I almost followed all of this but I think I'm not quite getting everything.

In any event, am I wrong in thinking that most heads these days that use 3/8"-16 screws also incorporate quick release plates? and that the Sachtler-style wide head camera screw is pretty universal (Bogen etc use them). If this is the case, you can get the same screw in 1/4"-20 and attach the Merlin's tripod plate to your head or prompter, and still be able to quickly release and fly. The Merlin has a really unique setup in that the quick release clamp is built into the camera plate rather than the part that stays behind on the head. Certainly this is cheaper and more low-profile (and most importantly for the Merlin, lighter by far) than the TA-100.