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.

[RodBRUK40]

I managed to return my 3 months Sony 55s8005s and get full refund from Amazon, and I bought ithe much cheaper Panasonic 55CX700 in Currys, which has much better quality image and not bleeding as the Sony TV...and of course no issues at all with Firefox OS, which works like a charm,....so happy I made this decision to return the Sony TV.

I would recommend anyone to return the Sony TV and get other brand, these Androids TV will likely continue to have issues forever....

[7-Zark-7]

---

@FlipStone wrote:

Well, I actually like my tv (W805c here)... It's not perfect and doesn't do everything I expected (still hoping for timeshift possibilities in the future) but it's actually very stable for me atm.

I also just love the flexibility of android tv, sideloading apps for example allowing me to run just about everything. Is it perfect? Far from it... But for my usage it is the best option I think.

 [..]

It helps for me that I only jumped in recently and the recent updates already fixed a ton of issues of course. I can image things being much worse if you bought it half a year ago or so...

---

Yeah, I'm in a similar position.  I just got my 805C recently, at a great price.  I read about all the issues beforehand so went into the purchase knowing that the set had niggles.  I immediately updated the firmware before I even watched the set in earnest so I managed to escape the worst of the problems that early adopters had.

As a 'Smart' telly, the Android TV system makes for a great platform.  It's simply miles better than my old Samsung with the ugly and inconsistent 'Smart Hub', which was rubbish for internet type applications.  Granted, that set was 2012/13 vintage so Samsung may have improved their system with today's sets.

I like the Android launcher, the smart functions are very easy to access and the support for various services is second to none.  Between Youtube, Amazon and Kodi I'm hardly watching much broadcast material - it's all either coming off the internet or my NAS.

If you look at the set as a regular TV it definitely has some real issues - it's laggy to do basic things like change channel or volume and it seems to suffer instability and loss of sync between picture and sound if left on for about a week or so without a reboot.  If I was purely using it like a regular TV, these would definitely be enough to have me up in arms.  If you reboot it on a regular basis, the stability improves a lot though.  Of course, whether or not it's acceptable to be expected to reboot a TV to make it work properly is another matter.  Also, it's still missing advertised functionality, supposedly to be addressed in a future update.

However, as a gadget-minded person I approach the set the way I would a new Tablet or Smartphone and I'll put up with some bugs to get the features.  I'm hopeful that the issues will be addressed over time with software upgrades.

[mattface]

Like you I had the 805C, and also didn't use it for watching any actual broadcast TV, so didn't notice the laggy interface or other issues. It produced a great picture for my media player and I just used it like that, with the sound going through my home cinema setup.

It wasn't until I had some friends over to watch something on the BBC that it became glaringly obvious how awful the Youview setup was, and from there I started to notice more and more issues, and the missing functionality which exposed how these TVs were probably released before they were ready for the mass market.

I'm an Android fan, have an Android phone, and the company I work for actually commits code to the Android project, it's my bread and butter. It will become a great OS for a smart TV, but it's not quite there yet. Though Android has a much better range of Apps, I've just bought a Viera and Firefox OS is so much smoother I can't believe I accepted the Sony as it was. I can get between Freeview, On-demand, HDMI inputs and apps in fractions of seconds, rather than half minutes with the Sony. Plus I've got 5 years warranty.

I think a lot of the responsiveness issues can be blamed on the hardware though, not the OS. Android will improve and it will be as good or better. In fact I'm considering an Nvidia Shield Android set-top box as it can do native 4K.

Having to reboot a televsion is too far for me. As a software engineer I know it should be better, though like you I accept it on my phone or desktop/tablet. But a TV to me is like a fridge, I just want it to perform well as a fridge. If it does other stuff that's great, but it should not forget it's main job is being a fridge. These Sony TVs have forgotten they are first and foremost a TV.

Sincerely I am glad you're enjoying your TV, they are the best looking 1080p I've seen (I've since gone 4K), and honestly if my TV hadn't bricked itself I would probably have kept ignoring the flaws and using it like a monitor.

But you've got a timebomb there, once your year warranty is up, the next firmware upgrade could be fatal. Thats what made me decide to cut my losses and sell it on.

I have no trust in Sony to not screw up the next firmware as I saw people coming here with bricked TVs 2 weeks after mine killed itself. And the 4 weeks it took them to get me a replacement is embarassing, so it's not like you will get looked after if it dies within warranty.

Please, I implore you to drop into a currys or another electrical shop and try out other smart TVs if you still have time to return the Sony for a full refund.

If you still prefer the Sony that's great and I truly wish you many happy years with it, but I had to suggest it because I really dislike the idea of someone else losing money like I have.

