I don't know anything about the Digital 1000, but I bought a 424mkII a few years back for just under $500 and I haven't regretted it at all. If you are looking for a good flexible deck that is both a good way to get started with home recording and versitile enough to still be useful when you're more experienced, then the Tascam 424 series is definitely a good buy. For all I know, though, the Digital 1000 has those same good qualities.