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.

[adyjay33]

When I say should not have to research it, I mean there should be no reason to do it, if it says it can do something then it should be able to do it.

You could research something till the hills get flattend by natural erosion, but until you get it back you wont know if its going to work or not, the only time you tend to come on forums is if you have problems with it.

I did reserch the TV I bought but none of this came up sadly... 😞 Of course looking at it now I have learnt that I should have put in Sony 55X..... blah blah blah... issues or problems, nevermind, I am sure Sony will sort it out, maybe by the time hills do get flattened by natural erosion which is what its starting to look like!  

[Caledonian_TV]

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@ci7y2015 wrote:

unsure whats actually broken?

its android? if you dont expect random reboots and rebooting every so often,  you clearly havent done research first 🙂 all part of the fun

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Like Sony themselves you seem a little confused... These things are sold as TELEVISION SETS... And Sony don't offer a non-Android alternative. So not only do those who trusted Sony to always deliver (as they generally have in the past) have no choice; the majority will have purchased these things assuming the 'Android thing' was just 'bells and whistles' that might enhance an otherwise rock-solid TELEVISION SET.

- You see, most people who set out to buy a  TELEVISION SET expect to get just that at least...  Something that sits in the corner of the room, receives normal television broadcasts and is able to display video played back via normal domestic video sources...  Without any particular issues...

But you just can't get away from the Android!  And even if one of these sets is connected to NO network, has all it's bells and whistles (including the 'ECO' power-saving nonsense) 'disabled'...  It will still keep randomly freezing and rebooting... It will still have lip-synch problems if connected to an audio system...   It will still even randomly switch itself on from time to time!  - It's satellite tuner will still randomly forget the channels you want, and add-back the ones you definitely DON'T!  And it will just generally be a pain in the backside....

I learned yesterday that the 'computer' hardware on these sets is the rough equivalent of something you could buy from a discount supermarket in 2013; I've not verified this but is sounds about right... Well; you can get all those 'features' and more from a cheap no-name market stall TV for about 1/4 of the price... And have all the 'fun' you like playing at TV repairman. 

I seriously doubt if the majority of people walking into a high street store to drop in the region of a grand  to buy a new, good quality TELEVISION SET from a reputable manufacturer with which to grace their home are remotely interested in 'hacking' a giant comedy-sized version of some dodgy-old tablet from three years ago...   Fun?  Maybe at the right price, which in my book is about £200. 

[ci7y2015]

arrrr that makes more sense... I see where you are coming from my appolgies 

🙂

[Scallygally]

Just had a phone call from Sony. They promised me late December that they would get back in touch within 48 hours and they've only just replied now. I was offered a 3 month warranty on top of the 5 year warranty I already have. What a kick in the teeth that was. I was promised that all the issues will be sorted in the next update (bolloards). I also mentioned that their are hundreds of pages of disgruntled owners of these android TV'S and he said that Sony are aware of the issues and they will be sorted. I'm off down to the local tip now to throw this sony away..pop into Tesco and buy a Techwood TV and i can guarantee it will do what's it's intended to do. I can't be bothered ranting and raving to Currys shop, online, sony as they basically make you out to be a liar. 
Sent from my Samsung device

[ci7y2015]

@Caledonian_TV Haahaha here comes the flaming 🙂 love it 

im far from confused, i know why i bought it and works perfectly for myself so far 😕 and fun, for me this was sub 500 tv delivered, but thats me... im not great at explaing things   

as for other sets, which other TV has open source software?

I take your points and they are very good ones and mostly correct i wasnt meaning to be rude...

as for the hardware, the chip isnt overly powerful? unsure why you need crazy specs in a tv?  

id say the lags etc are down to the code, esialy fixed in firmware

[Caledonian_TV]

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@ci7y2015 wrote:

@Caledonian_TV Haahaha here comes the flaming 🙂 love it 

im far from confused, i know why i bought it and works perfectly for myself so far 😕 and fun, for me this was sub 500 tv delivered, but thats me... im not great at explaing things   

as for other sets, which other TV has open source software?

I take your points and they are very good ones and mostly correct i wasnt meaning to be rude...

as for the hardware, the chip isnt overly powerful? unsure why you need crazy specs in a tv?  

id say the lags etc are down to the code, esialy fixed in firmware

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Somewhere around 1989 I bought an Amstrad 1640 (I think it was) XT class PC base unit for a fiver from an electronics fair in Glasgow. - For another fiver I got a power supply, and another bought me a monitor. - Much soldering and a large biscuit tin later I had a perfectly good working PC which had cost me around 1/10th of the price of a new one...   Being trained in electronics, and having been building electronic projects since I was about 10 or 11 that was a breeze, great fun and had my business partner huffing and puffing as his home PC had cost him about £500! - I still do occasionally enjoy the challenge of getting things working.  - Old VTRs, I generally design and build the edit suites and much of the ancillary kit that goes in the mobile units etc. etc...

