A printing system , comprising: a chassis for housing a modular print station; a display panel disposed in the chassis and being in signal communication with the print station; a ribbon drive assembly located in the chassis and being operable for maintaining a ribbon supply; a media rewind hub located in the chassis; a pair of adjustable media guides (27a; 27b) connected about a base of the print station, the media guides (27a; 27b) being axially spaced apart along the length of the base and being configured and adapted such that they can be manipulated or moved along a horizontal axis of the base in a sliding manner and in a synchronized manner; a power source in communication with the print station, the display panel , the ribbon drive assembly, the media guides, and the media rewind hub; control circuitry located in the chassis and being in signal communication with for the print station, the display panel, the ribbon drive assembly, the media guides, and the media rewind hub; and at least one feature module encoded within the control circuitry, wherein: a sensor is affixed to the base, the sensor being operable for emitting at least one light beam through at least one aperture located in the base; at least one of the media guides are provided with a tab or other obstruction which is operable for protruding into the path of at least one of the light beams emitted from the sensor at defined locations, thereby signaling the sensor and the printer of the media's width; and characterised in that the feature module is configured to use consumables information to enable or disable optional modules within the print station. a chassis for housing a modular print station; a display panel disposed in the chassis and being in signal communication with the print station; a ribbon drive assembly located in the chassis and being operable for maintaining a ribbon supply; a media rewind hub located in the chassis; a pair of adjustable media guides (27a; 27b) connected about a base of the print station, the media guides (27a; 27b) being axially spaced apart along the length of the base and being configured and adapted such that they can be manipulated or moved along a horizontal axis of the base in a sliding manner and in a synchronized manner; a power source in communication with the print station, the display panel , the ribbon drive assembly, the media guides, and the media rewind hub; control circuitry located in the chassis and being in signal communication with for the print station, the display panel, the ribbon drive assembly, the media guides, and the media rewind hub; and at least one feature module encoded within the control circuitry, wherein: a sensor is affixed to the base, the sensor being operable for emitting at least one light beam through at least one aperture located in the base; at least one of the media guides are provided with a tab or other obstruction which is operable for protruding into the path of at least one of the light beams emitted from the sensor at defined locations, thereby signaling the sensor and the printer of the media's width; and characterised in that the feature module is configured to use consumables information to enable or disable optional modules within the print station. a sensor is affixed to the base, the sensor being operable for emitting at least one light beam through at least one aperture located in the base; at least one of the media guides are provided with a tab or other obstruction which is operable for protruding into the path of at least one of the light beams emitted from the sensor at defined locations, thereby signaling the sensor and the printer of the media's width; and characterised in that the feature module is configured to use consumables information to enable or disable optional modules within the print station. <EOS>