Paper can be ordered online through our TransAct Supplies website at www.transactsupplies.com

Parts can be ordered online through our TransAct Supplies website at www.transactsupplies.com

Yes, we offer repair at one of our Repair Centers in and outside the United States. Please use our convenient RMA web form.

The Ithaca 280 printer can be purchased with several different communication interfaces. Please use the below chart to identify which interface your printer has:

9 pin Serial Interface
Cable Required: Serial Null Modem Cable, 9 pin female to 9 pin female.
This cable is available for purchase from us.
Item No: 10-2020

 

36 pin Centronics Parallel Interface
Cable Required: Parallel Cable, 25 pin male to 36 pin Centronics male.
This cable is available for purchase from us.
Item No: 253-9800002

 

USB Interface
Cable Required: USB Cable This cable is available for purchase from us.
Item No: 98-04322

 

Ethernet Interface
Cable Required: CAT-5 Ethernet cable
This cable is not available for purchase from us.

 

25 pin Parallel Interface
Cable Required: Parallel Cable, 25 pin male to 25 pin male.
This cable is available for purchase from us.
Item No: 253-9800007

 

25 pin Serial Interface
Cable Required: Serial Null Modem Cable, 9 pin female to 25 pin male.
This cable is available for purchase from us.
Item No: 253-9800006

 Caution: The 25 pin Parallel and 25 pin Serial interfaces look exactly the same externally.  They both use a 25 pin D-shell connection.

A closer look will reveal that the electronics on the actual interfaces boards are different. The best way to determine which 25 pin communication interface is present in the printer is to print a configuration listing from the printer. This listing will show either RS232 Serial or P1284 Parallel. See Manual Configuration for how to print out this listing.

Parallel and serial communications are two distinct ways of getting data from a PC to our printer. Serial communication transmits data on only 2 wires, one for sending and one for receiving one bit at a time. Parallel communication transmits data across multiple wires simultaneously. This provides a faster means of data transmission than serial. A parallel printer must be connected to a parallel port, commonly labeled as an LPT port on a PC. The LPT port should be set for bi-directional, standard, or SPP. A serial printer must be connected to a serial port, commonly labeled as a COM port on a PC. The COM port settings must match the printer serial settings to communicate properly. Please consult your PC’s literature to learn how to change these setting.

The correct printer driver depends on what Operating System you are using. You can find the drivers on our website. Drivers & Downloads

The Ithaca 280 printer has an RJ11 cash drawer port for connecting a cash drawer. This port can be hard wired in 3 standard configurations, Ithaca, EPSON, and Star. On the bottom of the printer there is a sticker the will identify which wiring the printer has currently. When purchasing a cash drawer, the correct cash drawer cable for this specified wiring configuration must be ordered. Cash drawer cables are not available from TransAct. Once you have the correct cable, you will still need to send the correct cash drawer command code to the printer to open the drawer. The cash drawer code depends on the Emulation Mode the printer is in. This can be determined by printing a configuration listing. See Manual Configuration for how to print out this listing. The follow are the codes for the common Emulation Modes:

Ithaca PCOS
Cash Drawer 1 | ASCII : [ESC] x 1 | DECIMAL: 27 120 1 | HEX: 1B 78 01
Cash Drawer 2 | ASCII : [ESC] x 2 | DECIMAL: 27 120 2 | HEX: 1B 78 02

EPSON
Cash Drawer 1 | ASCII : [ESC] p 0 | DECIMAL: 27 112 0 | HEX: 1B 70 00
Cash Drawer 2 | ASCII : [ESC] p 1 | DECIMAL: 27 112 1 | HEX: 1B 70 01

Star
Cash Drawer 1 | ASCII : [BEL] | DECIMAL: 7 | HEX: 07
Cash Drawer 2 | ASCII : [SUB] | DECIMAL: 26 | HEX: 1A

Microline
Cash Drawer 1 | ASCII : [BEL] | DECIMAL: 7 | HEX: 07
Cash Drawer 2 | ASCII : [BS] | DECIMAL: 8 | HEX: 08

The printer will cut the paper when the printer receives the cut command from the system. This command code depends on the Emulation Mode the printer is in. This can be determined by printing a configuration listing. See Manual Configuration for how to print out this listing. The follow are the codes for the common Emulation Modes:

Ithaca PCOS
Cut | ASCII: [ESC] v | DECIMAL: 27 118 | HEX: 1B 76

EPSON
Cut | ASCII: [ESC] i | DECIMAL: 27 105 | HEX: 1B 69

Star
Cut | ASCII: [ESC] d 0 | DECIMAL: 27 100 0 | HEX: 1B 64 00

Microline
Cut | ASCII: [EM] | DECIMAL: 25 | HEX: 19

 

