Reply to Technics/timecode questions

I've been DJ'ing with a denon MC6000 and a midi fighter for about 5-6 months now and I still love it. I've improved a lot as a DJ over time and I've already had over 20 gigs on my college campus. I still feel like there is something to be desired as far as an analogue "feel" though. I really want to start looking into getting turntables and using timecode with them. The only problem is I have NO idea what I'm doing when it comes to turntables.

So here are my questions:
What model of technics should I keep my eyes out for? I see most people using 1210 MK2's and 1210 m5x's

What's the difference between these models?

What kind of prices are fair? I've scoured ebay and craigslist a bit and the prices are so different that I don't know what to make of it. The lowest price I saw for a pair of MK2's was $400 on craigslist.

What kind of terminology should I look for in terms of needles/cartridges?

Should i just get a TSP certified mixer and separate timecode vinyl to bypass buying an Traktor audio X soundcard?