A printing system (8) includes a printing machine (150) and media cartridge (10). The printing machine (150) has a housing (152), a printing mechanism (154) and a processing unit connected to the housing, a media cartridge interface (160) connecting the media cartridge (10) to the printing machine (150), and a look-up table for storing media cartridge parameters. The media cartridge (10) has a media support (70) for a media source (130), and a printed circuit board (30). The printed circuit (30) has a plurality of conductive traces (36a) with fusible links (38a) connected together in a circuit pattern on at least one of its sides. The circuit pattern includes an encoding of at least one media cartridge parameter that may be stored in the look-up table of the printing machine (150).