[bosbori]

Had sony 55 android tv about 2months.From start never felt right.Picture and sound bearable to ok.Three issues to date ,when you swich tv off ,pictue goes off but sound still works for further few seconds .The satellite tuner annoyingly non responsive to remote control basic commands ie up, down, . To set up basic satellite settings ie turksat 42e horizontal and full scan with free services only ,a matter of only 5_10 remote commands should take a few seconds , i gave up after 10 minute.,Iastly picture freezes quite regularly.Sony the BEST tv make available? My LG smart tv is in a league of its own compared to this.Could i return it i wonder.

[Nicksmith156]

My TV KDL-50W805C, is also turning itself on since the last FW update, usually it's just the light bar beneath the Sony logo that's on but the to remote doesn't work and there is no sound. I have turned off Bravia sync and reset all settings and the problem persists, usually 3 or 4 times a week. 

Can an I return my tv to the retailer [amazon] if it was bought less than 12 months ago?

[royabrown]

---

@Nicksmith156 wrote:

My TV KDL-50W805C, is also turning itself on since the last FW update, usually it's just the light bar beneath the Sony logo that's on but the to remote doesn't work and there is no sound. I have turned off Bravia sync and reset all settings and the problem persists, usually 3 or 4 times a week. 

Can an I return my tv to the retailer [amazon] if it was bought less than 12 months ago?

---

You have six years, actually, though it obviously gets progressively harder to prove 'inherent fault', so you need to go for 'not of merchantable quality' and 'not fit for purpose'. Say that, as a reasonable person, you have given Sony several opportunities to correct what are clearly software, rather than hardware, problems with this set, but they have failed to do so each time, and you have now decided that no further opportunities will be given.

And say that though the fault clearly lies with Sony, it is Amazon as the retailer that you have redress against, not Sony, hence you need to request the return and refund from Amazon. You might also want to say that replacement, and repair, are out of the picture, as any replacement would have the same issues, and there is no hardware repair that could fix the broken software.

Remind Amazon that although they are not a UK company, being based in Luxembourg, Luxembourg is in the EU, so all sales into the UK, at the time you purchased your set, fall under the UK Sale of Goods Act 1979 (As Amended) under which you are claiming this redress.

Did you pay for your set, in whole or in part, on a credit card for an amount of over £100? If you did, then Section 75 of the SOGA gives you the same rights against the credit card company, so you might want to write the same letter or email to both, letting each see the To and Cc details.

Then see what happens.

A sufficiently determined approach demonstrating that you have a clear understanding of your rights, and their obligations, under consumer law should prove effective.

[Frady1]

I now have my KDL43W755C nearly two months.

I live in Ireland and a satellite tuner plus a recording facility were the main reasons I bought this TV.

Most reviews commented on how good a picture the Sony has.

I've been disappointed with the picture tbh, just wondering is it my set.

It has a lot of ghousting/blur.

We finally got the HDD up and running last week with the latest update.

Unless I'm missing something you can't set the recorder manually.

For example if I'm out on a Saturday night and I want to record the football on Channel 5 at 9 and MOTD on BBC1 at 10.30 I can't do it.

We use the Free to Air satellite to view the UK channels here, the main reazon I bought this TV.

With the 'now and next' on the FTA you need a timer facility to record.

Also you can't watch the local Irish channels (which are fed from an aerial) while recording from the satellite and vice versa.

These two points are very basic needs when recording.

I also have in another room an LG TV and a Walker digi box both of which do these things very well.

Surely Sony will have to sort out these basic things.

Any help welcome.

[simon.summs]

Change picture mode to Cinema Pro.

Light sensor off.

Colour 50

Brightness 10

Contrast 90

Gamma 0

Black Level 50

Black adjust off

Adv. Contrast enhancer off.

Turn off motionflow and film mode. Or set to medium for both.

Colour temps 

R-Gain -4

G-Gain -4

B-Gain Max

R-Bias 0

G-Bias 0

B-Bias -1

Reality Creation off.

See how you get on with those settings. Personally I think the picture on this TV is stunning.

[Frady1]

Thank you, I'll give it a go.

[Jimmyjamh]

---

@simon.summs wrote:

Change picture mode to Cinema Pro.

Light sensor off.

Colour 50

Brightness 10

Contrast 90

Gamma 0

Black Level 50

Black adjust off

Adv. Contrast enhancer off.

Turn off motionflow and film mode. Or set to medium for both.

Colour temps 

R-Gain -4

G-Gain -4

B-Gain Max

R-Bias 0

G-Bias 0

B-Bias -1

Reality Creation off.

See how you get on with those settings. Personally I think the picture on this TV is stunning.

---

Those settings are pretty close to mine too. Picture quality is stunning (KDL50W807C)