Intermittent picture and sound break-up Sony Bravia Android.

[Windblown]

We just bought a Sony Bravia 55" 4K TV. We are mostly satisfied with its performance, but have concerns with its behaviour when viewing via digital aerial in the 'TV' app. 

Most of the time we get really good reception and good  image and sound,  even on HD channels. We assume, therefore, that there is no problem with signal strength. Then, for no apparent reason, mostly when changing channel or just after switching on the TV, the picture breaks up and sound stutters in SD and HD. Waiting a few minutes, changing channel or restarting the TV fixes the problem. This is obviously unsatisfactory. We want a TV that works like a regular TV using a digital aerial signal when we want it to. 

Any ideas of what might be causing this or suggestions for fixing it?

Our set up includes a symmetrical 1Gb Ethernet connection and a 1TB SSD USB drive for recording TV programmes. Downloaded apps include Plex, Kodi, Express VPN (running only for Kodi) and  VLC. Firmware is up-to-date. 

[daveyh64]

Do you have another TV you can connect to the same aerial lead so you can determine whether it is the TV and not the aerial or the aerial connections.

Check the aerial connections/ plugs make sure the internal copper core is making good contact with its connecters.

Is your aerial on the roof or indoor.

If you have any HDMI cables going into theTV make sure the are kept away from the aerial capable as much as you can, poorly shielded HDMI cables can cause interference to the aerial signal.

Do you know the signal strength the 5 different multiplexes are being received at on your TV.

Multiplexes (mux) carry several TV channels and radio stations simultaneously.

For example all the HD channels are carried on 1 mux, select an HD channel then go to 

Settings> Help & Feedback> Help> Status & Diagnostics> Signal Diagnostics.

(the above path is for my XR42A90K Sony TV, your path may be the same, if not it should be broadly similar)

Note the Signal Strength and Signal Quality numbers.

Ideally signal strength should be about 80-90%, (100% is too high and can cause interference and picture break up).

If you have a signal strength of 100% you may need to buy a variable attenuator to dial down the signal strength.

Signal Quality should be 100%

You would do the same for all muxes, BBC1 SD, BBC2 SD, ITV SD and Ch4 SD are delivered on another mux,

select one of them and check the signal strength and quality.

To check other muxes switch to U & Dave, U & Drama for another mux and Quest for the last mux.

Checking the signal details at each stage.

Do you know which transmitter you are being served by, if so you can search for information on it and the muxes it broadcast and which channels are carried on each mux.

To determine which transmitter you should be receiving from then click on the link below,

https://www.freeview.co.uk/corporate/detailed-transmitter-information

If you are satisfied that the aerial, aerial connections and signal are in good order and compared with on another TV then it may be that your TV has a fault.

As it is a new TV and if under 30 days since purchase you are entitled to a new replacement or a full refund.

You need to contact the seller you got the TV from and see if they will send out a repair person to ascertain the fault (if there is one) and see if it can be repaired in situ.