topic Re: Teletext (Red Button) Problem on 2007 Vintage Bravia in Other TVs

Teletext (Red Button) Problem on 2007 Vintage Bravia

Brian32P — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 09:02:50 GMT

I have a Bravia KDL-32P3020 manufactured in October 2007. When using Teletext on the BBC 1 Red Button we can drill down through the menus (e.g. up to date news items) but no pages will actually load - instead of loading the page it will switch back to full screen picture. We have auto software download set to "on" and the software version is 2.12.105 which I have to assume is the latest. Anyone have any ideas please?

TV works perfectly apart from this.

Re: Teletext (Red Button) Problem on 2007 Vintage Bravia

tonyoldham — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 15:40:27 GMT

I've had exactly the same thing with a KDL-23B4050, same symptoms, can scroll down list of teletext category pages, but as soon as try to open a particular page, tv exits teletext and returns to full screen..otherwise tv working perfectly

Re: Teletext (Red Button) Problem on 2007 Vintage Bravia

hwolny — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 15:49:59 GMT

I have exactly the same problem with my Bravia KDL-20S3000 TV bought in 2009.

I contacted the BBC and got the following reply:

Thank you for contacting the BBC Reception Advice Service.
I understand you've encountered problems accessing the Red Button recently.
As part of an ongoing improvement to Freeview we have recently updated the BBC’s Red Button service. All our updates are in line with the international standards for broadcast television and tested to ensure they meet these standards.
However, we have been informed by Sony that a small number of their older products are having problems with the update. While the issue is with the Sony products, we are assisting Sony to find a resolution to the problem. We would therefore suggest contacting Sony direct as they will be better placed to keep you updated with progress.

I then contacted Sony and this was their response:

Thank you for contacting Sony support. We are sorry to learn that you are experiencing difficulties accessing BBC Red Button service on your Sony KDL-20S3000.
In regards to your enquiry, please note that sadly due to your TV seniority the TV is blacklisted preventing access to the Red Button application.
Since BBC developed their new BBC Red Button + application and your TV is an old model that unfortunately will not be supported.
We apologize for the unintended inconvenience.
Please provide us with the serial number allocated on the back of the device for registration purposes.
Should you have any further questions, please feel free to reply to this email.
Yours sincerely,
Sally
Sony customer support
Sony Europe Limited

TV seniority? Blacklisted? My TV is only 6 years old. I know that stuff these days is not built to last compared to consumer goods built 20 years ago, but this is unacceptable. Either the BBC should ensure that their existing digital services are available to all licence payers (and any changes that they make are always compatible with existing TVs)), or Sony should provide suitable support for their products that are nowhere near the end of their working lives - a 6 year old TV is not obsolete (or even "senior").

Re: Teletext (Red Button) Problem on 2007 Vintage Bravia

Brian32P — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 17:48:28 GMT

Thank you hwolny for such a quick and comprehensive reply. Your TV is a couple of years younger than mine but even I find it incredible that Sony can wash their hands of what is such a fundamental problem i.e. we cannot receive such a basic service as Teletext any more. Any ideas on what the next step is?

Re: Teletext (Red Button) Problem on 2007 Vintage Bravia

tonyoldham — Fri, 23 Oct 2015 10:50:17 GMT

Since first posting and after reading the emails from the BBC & Sony Customer Services, I've also sent an email to Sony complaining of their attitude in trying to just walk away from the problem. I told them they're trying to use the so called seniority of the tvs etc., as a cop out, but as yet I've heard nothing back

Re: Teletext (Red Button) Problem on 2007 Vintage Bravia

tonyoldham — Mon, 26 Oct 2015 11:48:20 GMT

Hwolny,

do you have an email address for the people who replied to you at Sony?. I keep following the links on their site, send off my complaint and then it gets bounced back saying not us, try this one...still not managed to get through to the right place

Re: Teletext (Red Button) Problem on 2007 Vintage Bravia

Anonymous — Mon, 26 Oct 2015 14:02:21 GMT

Hi all

I have just spotted this thread - I will flag this with my contacts within Sony and see if I can get you all an answer. Will post back when I find out what is going on.

