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.

[anjenki75]

youview probably. got a link to the release notes? any other fixes?

[letonge53]

After I reported Sony to Watchdog, I got a phone call from someone in their "Escalations department" (or something along those lines.  

She said they're aware of the issues surrounding the problems with the software and although there is a planned firmware update for the 28th / 29th, it could be delayed by a few more weeks due to the amounts of complaints they've been reading via this messageboard.

I told her that I think it's a joke we've waited so long and she was very apologetic...but then that's her job.  She also said that rather than keep releasing lots of little updates, all their Engineers are trying to release one large update which covers everything mentioned in these 125+ posts.

Let's hope they stick to their original date of the 29th, however, taking what she said, I'm guessing it's going to be middle / late October before anything happens.

[daknigh36]

I disagree with the idea that waiting and releasing one update is the way to go, I returned my TV as I did not have the faith in Sony to fix all these issues in a timely fashion but if I could have seen regular updates that were fixing things bit by bit I may have stuck with it.

[baseball99]

What a ridiiculous state of affairs that it takes a call from Watchdog to Sony's press team before anyone in customer services actually responds. And holding off updates seems equally ridiculous, especially holding off and not even telling us that that's what they're doing. 

What a mess Sony is these days. Such a shame. This was once a great company. Now they'll be lucky to even be in business in a few years time. You just can't treat customers like this and expect to get away with it.

[Twobins]

I agree. I returned my TV after three months simply because the updates had dried up and there was no communication from Sony. When I called them they said they couldn't give me a date for the next update. If their communications had been better, I might have held on. No one can criticise the look of these Sony TVs - they look terrific and the picture quality is excellent. Its just the bloody software makes it respond like an ancient Android tablet. Too slow and laggy.

[anjenki75]

I understand why they are doing this. It's because the TV takes a ridiculously long time to perform a software update, and coordinating the updates obviously has an overhead.

However I think they are really making a mistake with that update policy. As others have alluded to, releasing timely updates signals to your customers that you can be trusted to fix the issues. Not only that, but it only angers your customers if you keep telling them one thing and doing another. The schedules for these updates have been continually pushed back (on their website), yet nobody has contacted me from support to let me know that. Even now, it says there will be an update 29th September and that YouView will be available in "summer". If you don't intend to deliver an update, don't say you will. I have been explicitly told by support that the lip sync issue will be fixed before the end of this month. If it isn't I think I will be returning the set as not fit for purpose (not just for this issue but all the others - mainly I think I have a reasonable expectation that a television should not crash whilst watching TV.)

It's quite simple really Sony. Tell people what you are planning to do, then be sure to do it.

[scoopy6]

Our best ever box has been the Humax 9150 PVR, which was made near perfect early on and is still going strong.

At first even that had some problems, and of course TV functions have since got a bit more complicated...

[chelmersteve]

My 55in which I've had from launch is still developing new problems. It now goes straight to YouTube at switch on. It never used to do this - always to TV, and I don't use YouTube.

It's also started not to fully launch TV - only the sound.

This is on top of not recognising, or only partly recognising HDMI inputs. Sometimes it just sits showing the port as being selected and nothing else, sometimes it launches OK and sometimes just sound.

Some of thes things can be sorted with a reboot - but should I have to?

I see some people have had compensation for the shortcomings in these TVs. How do you go about getting that?

[DaM3k0n]

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@chelmersteve wrote:

My 55in which I've had from launch is still developing new problems. It now goes straight to YouTube at switch on. It never used to do this - always to TV, and I don't use YouTube.

It's also started not to fully launch TV - only the sound.

This is on top of not recognising, or only partly recognising HDMI inputs. Sometimes it just sits showing the port as being selected and nothing else, sometimes it launches OK and sometimes just sound.

Some of thes things can be sorted with a reboot - but should I have to?

I see some people have had compensation for the shortcomings in these TVs. How do you go about getting that?

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Where did you see that.. Ive been following this thread for weeks and not seen any sign of any sort of compensation.. ive just seen people returning their sets!

[DaM3k0n]

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@Sdroid wrote:
Unbelievable, now we are 3 updates behind the states, yesterday's update gave them HDR on the x850c to, what's going on here

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Im quite happy for them to be the guinea pigs.. as long as we ulitmately benefit from a huge upgrade!