I know that some of the
ETC people on this board may jump on me for saying this, but the
Express line is old, and is most likely on it's way out. I certainly understand the situation of not having a large budget, but my philosophy in purchasing any computer related equipment is that you want to buy the best you can afford, and you don't want to buy something that is basically obsolete.
The
Express was (is?) a great board for schools and small venues. It is simple to use and easy to operate. It is pretty rugged, and it gets the job done. I have nothing against the
Express save for the fact that I don't think that investing in old technology is a wise idea.
ETC is amazing with their tech support, and they will continue to support the
Express for many years to come. By the same token though, you wouldn't buy a 10-year-old computer would you? Especially a used one.
Also, while you may only need to control 64 devices today, you never know what you might need next year or the year after. Two or three years down the rad, when the school wants to do some more complex lighting, you will want to have a board that can handle it.