order to move receiver medium 12 toward heating elements 56 and to stop receiver medium 12 with the leading edge at a distance d from heat line hl the initial position is a distance d just short of the heat line hl and is close enough to the heat line hl that the lead edge of receiver medium 12 will be captured in the nip between web 28 and platen 22 in the embodiment illustrated in fig2 4 receiver medium 12 is staged under the ceramic substrate 54 of thermal printhead 52 which has the advantage of allowing receiver medium 12 to traverse a relatively straight receiver medium path before it enters the printing nip 57 between printhead 52 and platen 22 a straight receiver medium path allows easier registration of receiver medium 12 during printing receiver medium 12 is precisely positioned and repositioned by one or more of the stepper motors that operate the pairs of guide rollers 88 90 and exit urge rollers 98 100 and platen 22 in one embodiment only platen 22 or one of the pairs of guide rollers 88 90 move receiver medium 12 at any one time thus the first pair of guide rollers 88 90 control movement of receiver medium 12 past edge sensor 96 to the initial position platen 22 then controls movement of receiver medium 12 beneath heating elements 56 exit urge rollers.