Mike,
I don't want to add to the confusion of picking out a lathe...I have been there. This is the entire package that I bought at one time. It is the lathe, all the accessories, and the Digital Readout. I got the Metric due to the fact that just about all the kits I have bought have been metric so far.
http://sherline.com/product/4400c-dro4410c-dro-package/
However, that is still not a problem as you can convert the system over to Imperial (inches) anytime you want by purchasing the LEAD Screw and Hand Wheels set. The DRO (Digital Read Out) can switch over to Imperial with just rebooting the DRO and holding down one key. And vise versa, if you get the imperial lathe, you can convert it to metric.
I have actually taken my entire lathe completely apart several times and put it back together for cleaning and maintenance. The screw making is really nice too. Its a little tricky, but once you make a screw, it is really fun. Brass is so soft and is really easy to turn. I made my own brass pulleys for my Trinidad.
Scroll down about half way here: http://shipsofscale.com/Trinidad/STBL19.html you will see me turning a Yard and making my own Parrells. I know, Parrells are not really made out of brass, but had fun making them. I should have made them out of wood.