would it be at all possible (on a CRT that has OSD menu) to locate the pins on the TV's pcb that relate to the V-Size, V-Stretch of the TV and solder potentiometers to these pins?
I highly doubt it. The way I understand it is that later generation TVs have DSP chips that process the image according to the parameters you tweak in the Service Menu. It's all done digitally rather than with the control voltages analog chassis use.
Also what chassis did you get and how much was it?
It's a universal chassis from
Jomac. Basically, it's a Sharp Image chassis setup specifically for my Phillips tubes by Joey. It cost me AUD $240 plus $20 shipping. Jomac is an Australian company with a really good reputation for service and quality... but...
I've had a chance play around with it more today and unless I find some magic control that I've overlooked (highly unlikely) I think my verdict is going to be a negative one. The image is vibrant and really stable but the geometry is nowhere near as good as some of my SCART TVs. No matter what I do, I can't get rid of the dips and curves at the edges of the image. Aside from the size and position controls, there's only a pincushion adjustment. The Blaupunkt I have has pincushion and trapezium. The Loewes have 2 pincushion and 2 trapezium controls plus a bunch of others. With only pincushion, the best I can do is get one edge reasonably straight and the other quite wobbly. Or, I can get them both wobbly.
Nowhere near as good as your Sony, lettuce.
I'm gonna take a whole stack of photos tomorrow comparing the analog Blaupunkt with the Sharp Image. Both have Phillips tubes. I'm pretty sure that $30 consumer TV is gonna put this "commercial grade" arcade chassis to shame. As for that holy grail Grundig CUC 4365 I keep banging on about, well, that thing would have eaten this Sharp Image for breakfast! I say you nip over to Germany, lettuce, and load up on vintage Grundigs.
Oh, and Calamity, that effect you talk about with your Hantarex... does the image get squished in the middle of the screen? On this chassis, objects actually get smaller in the middle and then expand at the edges. Any side scrolling game will easily reveal this to a discerning eye.
Just focus on one shape and watch it contract and expand as it moves across the screen. :'(