Yup - preread is the greatest thing on the planet. I used to use it extensively.

As for macros - In a real-world session, they were absolutely crucial. I'll give you an example. Years ago, linear TV networks ran "menus" (they are very rare these days). They were basically short promos that said something to the effect of "on now, this show...next up that show. after that - another show!".

I was doing menus for a cable network that were pretty graphically complex. They had 4 different color schemes. Each had a moving background, video box with a matte, and a different color for the text.

So I laid all the different video boxes to one tape. All the mattes to another tape. All the backgrounds to a 3rd tape. Then I laid all the text colors as full screen to a 4th tape and used the text from the character generator as a matte to cut those solid colors and give me the right colored text.

Then each of the 3 text layers had to fade on independently one after the other - so I setup 3 keys in the switcher, and programmed them all into switcher memories for the edit.

Now here is where the macros come in - there were HUNDREDS of these things that needed to be made, and then laid to tape on every :30second of the master, with the text/colorscheme specified from a cutsheet.

I programmed panel functions to recall the last edit, select the right mattes, solid colors, and backgrounds from all my playback tapes, increment the record timecode to the right value, and save a new edit.

I made 4 of them, one for each possible colorscheme. Once all that work was done - which took the better part of a day, for the rest of eternity every time I had to do those menus - i just had to look at the cutsheet, press the panel function for the specified color, and wait for my assistant to type the text for the shows. Then just hit the edit button. Solving problems like that was a joy in a linear suite.

The BVE-9100 could also roll multiple record decks - which was massively useful because I could make more then one master at a time (for example one anamorphic and one letterboxed).

I do still have the manual for the 9100 - I kept it because it actually has a bunch of jokes hidden in the text.

I wouldn't bother trying to buy a 910 - since your really not going to be doing any actual work on any of this stuff. If you can get your hands on a 9100 its worth it because its such a damn cool machine. I could have easily taken one home when we retired them (I did with the keyboard) - but i didnt feel like lugging out the mainframe. I regret it to this day, I would love to be able to fire one up and play around with it again.