[sdiy] Should I repair my Fostex, or should I go HD recording?

[JH.]

Hi.

My Fostex R8 analogue 8-track is broken again. I guess I could repair it for
100 or
200 Dollars, but should I?

I've been looking around for PCI cards that allow 8 track recording /
playback, and
I was surprised to find them quite expensive. And then I still need
software?

OTOH, I would also be interested in PC-based samplers with huge capacity,
for grand piano, church organ, mellotron and the like.

I'm _not_ interested in virtual synths or virtual FX on the PC - I would
really
just use the PC for recording and playback and editing of tracks, plus as
a sampled grand piano etc. Mixdown will still  be hardware, with tube
compressors,
quantec reverb and all.

Under these circumstances, is it worth switching to PC-based recording?
And if so, what PCI card would you recommend? (No need for Mic preamps
or gain pots - 8 plain line inputs and 8 outputs will do.) And which
software?
Ease of use is important, and low price. No need for anything more than
making a pre-mix of n HD tracks to 8 outputs.
And how does the PC based sampler fit in here? Same software package?
Different software package? How will the two work together?

I'm a complete newbie here, as you see ...
... and I'm still not sure if repairing that reel-to-reel might be the
better solution. (;->)

Convince me, give me suggestions - if it's too off-topic, in private mail.

Thanks in advance,

JH.