How To Fix Overscan And Underscan Between A TV And Console

Understanding Overscan and Underscan

Overscan and underscan are common issues that can affect the viewing experience when connecting a console or computer to a TV. Overscan occurs when the TV zooms in on the image, cutting off the edges, while underscan results in black bars around the image, preserving the aspect ratio but not utilizing the full screen.

Identifying the Problem

Before fixing the issue, it's crucial to identify whether you are experiencing overscan or underscan. Here are the key differences:

• Overscan: The image appears zoomed in, with parts of the picture hidden beyond the screen borders.
• Underscan: Black bars appear on the sides or top and bottom of the screen, indicating that the image is not filling the entire screen.

Fixing Overscan on Your TV

To fix overscan, you need to adjust the TV settings. The steps vary depending on the TV model, but here are some general guidelines:

For Most TVs

1. Access Picture Settings: Use your TV remote to navigate to the picture settings menu. This is often found under menus like "Picture," "Display," or "Settings."
2. Look for Overscan Settings: Search for settings like "Overscan," "Screen Fit," "Screen Fill," "Aspect Ratio," or "Format." These settings might be labeled differently depending on the TV brand.
3. Adjust the Setting: Select the option that eliminates overscan, such as "Full," "Fit," or "Dot by Dot." On some TVs, like Panasonic models, you may need to enable "Full" and then select "Size 2" to eliminate overscan.

For Specific TV Brands

• Samsung: Go to Menu > Picture > Screen Adjustment > Picture Size and change to "Screen Fit".
• LG: Navigate to Settings -> All Settings -> Picture -> Setting for aspect ratio and select "Just Scan" and turn it on.
• Panasonic: Select Menu > Setup > Picture Overscan and turn it off. If this option is not available, adjust the aspect settings to 16:9 and look for the overscan option in the setup menu.

Fixing Underscan

Underscan can be fixed by adjusting the display settings on your console or computer, or by changing the TV settings.

On Your Console or Computer

1. Check Console Settings: For consoles like the PS4, navigate to the display settings and look for options to adjust the screen size. However, some consoles may not have effective settings for this, and you may need to adjust the TV instead.
2. Adjust Display Settings on Mac: If you are connecting a Mac to your TV, go to Apple menu > System Settings (or System Preferences) > Displays and adjust the picture size using the Underscan setting if available.

On Your TV

1. Change Input Settings: Some TVs have different settings based on the input type. For example, selecting "PC" as the input type can automatically adjust for underscan.
2. Aspect Ratio Settings: Adjust the aspect ratio settings to ensure the image fits the screen properly. Look for settings like "Wide," "Zoom," or "Just Scan" and adjust accordingly.

Additional Tips for Specific Devices

Apple TV

If you are using an Apple TV, you can adjust the AirPlay display settings to fix overscan or underscan:

• For Apple TV 4K or Apple TV HD, go to Settings > AirPlay (or AirPlay and Homekit) > AirPlay Display Underscan.
• For older Apple TV models (3rd generation or 2nd generation), go to Settings > Audio & Video > Adjust for AirPlay Overscan.

RetroPie and Other Devices

For devices like RetroPie, which often require precise image settings, you may need to edit configuration files to adjust overscan settings. For example, you can edit the /boot/config.txt file to set overscan parameters.

By following these steps and adjusting the appropriate settings on your TV or console, you can ensure that your image is displayed correctly without any parts being cut off or unnecessary black bars. Always refer to your device's manual or manufacturer's support site for specific instructions tailored to your model.