if you do a search on this board there are several posts regarding the hq sweet sixteen sit down quilting machine. plus there are discussions of the bailey's, tin lizzie and there is another one but i forgot the name. there are several sites that have information about the hq sweet sixteen if you do a search.
i believe the msrp is around $5,000.00 for hq SW16. i have watched the youtube video demos of this quilting machine as i was also interested in getting a sit down quilt machine. i have also looked at the tin lizzie 18 at my lqs. i dont think i would never be interested to pay the price ($10,000 & up) for a long arm nor dedicate the space needed for one. i would be more willing to develop a close relationship with a longarmer to do my quilts before thinking of making that kind of investment.
i am not sure what links you have viewed for the hq SW16 but here are a few of them. do your search on the board also and see if some of your questions can get answered. i know there are a couple of folks on the board that have bought the sit down quilting machines that can answer ???'s for you. good luck with your searching.
http://www.handiquilter.com/product/hq-sweet-sixteen/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npTme2-RW-I
http://www.sewingmachinesplus.com/Ha...et-Sixteen.php
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDa6rky8PYk
http://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1...n-t184490.html
http://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1...r-t178949.html