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.

[NicolaiLarsen91]

What the.. in Scandinavia summer is June, July and August - thought it was
the same in the rest of the world?
The danish support site, says it will be avaible sometime this year. What a
precise timeline!

[angelacr]

@cozzykim

Android 5.0.2

Build SVPDTV15_EU_user 5.0.2 LGY75.S147 2.333 release-keys

Sorry don't use Netflix  ;(

[ZombieFried777]

It's still summer for us in the UK, autumn starts Wednesday September 23rd, until Monday December 21st, 

[jwq001]

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@angelacr wrote:

The Dutch Sony site has System updates with serial 2333......

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It's a special update to solve the reboot issue, when using a CI+ module....

[Twobins]

Has anyone got a 43X8305C thats running without any problems of sluggishness? Mine is going to go back to JL this week - it has a maufacturing date of 04/2015. Was Hoping Sony would have released the Youview and other updates before my 90 days were up, but this doesn't look likely now. If it does get sorted I'll buy back cheaper or wait until the 2016 models come out, Can't see anything else I would like from any other manufacturer as 43 inch fits my room beautifully.

[theshamelessmanc]

A little off topic I know, but does anybody else use the Archos media app?  I purchased it the other night as a replacement for the standard video app on the Bravia because of network issues and not finding devices.  Archos worked awesome, plus the added bonus of film info added to the files. But, the last couple days, I have not been able to use the SMB feature to find my NAS and Xperia Z3 to add more indexed folders to the TV app. Oh, and PC. However, thr app on my Z3 has worked without fail since the purchase.

My only remedy for getting the TV app to function again is to uninstall it, reboot the TV and install it again,  then index the folders. 

Force close, clear cache or just simply uninstall / reinstall  without a reboot of the TV doesn't work. 

I have to uninstall, reboot,  install!  It finds all the devices once more, and I can access the folders with films in again. 

Also, does Archos only play video,  can it do music or pictures?

[cozzykim]

@theshamelessmanc

Not Archos, but I use MXPlayer Pro, which has been a favourite since Asus TF101 days, because it seems to get the best from sluggish hardware.

[theshamelessmanc]

@cozzykim

I use the free MX on my phone, does the pro version have network access to drives on it?

[cozzykim]

@theshamelessmanc

I presume so, I'd have to check though, as the only network fileserver I have for video is my Humax FreeSat HDR with Mediatomb on it, I've never tried it.

EDIT: It does work but MX Player doesn't have a built-in DLNA client, so I had to use BubbleUPnP, which is a bit clunky on the TV.

Skifta is probably better, but you have to sideload it now, as it is no longer in the Play store.

EDIT2: Aha, a reboot of the TV seemed to sort the display problems out on BubbleUPnP, it's now working very well with MX Player Pro set as default renderer, over Ethernet though.

Try it with the free version of MX Player first (Y)

[hristobojkov]

I have bought the Archos too, it saved me, I am using it daily to watch movies, Netflix doesn't have plans to visit my part of Earth any year soon. When I see that it cannot explore SMB servers at home, I have 5 in total - 2 Xperia phones, laptop and two PC's, I just unplug the TV for 10 sec, and then Archos finds and plays as new. I suspect that its some kind of out of memory issue with Android. So just fresh start helps. I don not know why Sony do not allow us to insatll some memory manager on the TV, just to clear some free memory instead to unplug action. I think it would be safer for the TV. So I have the TV for 2 months now. I need to unplug it from wall nearly 2 times a day.