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.

[Caledonian_TV]

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@oodles2do wrote:

I would hope that the new software would be better optimised, and the TV seems to struggle with the basic features and has stability issues. That clearly shows it's an optimisation issue, it can load the apps and content reasonbly fast so hopefully it isn't a hardware issue. If it turns out it is, then I suppose we'll have to send them back in favour of a newer model or a different brand.

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...And given their track record; how much pain are you prepared to put up with to get to that point?

These sets were released last May... One would have hoped they were properly tested before release - yet they very clearly weren't... Shockingly so given the scope and volume of reported problems. Eight months on, and shop floors literally piled with returned sets, and all Sony have presented users with are a series of broken promises and a few updates that really haven't helped...

Mine wouldn't even work as a basic TV set without problems... And actually I sent it back to exchange it with an OLDER model as I could have absolutely no confidence in any of their current offerings.  To be fair; I was never particularly interested in Android; I wanted a TV set!  - But we have a handful of devices in the household that all use that OS; and I'm not aware of any of them giving problems...

So yes... An optimisation issue... An implementation issue... A design issue...  All things that should have been substantially addressed and solved long before now.  - What confidence is due in the people that have made these errors and are sticking so dogmatically by them? 

[royabrown]

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@Caledonian_TV wrote:

Serious question...

Given that the 2015 sets couldn't run the version of Android they were released with properly...  And that this seems to show all the signs of being due to inadequate hardware... 

What makes anyone believe that a later - and presumably more demanding - version of the OS will fare any better?  

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When freshly rebooted, my 2015 Sony Android TV is entirely as snappy as I could desire. This tells me that the sluggishness is not due to hardware limitations at all, but to cruft building up in the running software.

If Marshmallow brings better decrufting than Lollipop, this can only be for the good.

[elraouk]

As I've said before, I'm secretly hoping the long wait for the new fw is due to marshmallow.  Sony would never announce that was the intention, just one more target to woefully miss! Come on Sony, surprise us! 

[Caledonian_TV]

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@royabrown wrote:

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When freshly rebooted, my 2015 Sony Android TV is entirely as snappy as I could desire. This tells me that the sluggishness is not due to hardware limitations at all, but to cruft building up in the running software.

If Marshmallow brings better decrufting than Lollipop, this can only be for the good.

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Fair comment... And this is of course your own area of expertise Roy; not mine...  

But given that this OS (in its old form) seems quite stable in other contexts, is this disaster the fault of 'Android'? Or those who implemented it? - I suspect the latter.

As I've said before... It strike me that Sony should offer some sort of 'dual boot' solution, with the option of setting-up these units under a suitable 'basic TV' OS; much like they had with the non-Android sets...  Then leave the Android option open enough that those with the knowledge and enthusiasm for these things can develop the platform properly.

- I've a feeling that if these sets are ever fixed properly it will be by enthusiasts in the field.  Not Sony. 

[scoopy6]

Hi folks. Except for kodi, we only use our Tv for watching broadcasts or I-player so have disabled everything else, AND it is a bedroom Tv (what luxury!)

That said, we have noticed the earlier sluggish freeview epg, have since still occasionally had to unplug to get it working after it crashed, and have noticed the persistent gross light coloured bleeding effect round the darker scenes, but have not been greatly disturbed by that..... so we are not really the best testers, and are mainly just waiting for the crashes to stop and for recording to be implemented or, Sony, is that too much to expect?

It would be pretty good for us if it stopped crashing and if eventually we could have HDD recording, but what exactly are 'lollipop' and 'marshmallow' please?

[xx4L0Mxx]

Lollipop is Android operating system version 5. The last version of lollipop is 5.1.1 which is what your TV is probably currently running. 

Marshmallow is Android's latest operating system version 6. Current version is 6.0.1

[royabrown]

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@Caledonian_TV wrote:

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@royabrown wrote:

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When freshly rebooted, my 2015 Sony Android TV is entirely as snappy as I could desire. This tells me that the sluggishness is not due to hardware limitations at all, but to cruft building up in the running software.

If Marshmallow brings better decrufting than Lollipop, this can only be for the good.

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Fair comment... And this is of course your own area of expertise Roy; not mine...  

But given that this OS (in its old form) seems quite stable in other contexts, is this disaster the fault of 'Android'? Or those who implemented it? - I suspect the latter.

As I've said before... It strike me that Sony should offer some sort of 'dual boot' solution, with the option of setting-up these units under a suitable 'basic TV' OS; much like they had with the non-Android sets...  Then leave the Android option open enough that those with the knowledge and enthusiasm for these things can develop the platform properly.

- I've a feeling that if these sets are ever fixed properly it will be by enthusiasts in the field.  Not Sony. 

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Given that my Android phone, and my wife's, and our Nexus tablet, run very reliably, Andoid is perfectly capable of being very stable.

Though these TVs run Android TV of course, previously known as Google TV, and this OS may have no more in common with the phone OS than a Fiat 500L has in common with a Fiat 500, except a wish to trade on goodwill and the brand identity,.

Alas, the Sonys do dual boot, all but. Freeview or YouView? With a third option if the XDA mob get their hands on the set - Homebrew.

Which would be the same sort of techy heaven and user hell that Linux is. see 'Topfield' passim.

[royabrown]

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@xx4L0Mxx wrote:

Lollipop is Android operating system version 5. The last version of lollipop is 5.1.1 which is what your TV is probably currently running. 

Marshmallow is Android's latest operating system version 6. Current version is 6.0.1

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Android operating system versions are alphabetical, ABC upwards, using candy-based food names to make them more user-friendly. So Android is going from L(ollipop) to M(arshmallow), having recently come from K(itkat).

And iOS just goes from 9.0 through 9.1 to 9.2.1 ll

While Apple aren't going to run out of numbers, guessing what the next Android OS will be called, or what foods might start with X Y Z and where Google will go,after that, is a lot more fun 🙂

[scoopy6]

Thanks for the lollipop/marshmallow explanations!

[Miffed-just-a-tad]

Hey fellow android lovers, i`ve had a look at the latest 2016 line up and i can see no mention of HDD record.

Has this been dropped in the 2016 lineup ??

If so i have even less faith in the 31st March date!

P