This is the kind if stuff I'm looking for! Great!

I can't get a projection TV mostly because I don't have room for one. (I have powered-off computers littering the floor as it is. ) I also just don't like the way they look. It's very subjective -- nothing I can quantify.

I understand that there will always be bars in one half of the combinations. I'm used to it -- I've had LD players for years. What I was going for in my exaggerated statement was that if you try to play a widescreen movie on a 16:9 TV, then you might end up with it showing a 4:3 image with the TV leaving black bars on the sides, and with the player leaving black bars at the top and bottom. I'm sure that there are instances where this is more likely (playing a widescreen movie from my VCR probably being one of them -- can I get the TV to stretch that out?), but I want to make sure it isn't always likely with my setup.

I do watch most of my TV via DirecTV, but I watch a lot of DVD as well. When you say I'll be underwhelmed by the NTSC in comparison, do you mean in comparison to the HDTV or in comparison to other NTSC monitors?

Oh -- I'm not a total video idiot -- I understand aspect ratios and why Ben Hur will still be letterboxed on a 16:9 TV, etc. -- I just got left behind on the new technology. If I come to the conclusion that I want to avoid the HDTVs, I'm more than capable of picking one out. I know how to look for blooming, tearing, etc. I just need to get up to speed on why I would want or not want certain features. All I know right now is that I need something better than this 15" TV that I'm using since my old 32" stopped working. (When it rains, it pours.) Thanks for the great start.