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.

[mark-bo]

---

@Quinnicus wrote:

Hi @sch295

To answer your question - Sony has not got the license or rights to add ITVHub or 4OD seperately on its TVs like it does with BBC iPlayer or Demand5.  However with Sony's tie in with YouView, which does have the rights to those 2 catchup services, then these are activated upon YouView being active.

Without YouView, ITVHub and 4OD doesnt exist on Sony's TV.  Unfortunately the lack of these 2 catchup services has been going on for years, see this thread HERE. 

Its not ideal, but at least its a solution.

Hopefully this explains things

Cheers

---

Thanks @Anonymous for the explanation regarding the itv and C4 players. It also explains why they have also never appeared on my present and previous Sony Blu Ray players. However, it does beg the question tthat Sony should answer:

Why does Sony NOT have the rights and licences to ALL the major UK catch up players?

Sony is a premium brand and its customers expect Sony to match or exceed the features of other premium brands such as LG, Panasonic and Samsung who include all players with their tvs. I paid £1250 for my TV when I bought it last summer and I didn’t expect features found on a £35 Firestick to be missing simply because I chose not to use YouView.

[oodles2do]

@mark-bo

It's definitely an ITV and Channel 4 issue, not Sony. I swapped my Sony for an LG after I'd had enough of it and the LG doesn't have ITV Hub or 4od at all. It's not an issue for me as the HDD recording actually works and I can just use that.

[mark-bo]

---

@oodles2do wrote:

@mark-bo

It's definitely an ITV and Channel 4 issue, not Sony. I swapped my Sony for an LG after I'd had enough of it and the LG doesn't have ITV Hub or 4od at all. It's not an issue for me as the HDD recording actually works and I can just use that.

---

Thanks for the reply. I swapped mine for a Samsung which has ALL the players, HDD recording and satellite etc that also all actually work. Perhaps my point is if these other manufacturers can sucessfully negotiate rights with ITV and C4, why cant Sony?

[oodles2do]

@mark-bo

I didn't  realise that Samsung had the apps outright, maybe it is a Sony issue as well as other manufacturers. My PS3 or PS4 have never had ITV player or 4OD :/. Oh well, most TV is rubbish, another issue entirely.

[frogger38]

Amazon Fire TV were slow to get ITV Hub and All4 standalone apps to their platforms, but they continued to work with the  providers and finally got there. I hope Sony can do the same, or implement some other change so we can use HDD recording and full catchup services. 

[xx4L0Mxx]

All4 has been available on the PS4 since December 2015.

[oodles2do]

@xx4L0Mxx

So it is! Thanks 😛

[Risc0n]

Sony won't bother realising separate apps all the time they gave Youview. It will be interesting to see if the 2016 TV offer recording with it enabled.

Personally I would much rather they fix and Amazon 5.1 sound that they can't be bothered to resolve.

[valerav]

TV Sony KD-65X8505C

1) Standard Video Player app does not respect aspect ratio. I use it to play videos via DLNA. Videos are always expanded to use screen area. That results in distorted picture if the video has resoltion of 1980x800. The video player has 2 zoom modes. But I do not see any diffrence. Also zoom button of remote control is not supported (I got on-screen message "function is not supported").

2) Buttons Next/Previous track does not work when video played from DLNA.

3) Question

Can I mout somehow / any type of network drive to play video as from USB. Anything else then DLNA?

[TWLeebo]

TV Sony KD-65X8505C

1) Standard Video Player app does not respect aspect ratio. I use it to play videos via DLNA. Videos are always expanded to use screen area. That results in distorted picture if the video has resoltion of 1980x800. The video player has 2 zoom modes. But I do not see any diffrence. Also zoom button of remote control is not supported (I got on-screen message "function is not supported")."

I've already posted a fix for this, but it's easily lost in the 500+ pages, here it is again:

Press the "Action Menu" button, go to the Video section, select "Information", then press "Back" et voila!

[#12]

TV Sony KD-65X8505C

1) Standard Video Player app does not respect aspect ratio. I use it to play videos via DLNA. Videos are always expanded to use screen area. That results in distorted picture if the video has resoltion of 1980x800. The video player has 2 zoom modes. But I do not see any diffrence. Also zoom button of remote control is not supported (I got on-screen message "function is not supported")."

I've already posted a fix for this, but it's easily lost in the 500+ pages, here it is again:

Press the "Action Menu" button, go to the Video section, select "Information", then press "Back" et voila!