The tubes are tough for a non-tech to change. I tried and failed. The 10xx projectors are put together fairly well and they have hinges and come apart fairly easily for what they are - frickin' video projectors! First of all retubing should only be done with the unit TURNED OFF and UNPLUGGED(but you probably figured that). Also, it needs to discharge too. I heard from a reliable source that the 10xx units discharge lethal levels of electricity (stored in their big-ass capacitors) in about 30 seconds but I waited 3 days for mine (1031Q) to be safe. Getting access to the tubes is fairly easy - unscrew this, unscrew that, flip this up - easy to do with a service manual - I hacked it apart without the manual but it took a while. The lens assembly is FUN too take out and about 10 times more FUN to put back in the first time. Be careful when you put 'er back in that you don't scratch the tube faces or coolent seals. Then you have to use a long and narrow nut-driver (forgot what size, I used a 5/16" nut-driver) to take the securing nuts of the tubes out. Mine wasn't long enough so I removed some boards that were in the way. Then you have to loosen the screws on magnetic assemblies of each of the tubes making careful note of their orientation (if you put the magnetic assembly back on wrong your convergence will be WAY off - rotated). Then you have to remove the HV leads (that is where I got stuck). You have to push in and turn 90 degrees (dunno which way - clockwise or counter, probably counter as lefty loosy, righty tighty; but these babies are Japanese so you never know

) Then you carefully liberate the tube out of its socket and slide the new one in. Then you do the opposite as what you did to take the old tube out. Be careful with handling the tubes. If you break a tube they will implode and you ass will be grass. I heard it is really hard to implode a tube, but still, be careful (don't drop it on the floor, etc.). For an experenced tech (i.e. Eric Lang of PSI) it takes about 30 to 45 minutes to do one tube. So all three you are talking 2 hours tech labor which from PSI would run you about $160 I think (don't quote me - I had only one tube replaced by Eric). If you do it yourself who knows how long it will take. Several hours probably. I tried for 8 hours and got as far as the HV lead. I could have just worked that time and paid for the job done by an experienced tech (which I did in the end obviously). Doing it yourself you obviously run the risk of damaging your projector and injuring/killing yourself (by electricution or implosion of a tube). I'd say if those are acceptable risks then go for it. Curt will tell you how easy retubing is but remember, he's an experenced tech, you aren't. I'm just lucky I got mine all back together after I tried. Though doing it yourself is what will seperate you from being simply a crt owner. It will promote you from private to sergeant, I title I wish I could claim for myself

. I'd say if you know any places near where you can get it retubed (probably a chilly day in Hell) then pay a tech to do it. Either that or just get a projector with newer tubes! Curt made a good point (as usual) that retubing a 10xx or 12xx for that matter is hardly worth it as cheap as projectors with good tubes are and as expensive as new tubes and labor is. Honestly though, at PSI I think labor is $80/hour which is DAMN good! My blue tube was excessively worn and PSI had a steal on near-mint blue tubes (were $300) so I bit. Good luck (and skill) which ever route you choose to go!
