Printing method and apparatus

A printer for printing upon a continuous web of print receivable media, the printer comprising:

• (a) a print head having a media drive assembly side;
• (b) a media drive assembly having at least one driver for moving the media across the print head, the driver disposed only on the media drive assembly side of the print head;
• (c) a platen disposed adjacent to the print head;
• and
• (d) a controller coupled to the print head, media drive assembly, and platen to control the printer to print upon the media in a continuous pull printing manner, wherein the controller controls the media drive assembly to alternatingly advance the media by pulling the media past the print head and pause media movement during printing by the print head upon the media, and in a single sheet pull printing manner, wherein the controller controls the media drive assembly to push a sheet of the media past the print head and then alternatingly advance the media by pulling the media back past the print head and pause media movement during printing by the print head.

A method of controlling a printer to perform continuous sheet printing and single sheet pull printing, the printer having a print head for printing upon a web of continuous print receivable media, a media drive assembly having at least one driver for moving the media, wherein the driver is located on only one side of the print head, the method comprising:

• (a) determining if continuous sheet printing is desired, and if continuous sheet printing is desired, directing the media drive assembly to alternatingly:
• (i) pause printing and advance the media by pulling the media across the print head;
• and
• (ii) pause media movement while printing;
• and
• (b) determining if single sheet pull printing is desired, and if single sheet pull printing is desired, directing the media drive assembly to push a first sheet of the media past the print head, and to alternatingly advance the media back past the print head by pulling the media and pause media movement while the print head prints upon the media.