Erratic Freesat EPG on new Sony TVs running Google TV

columt

Has anyone here managed to get a Sony TV running Freesat EPG well?

I've two recent Sony OLED TVs (A8 and A84J) both explicitly supporting Freesat (when configured with UK region settings), both with two separate satellite feeds, 100% signal and latest software updates.

However the Freesat program guides are erratic to say the least.

Sometime the guides seem complete, sometimes every channel shows "No programme information", sometimes a mix of both.

When I try to record a future listed show, sometimes it will schedule the recording, sometime it says "No programme information" again, even though it has just shown the program info.

When I try to record a series it gets very confused - sometimes it kinda works, usually not.

When I view my list of recorded shows, usually the recording has the wrong name - maybe the previously showing show, maybe just "unknown".

Everything else is pretty great with these TVs, terrestrial TV guide works great. Great picture and sound. I'm a little grustrated by the inability to easily pause live TV but otherwise good. But I've had to dig out my old Humax box to be able to reliably record.

Sony support seem stumped - they've offered me a replacement TV but I've no confidence it will be any better. Thus the question on this forum. Please let me know your experiences or tips.

andy1249

Ive seen this kind of behaviour across many TVs and many boxes , both freesat and FTA , and it usually involves there being not enough memory for maintaining and storing EPG data.

As an example , you will get exactly the same kind of behaviour from a Zgemma box , or a Tiviar box , if you try and have the EPG data stored to system memory as opposed to having it stored on a hard drive or thumb drive.

The system will overwrite EPG data if it needs the space for something it considers more important , like system or app updates etc.

Without stable and up to date EPG data , recording cannot work properly.

Check for options in the system as to where and how the EPG data is stored and downloaded.

columt

Great suggestion andy1249 - many thanks.

No options available for change EPG storage location, and apparently 4GB free space on internal memory, but I'll try freeing up memory by removing unneeded apps and removing caches and see if it has an impact.

I'll report back how it goes. Fingers crossed...

columt

Thanks @andy1249 - unfortunately freeing up internal memory hasn't fixed the problem, my full EPG from yesterday has again disappeared today. The search for a solution continues...

lertsnim

The Freesat EPG is very bad on my Sony Bravia too. I just put it down to bad software on Sony's part.

mackersdublin

Try leaving the TV on Freesat Channel 999 for a couple of minutes, the Freesat Home TP is on that channel. That might resolve the EPG data issue in the short term, but as mentioned above, it's probably a Sony fault. No issues on my LG and Samsung TV getting EPG data

columt

Thanks for the tip @mackersdublin - I've tried but it doesn't help. :-(

noclee

@columt any luck in resolving the epg issue have a x90j seeing similar behaviour epg works for 7 days and then gone tried rescan enable/disable, clear cache on multiple apps Freeview etc but no luck

columt

Sorry @noclee ...I never made any progress on this issue.

In fact the issues mount up. I find I can't watch satellite TV while recording terrestrial TV. Sony's software is so disappointing.

mikeecho

Sony tvs, great HW , shyt SW.

I ended up getting a freesat box.

It was just a lot easier.

I wouldn't buy a smart tv again, dumb tvs, and stick on a freesat stb , and (a Google tv) Chromecast) or firestick to stream your apps.

I've a kd65xe9005 and a kdl46z4500

I'm a lot happier with the z4500 with a Google tv dongle, and the Foxsat stb.

The xe9005 has as 4k freesat stb, that whole system is mostly only used for streaming.