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.

[dabaldw48]

Thats It – its going back. Patience has run out. John Lewis and I are arguing – they say its not a technical fault!

[elraouk]

You can return it, I pre ordered mine and returned it a couple of weeks ago.  Money due this week... 
It's not easy but Sony will take these back, you've just got to be firm and not take no for an answer

[paudanie8]

Can you return it to Sony for a refund even if you didn't buy it directly from Sony?

I drove from Manchester to Essex to collect mine and I don't fancy the journey again. After all the dealer is not at fault.

[Anonymous]

You would return it to the dealer/retailer you puchased it from.  Dealer not at fault but your contact is with them and their contact is with Sony etc.

[rsebre]

:smileyhappy:Hello Dan,

Sorry I didn't respond quicker, but I've been tinkering and really quite enjoying this forum and topic.

OK, I would like to quickly and politely say thank you too all the contributors to this tread, it has been a good read for the last several days.

Thank you

Now on to your question and other peoples questions.

Yes having a PSN account is definitely a must for this device (X83C Series)

I double checked today for you, but when I log into my PSN account and check my registered devices, their it is in all its glory. I was on the phone today with a few people from Sony about several issues, but we did laugh when talking of this. The hardware department revisions will come under fire for loss of sales, but eh,..:smileysad:

I don't really need a PlayStation 4 or 3 or Vita anymore, I can just connect my DualShock 4 Joypad and Play all my games that way, I have several hundred to chose from as I did the PlayNow Alpha and Beta.

I also finished the Playstation 4 Firmware 3.3 recently, which allowed me more time to tinker, but in your future updates you should be getting a lovely set of icons for your custom av labels for quick recognition of devices.

I quite like the icons showing me a PlayStation 4 as it turns on with nothing more than asking the TV via the remote, and watching HDMI Control kick in is really cool. By using the TV and HDMI control, via the remote allows me to have to never put the PS4 in sleep/rest mode, just on or off. I like simplicity...

The other question you had for me was where do you turn on your tv's enhanced features...

If you press the HOME button on your remote and start scanning through all of the different tiles its right at the end, but it's in there.

Other's here are talking about the built in Video app and it's not giving them 5.1, but I still suggest you only use Plex. I have a server with 4TB on my home network which is in 5.1. The built in player might not have the file formats list you'd think it does. Even the manual say's even if it's listed as a supported format, it might not work.

This is due to the retainer being a different container if you ask me, so perhaps a bit of tinkering here will sort this issue.:smileycool:

The Android SDK is probably my next port of call as I'd like to see if I can get under the hood of this device a bit more and see what I can turn off and turn on with hex calls. Other have Kodi working....:smileycool:

The main issue for me was getting a proper 4K image to be displayed. so far I'm only upto 4K in 30fps, I have to do some more with my rig to get it up to that 60fps figure. But setting this TV like it says to too display a 4K picture was harder than it should have been. You'd have think it would have done this automatically, but no..

The next firmware release is only a few days away, but what would be cool is if I could save a copy as being passed via the ethernet.

Kind regards

Richard

[Heckie]

This is pretty disappointing. The lack of 5.1 is unbelievable. 

[sassbs]

Just to say tomorrow I am going to contact Trading Standards and a lawyer about Sony and see about bringing a case against them.

I don't believe they have any intention of releasing a fix for these TV's and are deliberately violating the Sale of Goods Act and the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations act with regards to these TV's. 

[rsebre]

:smileyalert:I too was looking forward to this display ever since it was first reviewed in what hifi. Yes I know whois makes better gubbins, and stuff, but to me this display was a natural progression. And all my kit is Sony and will stay that way thank you.:smileyztele:

If the date has indeed changed, I'm quite disappointed.:smileynot_talking:

The HDMI 2 port is what all the fuss for me is about. A MHL Display and an Android SDK is what I'd like next.

Natural Progression and Simplicity.

I'm very impressed with this model, and if I get another, it would still be in this series. I've enjoyed using the screencasting via ip, direct wifi and the imediashare app.

The TVSideView App even has so many new features added it's great too.

I know this display does HDR, even though in the firmware release it says it's still to be implemented, it's there. Same as the HDMI CEC, not just the HDMI CDCP. I have noted also that the the HDMI Arc does also include a Cinevra Stream which might be disabling the 5.1 and only outputting 2.0, but who knows..

This display has already got 4 Firmware Updates on the cards in 4 Months, that's a good number straight away. Quite impressed there. I wonder what unicode we could actually get running on our X1 Processor, I know it can do 4K 7.1 Streams, but could I bolt a few more X1's on just for safe measure....

Future update..

I have found that using the ether net connection solves a lot of problems before they start.:smileylaugh:

I've been chasing Apple up about the NFC concerns I have. The NFC Spec for this display is 4.1 and the iDevices and Android Devices support upto 4.2 now. But I'm going to get a device as it say's I can and tap on my remote and watch in awe as it instantly appears on my display. If Sony could also quick update the NFC Stack in a future update, that would also help. HDMI 2.0 Here I come....:smileyinfo:

Kind regards

And thank you everyone for such an informative and friendly forum thread.:smileywin:

Richard

[haribo411]

@rsebre do you know if I can use Plex to access my HDD when its plugged into the TVs USB port? The video app folder view is awful!

[Al_Charles]

I think Sony must have an issue that they are not openly admitting, it makes no sense to keep delaying, this update fixes too many issue, so the question has to be why are they not doing small fixes, what is different between EU and USA sets. If they have a release version that works USA side, surely the conversion to EU should be easy.

Instead of people doing different things, it's time we all worked together, even if it comes down to a uk wide mass return day, where we all return sets to retailers on the same day, it would grab media attention and make the returns process a lot  easier.

personally I have lost faith, the firmware update has been pushed back to many times. Sony are basically ignoring us completely, and probably hoping we give up and either replace our sets, or buy new ones.