Sony UTV dying?

That's a weird problem, the likes of which I have not heard of before. I don't think it is a tuner problem though. The fact that you can quickly select channels while in the guide makes that clear.

Have you done a "reset" yet?

I know my Sony and RCA UTVs will occasionally have "slow" moments.

A reset code like 12357 (or pulling the plug if you wish) can quickly reboot the UTV and resolve minor "glitches" that arise.

How old/good are your Remote batteries? If you have a tester (or the SAT FUNCTION KEY isn't very bright) see if that might improve the UTV's responsiveness.

With that said... does the Power Indicator on the UTV flash right after you send a remote command? Does it flash then respond much later or is it all delayed?

Hopefully these Troubleshooting tips might get you closer to resolving the issue.

Keep that UTV Cool. An overheated UTV can slow down and act jumpy.

It is quick and simple. With the UTV in "standby/off" (Power Light off w/Power)... Enter the code you want from the UTV Remote.

Enter 12357 to reset the UTV. The UTV will "flash" several colors on the front panel to show a code has been entered. It will proceed to reboot. With other codes you may need to turn "on" the UTV for the code to activate.

This will not "dump" your Guide Data or delete any of your recording settings. But if this "warm" reset doesn't work you may need to power down the UTV which will require a "cold" reset. Before doing that you may want to setup any upcoming recordings/reminders before you "dump" the guide data. That way you will have the recordings you "need" while the guide repopulates over the next few days.

I usually don't find loss of guide data that serious except for the first few hours after a cold start. So you might try doing any cold boots before you go to bed. That way it should be fairly well populated for most needs by morning or the next evening.

I usually just pull the power plug for 5 minutes or so. I've never had this mess anything up and it's the easiest way to get the unit to reset, It just clears out the guide and does something internal. I will usually put in into standby first.

Push the on/off switch wait till the lights go out, then pull the power cord for 5 min.

Check the history for "tuners changed", if you have a flakey tuner, it should show up there.

UTV
The Good Ol' days

David, I think you forgot to mention to press "options" before entering the code.
Although I haven't had a UTV plugged in for almost 2 years, maybe I have forgotten how to enter codes...

Pressing the "Menu" (RCA) or "Options" (Sony) button 3 times was/is commonly referenced as being needed when entering a code.

That was required in earlier UTV OS versions (<3.5). Current versions (3.7/3.8) don't need it. However, if you feel you must press Menu/Options 3 times then the code you can. When I have a problem entering a code... I "clear" things out by pressing Menu/Options then the code.

Good Luck,