2015 Bravia Android TV Issues

[NickCo1979]

I thought I'd create a generic thread to cover off the issues being encountered on the 2015 Bravia Android TVs. I've listed my issues below with fixes / workarounds and responses from support. All comments and solutions welcome!

1) Hot Swap HDMI doesn't work - manifested by no input on HDMI channels 2, 3 and 4 on the KD-49X8305C. Workaround - reset the TV, either by holding down the remote power button for 5 seconds or by switching the TV off at the wall and then back on again. Further details on this thread: https://community.sony.co.uk/t5/televisions/kd-49x8305c-hdmi-2-3-4-inputs-not-working/td-p/1944435

2) HDD Recording doesn't work - error message states a system update is required but none is available when checking. Hopefully this will be fixed soon by a firmware update.

3) Netflix App doesn't work - this seems like the app has been deliberately disabled. So far a support case has only recommended that a factory reset be performed (took two days to get to that cracking piece of advice.....), with no improvement as a result. A temporary (albeit for advanced users only) workaround is provided by MikeLothian on this thread - https://community.sony.co.uk/t5/televisions/netflix-support-for-kd55x8509c-android-tv/td-p/1945360 

4) Sound lag and performance issues after the TV (KD-49X8305C) has been on standby for a while - manifested for me as stuttering and sound / picture sync issues in all apps (youtube, amazon instant video etc) and HDMI sources (PS4, seperate YouView box etc). Hopefully this will be fixed in a firmware update, at the moment workarounds involve either changing channels to get the sync to work or in my case having to turn the TV off and then on again at the socket.

As stated previously, all comments welcome. Personally I'm willing to give Sony a couple of weeks to fix this, but if it's not done soon I'll be sending my new TV back for a refund as it's not really fit for purpose.

[royabrown]

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@jain236 wrote:

Does anyone know samsung has HDD recording ready on its 4K TV's? 

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Yes. Mine's coming tomorrow.

Opinions differ on how many broadcast tuners it has - I thought one, but Currys say two. Two would be better, as then you could record one thing while watching another, which is what Sony are aiming for (and missing, so far).

But a bird (I.e a tuner you can record to HDD from) in the hand is worth two in the bush, especially when the bush is receding at a rate of knots.

Oh, and apologies for never coming back to you with a list of TVs you might want to switch to. I did some preliminary research, but I was surprised how much dearer Samsungs are, especially if you are trying to match on UHD and 3D. Panasonics and LGs do seem to be comparable in price to the Sonys, though, albeit none can quite match what the Sonys promise. This year, next year, sometime.....never?

Obviously, the above Samsung is a far cry from the modest 43in UHD but non-3D Sony Android TV it is replacing (just in our lounge - I will be keeping the Sony in the study now) but it compares with what was the top-spec Sony, as this page shows.

And can cost exactly the same if you chop in an old LED TV (or even if you don't, Richer Sounds will give you most of that discount anyway), and count the Netflix promo, which is worth £50, even to existing Netflix users.

[royabrown]

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@elraouk wrote:
As I have no interest in Youview, I'd be tempted to set up a proxy just to get an eu version without it. 

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You can Disable it, in Channel Settings, and then it is pretty much gone, for all practical purposes.

[elraouk]

I have Youview disabled, as I have sat tuned at the moment. What I meant was that I'd consider switching to the EU code branch if all it was missing was Youview (and the integrated catch up services) if that branch is more stable than the UK one. 

[apoc.reg]

Does anyone else using Youview and ITV player find it doesnt have most of the ITV content? Im in the UK but cant get Emmerdale, X Factor... that sort of thing but can get items which look like they are from ITVs other channels such as ITV 2.

Just me?! Tried changing post codes a few times and returning channels with no luck, even a facotry reset!

[jain236]

as mentioned by @Peter_S earlier there are no more UK release coming untill  end of march...

[jain236]

thanks mate @royabrown .. yes i am also slowly moving to sammy booked my return for 2nd jan (dont want to be with out telly in holiday) and looking for better sammy ( though not expensive as yours :smileytongue:)

[MrLizard]

@Peter_S Is it really the case that UK Android TVs are not getting their next update before the end of March?  Surely Sony should be issuing maintenance releases before then?  If the EU has just had a stability update then to be perfectly honest I think that the UK should too.  There are still software issues to address, and Sony really should be focusing these.  While we've had some bug fixes in the last release, and I'm pleased with the improvements, I do not think it is unreasonable for the remaining documented issues to be resolved before March.

Is there a list of planned bug fixes and features for the March release?  If so, can you please share it?

[Kevwoods12]

The European update came out of blue,  maybe we'll get an Xmas gift from Sony in the uk too. 

Ha ha!! 

[royabrown]

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@apoc.reg wrote:

Does anyone else using Youview and ITV player find it doesnt have most of the ITV content? Im in the UK but cant get Emmerdale, X Factor... that sort of thing but can get items which look like they are from ITVs other channels such as ITV 2.

Just me?! Tried changing post codes a few times and returning channels with no luck, even a factory reset!

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At a guess, you are in Scotland? Where those programmes you mention are carried by STV.

And you cannot fool YouView by changing your postcode, as the Player programme availability is driven off which region your main ITV is coming from.

Arguably, it was remiss of YouView not to provide the STV Player that Scotland-based YouView box users get in addition to the cutdown ITV player you see. I will take this up with them, and report back.

[adyjay33]

No more UK updates till the 31st March...2016! I think they are taking the pi*s out of us UK customers.

I am going to watch this TV over the Xmas period then I'm going to dump it right back to Currys.

This is totally unacceptable!

I see the UHD problem has been fixed, if only Sony could get their backsides out of those comfy chairs and fix this TV as Amazon did with the UHD problem then this would all be sorted! I am guessing, and I think I am right, that it was the Sony update that broke the Amazon app in the first place!

I don't have the luxury of time to take the TV back during the day and I most certainly don't want to waste my weekend standing in a Currys shop whilst they decide on my TV's fate, why should we have our lives interrupted because some people in Sony cant do coding properly, do they employ three year olds as it seems that they do!

Its not fit for purpose, its not broken, its just not work as it should, where is the HDD record it says it has, oh buy the TV and wait 5 months for it, they are really taking the....!

The sad thing is the picture is brilliant, but you need more than a brilliant picture, you need a working properly TV with all the bells and whistles that Sony says it has got, okay it wont be available till March 2016 and even then I don't think it will as they just keep pushing back the dates which makes me think they are deliberately holding off so they can just introduce their fully working 2016 sets and dump us with 2015 ones that are not, and this is putting it mildly as I would like to say more, rubbish!

So no 24th Dec update, makes me think that they were too scared in case it produced more errors and problems so they put it off.

Well I am in the middle of writing my reviews for the media magazines and they really dont look good, I am gonna talk to Watchdog too, I am sick and tired of rebooting this TV when I want to watch a program, I have seen those Android balls more times than I have watched the TV!

SONY WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?

SORT THIS MESS OUT NOW OR YOU REALLY RISK LOSING MORE THAN YOUR REPUTATION AS IT THINK YOU WILL SLOWLY BUT SURELY GO BUST IF YOU KEEP PRODUCING RUBBISH LIKE THIS!