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.

[TSD123]

Sorry yes, I meant Philips.

[Twobins]

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@elraouk wrote:
John Lewis say it will cost me £30 to return my 43X8305C under the 90 day return policy, can only assume this is due to the 2 man service clause.  Seriously, 2 people to  carry a 43" TV? Maybe if it was a CRT!  Anyone know if this is a new policy? Don't remember seeing it before and haven't seen anyone else saying they've been charged £30!

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I live in N.Ireland and we don't have any JL stores here. As they weren't supplying a replacement TV they asked me to post it back to them - and they repaid the postage cost. It was £52.

[elraouk]

They said: After looking into this I can advise that if you were to return your Sony Bravia TV to us it would cost a total of £30. This is due to the new returns procedure and only applies if the item is not faulty which in your case it is not faulty. However if you would like to exchange this item no charge will apply. Could you please in response to my email confirm if you would like me to exchange your Sony Bravia TV for another of your choice. Not what I was expecting, am assuming I can go and dump it at Stratford John Lewis and not pay, but wasn't expecting them to want £30 to collect.  It's in the "new" returns policy, not sure if it's new or was there when I bought it... 

[cozzykim]

@elraouk

Erm, what evidence do they have for the TV being "not faulty", return it under the SOG act, tell them that your next stop is the local court to collect your Small Claims forms. I'm pretty sure (from memory) that they're acting illegally by trying to charge you for return of mis-sold items.

If necessary, take it back to the store yourself. Be tough, my friends have just returned their 65X.... with no issues to JL, quoting its flaky behaviour and missing functions.

[elraouk]

Tried to just return under the 90 return policy, didn't claim it was faulty as didn't want them to try and get someone out to repair it.  Unfortunately I didn't know about the £29.95 collection charge. 

Have pointed out that their website advertised it as having Freesat when I bought it, which it does not have, so it was "not as advertised". 

Waiting for a reply

[malcolm1962]

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@elraouk wrote:

Tried to just return under the 90 return policy, didn't claim it was faulty as didn't want them to try and get someone out to repair it.  Unfortunately I didn't know about the £29.95 collection charge. 

Have pointed out that their website advertised it as having Freesat when I bought it, which it does not have, so it was "not as advertised". 

Waiting for a reply

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I've never seen these TVs advertised as having Freesat, John Lewis or otherwise. Furthermore, I don't recall any retailer advertising the satellite (non-Freesat) tuner. Your best bet is to focus on HDD recording, but this will depend on when you bought it as this feature has now been removed from recent advertising.

[danderson0581]

I have just bought a Sony Bravia kdl50w809cbu initial setup completed no problems then it did an update after that I now have no screen. I have sound and can hear blips from the menu I just can't see anything. I have tried the reset ect but nothing. is there a way of master reset from the buttons on the TV perhaps or is this a return jobby can anyone advise

[elraouk]

John Lewis mentioned both freeview and freesat, has since changed with the Youview firmware to state freeview and Youview.  Was 100% there in the summary text under the picture when browsing through their sets, I know it was there as I spotted the mistake! 

[jwq001]

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danderson0581 wrote:

I have just bought a Sony Bravia kdl50w809cbu initial setup completed no problems then it did an update after that I now have no screen. I have sound and can hear blips from the menu I just can't see anything. I have tried the reset ect but nothing. is there a way of master reset from the buttons on the TV perhaps or is this a return jobby can anyone advise

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Did you try disconnecting power ?

[Shodney]

I've had what looks like a pretty standard reply from JL about returning my TV.

My main argument was that the TV is "not as described" under the Sales of Goods act due to missing features (i.e. HDD recording, Picture in Picture) and also the announcement that you could either use satellite or Youview, but not both at the same time (which was not mentioned in the original advertising when I bought the TV).

Unfortunately I also mentioned the technical issues as a secondary argument, in an attempt to satisy the "not fit for purpose" definition of the SoG act, which seems to have earned me a standard reply about contacting the technical department for support. No mention was made in their reply about the SoG act or the missing features.

I've replied by re-iterating the fact that I wish to return under the SoG act rather than seek repair, mainly for the reason that it's not as described and that any tech issues are secondary to this. As anybody here knows, the tech issues aren't really secondary, and they really do make the TV not fit for purpose (basic TV functions such as changing the channel or turning it off don't even work properly *****), but I'm trying to bypass the whole "wait 2 weeks for a technician to turn up and tut for 5 minutes, then send it back to Sony for 4 weeks only for them to send a refurb model back with the exact same issues" thing.

I really do believe at this point that the problems we're having are an inherent design fault with the TV and can't be fixed through updates. Either because they've used an insufficient CPU, or not enough memory to hold all the functions thay need to have basic TV functions running, or something else. After 6 months, surely if they *could* be fixed through updates they would have done by now.

I've asked JL to re-read my original email carefully and reply once they fully understand what I'm requesting, rather than palming me off onto tech support. I'll update when I hear back (although it's black friday obviosuly, so it may be a while).