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.

[waynefatboy]

Hi there, I have noticed something since the last updated, youview has vanished from my tv it's not on the tray, and went thru the app list in settings, it's gone, my model is kd-43x8305c any help would be appreciated don't want to have to do a factory reset unless essential

Cheers

Fatz

[baz4096]

Sounds like you've updated to the EU firmware, rather than the UK one perhaps? I'd get in touch with Sony support and see if you can re-install the latest UK firmware.

[cozzykim]

@HenryHallsDanceBand

An RF modulated signal via co-ax and boosters is always going to be very poor, that's not the fault of the TV.

You'd be better off with an HDMI switcher and HDMI cables from the Sky box, which are probably OK for 1080, up to about 15m in length

[Nibor99]

Hi - I have the same model and for nearly two months struggled to get a decent picture - the main problem was the out of focus soft picture I was getting - I did have some other issues ("format: full screen" appearing regularly, not switching off cleanly ie. the blank screen with sound issue) and eventually a Sony engineer came out. From the start I had used the TV via a Virgin Media TiVo box (I never ever have bothered with Freeview). - The engineer spotted the problem straightaway - the Virgin box has a number of output settings - once the setting had been changed to a higher resolution the image was great - this led me to thinking that perhaps your Sky box has a similar set of signal output options? Might it be worth checking out? I am now pleased with the picture quality, the "format:- full screen" issue was sorted via the TV settings but the remote on/off is still flaky. - (I shall be doing the Dec upgrade after Christmas New Year - this may sort the on/off problem) HTH

[angelacr]

I occasionally get an alert - "TVdotAction has stopped" - whilst watching a feed from a non-sly satellite box.

And now for something completely different.

1. Sony makes the Xperia range of smartphones that has a reasonably large developer community. It would be good if Sony could unlock the bootloader and publish firmware source code so the developer community could help Sony's own beleaugured developer team find solutions. IMHO the Android platform is the way to go; Sony are probably not the ones to take it there.

2. Is the late delivery of a recording facility more to do with licensing issues than coding software? 

[andipr]

Spoiler

Nibor99 - Please could you let me know which settings you used to get the  "format:- full screen" issue sorted?

I've checked around the menu settings and couldn't see a way to do it.

Thanks.

[manuelsal]

Interesting, please report your TV model and firmware version. Tonight I'll give it a try and let you know.

[Nibor99]

andipr The Sony engineer changed the settings but having just had a look the following steps seem to take you to the screen settings area which he altered. Home/settings/display/screen The current settings are:- Wide - Full Auto Wide - On 4:3 default - wide zoom Auto display area = greyed out Display area - normal Screen position - horizontal. The full screen format message did appear momentarily when I changed from digital to HDMI output for the TiVo box but it seems not to keep popping up. HTH

[baz4096]

At a complete guess, I'd say the default of Auto causes the TV to monitor the current picture and if it shows black bars it will trigger the screen mode to change (like 4:3 content being stretched to 16:9), hence the constant popups. I think I set mine to Wide and haven't seen it popup much since.

[waynefatboy]

Ahh right I had it set up with a dns proxy to access American Netflix maybe that confused the update then