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.

[walshy5050]

Well in  the end they decided I was right and gave me a new TV a young girl took over from the bloke I was speaking to so I said what if this TV has the same issue she said come and see me I will sort a full refund.

So I asked has may of these tv''s  been returned she just looked at me with a big grin on her face.

To me that says it all 

I will see how this TV gos 

[frogger38]

Sony issues Log
Here is next promised update since Dec 10th update V2.645 AND a factory reset on 18 Dec.
1) 19th Dec. using YouView search, via the remote and on screen keyboard, the response is so slow, laggy and erratic it took me 4 attempts to enter a 3 letter search string. 
 2) 21st Dec. at the first switch on of the day, black screen with sound. Not responsive to remote commands after several minutes managed to get to Home Screen and Reset via About menu.
3) 22nd Dec. at first switch on.. displayed 'Cannot disply TV... might not be tuned' then after a few seconds it cleared and performed OK.
4) 30/12/15 switch on using stby button, it came on on HDMI4 as expected as was last used i/p, select TV via TV button. SET CRASHED & REBOOTED to home screen.
5) NEW - 6 Dec 2016 Switched Tv on by 'one flick' remote. Selected 'Home' and the set froze whilst populating the home page, leaving the inputs row blank. Held Stby button down to reset and the set went off but would not come on again. Had to use the IR control to get it on.
6) NEW BUG - Having been watching a source via HDMI 4 for 3 hours, I used the discover button to see what was on Broadcast channels, the YouView guide row, was 3 hours behind the current time, showing 'current' programmes as they were the last time I used the YouView service. I waited and it did not update until I actually selected an off-air channel.

I have just viewed info on Sony.co.uk website regarding the new 2016 TVs launched at CES 2016. Some points to note.. No mention is made of HDD recording or PAP in the features list... Worrying isn't it. The sets are due to launch in Spring and will have Android Marshmallow OS. The presenter in the video also said that Marshmallow would be rolled out to 2015 sets soon. Is this why we are going to have to wait until March for the next fix?

I'll add to the list as and when I discover more. I hope we do not have to wait for a proper bug fix until the end of February and PAP + HDD recording at end of March 2016, because significant issues still present.
I'm now using this forum as a log of all unexpected behaviours.

[frogger38]

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@darrenj11 wrote:

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I was just trying to work out if this is a geniune thread ot not.

If mine had been faulty, I would just take it back to the shops, this doesnt seem a relevant thread to me, just a load of people that cannot be helped.

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@darrenj11 This thread is genuine, and has already demonstrated to Sony shortfalls in the design and testing of the 2015 range. Sony have picked these items up from this thread and have resolved some of them and are working on others. Simply swapping the set out will not resolve the issue for other people. They are NOT faulty but subject to design shortcomings which Sony have accepted. We can be helped because when the firmware is updated to resolve issues discussed in this thread, we will have a superb TV. Some of the issues are dependant on how you use the TV, if you are happy with what you have then good for you. 

[Risc0n]

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@darrenj11 wrote:

Ive bought the TV, ive signed up to the forums, and ive been receiveing your replies for about a week or so, and trying to take an educated guess at wheather I should return the expensive tv or not.

And ive finally come to the conclusion, that this thread is just not relevant, 

I wont be returning the tv based on this thread as mine is just not apocalyptic  as you guys make out, so therefore I see that the thread in itself is not helpful.

Honestly, I just think that you are not helping yourself. Maybe serial complainers or something, i really dont want to be rude but I cant think of a nicer way to put it, its a moaners thread, and thats fine, but change the title.

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Well you are being both.

1. Rude
2. Ignorant

You won't be missed.

[CeltaniC]

what the actual hell!

the list keeps going, on this POS FW v3.155 update!

Now the TV starts/boots up from sleep mode and starts all by it self!

Happend 2 times already and both times in the middle of the night and woke up me and my gf and with a bright light in hour bedrom!

I was *****!? does this FW bring ghosts into our bedromm now to?!!

talking to my store where i bought this tomorrow... 

