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I have an Ithaca 850 printer in my DD Haywire. Printer ribbon was broke. I got a new ribbon, now when I
go to print it comes up remove previous ticket. I feed ticket through & it doesn't help. I cleared & setup
several times & all works OK until I go to print then same thing. I pulled apart & cleaned all sensors with
no help. Is it possible that bad wires in ribbon could have shorted & fried something?
Would appreciate any ideas.
Thanks, Ford

Any Short can let the magic :98- out at anytime.

I hope it is not the case with your printer.

When I get a printer tilt, I usually have to latch and unlatch the main door a couple times until the machine comes up ready to play.

There were 6 or 7 wires in ribbon next to each other that were broke & exposed.  :208-

I hope the printer did not become a semi-expensive door stop.
That is the bad thing about using 25V to run a printer.
That 25V and any resulting lower voltage has enough current behind it if it gets into a TTL or CMOS data signal line it can do serious damage to IC's and other components.

All is OK except for printer.

There is a few of those on eBay Seiko brands
Both top box and nest to reel versions on eBay (search IGT Printer)
About $61 with S/H

I have a PSA 66 ST from a Bally. Will that work in IGT?

The PSA 66ST is RS232
You would need a PSA 66 001N The N means Netplex interface or another brand that has the netplex interface.
The PSA 66 001N is the printer I am using in my S2000.

I knew I could not be that lucky.

Did you plug the new cable in with the power on?

Are you sure you have the cable plugged in the proper orientation?  It's easy to reverse and flip it around in the wrong direction.  When looking down on it is the red wire to the left?

Did you plug the new cable in with the power on? NO. Power was off.

Are you sure you have the cable plugged in the proper orientation?
 It's easy to reverse and flip it around in the wrong direction.  When looking down on it is the red wire to the left? Yep. New cable was
marked which end goes to rear.

Sometimes when we get that error here we have had to reflash the printer with the software, the short in the ribbon cable may have corrupted the software.

Thanks, when I get time I'll have to take another look & see what I can find. How do you refresh it?

I found several times that when I thought I had a dead printer if I cleared it with a 97 then went through the key process it would come back to life.  Actually when I clear a machine I do it 3 times 2 minutes apart to make sure it's clean as a whistle...probably my OCD makes me do it.   :25-

To reflash the software you must have the download program and the harness to connect the computer to the printer, as well as the software for your specific printer. Or you can take it somewhere and have it done. If you cannot find another ithaca printer, you can also use the futurelogic gen1 printer, it is the one that Foster was referring to in his post, they are netplex and will also work in your machine. part# PSA-66-001N

Every time I go to print this comes up & machine will not go any fruther. I have to clear machine & reprogram to get it working.
I did this @ least 10 times now. Soon time for hammer.


I think i'll be going to a futurelogic printer for top box.

I have a question.
The printer has 2 wires. 1 plugs into board in top box, other not plugged in.
I thought printer should plug into mother board.
I have wire long enough should I plug directly into mother board?
This printer was a problem from day 1.

The board you are referring to is the distribution board, one of the large plugs that comes up from the motherboard is the netplex line, it plugs into that board, then the printer plugs into the board completing the circuit, should also have one or two more plugs for running other netplex devices in the top box. You can check to see if the board is bad by plugging your printer dirtectly into the harness that comes up from the motherboard. If I am  not mistaken the second plug on the printer is for an alternate power source for machines that do not run power for the printer through the netplex line.

Thanks Firebird. I'll have to try that

Every schematic I have seen for the printer harnesses say that 2 wire plug is not to used at all.
I doubt the power distribution is bad unless it has a damaged traces or pins in the connectors.

If the machine is throwing up a tilt when you try to print a ticket (test or actual cash out ticket) the problem is in the printer not the machine.
if the problem was in the netplex wiring to the printer you would be getting a printer communication tilt.
I believe the original issue was it thought there was a ticket ready to be removed before it printed the ticket, basically the printer is telling the machine that a ticket needs to be removed or jam is occurring even though neither is happening when he tries to print the ticket.

Correct Foster. I says to remove previous ticket & there is no ticket to remove.

I wonder if you placed a jumper across the photo-transistor that is on the output side of the paper path would solve the issue.
This may or may not work if that optic also detects the black marks that are pre-printed on the tickets.
I would only try this if you can tell which of the optics is the photo-transistor.
Also may require using a meter for some detective work.
A photo-transistor basically acts like light activated switch. when the proper amount of light is there the transistor turns on just like a switch.
I had to do this when the short ribbon cable on my coin optics for the s2000 decided to break. until I had the time to replace ribbon with short wires. (only 4 wires)

I would have to agree with foster, I also think the problem is in the printer, I do not think plugging the printer directly into the netplex harness is going to solve your problem, I think the printer will ultimately have to be replaced. I only suggested plugging the printer into the harness would be a way of checking to see if the distribution board was bad, I have had a couple be bad with no signs of broken traces on them. I do not think putting a jumper across the photo transister is going to be a viable option either, the printer uses that transister in conjunction with the black marks on the ticket to properly position the paper both before and during the print process, kind of like the optics in a bill validator are used for timing.

The printer has to have 2 or 3 sets of optics
one for each black mark, opposite edges and probably one at paper path exit
Also my FL PSA 66-001N has a thumbscrew at for some adjustment.
I dont mess with it

I never did like the ithaca printers, give me a good FL anytime.

I wonder if the Seiko ones are as good.
They look very much like the FutureLogic ones or least they do from the pictures on Ebay.

This is the only Ithaca I have & the last. It's going to be used for target practice
for the AK.  :107-
I'm finished with it. When I get extra $ will be getting a FL like the others I have.

I agree about destroying it...lol
I prefer FL over others.
Just make sure you video tape the scene of the printer
getting blasted away from high speed lead... :96-

I pulled a FL from another machine & put it in my DD Haywire, it works 100%.
That dam Ithaca never did work right.

it will if you change the firmware on the printer and install a netplex daughterboard (no dip switches).  i'm sure someone around the forum has the download program and you can make your own cable with a DB9 cable and a cheap external power supply :89-


they are the same...FutureLogic teamed up with Seiko way back in the day so they could use Seiko's power in sales and distribution.  <-- credit one of the great guys on Slot Tech forum for that tidbit, it's not mine  :71-


overall i would get rid of the Ithaca if given the chance, they definitely suck.  we have Gen1 Seiko printers that have been on our floor for 6 years with minimal issues so i recommend that model for the home user.  if you can get a Gen2 go for it, they are even less problematic.  Universals pretty much suck too!