Sony Bravia 32WD756BU TV not responding to remote

[slamdunkdafunk]

*Even the forum doesn't work properly. It was trying to "suggest" so many previous posts that might solve my problem (that I had already read) that I could not see where to type in my text without first pressing enter.

My 32WD756BU is locked on to the same channel with the same volume setting I was using the last time the TV was working properly and will not move away form that. I am unable to change channels, volume, apps...anything. Even the power and volume buttons on the TV outer casing are unresponsive. The only two responses I can get is a) the light on the front of the TV flickers as usual when I press any remote button and b) when I unplug the power (TV goes off) then plug in the power (TV comes on locked to same channel and volume).

I have tied the following:

1. Remove remote batteries and hold down the power button for 20 seconds to remove static.

2. Check the remote is sending an IR signal using the camera on my mobile phone. I can see the light in the phone screen.

3. Replaced remote batteries.

4. Tried using remote controls from other Sony products.

5. Removed TV power for 30 minutes.

6. Removed all items connected to the TV - power lead, Co-ax, USB, HDMI.

7. Removed all items connected to the TV - power lead, Co-ax, USB, HDMI - and held down power button on TV for 20 seconds to discharge static.

8. I am unable to perform a firmware update because I can not use the remote to navigate the TV menu.

Does anyone have any other suggestions? I can't phone Sony yet because they don't work weekends.

Thanks in advance.

[sonicsteve23]

Hi, did you resolve this because I have the same problem?

[Marino.Manolo]

@sonicsteve23 have you checked one of the suggested solutions?

[slamdunkdafunk]

Hello sonicsteve,

Yes, I did resolve the problem in the end. Although the TV was outside the 1 year Sony warranty, fortunately it was within the 5 year John Lewis warranty. I got in touch with John Lewis on 0330 123 0106 and, after going through all the possible fixes they asked me to do with still to result, they sent me a new remote, which worked. That was in October 2019.

It's now June 2020 and the 2nd remote has stopped working. I looked up this thread so I could go through all the possible fixes I did last time and saw your post. Although, I had ticked, 'Email me when someone replies', this website did not email me when you replied.

I will post again when I have attempted all the possible fixes.

[slamdunkdafunk]

In June 2020, John Lewis arranged for the TV to be repaired by Martin Dawes who replaced the motherboard and the remote.

It worked since then.......

.....but now it's September 2020 and the TV has stopped working again for the third time. The symptoms are the same: it won't respond to the remote, it's stuck on a single channel with the volume too high. I have tried all the solutions I listed in my earlier post. Today I contacted John Lewis Technical Department who need I had already attempted all the troubleshooting solutions they would suggest and they booked it in for another repair with Martin Dawes.

It's a good job I bought the TV from John Lewis with their 5 year guarantee. The manufacturers warranty only lasts 1 year. 

It's really annoying that the TV is malfunctioning now art the time of my two favourite sporting events, the Tour De France and the Le Mans 24 Hours, but that's always the way, isn't it?

I will update with the result of this third attempt at repairs.

[Win_88]

Hi slamdunkdafunk

I'm not sure what's going on there. For the (seemingly) same issue to happen 3 different times on a single unit is very unlikely. especially since it was fixed by replacing hardware in both the first and second times. This leads me to believe you're either exceptionally unlucky or there's something that actually causes the problem over time.

I can't tell which one is it though!

Win_88

[slamdunkdafunk]

Thank you for your reply, Win_88.

Since my last post there has been a development. The TV lives in the living room. Two days ago, it occurred to me to move the TV in the dining room just to see if there was any improvement. It was still exhibiting the same symptoms BUT then I found I was able to connect to the WiFi and thus perform a factory reset which got the TV started working as normal. I then moved the TV back in to the living room where is was been working fine ever since.

The dining room is directly under my office where the internet hub lives so that explains the improved connection but it doesn't explain why the problem occurs in the first place. I get my TV from Freeview via co-ax cable from a roof aerial which doesn't involve the internet. It's while I am using this that the problem occurs.

I am planning to hardwire the TV in it's living room location in to the internet hub via ethernet cable. This won't stop the problem occurring but, hopefully, it will maintain the internet connection allowing me to perform a factory reset without having to move the TV. 

[slamdunkdafunk]

Problem solved.......and I don't know why.

As I mentioned in the previous post, I was planning to hardwire the TV to the remote using ethernet cable so I could at least perform a factory reset while keeping the TV in the living room where it is supposed to live.

However, that was three months ago and the strangest thing has happened. The TV has not malfunctioned once during that time. Every single command form the remote has been obeyed by the TV.....for three whole months.

I have absolutely no idea why my TV's ability to respond to a remote control depends upon it being connected to an internet hub via ether net cable.......but it does. This is the only thing I have changed in the set up and this configuration has been in place for three months so it is no fluke.

If anyone has any idea why this is, I would be interested to know.