Put in recessed lights, which also gives you more head room for a basement.

Thanks, I will look into that.

We have 3" pots with LEDs in our suspended ceiling no problem at all to install even DIY if you are a bit handy

I thought the can or pot lights suggestions were good for our one remaining unconverted light panel, but DH nixed that idea.

He thought it would look weird if most of the lights in the rec room ceiling were the long strip light type behind the plastic lens, but one was a totally different round pot/can style, and we should go forward with the LED strip lights in all the locations.

Do you think it would look odd if we had this totally different style of the round pot/can light in one place, surrounded by panels with the strip lights? (We expect to sell and move in a couple of years so we need to care about appearances, LOL!)

I included a layout of the room below. The panel in question is in the middle of the room, shown in blue in the diagram, and in the photo above. If we did the pot/can thing that is where it would be.

Replace all the strip lights with can lights. You will have better function, and it will increase the value of your home.

unless you bought good quality stips those things will fail sooner than you hope. I would make the better choice and have the same lighting throughout, otherwise, its going to look just like, you mish-mashed lighting.

Thanks! Good suggestion. DH put the LED strips in so it will be hard for him to redo his work. Working on strategies to address that!

What do most people do -- only one can per 2x4 ceiling panel, or two?

By any chance is there such a thing on the market as the can version of the troffer lights made for suspended ceilings? I looked online and could not find it but may not have used the right search terms, if such a thing exists. Which it certainly seems like it should!

could you put the drop ceiling over top of the recessed areas? and then make a more balanced lighting pln.

https://www.lightingdirect.com/kichler-43855whled30t-horizon-6-led-downlight-title-24-3000k/p3123275?source=gg-gbav2_3123275&inv=1&&source=gg-gba-pla_3123275!c9534090949!a98385144478!dc!ng&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1JqUsvez6gIVAz2tBh0ftAfZEAQYBSABEgIL3fD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Our rec room has a suspended ceiling metal grid with 2x4 ceiling tiles. We won't change the grid but will replace the tiles as needed. Here is a photo to give an idea:

This photo is looking from one end of the long family room to the window at the other end other. On the floor plan, the photographer is on the far right looking to the the left wall.

The blue arrow points to a "black hole" which corresponds to the image posted above depicting an area where the tile had been removed for replacement of the original fluorescent light. (Also the turquoise area in the diagram!)

What is a little unusual in this basement is that the original owner who finished the rec room did not have the original fluorescent lights hard wired. Instead, he installed electric outlets at the light locations and used plug in shop lights. It seems like that ought to make it easier for us to relamp the whole thing with LED can lights, but I can't figure out how!

yes, take out the ballasts, and replace with new tile where the plastic lens is now, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jEuRzLRbXY

remove the plugs, and use the electrical.

you could use the "box" the plug is in and put a junction box.