Editing Apple ImageWriter LQ

{{Infobox computer peripheral
| name         = Apple ImageWriter LQ
| image        = [[File:Apple ImageWriter LQ.jpg|260px|frameless]]
| caption      = ImageWriter LQ (photo: All About Apple museum, CC BY-SA 3.0)
| manufacturer = Apple Computer, Inc.
| type         = 27-wire impact dot-matrix printer, 15-inch carriage
| release_date = August 1987 (Apple specification page)
| discontinued = December 1990 (Apple specification page)
| interface    = Serial RS-422/RS-232, Mini DIN-8; optional AppleTalk card
| compatible   = Macintosh, Apple II series, Apple III, Lisa
| dimensions   = 5.12 × 23.2 × 15 in (Apple specification page)
| weight       = 38 lb (17 kg)
| power        = 180 W maximum operating, 20 W standby
| price        = US$1,399 (1987)
}}
<templatestyles src="Template:StyledTable/styles.css" />
The '''Apple ImageWriter LQ''' is Apple's wide-carriage, letter-quality dot-matrix printer for the Macintosh and Apple II, announced at the Boston Macworld Expo on 11 August 1987. Its 27-pin print head gave twice the dot density of the [[Apple ImageWriter II]], and Apple aimed it at business and education buyers who needed multipart forms, labels, envelopes, colour and full-width spreadsheets on the 15-inch carriage.<ref name="upi">"Apple unveils new products", United Press International, 11 August 1987, [https://www.upi.com/Archives/1987/08/11/Apple-unveils-new-products/4204555652800/ UPI Archives].</ref> Apple's new product summary priced the printer at US$1,399, the Cut Sheet Feeder at $299, each additional bin at $169, the envelope feed at $49 and colour ribbons at $150 for six.<ref name="al">AppleLink, "Apple new product summary", September 1987, [https://www.savetz.com/ku/ku/applelink_apple_new_product_summary_september_1987.html Known Users archive].</ref> Apple's specification page lists it from August 1987 to December 1990.<ref name="spec">Apple, "ImageWriter LQ: Technical Specifications", [https://support.apple.com/en-us/112248 support.apple.com/en-us/112248]. Introduced 1 August 1987; discontinued 1 December 1990; ports serial, optional LocalTalk; 180 W maximum, 1.5 A, 120 V 60 Hz; 0.3 pages per minute; 216 maximum dpi; 38 lb; 5.12 × 23.2 × 15 in.</ref>

== Specifications ==
{| class="wikitable styled-table" style="width:70%; text-align:left;"
|+'''ImageWriter LQ (Owner's Guide, Appendix C, Table C-1)'''<ref name="og">Apple Computer, ''ImageWriter LQ Owner's Guide'', 030-3068-B, 1987, hosted as [[:File:ImageWriter LQ Owner's Guide 1987.pdf]], described at [[ImageWriter LQ Owner's Guide]]. Self-test pp. 39-41; Chapter 8, Troubleshooting, pp. 131-142; Chapter 9, Care and Maintenance, pp. 143-146; Appendix A, Cut Sheet Feeder, pp. 150-181; Appendix C, specifications and DIP switches, pp. 184-190.</ref>
! Item !! Value
|-
| Print speed || Draft 250 characters per second at 10 cpi (60 dpi); near letter quality 90 cps at 10 cpi (160 dpi); letter quality, proportional, 115 cps at 216 dpi
|-
| Graphics || 72 × 72 to 160 × 72 dpi (low resolution); 144 × 216 to 320 × 216 dpi (high resolution)
|-
| Paper || Width 3.5 to 15 in between pin holes; thickness 0.05 to 0.55 mm, original plus four copies
|-
| Ribbon || Fabric cassette, 25.4 mm wide; optional colour ribbon
|-
| Power || 120 V AC ±10 %, 60 Hz (US); universal versions for 100 to 240 V AC, 50/60 Hz; 180 W maximum operating, 20 W standby
|-
| Interface || Serial, 8 data bits, 1 start bit, 1 stop bit, no parity
|-
| Weight || 17 kg (38 lb)
|}

== Paper handling ==
The LQ has push and pull tractors, a single-sheet guide and a bottom feed slot. The optional Cut Sheet Feeder takes up to three bins plus an envelope attachment, and DIP switches 2-5 to 2-7 tell the printer what is fitted.<ref name="og" /><ref name="pig">Apple Computer, ''Peripheral Interface Guide'', 7th edition, rev. January 1991, hosted as [[:File:Apple Service Technical Procedures Peripheral Interface Guide Jan 1991.pdf]]. Peripherals, Non-Laser Printers: ImageWriter LQ pin-outs p. 12, switch 1 p. 13, switch 2 p. 14, switch 3 p. 15; LQ baud-rate notes in the Apple II, Apple III and Lisa connection tables.</ref> A paper thickness lever on the left moves the platen towards or away from the head; pushing it back towards the rear brings the platen closer and darkens the print.<ref name="og" />

