Official Sony KDL-xxV5100 Thread - Page 146

Odin7...have you installed the 'unofficial' red flash fix that was floating around earlier or the just-as-unofficial (although it was supposed to BE official) audio drop out update?

Mine is about 20 months old...and I have not had anything but the audio drop outs with mine, and those are now a thing of the past...I'm hoping it's stable now (knock on wood).

mrdjman - I have only uploaded the one official firmware update that SONY gives on their site for the KDL-46VL150:
http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu...mdl=KDL46VL150
Since I was anticipating the need to eventually pursue this Bravia's defects through the COSTCO extended warranty. I did not want to cloud the issue by uploading any unofficial firmware, which of course, could be used as an excuse not to honor the warranty.
When I check "Product Support" under "Menu" -"Setup". on the bottom of this page is displayed the model and serial number of the HDTV along with the latest official software version that I uploaded: ER4.12-E230
I don't know what this page would report if an "unofficial" version is uploaded, but I expect a SONY approved tech could use it as an arguing point.


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"The guy I spoke to said that Sony admitted this TV is a lemon and it cannot be fixed." -- as quoted from MeInDallas in an earlier post.

I've had a friendly member PM me and I've passed them my email info so I'll probably be able to try this update out in the next couple days. I'll message back when I've had a chance to test this out.

That may be a good point...although...you could counter-argue that it was obtained via a Sony engineer...which it was... I guess you should try to fight it on warranty before it's too late then. I'm 100% certain that the audio update would solve that issue. I had not experienced the 'red flash'....but did install that update, as well...

This whole ride had been disappointing...I shouldn't need to retro-fit a TV with software updates...but I suppose if I have to, at least it's working now.

If someone sends me the ER4.12_E3R1 INT AUDIO update, I would be more than happy to post it on my personal website for all to download. PM me for my email address.

A SONY approved tech from "World Wide Tech Services" is scheduled for a home repair call next week. The red LED flashing issue is new and different from the "red flash" issue. The new issue is the Bravia sending a coded (repeating 6 flashes on the Standby red LED) message after shutting off sound and picture. The error code is for a failing part - which one - they won't say specifically yet, but I suspect they know. This error condition repeated about 7 times last night. Each attempted turn-on resulted with the picture and sound going off and the LED repeatedly flashing 6 times. This morning the Bravia worked OK for a few hours and then again went into this error mode.

I'm sure some unlucky owners of the KDL-xxV5100 and the COSTCO version KDL-46VL150 have gone through this before. I would appreciate some advice on how to end up with a longer lasting SONY Bravia in the end. I fear that the tech will simply replace the failed part with an identical "new" part having the same latent defect so as to survive the next 8 months of the warranty before it again will fail. And then they wash their hands of their warranted responsibility. And on top of it all the picture "red flash" and "audio dropout" issues have never been resolved on my Bravia. I would really like SONY to provide me with a new different model 46" HDTV that is NOT a lemon. Any advice on how to approach this goal would be appreciated.


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"The guy I spoke to said that Sony admitted this TV is a lemon and it cannot be fixed." -- as quoted from MeInDallas in an earlier post.

I found this regarding the Standby LED 6 flashes issue:

http://www.fixya.com/support/t826711...6vl150_will_go

Another interesting article about SONY repair and World Wide Tech. Of course, this is an isolated case....

http://sony-television-reviews.measu...Customer-20108

Comments please? Thanks.

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"The guy I spoke to said that Sony admitted this TV is a lemon and it cannot be fixed." -- as quoted from MeInDallas in an earlier post.

Ahh...I see - my bad. I wasn't sure if it was the same thing - but it definitely is NOT. I think I'd be on them like a cheap suit and get them to give you a different model. Do some googling and get as much 'evidence' as you can - others with the same issue, etc., and be nice about it, but suggest a different set... Good luck...

Just wish to give everyone a update:

My Sony KDL-xxxV5100 has the drop sound issue whenever i use the PS3. The sound would go in and out almost every time i play any sound intensive games (ex: MW2, BC2, NFS Hot Pursuit, etc.). After applying the E3 firmware update, for more than 3 weeks now, i have yet to experience any sound drop at all when use w/ PS3 or any HDMI device.

I am beyond furious... I thought this sound issue was with my digital PVR box so I kept going back to my cable provider and exchanging units. Unsurprisingly, my efforts were futile. Could someone please point me to where I can get the sound update? 52v5100 if it matters

I installed the v5100 Audio Update (as per the instructions). It updated correctly (as per the firmware number on the TV) BUT I totally lost sound. I had to revert back to the last official firmware. I tried it twice with no luck. the update was sent to me by another member. Perhaps it got corrupted when he zipped it. If someone would send it to me again, I'll try it again and see if a fresh copy works.

Did you power off and UNPLUG the TV and connected HDMI sources after successfully installing the update?

I applied the update as well and had to unplug the TV and all the HDMI connected sources to regain sound. Someone gave this helpful tip earlier in the thread. Let us know how it turns out.

Jeff

The instructions that actually came with the file seem to be incomplete. A page or so back in the thread, I posted THESE instructions - directly from our Sony Friend:

This will happen after software update until HDMI is reset.

AC power cycle ALL devices to reset HDMI chips in TV and sources.

1) Unplug the AC power to your TV
2) Unplug the AC power to all HDMI sources
3) Plug in AC to TV and turn ON
4) Plug in AC to the HDMI source devices and Turn them ON

I would recommend trying the update again, and following these instructions after it is complete. You evidently need to reset ALL HDMI connections - which is what this does. Good luck.

