[KDL-42W829B] Huge number of apps sudddenly gone

[lee_cawley]

I was having problems the other day, when the iPlayer app wouldn't load... small animation in top right corner then nothing. BBC Sport app does the same, as does YouTube and Sky News apps. When I went to the All Apps section, which is usually filled with page after page of available apps, there were eleven... as you can see from the image. I used to have page after page of apps, so I have no idea where they have all gone.

When I checked the Opera TV Store, all the non-functioning apps have gone, so they can't even be removed and reinstalled. Does anyone know what has happened? I have submitted a support ticket to Sony but well... we all know what Sony support is like, so I'm not holding my breath.

The weird thing is, I do have some apps, like Asian Crush, which still works but as you can see, they don't appear in my All Apps list. It has told me to refresh the internet content twice now but it makes no difference to what I see. This is my only device to access iPlayer in my living room so I really want to get this working again.

[Maxx8uk]

I have the same model with the same issues. The internet browser on the TV still works. But iplayer, amazon my5 etc fail to load. The are also hardly any apps to see when you load the store it also says a refresh of Internet content is needed but the refresh does nothing. Just what I need no bbc sport app for Wimbledon it better be working before the Olympics.

[Anonymous]

Hi both

Normally when most of the apps disappear like BBC iPlayer, its due to your IP address not being UK based.  If you have setup a VPN or smart dns service on your tv or router, this may need to be disabled.  If not, i would suggest rebooting your router (whilsr TV is off).  Once done, confirm that your IP address is UK basef by going to: https://www.iplocation.net

If that fails to resolve the problem, i suggest a factory reset of the TV.

Cheers

[lee_cawley]

Actually, when something goes wrong with a Sony device (especially things going missing), it is usually because the software has screwed up... or they've been removed so they can be added back as a "New feature" later on.

I did have to do a factory reset, like I have to do on my Xperia Tablet Z to fix things but it is even more annoying on a TV. I spend a good while tweaking settings, configuring apps etc... and the TV offers absolutely no way to save those settings. For myself (as a professional software developer) Factory Resets are as big a cop-out as reinstalling your OS. All it does is remove the symptoms without identifying the problem. That is why I try to avoid them unless it is an absolute last resort.

*<snip>* iPlayer wasn't working after the reset but now it is.

Please note: I can not accept "Do a factory reset" as a valid and credible solution, it's like amputating a leg to cure an in-growing toenail. The cause oif the problem remains unresolved...

[Anonymous]

Hi there

I understand where your coming from, as when doing a factory reset you cannot determine the true cause of where the fault lies.  However it does 'fix' many problems and has become one of the first steps in many tv manufacturers troubleshooting process.  

To use your analogy though - amputating a leg does actually fix an ingrowing toenail.  It may not be the best solution, but its still a solution non the less. 

Cheers

[lee_cawley]

The reason the factory reset is used a lot, is because the hardware manufacturers are simply unwilling to spend time resolving the problems at the source, they much prefer to simply sweep it under the factory reset carpet. Of course, it could be argued that if the software was better written in the first place, factory resets wouldn't be needed at all. It's not like the software that runs a smart tv is complex, it's just badly written.

I guess we should all just be grateful that the software engineers are writing software for TVs and Blu Ray players and not aircraft and military tech.

You did slightly miss the point of my analogy though. Amputating a leg doesn't fix the toenail, it just separates it from the body... the toenail is still in-grown into the toe.

Anyway, that's by-the-by... flagellation is bad for the soul apparently, luckily I sold mine years ago.