Blindjim, needs a projector? Please forgive me, but, for about $2K you can really move up in quality! A new unit with a generous return policy is what I'd suggest. The replacement bulbs can be quite expensive and sample to sample quality variations seem to be unfortunately quite common. High Def will soon be the standard, you may end up needing a converter box just to accept standard def in the near future. On top of that, an 8' screen will really show off the difference between standard and high def. I hope you realize that without spending a lot of money on a special screen, room considerations (ambient light) will be a very serious consideration.