I'm hoping somebody can help me with this TV set. I am new to
electronics repair and have read quite a bit on the net but the
recommendations are fairly generic.

This set blows the fuse instantly upon applying power. I have checked
the board for hairline cracks with no avail (at least to my eyes). I
believe I have verified everything up to the HOT (Q4401), but anything
is possible for a newbie. The HOT is high on C-E in both directions,
but on B-E it reads 0.4 ohms in both directions (on 200 ohm DMM scale).
Does this mean the HOT is bad? If so, what are the next steps (I do
not want to simply replace the HOT and see if it happens again, which
I've been told previously).

Thanks in advance for any help!