You can pump stuff out of the filters inventory with a transposer. I think on one of Direwolf20's season 5 single player episodes he said that that pumping an item into the side of a filter puts it into its filter. I should have tested that but now I can't for another day or so. However, what I did do was get about an 80% proof of concept. Doing it with forth is probably better though, but that just hurts me!
I think applied energistics is really cool but I agree with you that it can't do everything. I have had most success with AE when it comes to bulk item transmission, taming gregtech machines and storage and autocrafting. It is also good for systems that require simple automation but on a large scale. I have tested a system with extra bees, AE and factorization that autocrafts frames and stocks them in alveary frame housings with a router. As soon as I get a legit alveary I will do that in my real world even of I need a separate AE network. I do think AE works best when combined with other mods including redpower, factorization, buildcraft, ender storage etc but redpower is a very good self contained system. While redpower is cool enough on its own, there are some tasks which are done better with an array of other mods, arguably with AE at the centre.
But I still think redpower has a lot of unique functionality. I still can't think of a way to do your request setup without redpower.
Thaumcraft might be the answer, although I am clueless with that mod.
I am trying to come up with a turtle program as well. I am sure it can be done I just need to conceptualise it first. Of course by now we are straying far from Applied Energistics but I guess that is the point of modpacks.
