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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Peter_S. wrote:

Unwanted apps can be disabled in the Apps menu but you can't uninstall them (same as for most mobile devices). Also the Home screen can be customized at certain degree: Home > Settings > Home Screen.

Cheers

Peter

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Actually... They can't really! They just can't!

Even after being 'force stopped' many (such as YouView) will just re-start of their own accord. I  have:

'Screen Mirroring'

'Opera TV Store'

'Play Station Video'

'Photo Sharing Plus'

'Internet Browser'

'Album'

'Music'

- On my home screen, none of which I want nor can get rid of!  - The first five in that list, if any attempt is made to access them, lock up or completely crash the set!  As does the "search movies TV and more" icon I can't get rid of from the top-left of home screen!  - As I (quite deliberately) keep the set OFF the network I could also live without the silly 'cloud' icon (formerly an advertsing hoarding I didn't ask for!)  and the need to make extra navigating moves to access the inputs menu...

The latter is an example of the sort of very simple 'schoolboy error' that anyone who is properly schooled at a basic level in UI design is taught just not to make... This is a domestic TV remember...

Imagine a set like this being used by elderly people!  Or where there are kids!  - Again, basic good design would provide the user to customise the 'home' screen FULLY.  Even the simple ability to swap the function on the remote with the 'inputs' button on the top-left of the remote would mitigate matters.

This may seem like a small point - but it is indicative of Sony just not doing the very basics in terms of working out how and where the sets will be used.  From tiny errors huge disasters grow!  It's just the basics!

As for Spook's problem... The lack of the facility to 'roll back', along with Sony websites that can allow end-users (who are generally non-technicians) to install the wrong software in the firstplace is another 'schoolboy error' in terms of how the UI is designed...

Daniels' post - I forwarded it to my IT friend - who tells me it's (Sony's faffing -not what Daniel wrote!) almost comedic in terms of its incompetence! Quoth he; "The sort of thing you see on Discussion Boards where Iron-Maiden-T-Shirt-Clad kids gather to discuss hacking into their' mum's washing machine"! 

And I'll point out here that Sony seem not to have a non-android 4K set that we could have chosen in order to avoid this farce... 

[royabrown]

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@Mekerz wrote:

Unfortunately and unsurprisingly, the Sony Centre store replied to my email stating I wasn't entitled to a refund as the product wasn't mis-sold due to their in store POS not mentioning the USB HDD recording feature and that their website content is Sony's responsibility. 

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Confused me for a moment there...... 😞

Q: How can you tell you are in a Sony Centre?

A: The POS is right next to the point of sale material.......

[Caledonian_TV]

I believe the law - specifically the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2008/9780110811574/contents

- Would view this as a 'deceptive practice'.  I'm afraid the set has to do what Sony claim it is able to do and must fully meet any specification offered at the time of sale; the only way 'out' of this would be for the retailler to give you written notice that the product you were buying didn't meet the stated specification! - They're jointly and severally liable as this forms a core part of the contract you formed with them.

Besides which... If, as does seem to be the case with these sets... You cannot sit down in peace and watch a television programme or DVD without facing 'technical issues' then the set is clearly unfit for its basic purpose. - and should be returned on that basis as well as all the missing-but-advertised features!

[frankie1g]

On the box it says so Sent from my Samsung device

[royabrown]

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@kevfarme wrote:

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@Randy_Rockhard wrote:

Hi UKPiglet and Caledonian,

Best way to manage the channel list on your TV is to export the channel list to an USB Stick (Settings > channel set-up > digital set-up > technical set-up > program list transfer) and then using the Sony Editor on your PC to delete unwanted channels.

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Is the SONY editor purely a text editing program?  I am presuming it is a Windows compatible piece of software?  I do not use Windows only Linux but I do have access to plain text editors and can save to multiple formats.  I would imagine it would be a standard format being as the tv operating system is Android (built on Linux)?

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The exported channel list is a .xml file, in a particular format, so I am assuming this Editor is specific to the xml structure used here, or at least that it can glean enough information from the xml to keep the various blocks of information in sync, and recalculate the required checksum at the end.

So I don't think an ordinary editor will do, unless you are happy to edit raw xml.

But perhaps the Sony Editor will run under WINE on Linux?

[frankie1g]

I think Sony should take a few tvs home and use them as we do. THEN they will not even need us to tell them the problems they will come across them very quickly  Sent from my Samsung device

[royabrown]

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@manuelsal wrote:

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

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Not true - Randy Rockhard (gulp!) has been parachuted in from Sony now that poor Quinnicus has had to be stretchered off the field....

[jain236]

@frankie1g i have been working as tester and we test electronic device and the issue which we are seeing are very very basic and they are the first thing we will find as soon as we start using the TV's . 

i wonder does sony has ever done any testing on these products? if they have done at least 15 min of testing they would see most of the issues and mark this product as unfit to release. i dont know sony have such a poor quality control and using us as their testers.

such a shame that sony has gone down too low....

[Peter_S.]

Hi Royabrown,

To avoid confusion please note that my nick has changed from Randy_R... to Peter_S. now.

Think the Sony Editor wil run on every Windows emulation software. It's not too performance hungry.

Cheers
Peter

[royabrown]

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@Triswillmott wrote:
And Sony have sunk to a new low. I originally purchased the 55x8509C in August. I'm now on the third replacement and Sony just emailed saying they refuse to transfer the 5 year warranty to the new one I have and that it'll only have 3 month warranty honoured. Pretty sure they're breaking a law somewhere now right??

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We have to know the exact circumstances to be sure.

On what grounds are Sony withdrawing the 5-year warranty that on the face of it they are contractually obliged to honour?

Sony offer, as a minimum, a one-year guarantee, so your original set was well within that period. So why were the first two sets replaced, and by whom?

As long as this was all carried out compliant with the terms of the guarantee, this is the 'same set' you started with, legally, so the warranty does not have to be transferred as such, just updated to reflect the serial number of the set you now have.

Anything else is breach of contract; but do ensure you have met the provisos above.