I agree that keeping meditation simple and straight forward are important in the beginning. The main thing though is to cultivate a regular practice. Do what it takes it to keep yourself practicing regularly. This is where you'll get results. I've been practicing meditation now for 40 or so years and regardless of styles, affiliations, props or otherwise, the people I know who have achieved positive results and sustaining benefits are the people who stick with it and make it a regular practice.
One thing regarding tech/cds and the like: Although I myself lean towards the tech-free approach, I know quite a few people who've said to me that they wouldn't even be meditating at all if it weren't for these programs. In this light I can't help but hold the opinion that you should do what you need to do to get yourself meditating. After you've put in a good number of years of practice either with or without technology you'll find that you have the tenacity and discipline to continue practicing for the rest of your life. This is what is important.
I know many long term practitioners from many styles and what we've noticed is that even when technique, approach, systems and philosophies seem to very markedly differ, they often have the same destinations.
