Share your experience!
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.
So, I received an email from Sony asking me to fill in a survey about their customer service - I had fun with that! However at the bottom of the email was the email address for the General Manager of Sony Customer Service Europe. Has anyone tried him? I'll email him tomorrow myself.
Do you happen to have a copy of that template? I'm more than happy to email Watchdog, Guardian, Telegraph etc if others are doing so.
Has anyone had one of these android tvs repaired? The reason I ask is because I have just had the engineers round my house and they went away saying my set needed a new screen and a main board, and around an hour later the repair company phoned (dbs in York) and they stated that they could not get the parts so they were replacing my TV with a new one direct from Sony!
Are they not making spares for this set after only 10 months on the market?
Very worrying for all us sony customers.........
Holdski wrote:Has anyone had one of these android tvs repaired? The reason I ask is because I have just had the engineers round my house and they went away saying my set needed a new screen and a main board, and around an hour later the repair company phoned (dbs in York) and they stated that they could not get the parts so they were replacing my TV with a new one direct from Sony!
Are they not making spares for this set after only 10 months on the market?
Very worrying for all us sony customers.........
Repairing a TV set these days really isn't the same job as it was 20 or 30 years ago. - It's often not practical or possible to do board-level work; particularly on signal and 'computer' boards - even in a workshop. And there really aren't shelves of spares sitting ready to go. So the only option is for the set to go back to a 'factory-level' facility where its working parts might be 'harvested'.
With a set like this - especially as its so new - the most cost-effective (and best for you) option is to replace the entire unit; your old set will be recycled/reconditioned
My KDL-43W755C got repaired within 2 weeks including shipping (replaced motherboard)
@kahikara Hiya, what was the fault with your KDL43W755C that needed repairing? I have the same model and I seem to be getting a flashing red led every now and again, six flashes pause six flashes pause and so on.
Somewhat off topic:
Bought LG OLED TV webOS, I would say there software is even more crappy. Turning off sometime took 10 attempts. Impossible to get Bose sound bar to work with this TV properly. Finally have to get rid off it.
Seems in the race of getting cooler smart features, manufacturer forgot that basics needs to be right first. Hope Sony fixes all the issue as no other make is also perfect here.
PS: not in any way defending Sony incompetence.
@nik-007 wrote:Seems in the race of getting cooler smart features, manufacturer forgot that basics needs to be right first. Hope Sony fixes all the issue as no other make is also perfect here.
Not so cool if they just don't work and wind up crippling the basic function of the device...
To be fair, LG isn't a 'premiere' brand per se... Although they have gained a lot of ground very quickly; and the LG projection set we had at our other place gave a good dozen years of sterling service. - I'd have repaired it if I could have got the parts!
Besides which, almost any computing device is doomed to have a short life before joining the ranks of the obsolete. Manufacturers are fo course free to build these 'integrated sets' as they wish. But the leading brands - Sony, JVC and Panasonic - they really do need to offer a 'premiere' range built for quality and longevity rather than novelty... That way they might avoid trashing reputations that took decades to build...
They might then even be able to sell some of us a specifically-compatible 'media computer' every few years...
I think many once-leading brands though are in a race to the bottom... And not just in electronics. Buy a new Rolex Sub and it'll spend six months of the year in Switzerland - even though you wont! Land Rover? Jaguar? - Fine if you're only going to lease one for a year! There are five-year-old examples going to the scrapyard rotten through like 1980s Ladas... etc. etc. etc...
It's an unfortunate side-effect of big corporations becoming entirely focussed on 'churn'; most of which is driven by the cheap credit that created the economic crisis we saw eight or so years ago, and may yet lead to another one! Blame it on the bean-counters!