VHS Formatted to fit your TV ? Fullscreen or Widescreen

[Glastontown]

I'm collecting VHS, primarily Fullscreen, I occassionally come across titles that, rather than stating that they are Fullscreen or Widescreen, say they are "modified to fit your TV" Anyone have any experience with this, what does it mean? Currently looking at Requiem For a Dream, edited version, description - Canadian Home Video. " The film has been modified from it's original version. it has been formatted to fit your TV." I have  brilliant Toshiba TV from 1999, which I still use for VHS.
Regards  Glastontown.

[CSchmidlapp]

It normally means it has been adapted to 4:3 buy panning over a widescreen ratio. Cutting off the sides of the picture.
This is also normally limited to films shot with anamorphic lenses that gives you a scope 2:35:1 ratio.
Most of the films shown in 1:85:1 theatrically we're released open matte on VHS which opened up the picture at the top and bottom giving you the 4:3 ratio.

Hope this makes sense

[wingtsun36]

On the old CRT Tvs watching Videos/DVDs I used to take the backs off and then adjust the POTs (Horizontal) to enable me to see more in the movie! lol...

[CSchmidlapp]

Haha. I had no idea you could do that on consumer CRT's.
Did it just adjust the over-scan, revealing more picture top, sides and bottom?

[wingtsun36]

Yes, the other way would be to get the TV into service mode if it had one!

[Glastontown]

1:1.85 opening up into fullcreen, OK that explains a lot, I've noticed this with a fair proportion which are labelled wide-screen. How do you tell though, is it a lottery?

[CSchmidlapp]

It can be, but you can make an educated guess based on how the film was shot.
Although most films we're shot with the crop in mind.

Here is a nice thread on the process involved
https://fanrestore.com/thread-1415.html?...=from+film

[Glastontown]

Thanks guys, for the help and advice.
Sorry to take so long to get back, for some reason I couldn't log on.
Regards Ken.

[Doctor M]

The best thing to do is check Imdb's technical specs. A lot of films shot 35mm spherical were released on VHS as open matte.
Sometimes it's nice having the extra image, but many times, you'll end up with booms in the shot or other things that were never intended to be seen.

[Valeyard]

Haha. I had no idea you could do that on consumer CRT's.
Did it just adjust the over-scan, revealing more picture top, sides and bottom?

Really? I have a TV where I've dialled down the overscan too. I haven't fired it up in a while... Oh and I used service mode, not taking it apart and fiddling with the internals!