Ehhh . . . . I've been soldering and working with electronics since I was 11 . . . to me it seems easier than paying $$ for an EPIC card or a similar solution.

It's cheaper, but not easier. I do plenty of that sort of thing at work as it is, and I've got tons of work to do on my pit besides the electronics, so for me, the cost is worth it.
The only nonpartisan criticism I have of that setup as pictured is that it doesn't look particularly robust. Even inside a box it would be pretty vulnerable.
But I'm sure there's a way to mount everything so it isn't so fragile.