KDL-40Z4500 freezing problem

[Vangelis-K68]

I'm the owner of a KDL-40Z4500. Almost every day, when I'm tuned to a specific digital channel, TV is freezing (no picture, no sound) and I have to turn it off and on again after 5-10 minutes without being sure that it will work again. Sometimes, I keep trying for over 30 minutes until TV switches on again.

The problem is focused on a specific digital channel. Sometimes I'm able to switch to another channel and TV works as normal. When I try to switch back to the specific channel, TV holds for 15 seconds and then turns back to the previous channel. But that's the rare scenario. Mostly, TV freezes in total, I can't switch to another channel. Usually I get a white (overexposed) screen with the message "low power" or something like that.

Talking with a technician, he suggested to bypass the TV's digital decoder with an external one to see if the problem persists. He said that he might be a higher frequency that the specific channel transmits that TV's decoder cannot handle.

Any suggestions please?

[Anonymous]

Hello there

Without knowing which particular channel, we need to rule out a reception issue (maybe on a particular multiplex). On the link provided below, check which multiplex your problem tv channel is on, and test another channel or 2 on that same multiplex. Thats the first step. If other channels on that multiplex are having problems, you may need your tv aerial adjusting.

If it truely is one channel only, are you able to fine tune that particular channel in via the digital tuning on your tv?

Another thing to rule out, is the aerial cable itself. Is the cable in decent order?

Ruling out reception issues, Im not too sure what would cause a total tv "freeze", But a couple of things to rule out, is check that your TV has the latest firmware installed, as well as performing a factory reset on the TV itself. (make a note of the picture and sound settings first, as they will be lost)

Hope that helps.

http://www.ukfree.tv/allchannelsmuxes.php

[Vangelis-K68]

Thank you for your detailed reply.

As about the multiplex solution it's something not applicable for me since I'm located outside UK

The aerial cable is in decent order, otherwise I suppose I would have no reception at all.

The only thing I still haven't done is to install the latest firmware, but I didn't have any luck trying to find one!

I have applied factory settings from TV menu (I don't know if there is another procedure for 'hard reset' or something) but the problem still persists.One of these days I will try the external decoder solution and I will come back to let you know.

[Anonymous]

Hi there

Ignore the firmware update. I have just looked, and there isnt one. It looks like an external decoder box, at very least for a test anyhow.

Cheers

[Nielsen]

I don't know about your TV, but on mine under option/systeminfo pagedown I got the selected channel signal level and quality (bit error level). These values are good indicators of cabling or recipient issues. If just one ch. is low you are probably having off channels as well. Digital signals as opposite to analog has a "sharpe egde" between ok signal and no signal if you just watch the screen, due to forward error correction technique.