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.

[MikeLothian]

In the UK we're currently on v2177 of the firmware - in America they've just gotten v2197 http://esupport.sony.com/US/p/model-home.pl?mdl=XBR65X850C&LOC=3#/downloadTab (please make sure you DON'T install American software on your European model they've got different tuners so will most likely not work) 

Here's what their update brings:

Sony has designed the BRAVIA® Televisions software update process to be customer friendly. This software update (version PKG2.197.0010NAB) provides the following benefits:

Improvements over version PKG2.173.0010NAB:

• Supports Netflix® streaming service (4K Models)
• Improves Lip Sync for HDMI input
• Improves performance and stability of the USB video playback features
• Improves general performance of the TV

Benefits provided by previous updates and included in version PKG2.197.0010NAB:

• Resolves a condition where a black screen and no sound may occur when an input changes from YouTube® to another input
• Resolves a condition where a black screen may occur during USB video playback
• Supports Internet based EPG (Electronic program guide)
• Supports Netflix streaming service (2K Models)
• Supports Amazon, Pandora®, and Crackle™ applications
• Supports Force Reboot by holding down the Power key on the BT or IR remote controller
• Improves performance and stability of overall UI operation
• Improves performance and stability of the Action Menu
• Improves Wi-Fi connectivity of the TV

Looks like we'll just have to be a little more patiet

The big ticket items for me is DTS passthrough, Netflix with Dolby Digital, a 3D option that works in things like YouTube and other video players and stability fixes - the whole TV seems rather unpolished and buggy

[jumpsuit]

Hi all

Just to say Sony are investigating the Netflix issue but in the meantime obviously advise against people using different versions.

Please be careful if you do

I will update in this thread if I get any more news.

[NickCo1979]

Thanks for your updates guys, hopefully we'll get some newer firmware goodness soon....  

[scottryan10]

Hi,

I have had 2 of the same problems..! Sony should have waited to release the new Android models until all the software was fixed and everything works..

I cannot set up HDD record like you, and i am not able to use my Sony Skype camera, it does not get reconised by the TV, nor does the HDD !

I am very miffed with Sony at this time, and as the customer of this item, once they have our money, they then inform us that we have to wait for updates to be released for many things to function on the TV. 

So, at this moment, all i have is a fancy looking TV, with a standard Freesat satellite picture, and i am sick of trying to sort anything related to this Android stuff.....

and where is the guidance of how to use the new TV....It is not in the handbook..! 

Very dissapointed indeed.

[strober25]

Having waited 6 weeks for delivery I was hoping the Sony Android TV  KD-49x8309c would meet all of my expectations, however I am extremely disappointed from first impressions and am considering returning it as not fit for purpose. It's such a great looking TV and picture so I'm reluctant to do that. My main concerns are the lack of Record facility and no Netflix as these were key factors in making my purchase and these were confirmed as available on this model by the retailer. The information in this thread has already covered these points, so it looks as if it's a case of waiting. I'm also disappointed with the lack of apps. I expected to be able to make use of the full range of apps on the Play store , but it appears only Sony approved apps can be used and the current selection is poor, so this does not bode well for an Android device given the marketing hype.

Having got my hands on the TV I am concerned about a few other things now, mainly around the satellite  channel editor, which is very frustrating and almost unusable. Scrolling the list is a nightmare and my set is crashing and rebooting if I overdo the scrolling, which seems to require single button presses to navigate the list. It also reinserts some of the services that I've deleted as not required! The deleted channels appear as no service in the list, but they still appear in the program guide, which is really unwanted. To explain, I'm trying to edit the unrequired channels out of the satellite list and guide, but I'm having difficulty and the documentation does not seem to cover this.

There is a Preferred Satellite option which I was hoping would load the preset channels for Freesat, but pressing this just takes me to the satellite set up menu again , but there's no option to select Preferred or General  satellite tuning, again not mentioned in the documentation, however I did see a procedure for this in a support message. It just doesn't work with my TV. If anyone has experienced similar problems or has a solutions for these problems, then help would be appreciated.

[Bar--8]

Strober25. I also have mine hooked up to the satellite feeds but past the initial tuning I've not really had time to investigate.  I did however notice several hundred channels which I would also like to delete so will try this over the weekend. 

For the benefit of others I've also have these new observations. 

1. You cannot page up or down through the TV guide - holding down the up/down arrows does allow quick scrolling however this occasionally lags to the detriment of zooming past the desired location when it catches up.

2. I've had official complaint from the wife about the SD picture being 'horrible and grainy' and it is. HD/4K is stunning but not SD. No matter what I select in picture setup I cannot solve. Anyone else noticed this, BBC 1 Eastenders was the sample I looked at?  Obviously you have to be close (1m) from the set to really see it but my 2011 46" LCD never looked this bad. Faces appear grainy and occasionally have many small horizontal lines around the silhouette of a person/object. May be I need to reboot (again)?

3. Game mode produces a horrible blocky washed out picture - this is so bad it looks broken. I'm no expert but do I need to be playing a game in this mode?

[MikeLothian]

The anoying one for me is half the time the 3D option disappears from the menus - sometimes it is there but does't do anything - and other times it works great

It's been a right PITA trying to play 3D media that isn't being played through my PS3 - Kodi, VLC & the "Videos" app have all worked with varying degrees of success

Usually "Videos" allows me to switch and it works 50% of the time - usualy have to flick between the modes a few times for it to switch over to 3D, if I get it working in "Videos" then it just works in VLC but the 3D option disappears from the menu, in Kodi there's no 3D options and the TV doesn't switch to 3D at all but the app is really good at figuring out if it's 3D content and will display it's GUI in 3D too (so shows as SBS)

Would be great if they just made the 3D option always there and always switch over when selected

[lesking70]

Hi, I just thought I'd say your not alone, I got an ear bashing last night, "why is it this stupidly expensive tv you bought, makes eastenders look crap" after flicking through the picture settings I had to agree with her and apologies and say yes I'm sorry it does look turd, and im very disappointed!

[NickCo1979]

Hi All, I received this from the support team today regarding the Netflix issue:

<Email Snippet>

Thank you for your recent e-mail.

In regards to your query, the higher technical team advised that a new software update will be released in 10 days that will rectify the Netflix issue.

Thank you for your enquiry.

</>

That would be the 15th of June hopefully for Netflix availability   

Cheers

Nick