I called last week to receive the audio update and they sent me update 328 instead (not 228), according to a post on page 143 it seems like combining update 228 with the audio update gives update 328, so maybe people who had trouble asking for the audio update should just ask sony for update 328 instead? (with this update everything else was the same than other people in this thread, i had to unplug the tv after the update to get sound, and so far no sound problem even if it's only been 2 days).

Sony NOW has the latest update on its website as of 04/19/2011 version E4.12-E3

Heres what it says:

Sony has designed the BRAVIA® Televisions software update process to be customer friendly. This utility updates the system software to version ER4.12-E3 and provides the following benefits:
Improvements over version ER4.12-E2
Corrects an issue where an intermittent TV lockup occurs on a certain digital RF channels.
Corrects an issue where an intermittent audio dropout occurs with a cable or satellite box using an HDMI connection.
Corrects an issue where an intermittent red flash or flicker occurs on the face of people with certain videos.
Benefits provided by previous upgrades and included in version ER4.12-E3:
Addresses an issue where the picture brightness changes intensity on some scenes.
Note: After the software update, please set Advanced Contrast Enhancer to LOW or OFF to further minimize this characteristic.
Addresses an issue with occasional intermittent operation when using favorites or HDMI-CEC functions.
Corrects an issue where the audio may infrequently be lost while connected via an HDMI connection.
Corrects an issue where there may be audio static when changing analog channels while connected via an RF (coax) connection.
Corrects an issue where the audio may be muted when resuming after using the timer.
Corrects an issue where there may be distorted blocks in the picture caused by incorrect encoding in the broadcast signal.
Corrects an issue where picture files may not show in the USB Photo Viewer after switching to a different input and then back to the USB input.
Improves menu navigation.
Resolves an issue that may intermittently cause the TV to freeze and stop responding to the Remote Commander® control device when the TV is connected to a digital channel.

This sounds good. Thanks for posting the information. I'm going to check it out.

Update: Where? I was just on the Sony website and didn't see anything new. The firmware update still says this:

Filename : KDL-52V5100_ER412_E228.zip
Version : ER4.12-E2
Last Modified : 08/23/2010

Please advise. Thanks.

I go there and it's there. See attached screen shot:

Is it also available for the KDL-52V5100? Post the URL.

I just noticed that you have the 52 inch model. I have the 46 inch model. I'm not sure if its the same update for all size models, and I dont want to tell you it is and then it mess your TV up. It seems like it would be the same for all sizes but I am not sure.

Maybe someone else can step in here with more knowledge and take this one, I dont want to give out the wrong information to you.

In the past there were different updates for the different sizes.

The E3 update is there for the KDL40V5100:

http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu...=6529&os_id=25

Apparently also there for the 46V5100. But it is not for some reason for the 52V5100:

http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu...=6042&os_id=25

Here's hoping Sony sorts this out soon for all you 52V5100 owners.

Jeff

FYI: Today (the 20th) the new firmware is available for the 52" model. Yeah!

WOW! I cannot believe it! SONY was listening to us after all. They are slow movers, real slow but they got it done.

But I'm not going to try it until AFTER the NBA playoffs and the Finals. They are why I bought the TV!

At the present time, the link to the file on the Sony site is dead.

Sigh....I just used Sony's live chat customer support service to report the problem of the link not working. A BIG waste of time. Do you want to know what their response was? It was not, "We'll fix the broken link." It was not, "Gee, I'm sorry. I'll get someone to update that so that it works."

Their solution was for me to call Customer Support and have them send me a USB flash drive with the files. Good grief! What a company. They would rather spend money on a flash drive, spend money on the time and effort it takes to put the file on the drive, and spend money on the shipping costs....instead of just fixing the broken link. Jeepers, is this anyway to run a business?

I try to download the new firmware for my 46V5100 and it time out. Got to a invalid page. I try on different connections too.

Any ideas?

Might have something to do with a hosting outage on the servers that host Sony & Playstation network (among other networks). Looks like a Denial of Service attack...

Then again...I may not know what i'm talking about...

My guess is, once everyone found out the update was 'out there', they all hurried to d/l it & crashed the Internet... (just kidding, but there IS a huge outage that may be affecting this).

The SONY authorized tech repaired my KDL-46VL150. So far it has not shut itself off and gone into the recycling 6 flash blinking LED mode. The tech replaced the DN1 backlight power supply board in the upper left corner of the chassis when looking from the back. There is also a second nearly identical board on the right side which was not replaced. The tech was very vague on what these boards do and how their function is divided in powering the backlights. I did notice that after installation there were about 1 inch wide shadows running vertically along the left and right edges of the screen. They are not severe but still noticeable to a discerning eye. I pointed this out to the tech and he, of course, said "What lines"? I have searched this forum and have found this phenomenon mentioned before:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showp...6&postcount=75
(This is not the obvious letterbox cropping that SONY talks about on their support page)
So may I ask the following questions:
1) Does replacing this power supply provide a long term fix that will last a normal expected life (of many years)?
2) Why are not both power supplies replaced? The tech made some comment about the other power supply being on long back order list (but not for my repair) He already had this part with him before even checking the error log on the Bravia, as if I was getting this part regardless.
3) Does the dimming on the edges reflect a power supply set for lower output and hence prolonged life (while still keeping the latent defect and possible future failure)?
4) Does anyone have a good handle on this backlight/power supply issue for this subset of Bravias?

What are the chances of my 46v5100 dying? It is out of warranty. More than 1 yr already.

I wonder if there is something wrong with the firmware and they yank it.

I just follow that dl link: ftp://download.sony.com/US/tv

The file is just NOT there!

The older file is still available, so it doesn't appear to a server problem. Probably human error.