Tape drive and method

A method of operating a transfer printer configured to transfer ink from a printer ribbon to a substrate which is transported along a predetermined substrate path adjacent to the printer, the printer comprising:

• a tape drive comprising two tape drive motors, two tape spool supports on which said spools of ribbon may be mounted, each spool being drivable by a respective one of said motors;
• a printhead being displaceable towards and away from the predetermined substrate path and being arranged to, during printing, contact one side of the ribbon to press an opposite side of the ribbon into contact with a substrate on the predetermined substrate path, and a printing surface;
• and
• a controller configured to control the tape drive to transport ribbon between the first and second ribbon spools;
• the method comprising:
• controlling the tape drive to perform a ribbon movement in which ribbon is transported between first and second ribbon spools along a ribbon path, the ribbon path having a first length during a first part of said ribbon movement when the printhead is separated from the printing surface, and a second length during a second part of said ribbon movement when the printhead is in contact with one side of the ribbon, a transition from the first length to the second length being caused by a displacement of the printhead towards the printing surface, wherein control of at least one of the tape drive motors is based upon data indicative of a change in the length of the ribbon path between the first and second lengths.