Cheers

Re: Teletext (Red Button) Problem on 2007 Vintage Bravia

hwolny — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 15:06:07 GMT

The BBC Red Button function on my "obsolete" TV now appears to be working (well, kind of).

After selecting a news story on BBC Teletext from the Main Headlines page, the TV still exits Teletext, but after about 10 seconds a "Please Wait" message appears on the screen and then the Teletext page of the previously selected news story is displayed. The rest of Teletext then works normally i.e. navigating to different pages using the menus. This has only happened in the last week or so. This will work as long as you do not press any other buttons on the remote before the "Please Wait" message appears and Teletext is redisplayed.

I haven't updated the firmware of my TV nor recanned for new digital channels - it seems the BBC have updated their Red Button software.

A victory (of sorts) ?

Re: Teletext (Red Button) Problem on 2007 Vintage Bravia

Anonymous — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 16:48:10 GMT

Hi there

Funnily enough, I have had a small response from Sony this morning about this. Both the BBC and Sony are kind of correct in their statement - but they are working together to find a fix to at least prevent the crashing symptoms. There is no known ETA on when this fix will occur - however it is also unlikely that full services will resume as they once was.

Only time will tell I guess.

Cheers

Re: Teletext (Red Button) Problem on 2007 Vintage Bravia

Brian32P — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 17:20:23 GMT

I have just tried my TV again and I have the same response from the TV as hwolny - obviously it would be more logical for the "please wait" to appear immediately instead of after 10 seconds but (thanks to hwolny) once you know you need to wait it's not really a problem. Teletext then appeared to work normally as hwolny said.

I am not sure what to make of Quinnicus mysterious statement "unlikely that full services will resume".

Thanks again to hwolny.

Re: Teletext (Red Button) Problem on 2007 Vintage Bravia

tonyoldham — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 18:35:51 GMT

Thanks very much hwolny, I've just tried your advice and everything works fine, thanks again \\tony \oldham

Re: Teletext (Red Button) Problem on 2007 Vintage Bravia

neilandjane — Fri, 20 Nov 2015 14:45:08 GMT

I have the same problem as that outlined above in that the BBC red button service stopped working about a month ago.

I contacted customer services to enquire why their company response was as described earlier and which to summarise is "tough".

They followed the company line of stating you television is over 5 years old and is unsupported.

I asked for the escalation team and was transferred through to exactly the same operator.

In short the service experience is appalling. It appears that it is a software issue within Sonys capability of fixing but that they refuse to.

It is also apparent that if you buy a product from Sony they disassociate themselves from their customer once it is five years old.

There therefore seems little point in buying their products anymore because of their build quality because even if the unit still works after five years a software upgrade could make it inoperable and they are callous in their customer care.

A real eye opener.

I can't see myself buying from Sony again or recommending them.

Perhaps if everyone else does the same they may learn the hard way but it will be in that case a matter of closing the stable door after the horse has bolted as by then they will have already alienated what had been prior to then a loyal customer base

Re: Teletext (Red Button) Problem on 2007 Vintage Bravia

Anonymous — Fri, 20 Nov 2015 15:09:10 GMT

You may have noted in the media in the last day or so ago, that the BBC Red Button service is set to close anyhow. So ensuring it works on legacy devices, is kind of a mute point now.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-34851369

http://www.a516digital.com/2015/11/phased-exit-planned-for-bbc-red-button.html

Cheers

Re: Teletext (Red Button) Problem on 2007 Vintage Bravia

Brian32P — Fri, 20 Nov 2015 16:09:13 GMT

I fully agree with neilandjane. I have bought many Sony products over the years primarily because of their reliability. But there is no point if they just refuse support during the product's lifetime. So next time I may just as well but another brand if cheaper.

As regards this specific problem, as stated earlier in the thread, it has (largely) been fixed. As for the Red Button service going I don't think the BBC really know what they are doing yet? They have recently made changes to it (which appeared to have caused the problem in the first place) and rolled out Red Button+. Is Red Button+ going as well? It's all very vague.

