Cash Drawer Compatibility Tree

So, you have a cash drawer from an undetermined source and you just bought an Epson Compatible POS-X XR510 (or other Epson or Epson Compatible) receipt printer.  Will the Cash Drawer work with POSitive Software products?  Here's the information you need to decide.

1.       Your Receipt Printer is an EPSON Compatible and it includes a Cash Drawer Interface (Looks like a phone jack – but its NOT a phone jack… do not attempt to use a phone cable as damage to the printer and/or drawer may occur and Warranty doesn’t cover this damage)

2.        Do you know if the drawer is 

a.       STAR compatible

b.      EPSON compatible

c.       Direct Connect (Serial)

d.      USB (Its unlikely you would have USB Drawer but a few do exist)

e.      A manual drawer – ie operated only with a key… that will work, but obviously the software doesn’t trigger the drawer to open.

3.       If it is Star or Epson there is a cable and/or plug that looks like a Phone cable/ (or) jack (It isn’t a phone cable (just LOOKS like one) and damage to the drawer and/or Printer can occur if you attempt to use a phone cable as a substitute for a properly wired cable) Unfortunately both Star and Epson use the same exact port type (ie the phone jack) so it can’t be identified as one or the other by looking at the cable/or jack on the drawer.

a.       If it is designed for a STAR receipt printer it won’t work…. Period, your done. It can’t be modified to work.

b.      If it is designed for a EPSON receipt Printer it will work (provided you have the right cable – which I MAY (or May not) be able to provide if you don’t have one. We need to know the brand of the drawer to be sure, and without that we can try a couple of best guess cables – but not a phone cable)

4.       If it is a Direct Connect Drawer then you need a Serial port on your PC.

a.       Most PC’s today do NOT have serial ports they have USB ports – If you add a serial port Interface card to the PC it will work.

b.      You can Not use a Serial to USB converter with a cash drawer and get reliable performance – we have tried many times. It will not work correctly

c.       If you do have a serial port it will work

5.       If you have a USB Drawer it MAY work

a.       We would need the driver and installation instructions

b.      With That we may have success, we may not

6.       Determining if the drawer is Star or Epson Compatible can be done by determining the brand and model and checking the manufacturers web site for compatibility.  Many drawers are generic in the sense that there isn’t always a brand or model.  If you see a sticker “Star” or “EPSON” that would be a gift from heaven.

7.       If there is no brand or model we can hope it is an Epson compatible and set it up as if it is an Epson compatible Drawer. If it works your are golden, if not, I’ll recommend buying a drawer.