topic Re: Video & TV SideView DISCONTINUATION in Android TV

Video & TV SideView DISCONTINUATION

Kuschelmonschter — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 08:03:54 GMT

As of May, Sony discontinues most functionality in the Video & TV SideView app, see here.

Say goodbye to the only usable program guide for Sony TV. The only functionality left will be the remotes it seems.

Seems like Sony keeps taking things away from us, this time a rather important feature which actually made the Live TV part somewhat usable.

How in the blue hell can you not feel betrayed by this company?

Re: Video & TV SideView DISCONTINUATION

Jecht_Sin — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 09:43:02 GMT

Yeah.. I have been looking already for a replacement. At least for what concerns the tv guide with links to IMDB and Wikipedia. Fortunately the Italians are quite productive in this matter and I've found two apps already, but they work only with Italian channel. One has a UK version, though:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cisana.guidatv.uk

I mean, it's better than nothing. Don;t expect them to ever interface with out televisions. Although we never know..

PS: Obviously I am totally disappointed by Sony. Instead of adding feature they drop them?!

Re: Video & TV SideView DISCONTINUATION

Chickenfish — Fri, 03 Mar 2017 15:58:46 GMT

Massively disappointing.

I only get Satellite reception and as Sony TVs don't officially support freesat, despite having satellite tuners and being able to pick up all the channels, the built in TV guide doesn't work for satellite channels or allow recording. This app provided a solution, giving both a guide and the ability to programme recordings. I fear once this is discontinued the only workable solution will be to buy a freesat box. Annoying not just for the expense but also the clumsiness of another box, remote and setup.

Very annoying. Sony if you're going to discontinue the useful bits of this app please sort out your TV guide so it automatically loads data for satellite channels and allows programmed recording.

Re: Video & TV SideView DISCONTINUATION

Meydieu — Mon, 06 Mar 2017 09:03:45 GMT

A shame it's going. The app really works well.

Re: Video & TV SideView DISCONTINUATION

PatrikT — Mon, 06 Mar 2017 09:56:19 GMT

I agree, I am also very dissapointed that Sony decided to remove functionallity in app that I am using and happy with.

I want to use my mobile as remote, and not remote just in front of the TV, remote as in anywhere when I have internet access: to manage my recordings.

Any replacement app comming Sony?

/Patrik

Re: Video & TV SideView DISCONTINUATION

scolthead — Tue, 07 Mar 2017 22:14:47 GMT

The discontinuation of Tv Sideview is the last straw as far as i am concerned, The TV i chose on the strength of TV and Video sideview and just like that they pull the plug, the last piece of Sony equipment i buy they just seem to go from bad to worse.

Re: Video & TV SideView DISCONTINUATION

sonyfan0012 — Thu, 09 Mar 2017 00:27:37 GMT

I have no words. Shame!

Re: Video & TV SideView DISCONTINUATION

andipr — Fri, 10 Mar 2017 10:38:51 GMT

Any Mods or Experts know if there will be an equivalent replacement for this App?

Re: Video & TV SideView DISCONTINUATION

Kuschelmonschter — Fri, 10 Mar 2017 10:45:58 GMT

Sony commented via FlatpanelsHD that there are no plans to replace the app with something else.

Re: Video & TV SideView DISCONTINUATION

PatrikT — Fri, 10 Mar 2017 12:30:26 GMT

You have a direct link to that FlanpanelsHD official message?

/Patrik

Re: Video & TV SideView DISCONTINUATION

Kuschelmonschter — Fri, 10 Mar 2017 12:11:49 GMT

Sony will remove core functionality from its TV SideView app

Re: Video & TV SideView DISCONTINUATION

iamkloot55 — Thu, 30 Mar 2017 11:14:17 GMT

Sideview was a big selling point when I purchased my TV.

an absolutely brilliant app/function,two of my mates bought Sony TVs when I showed them this function

i will be asking for a full refund from Sony.

what next ? No wifi,Internet access ??? Pathetic.

who the hell do they think they are?

ive been a Sony fan for years and stuck with my Bravia through all the software problems.

Sony do you enjoy giving your loyal customers the two finger salute.??

you should be ashamed

Re: Video

sonyfan0012 — Thu, 30 Mar 2017 11:23:47 GMT

I also hate when they take out functions. I loved seeing the channels on
the cell app and the possibility to straight out jump to each channel.

Re:sideview discontinued

iamkloot55 — Thu, 30 Mar 2017 11:45:59 GMT

Come on Sony community,we should not allow Sony to walk all over its customers

enough is enough.

Re: Re:sideview discontinued

Anonymous — Thu, 30 Mar 2017 12:09:49 GMT

Hi there

The disappointment in regards to the Video + TV sideview being discontinued has been fed back to Sony a while ago. Unfortunately things dont look they will change. I am also annoyed with this, as it was a handy backup for me.

Cheers

Re: Re:sideview discontinued

Kuschelmonschter — Thu, 30 Mar 2017 13:56:01 GMT

This app was the only thing that made Live TV worthwhile on Sony. Guide surfing and scheduling recordings was fast and you could easily surf and switch channels from within the guide. On the Austrian Sony web page (and I assume others too) they are still advertising the app for some discontinued products. They removed the ads for the most recent products.

I can't read all this praise for the new XE models in the press anymore. It just does not reflect the bad shape those TVs are in. Reviewers only care about image quality. 95% of the people can't even discern most differences if not watched side by side. They want to watch TV and stuff to be stable which is just not the case. Nobody writes how Sony takes key features away, or how they take over one year to release Marshmallow and still [profanity removed by moderator] it up big time.

Gracenote isn't cheap. I know that much. On most other devices, people have to pay a monthly/yearly fee for the service. But you just can't advertise this feature and then take it away. How about the app just pulling the EPG (DVB-EIT) data from the TV? I know that won't help in case of Freesat, but...

So now that Sony TVs do not have any dependency to the SideView app anymore concerning Live TV, how about moving to Google's Live Channels which really evolved in the last 2 years? I could also imagine Google doing a mobile companion app for it. Just dreaming... I know that Sony still has to get channel management right, but it would still be a lot less code to maintain.

Re: Re:sideview discontinued

iamkloot55 — Thu, 30 Mar 2017 13:08:52 GMT

Any reason from Sony as to why they are dropping sideview ?

it is the smartest feature on tv

they have been using it as a big selling point,surely Sony have a responsibility to its customers.

the tv programme guide is useless,and it will leave hdd recording almost impossible to use.

i would gladly pay for the app, instead of me going to my tv store ( btw a brilliant store),I'll probably have high blood pressure.

i feel it starting to rise allready

Re: Re:sideview discontinued

sonyfan0012 — Thu, 30 Mar 2017 13:10:47 GMT

They are cheap... From the plastic cheap tvs they are making, badly
designed ...to the badly handled code on their tvs. This is going down.

We pay a premium for these TVs.

Re: Re:sideview discontinued

sonyfan0012 — Thu, 30 Mar 2017 13:13:47 GMT

The same reasons why tvs now are made of plastic...Not steel anymore. Matte
plastic screens instead of gorilla Glass. Cheap IPS panels instead of VA.
Horrible plastic cheap remote instead if the later glossy huge ones...

Cost cutting.

Sony is soon selling Bravia.

Watch it.

Re: Re:sideview discontinued

Anonymous — Thu, 30 Mar 2017 13:20:19 GMT

@iamkloot55 wrote:

Any reason from Sony as to why they are dropping sideview ?

No reason has been given - we can only guess.