[bluraypete]

OK so I didn't find this page until after I bought the 55" X9005C and so wish I had done as I wouldn't have bought it. The reviews all said it was one of the best TV's around but no HDD until update seemed to be the only issue. Saw it in the shop and compared to other makes I was impressed with the 4K picture so bought one. Got it home and connected it up to my AV amp which has PS3, Bluray recorder and other kit attached via HDMI. PS3 and Bluray recorder won't display on TV. Eventually found that 1080p don't work only 1080i although spec says 1080p should.  Had to reconnect old TV to change settings. Bit of a niggle but not serious but worked on my old TV. Youview works ok but can't record to HDD from it. You have to disable Youview in settings to enable Freeview to record on HDD, Satellite ok but not Freesat. To reenable Youview you have to enter Postcode again in settings. Spent a whole day day setting it up and getting things to work, lack of good manual doesn't help. Found sometimes that remote didn't work or the TV took ages to respond, probably the latter most if not all of the time but having to wait upto 15 secs for a response is excessive. Occasionally got a grey screen with sound, occasionally rebooted itself. Sound carries on after power down for 5 - 10 secs also had definite lag on occasions. Had to do a full power reset to get anything to work a few times. Best 4K picture I've seen but having to swap between Youview and Freeview to record (when that is available) isn't good but the actual Android TV software performs very badly which was the tipping point for me. There are just too many issues with it and in my opinion shouldn't have been released. I knew my wife would get very frustrated quite quickly with it as I was anyway so took it back to the shop.  Sony, don't release software that still doesn't work. Don't rely on your customers to test it when they have spent £1300+ on a TV. I've had many Sony TVs since the old Trinitron days because of the picture quality and reliability but don't expect people to buy a set for the picture quality if the software is very buggy.

[royabrown]

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@Patrandec wrote:

I've posted a new thread as it's not really related to this one, but have all of our 4K's also just been made obsolete by the new 4K standard agreed at CES? If so, what impact could this have on Sony's willingness to support their 2015 models?

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No more so, I think, than 4K sets make HD sets obsolete. We will probably see a two-tier system arise, where the expensive sets meet this standard, and the cheaper 4K ones don't.

But we already have multi-tier, even within the 2015 Android sets; 4K or HD, HDR or not, 3D or not, Triluminos or not, and so on.

The new standard may have made the 2015 sets outmoded, but then the 2016 sets were likely to do that anyway. 

I have a 2011 Samsung on which the sun is slowly setting - it looks like it won't ever get a Netflix app, for instance - but there is a lot of life in it yet.

The crucial thing is whether Sony will still strive as hard as they are doing now to get these 2015 sets right, once the 2016 sets are available.

[royabrown]

@bluraypete

If you had tried, even just as a test, connecting your PS3 and your BluRay player directly to the TV, then I would expect that they should auto-negotiate 1080p, which the set would upscale to fit the 4K screen, without problems at all.

My guess would be that this is the first time your AV amp, negotiating a resolution with the TV, has been offered 4K, and has got confused. I'm guessing your old TV, which you are presumably back on for the time being, isn't 4K?

I know you have taken the set back now, but if you get an alternative 4K set, you may be faced with the same issue.

If so, there may be a firmware update you can get for the amp though, which will fix this; have a look on the maker's website, Maybe investigate this now, in advance?

You can't record to HDD from the Freeview side at present anyway, so not much point trying. But for the record, if anyone goes over there and then comes back to YouView, you need neither to put your postcode in again, nor to tune again; skip both steps, and there will be no problems.

[bluraypete]

@royabrown thanks for the reply but I did try directly connecting the PS3 and Bluray player to the TV but it still didn't work. They were both set to autonegotiate so set them to 1080p just in case there were negotiating problems with it being a 4K set and it didn't work so when set to 1080i, each time connecting to the old TV to change and check, it then worked. It all worked for the old 1K TV Sony KDL40W4000. The amp being in line didn't seem to make any difference and was set to Direct pass through mode anyway. Both amp and TV had been updated to the latest software version as well.

When I reenabled Youview it asked for the postcode with a blank box only after putting it in did it ask to rescan which I cancelled. Perhaps I should have cancelled at the postcode the fact is I was asked to put it in and there wasn't one already showing on the screen. I work in I.T. and change settings on I.T. kit every day so you could say I am used to it but that is my job. I wouldn't expect a non I.T. person to have to do what you do on this TV  to press so many buttons just to change a function on the TV and put up with the many issues the software has. If Sony want someone to do customer acceptance testing and want to send me a TV for free I don't mind doing it but it would have to be the 2nd set in the house not the main set.

[julianblack]

Hi bluraypete. That was just my attitude towards these Sony Android sets. I work with computers for a living. The last thing I want to do is to have to trouble shoot a device at home every other time I want to use it. The picture was great when it worked. The hassle was not. Much happier with my LG 55UF860V.