Sony RDR HXD970 lost all digital channels 19 July 2013

[sonrjl]

My Sony RDRHXD970 lost all of it's digital channels last night 19th July 2013.

I could still watch programs that I had recorded, but although the digital channel guide showed channel titles, when selected each channel showed no picture. I tried rescanning and a factory reset, but each time after the channel rescan it said that it had detected no new channels, but did appear to show the correct ones whilst scanning. However, after scanning, pressing enter to continue the process, the unit appears to freeze, no picture displays and it shows "Tuning" on the front display, which does not change. Powered off/on it now shows "Update" on the display and no picture.

Given that this seems to have happened to a large number of people at the same time, this must be a bug in the firmware concerning the date or the Digital program guide (EPG) perhaps.

Given that Sony's reputation has taken a battering since the security breach in 2011, I would hope they would try harder now concerning good after sales and customer service. Hopefully  someone from Sony is checking these messages and investigating the issue and hopefully making a new software update available or other fix to solve the problem.

[WhyCantIfindasuitableuser]

I've just clicked on the link and clicked off again! I'm sure I could try and follow it, and I know we have to help ourselves here as Sony don't look like they are bothering to do anything as they are closed until Monday. However, I don't really feel confident about following the instructions - maybe it's easier than it looks, but it all seems a bit much that we should have to be doing this - Sony (or someone) has caused this problem - it's not an Act of God, someone somewhere has pressed a button, and surely they need to be un-pressing it - people shouldn't be expected to be burning CDs and goodness knows what!

[emorris84]

I have done all the France set up melarky and have been able to get Freeview back and therefore can set recording manually which was all good until i tried to do a trial recording - positively this worked but in turning off the recorder at the end of the recording (which it does automatically) i have now lost the freeview again? has this happened to you?

[liketv]

Yes, this has just happened.  I guess  we  need to keep going through all the power on/off and replacing channels with France after every timer recording, which is no good if you are not at home! 

[ma.procter]

Same problem here in SW Herts... TV crashed last night about 9pm, now cannot access Guide or any channels.  Can view a picture when playing recorded programmes from HDD but without sound (!) so it's obviously not a problem with our TV itself.... our DVD is Sony so seeing all the other comments, the problem must lie with Sony.  Have spoken to Digital UK (very helpful) and Let's Be Clear  @ 800 (again very helpful) who both say they have been inundated with calls and all customers have Sony DVDs or equipment... so come on Sony, in this modern age of technology, please fix the problem and let us know on your Website (or this one!) what we need to do to restore normal service!  Have spent hours last night thinking it was our equipment, so am not happy with Sony!

[Radius]

I have 3 xHXD 870 machines. Two are stuck in daily update mode and can't even turn on at all. One is now partially on -- can play back recordings but EPG gone etc.. Always been a Sony follower and all my kit is Sony including 5 TV s. What's going on ???

[edgrew6]

I'm in the same boat. Come on Sony!

[kendoddsdadsdogsdead]

I have a HXD995. I am using the line 1 input with my satellite and recording from satellite. Suggest using freeview/sat box as temporary solution. Was OK Friday a.m. not when I got home.

[Eillsn]

You need to unplug it rather than just trying the power button - I had the same problem and it worked for me, as well as then changing to France in the easy setup through your system menu.

[Rob.B.S]

My RDR-HXD870 hung during update and got the problems that others are having.  Now attempting to reinstall version 1.70 of the firmware hangs at DOWNLOAD-5.  Fortunately I also have an RDR-HXD910 which doesn't appear to get any updates, so it's still working fine and I can record okay (I hope!).  That suggests that the whole idea of automatically downloadable firmware isn't a good one unless the developers are thorough enough in their testing and deployment procedures, which apparently they weren't on this occasion.

[paander3756]

I updated the firmware to 1.7. The update hung for me at DOWNLOAD-5. However, I left it for half an hour and then just powered off and on and the firmware has updated ok.

Makes no difference to the main fault however.