Unified and Decentralized Machine Interface for Control of Multi-Printer Systems

A method and apparatus to implement a unified and decentralized machine interface for control of multi-printer systems is disclosed. A master controller device accepts a selection control from a user indicating a plurality of selected printers from printers connected to the master controller device by a network. The master controller device accepts an operation control from the user, indicating at least one printer operation to be performed on the plurality of selected printers. The master controller broadcasts a simultaneous control signal to the plurality of selected printers with data instructing the printers to immediately perform at least one printer operation, triggering, substantially simultaneously with the broadcasting of the simultaneous control signal, performance of the at least one printer operation at the plurality of selected printers, and performing the at least one printer operation substantially simultaneously at the plurality of selected printers immediately upon receiving the simultaneous control signal.