A printer/feeder apparatus of the type having: (i) a feed/transport platen rotatable so that its peripheral surface moves past a sheet supply zone, a print path ingress, a print zone and a print path egress; (ii) frictional feed surface located on a peripheral sector of the platen surface and (iii) means for selectively effecting feeding engagement between the face sheet(s) of a stack of sheet media and the feed surface features a detection/control system that includes (a) a first detector for sensing and signalling when and when not a forward edge of the feed surface is at a predetermined start position; (b) a second detector means for sensing and signalling when and when not engagement condition exists; (c) a third detector means for sensing and signalling when and when not a sheet is located along a predetermined portion(s) of the print path; and (d) a control system for receiving signals from the detectors and enabling printing cycles and signalling error conditions.