Is it worth it to purchase an LCD HDTV if I only have basic cable service?

You can buy a TV or buy a TV tuner for your PC and watch everything on your laptop.

Basic cable on HDTVs looks pretty bad but depending on where you live an antenna on a new TV will give you access to free HD channels as well.

unless you go to a pawn shop you won't find tooooooo many older style crt tvs on the shelf at a big box retailer.

now. if your laptop has hdmi output then you could benefit from this. hdmi cables transmit sound and video, so it's just one cable to your tv. and i know netflix has hd movies available (if i'm not mistaken). you do that, hook up to your tv and your picture will be pretty nice. that'll go for even web browsing, or other video content like hulu or youtube (granted, hulu only has up to 480p hd available). but if your laptop only has vga output, and the new lcd hdtv has it, your still getting an analog signal, but it won't look bad at all, i've watched many movies with that cable and have been very happy, just have to use an extra cable for sound

but if you just want a quick fix, hit up a pawnshop and see if they have hd crt tv. but if you pay for cable service, you won't need an hd set, as almost every provider does the conversion on their end for the older sets. so paying 40 bucks for an older crt set is not out of the question.

You having netflix and Cox service have nothing to do with eachother.

If you have basic theres no need for a newer HD tv unless you're just wanting one. Cox is digital so they already convert everything before they send it to you so you don't have to have a digital tuner. Digital tuners are only if you do not pay for tv service through any provider. You will not get HD picture with the package you have, the quality will be better but not HD. \

As far as Netflix you'd have to hook your laptop up to the tv to stream the videos or get their receiver and hook it up to your tv.

I would say it depends on the size of the picture you are looking for. For basic cable, you could pick up an old 32" CRT for next to nothing now. Older sets are heavier and bulkier. Might even be able to find an older HD CRT. I have a 25" CRT HD I use to get over the air signals and it is good picture.