

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Steve Scott
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1300
From: Minneapolis, MN
Registered: Sep 2000

posted 09-16-2001 11:35 PM

We had a similar problem too. Ours are hooked up to Macs, and we found that swapping the cable & cleaning the connectors fixed the problem.

We've found that the boca's have to be cleaned fairly regularly, or else they'll have delays in printing, or other errors like you described.

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James. R. Deeter
Film Handler

Posts: 64
From: Belton, MO, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 09-17-2001 09:48 AM

Have you recently changed ticket stock? I once received a batch of new tickets where the bar was just a hair off but it was enough to screw up the cutting. As soon as we switched to another box, no problems.

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Paul Goulet
Master Film Handler

Posts: 347
From: Rhode Island
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 09-17-2001 10:20 PM

Hey Ky

When we had problems with the Boca printers we have, I called up
Cablynx inc. They are located in Woburn,Massachusetts and they were able to help me right over the phone! Might be worth a try for you
(1-888-965-4747)

Paul Goulet

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Sean M. Grimes
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 247
From: Lunenburg, MA
Registered: Apr 2000

posted 09-18-2001 02:34 AM

Ky,

I dont know if would be helpful to you but you may want to try Icon international (they are out of Cali - less shipping cost perhaps?). My last company used to deal with them fully and completely until out contract ran out, actually does any other company use their "Filmstar" products? , either way though I will rustle their number up later in the day... Either way call Cablynx they are a wonderfull company and Paul is right, they treat everyone extremely well. Also as everyone else has noted make sure that the "cutting blade" assembly is not gunked up. They are the major culprits.

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Ky Boyd
Hey I'm #23

Posts: 314
From: Santa Rosa, CA, USA
Registered: Jun 99

posted 09-18-2001 07:52 PM

Thanks to everyone for all the suggestions. We'll give them a try. I'll let you know what happens.

Best,

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