The Ithaca 280 printer is a thermal printer that requires thermal paper. Verify the paper you are using is thermal paper. Make sure the paper is loaded properly. To load paper, simple drop the paper roll into the printer with the paper coming from the bottom of the roll. Pull the paper out a little bit, and close the lid. Printer should cut the paper, and be ready to print. (No error LED, just solid Green LED) Verify you have selected the correct communication port on the system. If the printer has a serial port, make sure you are connected to the serial port of the PC with a serial null-Modem cable. Verify that the configuration settings of the printer are set to the correct Emulation Mode and communication settings for your system. See Manual Configuration for how to print out this listing.

1. Have the printer on and ready. (No error LEDs, only the green ready LED.)
2. Connect the printer to the PC via a USB cable. --If a Found New Hardware pop-up Window opens, Click CANCEL.
3. Download the iThermInstall.zip Windows driver file from our website here: http://www.transact-tech.com/drivers/Ithaca-280
4. Unzip the iThermInstall.zip file. --Several folders will be extracted.
5. Go to the Utility folder of the unzipped folders.
6. Run the USBPortView.exe program to determine what USB port the printer is assigned to.
7. Exit this program.
8. Go to Printer, Printers and Faxes, or Devices and Printers depending on the OS you are installing to.--This can be found in Control Panel.
9. IF YOU SEE AN ICON FOR THE PRINTER UNDER "UNSPECIFIED DEVICES", IGNORE THIS. YOU WILL DO NOTHING WITH THIS ICON. (Windows 7)
10. Click Add Printer.
11. Follow the wizard, select a Local printer. --Uncheck Automatically Detect if an option.
12. Choose the USB port the printer is on determined in step 6. (Example: USB0001)
13. When you get to the part asking for Manufacturer and Model printer, select the Have Disk button.
14. Click Browse.
15. Browse to the where you unzipped the driver.
16. Select the ITherm-576 folder.
17. Select the TactITherm-576.INF file.
18. Click Open.
19. Then Click Ok.
20. Select iTherm280, click next.
21. Follow the rest of the wizard to completion.
22. When finished the printer is now available in your Windows Printers list.
23. Printer is now installed.

In Windows 8.1/Windows 10, before installation, please change the "USB Mode" option in the internal configuration of the 280 printer to “USB Printer Only”. See Manual Configuration under the Quick Reference section.
NOTE: After you change this option, you must unplug the power cord from the printer, wait at least 1 minute, then plug the power cord back in. (This updates the interface with the new USB Mode.)
Then please follow the Windows Driver Installation Guide under the Drivers section to complete the installation.

280 printers with USB interface built before June 2009 will not be compatible with Windows 8.1/10.  You can verify the printer build date by looking at the Serial label on the bottom of the printer.  The build date must be F09 or better. (Where a=JAN, B=FEB, C=MAR, etc. and two digit year.)

You need the “USB Mode” option in the Configuration to work in Windows 8.1/10 as this option needs to be set to “USB Printer Only”. If this option is not available in the Configuration of your 280 printer, it is not Windows 8.1/10 compatible.

This option is not available in units older than June 2009 and some specialized or proprietary firmware. (Example: PE2818)

You would need to replace with a 280 of newer vintage with standard firmware or our new 9000 printer. Standard firmware may not work with systems that require proprietary or special firmware.

NOTE: The 280 printer is no longer manufactured. The replacement is the 9000 printer.

https://www.transact-tech.com/point-of-sale/ithaca-9000

The most common reason why this happens is because the "Enable bidirectional support" checkbox is checked under the Ports tab in the Properties of your printer. To uncheck this, go to your Printers and Faxes/Devices and Printers page, right click on your printer and select Properties/Printer Properties, click the Ports tab, uncheck the "Enable birdirectional support" checkbox, then click the Apply button, and then click the OK button.

 

The “Lang Mon” error is due to the driver's lack of privileges writing to the registry.

If you encounter this error, please use the “TransactPrinterProperties.exe” program found in the Utilities folder that comes with the Windows drivers.

Note:  You must Right Click the TransactPrinterProperties.exe program and select Run as administrator to allow the changes to be saved to the registry.

 

 

 

 

Change values as you want them, and then click the Save Changes button.

Then Select Yes to allow the Windows Print Spooler to be restarted for the change to take effect.