Samsung HCM-4215W 42" Widescreen HDTV monitor..good buy?
 

Hi,
Im moving into a new apartment come august, and am looking to upgrade my 27" sharp. Price range is $1550, is this samsung my best bet, and is it worth the buy?
http://www.bestbuy.com/detail.asp?e=...cat=24&scat=25
Im not going to have hdtv yet, so will regular cable tv be widescreen or regular 4:3? Also, if basic tv is not going to be widescreen then will their be vertical bars? finally, if im watching regular tv not in widescreen, how large will my viewing area be with vertical bars? couldnt find anything on these questions so any links would be appreciated. thanks

Your regular cable TV will still be 4:3. Most widescreen RPTV's include several stretch modes for converting the 4:3 image to 16:9 by stretching the outside more than the inside of the picture. Or you could watch TV "windowboxed". But that can cause burn in so I wouldn't do it all the time.

As for models I recommend the Toshiba 42H81 over the Samsung in the 42" range. But one of the many 47" Panasonic models would probably be your best bet.

Two more quick notes.

1. A RPTV should be viewed in a somewhat low light room.

2. Remember to adjust the picture settings on your TV as soon as get it. Some quick adjustments can improve the picture and more importantly lengthen the lifespan of your new TV.