Printer media path sensing apparatus

A media sensing system for a printer applying a printed image by way of an indirect transfer imaging process from an intermediate transfer surface to a print medium of a desired size, comprising in combination:

• a print media motive force drive train for transporting media along a media pathway through a printer;
• and
• a plurality of sensors positioned along the media pathway for detecting travel of the print medium along the pathway through the printer, the plurality of sensors sequentially detecting the size of the print medium, pausing the print medium for a period of time along the media pathway after the print medium has begun to travel along the media pathway to synchronize movement of the print medium with the imaging process to enable the print medium to receive the printed image from an intermediate transfer surface at an image transfer point, feeding the print medium into a media preheater to heat the print medium prior to and synchronized with the indirect transfer imaging process so that the print medium arrives at an image transfer point simultaneously with completion of the imaging process on the intermediate transfer surface to receive the printed image from an image transfer drum, activating the indirect transfer imaging process from the image transfer drum to the print medium, and detecting exit of the print medium from the printer.