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I love my DSC's but I wouldn't rush into it just yet.. You really need to get yourself a sky chart and learn how to starhop just a little, even to find the bright stuff.
The "scan around with the 30mm, find something faint and chuck in the 12.5mm" technique will only get you so far. Get a sky atlas, or print out the skymaps from skymaps.com.
For a cheaper option than DSC's, you can use MSC's (manual setting circles). You can chuck an angle finder on your OTA (like the red one I have) and print out some circles for your az direction (there's a program to help you), and that will then tell you the alt/az direction you're pointing, and a program like RTGUI will tell you the coordinates of certain objects so you can use your MSC's to move your scope to it.
If you really want DSC's right now, keep an eye on astromart for a older skycommander (like mine). If may or may not come with encoders, but these can be bought fairly cheaply ($80-$100 each). Otherwise, you might need to be an argonavis computer like Gary's ($599 for teh computer). Then you need the encoders and the mounting kit. Will cost you a $1000 or so all up.
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