Kudos on the lighting discussion, Martin. It makes me more interested in investigating VHO ballasts. My 4' tubes have too short a life and flicker far too much for my own comfort. I've seen pretty high numbers when it comes to efficient VHO ballasts, but I think I could afford to drop $100ish if I could find a worthwhile one. Any recommendations and or important things to avoid in looking for a new ballast? Dave