Way too late for this advice I know, but: A favorite packing material of mine is 4'x8'( x2" or x3/4") sheets of Styrofoam insulation from the local hardware stores....If you cut one slightly bigger than the screen set it face down on it and taped the sides of the screen frame to the foam the screen likely would have fared better.
When I was a wee lad one a my kin had such a beast in their basement rec room, can't remember the make or model, but I thought it was more interesting than the stuff they were watching on it.
Best of luck getting it working.