But these sets aren't being sold in 'debadged' form out the back page of 'Practical Electronics' exclusively to hobbyists for the purpose of experimentation. 

I spend much of my working day up to my eyes in stroppy, complex AV kit...  Generally, when I settle down at night to watch TV that's what I want to do; not spend half the evening fiddling with more stroppy AV kit let alone inflict that disruption on my Wife or Daughter... 

And I'd suggest that those who are buying these sets to use as part of a hobby - or are even capable or remotely interested in spending their evenings fiddling with them - are very-much in the minority. 

"esialy fixed in firmware" - Possibly so...  But apparently (after eight months on the market) completely beyond the ken of Sony's 'technicians' and probably-not so easily fixed by the average user.  - That's a bit like saying a car with a blown cylinder head gasket is 'easily fixed'...  It is if you have the tools, the space, the time and know what you're doing...  And can be bothered!

[Unhappy_43x8309_owner]

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@ci7y2015 wrote:

its android? if you dont expect random reboots and rebooting every so often,  you clearly havent done research first 🙂 all part of the fun

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How many of the issues are really down to the Android part of the TV? When I went back to Currys and had a frank dicussion with the 'Sony' rep, he laid the blame firmly on the Android side.

I'm not sure I buy that though. I've been using Android since 1.6 (Donut) and have numerous phones and tablets, some on custom ROMS and some running stock. Some of the early stuff was fairly buggy and pretty awful, but over time its improved massively.  There are now millions of Android handsets out there and, if they all behaved like (some?) of these Sony Android TVs no-one would buy them. After a while I doubt anyone would still sell them. They do have issues that need addressing and patching (as does IOS etc), but by and large I would say most are fit for purpose. 

So with the TV's, my question is how much has Sony modified/changed/written the code to make it work on a their platform? For example when I wanted to change channel, I'm assuming thats Sonys' code thats doing the channel changing? If so, I don't know why that might be considered an 'Androids' issue if its slow and unresponsive. Or is the whole thing the old Google TV and Googles responsibility?

If the TV had needed the occasional reboot every so often I could have with lived with that quite happily but it had became a daily requirement.

Interestingly Forbes did a review in June 2015 called, 'Android TV review: Just what your TV doesn't need'. They used the Sony implementation of an Android TV as an example of why they thought the concept was pretty flawed, badly designed UI (as per Caledonian_TV:) ) etc. The review can be found here for anyone interested. 

So even as an Android fan, I agree with others who would like to see a 'dumb' firmware released as an option for these TV's, then I'd hand-off the smart duties to an external box.

I took my Sony back a while ago but have hung around as I would buy another one if/when they get sorted out. I did the supermarket special type thing, and bought a 42" Hitachi smart HD TV on special for £199 as a cheap stop gap. Its ok, it does the job. No question the Sony (43x8309) was better all round picture etc, but the Hitachi changes channel, turns on and off hasn't locked up or crashed so far, and has a bit of smart functionality (mainly Iplayer, netflix) and was 1/4 the price of the Sony. 

[ci7y2015]

@Caledonian_TV haha you sound a bit like me techie job 😉

yeah, from what ive skimmed over certain apps are poor like youview...  and i think that youview code the app for android and Sony use it under licence, so i doubt Sony can do anything to fix this, have to wait for an update from youview and they impliment it in there firmware, and will run even worse when used on proprietary silicon (XT cpu)

Toshiba use Android TV, do they suffer from same issues?

ive only had one update via OTA and that was out of the box so im not sure what its was like previously, is it getting better each time?

James

[mickwileman]

My advise for people having problems with these TVs is get refund by another brand like i did that way you win two ways you get a TV that works and you hit Sony where it hurts in the pocket.

I over the years have spent thousands of pounds on Sony products Computers Cameras etc etc,and have had many many Sony TVs never had a problem,i beleive when you buy something whether it is a penny whistle or a £3000 TV it should work simple as that,i bought one of these Android TVs approx 3 months ago had most of the problems stated on this forum it was in my house less than 24 hours,it was exchanged same problems with new TV,waited for firmware update a week later did not sort out the problems that TV went back bought a Panasonic never looked back since,if all people did this it would affect sony sales and then maybe they would do something,in my case Sony has lost Thousands from me ok they wont miss that but if everyone did it a differant story.

[ci7y2015]

@Unhappy_43x8309_owner

Agree with alot of this, ive used android from the start (HTC G1 :smileylove:)

Although Android TV (this new version) is very new compared to what runs on a phone...

that review is for android 5.0, least said about that version the better,  5.1 acutally fixed lolipop

Ive a nexus player, and when it went from 5.1.1 to 6.0.1 it improved massively

Have Sony confirmed when the 6.0 update is coming?  is there no update roadmap? im guessing no!?