In order to make rational equipment choices it is necessary to have an understanding of the direct seeding principles. Direct seeding starts in the fall of the previous year with trash management. This means spreading the straw and chaff uniformly over as wide an area as possible.
Weed control is very important and starts in the fall as well.
That means controlling the perennials as well as the winter annuals. Depending on the time of seeding in the spring, a spring weed burn off may or may not be necessary. Of course you can do all of this and then go and wreck everything by not maintaining a good, firm seedbed. However, I believe that a good seeding tool will allow me to place both fertilizer and seed with sufficient separation between the two so as to not damage the seedlings and at the same time, allow the seed to be placed into a firm seed bed. It will also have good trash clearance.