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]

I'm not near the set just now... But it's in your 'settings' > Audio menu... 

Writing a manual - which Sony just haven't bothered their backside doing - costs money...  Another example of 'beancounters at work' to the detriment of the product; these days they wouldn't even have to bother printing one!  As an 'advanced' manual could be made available online...  

This is one other reason why I'm so angry with them abdicating support to 'volunteers'!  - It's all about penny-pinching; as it would be with any no-name 'brand'.

[kevfarme]

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@Caledonian_TV wrote:

Writing a manual - which Sony just haven't bothered their backside doing - costs money...  Another example of 'beancounters at work' to the detriment of the product; these days they wouldn't even have to bother printing one!  As an 'advanced' manual could be made available online...  

This is one other reason why I'm so angry with them abdicating support to 'volunteers'!  - It's all about penny-pinching; as it would be with any no-name 'brand'.

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It's been a sad and ongoing trend for many years now, thinner and fewer basic operating manuals 😞  Remember the days of Microsoft Windows when it first came out?  I am of course talking of most people's first experience which would have been either Win 3 or 3.1  A nice decent sized book of a manual cam with it.  I can go one better because the boxed version of SuSE Linux had 2 veritable tomes of manuals one for an admin, the other for the general user.  Over the years both have gone by the wayside 😞  Both seem to rely more and more on 'community' support even for basic first time usage of stuff.  However, most manufacturers do at least have a downloadable pdf of the basic usage of a product.  I do wish Sony would think about creating one..... please

[royabrown]

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@adyjay33 wrote:

I have a Panosonic Home Cinema Surround Sound System and there is a delay in the sound from that so I turn down the TV set to one bar as if I totally turn it down a stupid no speaker icon comes up on the TV, why do that Sony?

It's connected via an Optical cable that is directly into the TV so any sound from any source comes directly from the TV itself into the surround system.

I would have though this would be the best way as what the TV hears so does the suround system, wrong though.

The delay is obviously the TV as its sending out the signal via the optical port.

If there is any other way of conencting it as I do want the best sound I can then please get let me know or sort out the issue Sony?

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The best way would be to connect an HDMI cable from the ARC-capable HDMI 4 on the TV to an ARC-capable HDMI In on the soundbar.

if it has one, that is. But of course, without you telling us which model of soundbar this is, we have no way of knowing what inputs it has besides the Optical you mention.

For the less demanding listening we do in the bedroom, we have an Orbitsound bar that accepts Optical, AUX and Bluetooth. We use AUX, connected from the headphone output of the Samsung TV. While this only gives us stereo, this is all the Orbitsound can handle anyway. Using it this way, though, we can control the volume purely with the TV remote, and have not used the Orbitsound remote beyond initial setup. It also obviates that annoying Mute icon.

The TV has no Bluetooth, so we can't use that. It has Optical, but I think the volume is fixed. I must have an explore of this....

Samsung have allowed for audio delay when using an external device by allowing sync adjustments on the TV. They have considered (and you should consider) that sound delays may be introduced by external equipment as well as, or instead of, them all being within the TV set.

IIRC, you can set the Sony Optical to be variable, so it is controlled by the TV remote. I don't recall if there is a sync setting for this on the Sony like there is on the Samsung, but it would be worth you looking in the Settings for this, around where the Optical level settings are buried.

[cozzykim]

@Caledonian_TV

@kevfarme

My new Sammy 55JU7000 has a very comprehensive on screen manual as well as a downloadable version.

I'm finding that the raw 4K picture quality is similarly good, but that the upscaling engine is not as good as my previous 55X8509.

[jain236]

can some tell me what is the correct format of HDD to record please

[manuelsal]

@jain236 Hi the feature is not available but the file system should be the same as the usb drive, so because it currently works with both NTFS and FAT32 I assume it will work with both.
I didn't check other file systems like EXT.
To check if your drive is compatible, plug it and try to load some image, music or video from it, if it works it means that is compatible.

You shouldn't have problem anyway

[Peter_S.]

Hi frogger and all others,

I'll keep you updated as soon as I have some new information for you.

Really appreciate your intention to focus on issues in this thread.

I have noticed in German boards that some users reported that they had less issues after doing a factory reset after they applied the latest update - not sure if it works for everyone but if you haven't done yet it's probably worth a try.

Please don't forget to save your channel list before you do the factory reset.

Cheers

Peter

[Caledonian_TV]

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royabrown wrote:

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The best way would be to connect an HDMI cable from the ARC-capable HDMI 4 on the TV to an ARC-capable HDMI In on the soundbar.

if it has one, that is. But of course, without you telling us which model of soundbar this is, we have no way of knowing what inputs it has besides the Optical you mention.

For the less demanding listening we do in the bedroom, we have an Orbitsound bar that accepts Optical, AUX and Bluetooth. We use AUX, connected from the headphone output of the Samsung TV. While this only gives us stereo, this is all the Orbitsound can handle anyway. Using it this way, though, we can control the volume purely with the TV remote, and have not used the Orbitsound remote beyond initial setup. It also obviates that annoying Mute icon.

The TV has no Bluetooth, so we can't use that. It has Optical, but I think the volume is fixed. I must have an explore of this....

Samsung have allowed for audio delay when using an external device by allowing sync adjustments on the TV. They have considered (and you should consider) that sound delays may be introduced by external equipment as well as, or instead of, them all being within the TV set.

IIRC, you can set the Sony Optical to be variable, so it is controlled by the TV remote. I don't recall if there is a sync setting for this on the Sony like there is on the Samsung, but it would be worth you looking in the Settings for this, around where the Optical level settings are buried.

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ARC-compatibility is hit-and-miss....  I've had the opportunity to try my set with around a 1/2 dozen sound bars, a couple of receivers and a recorder; some quite new... Some it will work with some it just doesn't!

I think Optical sound is only variable in PCM mode...

If the sound is 'delayed' - i.e. the picture is leading, the audio equipment can do nothing to mitigate this as all it can do is introduce further delay.  Further more the delay varies between source -to-source (again; I've tried several BD players) and disc to disc...  In all cases when audio straight from the device to the amp/soundbar; there is no issue...

So it is definitely the TV. 

[UKPiglet]

Peter,

The lip sync problems continue after a full factory reset and full set-up from scratch.

I'd love to edit and save a channel list - however without any instruction manual for the set I've not found a way of doing either.

I now have a family set where I cannot see any way of removing channels I'm not happy to be seen by my kids.

Please can you help with instructions on how to edit the channel list?

Unhappy owner of a Sony KD55X9305

[Caledonian_TV]

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@cozzykim wrote:

@Caledonian_TV

@kevfarme

My new Sammy 55JU7000 has a very comprehensive on screen manual as well as a downloadable version.

I'm finding that the raw 4K picture quality is similarly good, but that the upscaling engine is not as good as my previous 55X8509.

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A 4K picture is what it is...  'upscaling'?  As previously explained, that is what it is too...  The one thing I will say for the Sonys is that they do produce an exceptionally good picture; if only the basics worked as they should...

Incidentally, we use Samsung S22B300 monitors on our edit suites, and I note the BBC have a few from the same series as small floor monitors.  - Out of the box none of the Samsungs required further calibration; and they must have been in service for around two years now with not a single issue...  They don't even appear to be 'ageing'!