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.

[Indy121]

What exactly is it we don't get? I totally understand we've all brought a TV which a company like Sony shouldn't be releasing. Yes everyone is frustrated. But let people list what is wrong with their TV sets and leave it at that. All the other waffle is pointless. Just more rubbish to sift through before getting to people with problems. If anything this whole thread now looks as though there are only 2 or 3 people with problems as its only their posts you're seeing over the last 50 pages. Sent from my iPhone

[Caledonian_TV]

There is an 'ignore' button... Like the sets itself it seems not to work though! 

[lgcebr]

It's good to see you on here from the "Community Team" - are you officially from Sony?  For my part the 4K panel display on my Android TV is superb but the problems all relate to implementation and software.  If you are taking issues to Sony my list is:

1)  Poor quality, "soft", sub HD images on Amazon Video app when viewing UHD with good bandwidth;
2)  “Screen format” messages randomly appearing;
3)  No 5.1 sound on the pre-installed Amazon video app;
4)  Occasional loss of lip-synch;
5)  Inability to label and organise inputs;
6)  Inability to hide inputs not used;
7)  No “page up / down” on built in EPG - even my 8 year old Sony has this;
😎  Inability to delete pre-installed apps which are not used and may be taking memory;
9)  Irrelevant “sales” content in Home Page recommendations - certainly not "smart" content choice;
10) No full implementation of YouView - e.g. future reminders;
11)  Two catch up services on the home screen only working with YouView and won't work form the Home Screen (ITV Hub and Channel 4);
12)  Given that YouView and HDD recording were listed (post my purchase) as mutual incompatible the inability to use the set to its full advertised (as of launch at end of May 2015) potential (catch-up services, HDD and YouView);
13)  The TV muting itself every time it turns on and sporadically.

I have waited 6 months since purchase for Sony to act like a repsonsible, reputable company but even the latest update still leaves the above issues.  Now I am told that I will have to wait 10 months after purchase for features advertised as available soon after buying the TV.

I find it difficult to beleive that Sony properly beta tested these TVs and I regret to report that Technical Support really can't assist with faults in programming and user interface design.  Recent emails to your European CEO and even Japanese CEO go unacknolwegded and unanswered.  What a way to treat paying, loyal customers!

I have 40 years of buying Sony products and without fail - until now -  finding them high quality and reliable.   Some exceptional action is now called for if Sony is to retrieve its reputation!

If you are officially fom Sony please tell us who we can write to at the most senior level to express our disappointment at the current farce.  Or are we just helpless having paid our hard-earned money?

[adyjay33]

Thats because a lot of them have taken their TV's back... should not have to do that as they are not ready to sell in the state they are in.

Would you buy a car with a body only and the engine come later in a few months?

Same principle....

These TV's are not really ready for sale... they should have tested them fully before selling them and letting their customers find out the problems. These sets have been out for 6 months at least, with promises of HDD recording, YouView (Which has only just been released and that screwed up the TV to the extent I turned it off as did many others).

Do I have to put up with blank screens and rebooting and not being able to turn it off without it coming back on as I walk out of the room?

Lets face facts here, if you paid good hard earned money on an item and it is not right out of the box, but then you are told when you complain that you need to update it, but the update wont be out for months and that means its extremely hard to return it to the shop, then I expect a court of law might see this as a bit unfair would you not agree?

Many of us like the picture and hope that its all sorted out in the end, understandably though some like me are very worried that the updates dont turn up and we dont get what we paid for, Sony cant even tell us with 100% certainty that they can give us HDD recording and even then it cant record YouView, whats that all about, what can it record then, a blank picture when it crashes?

Some people dont get it that we (I) dont want excuses, we (I) want results, updates that dont, in my case, seem to have had any effect and acutually seem to have introduced a lip sync problem on HD channel  whereas it did not seen like that before the update, so its got worse for me and I aint happy!

I think that giving Sony till the 24th Dec to update and solve these problems is acutally being kind to Sony, I could have taken it back after the first day but I knew there was an update literally the same day as I bought it, so I am still being used as a BETA tester... I would not mind if i got paid to do it but having to switch off two or three times a night and then waiting till it reboots is not my idea of a relaxing night watching a very and the most expensive TV I have ever bought!

There you go, thats how I feel.

By the way, I have a car for sale if you want it?

However the updated engine will arrive in 6 months.

(NOTE: Due to the technically advanced four stroke engine, we reserve the right not to release the updated engine and will choose any date in the future that we like and then can also change that date as often as we like)

(PLEASE ALSO NOTE: The engine cannot work if you turn the steering wheel, its also disables the brakes this is a feature so the car is useless at driving, however you can push it if you like as that function is still enabled, see *) 

IF WE DECIDE LATER we can bring out a new engine thats even better and it works, we MAY not bother to finish your car then we can do this, and you will be left with a car that you can only push. We reserve that right.

There is another feature too that you can look forward too, *The car is sold with only two wheels as the other two are waiting to be update from being square to being round, then you cant push it to the shop to have the updated engine fitted, even if we can get it working that is.

Now if the above were true for a car, would you buy that car if you knew in advance of the problems?

I would not!

Sony take note!

[manuelsal]

@lgcebr Hi, no one is from Sony I'm afraid.

I match all your problems plus...

No amazon music support.

No feature to rate amazon video content.

No TV Sat if YouView is enabled.

Buggy channel edit.

Freezes and lags.

If you want to spend some minute please list those issue along with firmware version and TV model on this post as well.

[jain236]

@lgcebr To put our agony in simple words... 

we all Bought a Reputed brand Cream, then we realised it as ***** and now we are all trying to make the ***** into cream . 

only sony know what they sold us...

[dobooth13]

@adyjay33 - YOU SHOULD RETURN YOUR TV without any further delay.

It is clear you are so disatisfied with Sony that there is nothing Sony can do for you. You should return your TV without any further delay.

I agree a Sony Android TV is very substandard. Do not waste time in these forums, the best option is to return your TV without any further delay.

[jain236]

@dobooth13 i am also thinking to return but could you please suggest some similar alternative in the other brand please

[Marty.S]

To Randy_Rockhard,

I posted this point here specifically on Sunday 13th Dec that I factory reset mine after the latest update. Mine is KD-49X8309C

In my experience I had previously lost all catchup TV capability in Youview in addition to many of the other reportes issues. After the latest update but before the factory reset there was no change. After the factory reset everything initially worked very much better, channel changing, page scrolling the Youview channel list at forst worked really fast, no latency, no hang ups. This lasted 3 days during which time things gradually slowed down to where I had to hard reset last night (Tuesday). Yes it was better and for longer, previously the system had one issue or another every hour or so.

I am in IT and have seen this sort of issue in the past elsewhere. I have a hunch that some of this slowing down to a virtual crash is due to memory leaks caused by coding faults not releasing dynamic memory, so the memory is gradually used up to a point where commands can't be actioned, the memory only released properly when you do a hard reset. It's possible the changes in coding could have cleared some of the issues but others are clearly still there.      

[frogger38]

@adyjay33 I had made my mind up that I wasn't going to post until the next update unless I found something significant... a few words in your post gives me cause for concern. I hadn't reported it here because it went away when I changed channels, and I thought it a one off.

I've had exactly this issue once.. quoting adjay33 relating to the Dec 10th update. Mine related to BBC2 HD via YouView (DVB-T2)

"seem to have had any effect and acutually seem to have introduced a lip sync problem on HD channel  whereas it did not seen like that before the update"