Idiot Proof LCD for Electronically Challenged?

My personal opinion, is there's only a few things you need to keep in mind.

1. At 37" 720p resolution is great. You don't need 1080p, don't worry about it.

2. Sony, Samsung, Sharp are the top 3 "S" manufacturers. They make great sets and you won't be disappointed when picking up one of theirs.

The rest of it is just a whole bunch of analysis and debate about the final 1%. You can (and I have) get really deep and really addicted to debating back and forth what's best at what price and what's coming next. Go on a viewing spree around stores in your area and see what the TV looks like. Realize source material makes ALL the difference, and pick up your favorite TV.

All I can say is this site is awesome but at the same time a double edge sword. More so for the newbies. The more you read the more you will start to notice things in tv's that you never even knew existed. The more you read the more obsessed you will become with your purchase. Always keep in mind that this site is a minority so most people that buy tv's and don't have problems will usually not post on this forum since they are busy watching thier perfect sets so since most threads you read most people will be complaining about one thing or another so take in mind that these people are the minority. The best time to buy would be these next 2 months and black friday. Check out blackfriday.gottadeal.com for some upcoming amazing black friday deals on LCD and Plasma sets.
If you are not a huge videophile and you are not using the latest and greatest HD content then you would be fine with a nice 720p set. Things you want to consider are how far you are sitting from the set to determine the size you need and the resolution that will work best for you. Example, I am 8 feet away and a 52 inch works best for me. Maybe someone could post you the link to seating chart calculator or just google it.
So to best help you, how far away are you sitting, do you have a lot of windows behind you, do you watch during the day or more at night, what do you watch the most SD dvd's, SD tv, etc. How much do you want to spend?

I would recommend a Samsung LCD, 40" 720p. When you get it home, connect it to an HD cable/satellite box with component cables, and red/white audio cables. Set the tv to standard resolution (avoid dynamic), 16:9 and enjoy. As mentioned above, don't get too involved on the threads here. Some of us are overly concerned with things that don't bother most people.

Come back with questions, ofcourse, but I do believe you will enjoy a Samsung LNT 40" 720p tv very much.

I have the LNT 4053 which I got recently, great tv, and a very good price at this time at Amazon if you are interested. (that's where I got mine.) It is a particularly narrow width (39" wide) as it's speakers are on the bottom, I think it would fit on your table. Tho you have to get an HD cable box, without it, you won't enjoy any hdtv very much.

Two recs for you--

Samsung 40" LCD LNT4053
Sony" 40" LCD KDL-40S3000

Either one will have a great picture. Both can be had for $11-$1300. Don't get a 37" while both of these 40"'s will fit in nicely into your cabinet.

And also, you have to get HD somehow. You may be disapointed with LCDs with SD programming. Both TVs above do it well but you may ever prefer your old CRT set.