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.

[Caledonian_TV]

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mark-bo wrote:

At the risk of showing my technical ignorance here perhaps someone could help me out with the following questions:

As I understand it these TVs should have dual tuners for recording one channel while watching another, when that feature arrives. Therefore, are are the tuners a piece of hardware rather than software? If so that means there is a tuner in the TV doing nothing. If so, why isn't it possible to write an app that when installed uses the spare tuner as a source to record to an external disk plugged into the usb socket? Surely this is how any Android app on a phone works just by making use of the appropriate harware elements of the phone when it's installed. Similarly the same thing could be done for the satellite tuner. Such an app could also provide all the channel editing features that is missing from the satellite tuner. These apps could work independent of Youview providing all the features we all thought we had bought.

Perhaps I am missing something obvious here but it is a thought that has crossed my mind many times.

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There will indeed be two (four actually!) tuner blocks...  And they will exist as pieces of hardware...

Theoretically many things are possible... Such as getting the set to work as advertised. But basically if you can 'code' that well and access the set's systems at that level you would be better re-writing the sets firmware properly...  

Risking 'Bricking' an £700 telly though isn't the same as messing about with an old tablet or laptop!

[Caledonian_TV]

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@xx4L0Mxx wrote:

I have zero brand loyalty to anyone. I have zero affilliation to anyone. You are acting like an egotistical ******. Full stop.

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Yea yeaa yea, yadda yadda yadda....

Edited by Drew - Profanity removed

[Caledonian_TV]

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royabrown wrote:

@Caledonian_TV

I'm very surprised, and pleased, though, that my DVD collection is far from unwatchable on the Sony. I have to be watching very critically to notice the difference even on a good reference disc like Koyaanisqatsi, where I have both the remastered DVD and the BluRay, though the differences are there to see.

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It's one of those things... When it's good it's very good...

I'm yet to run a proper test signal through it and get the picture adjusted properly. But as a monitor it produces an excellent picture. - As you'd expect from a Sony... 

[adyjay33]

Hi Mark

Well thats what they are supposed to do, why do we need an APP to do that when the TV should do it from the box?

Promises, promises thats all we get.

What happens when they dump us?

We bought a TV that is only 50% of what it could be, sure its a screen and a good one at that, but what else is it apart from a bug ridden TV with a host of problems.

I turned mine on this morning and changed from BBC 1 SD to BBC 1 HD and was immediatly met with a black screen which no matter what I did with the remote stayed there, I had to unplug it and let it reboot, by the time I had got it to work I had go to work... is that what I should expect from a 1K television?

Countless times has the TV just refused to change channel and just sit there doing nothing too apart from me watching a channel I did not want to watch! Again a reboot solved this, why do I have to keep rebooting my 1K TV just to watch TV?

For all the people who dont like people ranting on, well maybe its because you dont care enough or would rather have others sort the problems out for you for your benefit?

Without people having a passion on making this TV work, then you could easily buy a TV with nothing on it for £300 which might last 3 years, or you could buy a "Premium" product that has a 5 year waranty, but if you dont have passion to get this TV to work then I suggest polietly people leave it to the people that do and stop having a go at others for stating facts about what is a dismal product at this moment in time.

I hope this TV is sorted as I hate quiting, but if they cant sort it then Sony just be honest and tell us and we can return them now instead of in another four odd months, if you updated date is indeed the 31st march 2016!

[jain236]

@Caledonian_TV hi there i am bit struggling with picture settings with my 49X8305c. i have set them to factory reset but i am still not happy with it. would you please send me some info on setting the picture setting? or would you share me what would you set for normal TV and youtube movie watching. 

thanks

[UKPiglet]

@Randy_Rockhard  Peter,

I have TV which cost me £2,000 where the sound and picture are out of sync on the TVs own speakers. This is a really basic failure of basic functionality.

For issues such as this we, your customer base, need visibilty of what's going on - as the alternative is to return the sets to the shop we bought them as not fit for purpose.

Please don't leave us in the dark. We're not mushrooms. Engage in dialogue!

I've been VERY patient, but am rapidly losing patience.

What do you propose we do? Do you want to talk with us, or for us to return the sets? My gut feel is that "no response" leaves us only with the option of returning the sets.

Unhappy owner of a Sony KD55X9305

[Caledonian_TV]

Oddly enough Jain sony have quite a good page on this...

https://community.sony.co.uk/t5/how-tos-faqs-tvs-home-cinema/our-definitive-guide-to-the-perfect-tv-...

Sadly though - in another stroke of genius they have this to say...

"For our latest Android TVs please playback the file via DVD or Blu-ray player since you cannot change picture settings using the Album app."

In the words of the great philosopher Homer - DoH!

Copying the chart to a USB stick and plugging it into your DVD player (assuming it has that facility) should do. Failing that, if you can find mabe a satellite station that is showing a test pattern, most of the elements of that test chart are contained in the broadcast test-cards and can be used the same way.  

IF you have good access to YouTube and can run 1080p from it you may find this testcard...

https://youtu.be/7yMAv2gTeN8

Allows you to get 'fairly' close; at least in terms of getting your brightness/contrast/colour settings  right...  an 'off air' testcard would really be better though.

[danielbeyzade]

Its certainly is possible to write apps for the TV and load them, I have just done that for integration with our home lighting system, and also getting TV on / off commands and volume changes which I feed into a raspberry PI over the network and then send on to a denon amp over serial, works a treat!

As for writing a new guide / recorder / player - having looked at the Android SDK it looks like the way this is supposed to be done is that Sony feed guide data into an Android API that collects information from all available sources. Then the guide app (according to Android Best Practices) is supposed to display guide information from all different apps. So for example you can install an IPTV app, and that will then appear into the Sony Guide app. At least that is what is supposed to happen. I assume that at some point we might get other guide apps on the google store, and the Sony information should feed into that too.

The API and docs doesn't mention anything about recording / more than one tuner etc etc so I guess this is why this is unavailable currently. It also mean Sony would have to write this themselves rather than using Androids base code. I can't find much information about how the physical tuner gets piped into Android system but in Android all hardware is normally available for use by apps, so I think it probably is possible. 

[adyjay33]

I thought I bought a TV... Im starting to wonder now.

[kevfarme]

Just thinking out loud here folks.  I am starting to wonder if, given the ongoing problems some owners are having, Sony haven't upgraded/uprated specific components in these sets?  I say this because I am not experience any of the problems that others seem to have had long term (well, around at least 6 months).  My set was manufactured in November and was purchased just a couple of weeks ago.  Could/does this make any sense?  The underlying software will behave differently with differing hardware.  Being from an IT background (I ran a computer lab prior to having to retire due to ill health at my local university) I know that the seemingly 'same' model of a computer can actually have various hardware changes over its lifetime os maybe this is happening with these tv's.  If this is the case then Sony really ought to be looking at a mass recall for a hardware upgrade out of their pocket.

Please, discuss