== Controls and configuration ==
For the self-test, turn the Select light off, switch the printer off, then hold the Form Feed button while switching on and release it once the print head moves. Holding Form Feed and Line Feed together runs the test across a 15-inch page. The printout shows the DIP switch settings followed by the character set; switch off to stop.<ref name="og" />

The three DIP switch banks are at the left rear of the printer. Factory settings are shown in bold.<ref name="og" /><ref name="pig" />
{| class="wikitable styled-table" style="width:100%; text-align:left;"
|+'''ImageWriter LQ DIP switches (Peripheral Interface Guide, pp. 13-15)'''<ref name="pig" />
! Bank !! Switches !! Function !! Settings
|-
| 1 || 1-3 || Character set || '''American: off off off'''; Italian on off off; Danish off on off; British on on off; German off off on; Swedish on off on; French off on on; Spanish on on on
|-
| 1 || 4 || Form length || '''11 in: off'''; 12 in: on
|-
| 1 || 5 || Perforation skip || '''Disabled: off'''; enabled: on
|-
| 1 || 6-7 || Characters or dots per inch || 10 cpi off off; '''12 cpi on off'''; 17 cpi off on; 160 dpi and 216 dpi both shown as on on
|-
| 1 || 8 || Automatic line feed after carriage return || '''Disabled: off'''; enabled: on
|-
| 2 || 1-2 || Baud rate || 1200 on off; 2400 off on; 9600 on on; '''19,200 off off'''
|-
| 2 || 3 || Handshaking || '''Hardware (DTR): off'''; XON/XOFF: on
|-
| 2 || 4 || Option card || '''Not installed: off'''; installed: on
|-
| 2 || 5-7 || Cut Sheet Feeder bins || Bin 1 off off on; bins 1 and 2 on off on; bins 1, 2 and 3 off on on; '''bin 1 and envelope off off off'''; bins 1, 2 and envelope on off off; bins 1, 2, 3 and envelope on on off
|-
| 2 || 8 || Automatic paper load position || '''To print line: off'''; to paper bail: on
|-
| 3 || 3-5 || Colour ribbon home position || Shifts the ribbon down or up by 0.15625, 0.46875 or 0.78125 mm
|-
| 3 || 6-8 || Horizontal registration || Left movement from 0 to +0.159 mm or right movement from −0.044 to −0.176 mm
|}
Apple warns that the switch 3 settings "modify adjustments critical to print quality" and should not be changed without the ImageWriter LQ Technical Procedures.<ref name="pig" /> The Peripheral Interface Guide says the LQ must be set to 9600 baud (switches 2-1 and 2-2 on) with every Apple II model, the Apple III and the Lisa.<ref name="pig" /> The owner's guide is less strict: it pairs the Apple IIc with the Macintosh at the factory 19,200 baud, says the Apple IIgs can use 19,200 although its printer port defaults to 9600, and asks for 9600 with an Apple IIe serial card.<ref name="og" />

== Connection ==
The LQ uses the same 8-pin Mini-DIN port as the ImageWriter II and the same Apple cables; see [[Apple ImageWriter II Cable]]. The Peripheral Interface Guide gives two sets of signal names for its pins, one for RS-422 and one for RS-232.<ref name="pig" />

== Revisions ==
Apple's Service Source tells technicians to replace ROM 02 on the logic board with ROM 03 for intermittent network problems in which the print head resets when idle or the printer stops printing, and to use LQ driver 2.0 or later if words touch or overlap.<ref name="ss">Apple Computer, ''ImageWriter LQ'' (''Service Source''), hosted as [[:File:imagewriter_lq.pdf]], symptom charts, PDF pp. 6-18; described at [[ImageWriter LQ Service Source]].</ref>

== Maintenance and repair ==
* [[Apple ImageWriter LQ General Maintenance]]: Apple's cleaning procedure (the LQ needs no lubrication), environment, ribbons and the Cut Sheet Feeder.
* [[Apple ImageWriter LQ Troubleshooting Guide]]: the Service Source symptom charts and the owner's guide checks.

== Documentation ==
* [[ImageWriter LQ Owner's Guide]] (1987)
* [[ImageWriter LQ Service Source]]
* [[Apple ImageWriter Documentation]], for the Peripheral Interface Guide

== Related pages ==
* [[Apple ImageWriter II]] and [[Apple ImageWriter]]
* [[Apple ImageWriter II Cable]]

== References ==
<references />

{{Navbox-AppleVintageAccessories|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Apple Vintage Accessories]]