Can't Adjust Mac Mini output to fit 1080 screen

I have a Mac Mini running Snow Lepoard. Went HDMI out to a 40 inch set. It almost fits but there is a critical fail - the top Menu bar is just off screen. I went to "Displays" in System Preferences but the Mini defaulted to a setting of 1080p. I tried to change resolution like we normally do (go to a smaller feed) but the screen went black and will not default back to default 1080p. Now I have to reinstall the OS just to be able to be able to see the screen again!
Anyway, I had read that there is a app or module or something on the Mac that will allow you to adjust to a set such as this. But I am not finding it in Snow Leopard. Is this compatibility function something that only came with Lion or Mountain Lion?

I moved your post here to this forum as this is not a "Switcher" topic. Please read our Sticky Post at the top of this forum: "Connecting your Mac to your TV".

Thank you!

Do not need to reinstall the OS - reboot the machine in Safe Mode.

You should then be able to reboot normally - head into Displays preferences and turn off Overscan.
That'll bring your menu back onto the screen.
You should reset it back to 1080p if it's not already - and "assuming" the monitor is 1080p.

Then have a read of Post # 2 - Item # 2.
edit - forgot the link
http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/other-hardware-peripherals/193239-connecting-your-mac-your-tv.html

Yes, the TV is 1080 - I already did reinstall the OS - did "restore defaults? and it still comes back with the black screen on my TV saying it can't do the resolution but will not display the Mac screen so I can't get into the Display control panel. Shocks me - how can you restore defaults of Snow Leopard but the Display control panel is still using the bogus setting I put in.

ANYWAY, HOW do I reboot in Safe Mode? Hold down the Shift key I believe. Assuming it will take a Keyboard command.

Stupid me....I should have noticed that overscan slider in the first place.

ANYWAY, HOW do you do the safe install startup you mentioned? What keys do I hold down on the keyboard? Assuming it will take a Keyboard command.

Click to expand...

Reboot and hold down your shift key as soon as you hear the startup chime.

Crazy!
I got this to work in Safe Mode. Used the slider, shrunk down the picture in System Preferences/Displays. Restarted out of Safe Mode and it's back to my TV's chip telling me to change the resolution of the device. So the mac is not taking the instruction change. I start in Safe Mode again and the slider change I made is still there!
I trashed System Preferences in Users. I cannot find a Display Preference to trash. Any ideas? Am I stuck having to always boot up in safe mode to use this TV? Is that bad? What do I lose?

OK - got it to work. Trashed macro system preferences. Thanks all!~

Cool deal.

Text loses it clean outline on a 40=-inch HDTV - not crisp at all. Like in the day before font smoothing! Graphics and photos are more than acceptable. But the waveforms in ProTools look really good and it is so much easier to edit at this size. Just wish there was a way to make text crisper.

I don't like the way OS X does fonts myself. You need a computer monitor with an appropriate resolution based on the size of the screen for text. The bigger the screen - the worse it is - try 1080p on a 60" screen. And why I use a Windows machine when I want to view text on a large low resolution screen.

While the MacDaily News view is:

The end result is that Macs look sumptuous and gorgeous, displaying minute attention to detail and Windows looks chintzy and flimsy, displaying a marked lack of care.

Click to expand...

Now that my arms are too short, I want my text sharp and crisp, as I always have - that's why I had to get reading glasses in the first place - not blurry to maintain it's original design.

Have a read of these couple of articles - while old, still relevant.
Font smoothing, anti-aliasing, and sub-pixel rendering - Joel on Software
Mac vs. Windows: Font smoothing, anti-aliasing, and sub-pixel rendering – MacDailyNews - Welcome Home