Okay, if you want to stick with a standard DVD player (without upconversion), you're better off using your component cables.  Take those composite cables out to the backyard, pour on some gasoline, and light those suckers up.

Really, I find that good upconverting DVD players make a big difference, but it also depends somewhat on your HDTV.

Not sure that this is the correct forum for this question (nice way of saying that I know it's not the right one...)

Anyway, if you connect by component, the colors will look significantly richer. Additionally, connecting by component rather than composite cables will allow you to view your DVDs in progressive-scan mode (480p) rather than interlaced (480i). 480p is the maximum resolution available on standard DVDs.

Will standard DVDs look better? Yes. Will standard DVDs look way better? No.

To make standard DVDs look significantly better, you need a quality upconverting DVD player. For excellent performance for cost, look into an OPPO DV-981HD (if you have HDMI connectors on your HDTV), or an OPPO DV-970HD if you have component only. If you have money to burn, you can look into Denon upconverting DVD players, but the quality isn't that much better versus OPPO players, and they cost quite a bit more.

If you want to get an hdtv with 1080p resolution the set itself needs to be big. Anything under 40" you wouldn't really see the difference between that and 720p. I've heard 50"+ for 1080p but I'd say 45"+ even thats pushing it thoughHaloONE

Agreed. 1080p is certainly not necessary on a screen of 40 or 42in like the OP wants, but it could be a situation like mine where space constraints limit screen size...and you still want a really nice screen.  A lot of the newer models on the top end lines are coming with 1080p these days even at the 40 or 42in sizes. 

I don't have my 360 connected to this one, but I have the Samsun LN-S4096D upstairs. Its a really good LCD TV in my opinion.

I got it through bestbuyplasma...great deal. I should mention that you don't really get as good a deal as they list on that site (list prices are ridiculously high), but you should save a couple hundred over Best Buy or Crutchfield, etc.

Self-Help Script o' The Day 

1. Go watch the scene in Home Alone where Kevin talks about the rollerblades he never used for fear that they'd get messed up.

2. Go buy yourself a 360 and stop being such a wuss. 

Good news! I just heard from my source at Microsoft regarding your idea.  He just got off the phone with Bill Gates, and it turns out that Gates WILL implement this program because it makes such good business sense from a profits/losses standpoint.

There's only one catch: the program will be implemented only for you.  Gates said it's because you're such a "neat-o" guy.