Exploring Control Surfaces. Educate me, please!

I'm old school OTB with a Soundcraft Ghost board but since I'm doing mostly VSTi I really have been doing most of my work ITB. And that's the problem. I find for most things, mousing around to be time consuming and a PITA. Editing is of course an exception. So I started exploring the idea of control surfaces but it seems like they run the range of 1 fader models (Faderport, Frontier) up to total interfaces with ADAT, preamps, etc like Alesis, Maudio, Tascam etc. It there anything in the middle, which are just control surface with motorized sliders and lots of buttons that I can assign more or less permanently and transport functions? I already have a Delta 1010 and don't need the ADAT stuff. Maybe I have this all wrong, but it seems to me that things like the Presonus involve constantly assigning and re-assigning controls and buttons via the mouse which IMHO defeats the purpose and would get confusing? Is this correct? Basically I'm looking for a device that will move the on screen controls via an old school desk if you will giving me the best of both worlds. I don't want to get involved with scripts and twiddling. I would like to set it up and have it just work. IOW one fader that has to keep being assigned won't work for me. Any suggestions in the under $1000.00 price range as to what is compatible with Reaper and "cough cough" Sonar?

Hi guys!! Has the Mackie MCU been discontinued? Nobody (B&H, Sweetwater etc) seems to have it? Whats the skinny?

Tascam US-2400 user here. Bought mine new when they discontinued it, paid less for a brand new one then they go for now second hand :) Every now and then there are one or two units for sale on ebay.

Shameless plug but $500 iPad + $10 app = $510 wifi MCU :)

no control surfaces for me. worried bout future service n support in case an internal smt/vlsi chip goes on the blink. i was burnt once by an outboard piece of gear with custom chips. sorry said the manufacturer, ya gotta buy again. so i tend to stay away from custom technology unless its cheap.

steve. well you can throw eggs at me if i'm wrong , but within a few years if i'm right , i suspect we will see people get rather pooped if they cant get service on their units if they fail. at the very least if i was thinkin of buying one i would want assurances before buying that an existing unit could be fixed without re buying a new unit. and that the manufacturer would still be around. i would also want to know the costs of such after warranty has expired. cos many folks are getting into a situation of heavy reliance on this technology. dont get me wrong..in concept its a great idea with all the control etc etc.. but all i'm pointing out is the achilles heel. and thats future service aspects to consider. its ok for big studios with big cash flows, but for the likkle guy to rebuy can be a financial load.