Sorry this is in the SD displays forum; there doesn't appear to be a more appropriate place to put a thread about an old analogue telly.

My CRT overscans something fierce. Now that I watch pretty much everything in widescreen via STB, I'm annoyed at having to watch what is essentially a 14:9 picture.

Is anyone aware of how to calibrate older Panasonic televisions? I don't know how old it is because I bought it from a mate, but my guess is between five and 10 years. I've looked on the web for instructions on how to calibrate this model [TC-68A61 68cm] but I've found nothing, apart from a couple of guides involving remote control codes that don't work with mine. Taking the back off reveals several pots, none of which seems to control the picture dimensions.

Of course one option is to take it to a service centre, but currently I'm not in a financial position to do this.

Anyone assistance at all would be enormously appreciated.

IIRC, most of the older large screen Panasonics - I'm thinking of the ones with the model number screen sizes in inches, e.g. TC-29V50A for a 68cm - have a "service mode" button on the main board, just in front of the ... ah, now where was it? ... near the focus pot? Once you press this, you get a few extra functions in the picture settings (using the remote) until you press ... ah, memory has gone again ... the OSD button? Timer button?

Service mode on these sets was minimal, however - mainly H-pos, H-size, V-size, barrel, keystone, etc. V centering was done via a 3 position switch or pot.

I did have the service mode data for most of those older Panasonics around here somewhere, but can't find it at the moment. If I find your model, I'll post it. Since you've been inside it, you may have better luck if you Google the chassis type rather than the model number e.g. MX-2A for the aforementioned TC29V50A. Yours may be a M11 or M12 chassis. This link may help.

Standard disclaimer applies when working inside television sets - if you don't feel you can handle a few tens of thousands of volts at appreciable current across the chest, don't poke around inside there! Particularly around the focus pot on a live chassis set...

Wonderful, thanks so much, you've given me loads to go on. Hugely appreciated.

I'm an idiot. I just took the back off the telly and found V HEIGHT and H WIDTH pots that for some reason I'd never seen before.

Still, without your help I wouldn't have gone looking for a chassis number in the first place. I owe you one.