Re: Teletext (Red Button) Problem on 2007 Vintage Bravia

neilandjane — Sat, 21 Nov 2015 16:06:45 GMT

An interesting view but it misses the point

That is that Sony can not be trusted to act in their customers best interests

The red button service may be removed at some point in the future if it isn't a BBC stance to negotiate future budgetary considerations however unless Sony are psychic this may be their way of avoiding the real issue

That is that they disregard all customers who have sets more than 5 years old. A strange position from a company that promotes it products, at least in part, on their reliability. Sony in short are confirming that because of their approach the maximum useful life of all of their products is now only 5 years.

As I said earlier a real eye opener

Re: Teletext (Red Button) Problem on 2007 Vintage Bravia

puzzled70 — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 20:59:34 GMT

Think I have a similar problem with the Bravia, but only recently I've got the menu pages to come up but when you select a page it just says 'loading' at the top of the screen but never actually loads any pages..........Does this sound familiar to anyone and is there a solution?!

Re: Teletext (Red Button) Problem on 2007 Vintage Bravia

neilandjane — Tue, 15 Dec 2015 18:38:26 GMT

Dear puzzled 70 We had the same problem and contacted Sony customers services ( see earlier posting) ( a misnomer as there was absolutely no service ) In short they refuse to assist any products that are five years or older instead calling them "vintage". A strange response from a company that used to prize itself on reliability and quality. Now all their products are obsolete by their actions after 5 years I was a loyal sony customer until a month ago Now I will be going elsewhere and recommending everyone else to do the same. If you manage to illicit a different response I would be interested

Re: Teletext (Red Button) Problem on 2007 Vintage Bravia

mikejo01 — Wed, 30 Dec 2015 11:53:54 GMT

Similar story to hwolny but mine was not so repeatable until I used the following

How to get Teletext to work on Sony 2006/7 Bravia TV's (KDL32V2000 and KDL20S4000).

I had given up on teletext until I managed to make it work reliably on my two sets.

If it helps any one else, this is my method.

Note: I use the CH+ and CH- buttons because the normal numeric buttons are used to input teletext page numbers.

Example

BBC Ch1

Press Red Button.

Select News Index

Select Main Headlines (displays loading 102]

Quickly change channel to BBC2 then back to BBC1 by using the CH+ then CH- buttons.

After 5 to 10 seconds a 'Please Wait' message is displayed followed by the Text page itself.

The yellow button returns you to News Index and UK News, World and Business etc will work normally.

To get Sports News

If the yellow button won't take you back to the top Menu – change channel as before and start from Red Button.

If it does take you back but then will not load a sports story – change channel as before.

I have found on my sets that if you delay too long during any stage it may fail and you have to do it again.

If I cannot get leave teletext I change from BBC1 to a non teletext channel. (I use the CH- button)

Re: Teletext (Red Button) Problem on 2007 Vintage Bravia

ALANONSERENADE — Sun, 31 Jul 2016 07:57:50 GMT

Thank you Sally for your explanation re Teletext. I bought my 42" Bravia tv along with a YOU VIEW box and a Sony webcam. I spent over £1100 at the Sony shop. Now I am to believe that my 4 year old set is a SENIOR model.

I was considering buying another, larger TV with surround sound and other Sony products but thanks to your current attitude towards your loyal customers I will avoid SONY like a plague.

Re: Teletext (Red Button) Problem on 2007 Vintage Bravia

BeamishBoy — Mon, 26 Sep 2016 11:53:09 GMT

I've had the same problem for a long time, and have noticed the changes in the software. Although this helps to some extent, it is particularly difficult to navigate through multi-pages. For example, yestrerday's football results for the previous day occupied about 43 pages, but I could navigate through only 7 or so (forwards or backwards), and when trying to read a page, the teletext closed altogether.

It appears to me that the problem may be that the television's hardware does not have sufficient menory.

A workaround is to use the text service on an attached video recorder (which I bought on the same day as the original TV, and operates teletext without a hitch.