KDL50W829B Media Player crashing when connecting External HDD through USB

[Vlad87]

Hi, 

Recently purchased the KDL50W829B and have no problems with it except for one, but it's a major one, as being able to play media from an external USB HDD was one of the reasons for upgrading. I am using a WD 500GB HDD only containing video files of various formats, no mp3s or other types of files on it. the problem is as follows:

1. I plug in the HDD into the USB socket

2. TV recognises it and asks if I want to launch the Media Player (whether I chose Yes, or No and launch it myself through Home button, makes no difference, I've tried every way possible) 

3. (When in Media Player) At this stage time varies but the result is always the same. Sometimes it crashes when trying to access the Media Player. Sometimes it crashes while scanning the files on the HDD. Sometimes it scans and displayes all the media on the HDD and crashes when I try to browse them. Sometimes it even lets me play a file or two, but most times it doesn't. 

4. No matter what, the result in the end is always the same. I get a window saying: "Unfortunately the Media Player has stopped" and OK button to press.

5. Ussually I'm not even fast enough to press the OK and the TV powers down and reboots with black screen and SONY on it. The time of the reboot always varies but after it turns itself on again it goes to either TV or HDMI1

6. Here is the strange part and the most anoying one. If I just leave it there after the reboot watching normal TV and don't unplug the HDD it will go through the reboot process over and over againg every 90 seconds (timed it) even if I don't try to access the HDD. And it will keep rebooting untill I unplug the HDD.

7. I have also tried a Toshiba 160GB HDD freshly formated with just a handfull of files on it with the same results. So I doubt it's the HDD problem.

8. Read somewhere that HDD might need more power so I tried the Y USB cable to utilize both USB inputs to provide more power to the HDD with no luck.

Has anyone else experienced similar problems? Is there a way to fix this (maybe an alternative way to use HDD without launching the Media Player) or do I have to return the TV? I really wouldn't want to do that as I like everything else about it, but inability to watch a lot of the media I have on my eternal drives is a real dealbreaker.

Thanks

[garfield100]

Just installed PKG2.291EUA on 42W705B.

Sadly issue with USB still exists.   As soon as I put two supposedly incompatible MP4 files onto flash drive and inserted drive into the TV's USB socket, and then try to play any other working video stored on the flash drive, the TV throws up the usual Media Player app error messages as reported in this thread.

Pulling the power cord from the TV is the only way to get Media Player working again, And after removing the 'incompatible' files from the flash drive.

Back to continue to using external WD TV media player, or viewing videos using Media Player app from a DLNA media server - I use an old router with a USB port.  If you use a DLNA media server, any incompatible files should not crash the Media Player app.

This thread is now 7 months old.   Don't expect Sony to fix this USB issue.

[__daz__]

A new firmware update just hit my TV set: was hoping for a fix to this problem but unfortunately it's still there.

For the records, here's how the Media Player crash loop looks like

Plese let us know when the Media Player application is going to be fixed as the TV set is pretty unusable to me at the moment.

David

[deelam]

I have recently purchased a bravia KDL42W706B and I'm having exactly the same issues. 

I've always bought Sony and wanting a "smart" TV I thought I'd have the same kind of ease-of-use I have with my Xperia Z phone.

No such luck.

Connectivity is miserly and totally Sony-biased.

While the TV has a brilliant picture, the rest of it is making me sincerely wish I'd bought Panasonic or Samsung.

My "smart" TV is actually pretty "Stupid".

The pickiness of the media player with MP4 and MKV files is ridiculous.

Everything I have will play on all our devices EXCEPT my new smart TV.

Very frustrating to say the least.

[DazlingMyers]

Thanks Quinnicus,

However I think there is a wider and more serious problem with SONY Tv's that were not prevy too. I have raised a ticket with Sony, and they have escalated the issue, specifically around MP4's. I did some encoding analysis to establish a few facts. Encoding MP4 using MPEG4 works a treat, however encoded MP4 files that were coded with H264 (Which is on their list of compatiables) fails and wont show a picture.

If you use a WD drive and you have more than 5 - 10 encoded files not on their list of compatible extensions. The software see's this as a disk failure on your drive (weird I know) and thus shuts down the Kernal on the leaving a working black screen.

I see more people are throwing the same issues at SONT I just hope SONY don't take a negative attitude and actually do something about this. In the past they do represent them selves as being a bit snobbish and not reacting to these important issues that my self and by the looks of it other members are having. I just hope SONY read these posts..

Thanks again

[Beaves85]

I seem to be having the same issues highlighted here. I've used a toshiba stor.e steel 500gb usb hdd with few issues. The tv would play files but then turn off a few times after different times of viewing, 1hr, 15 minutes etc but I thought this was a loose power lead and nothing of it. 

However ive just bought a second hdd exactly the same and the tv will find the files and again play a mk v file but it turned off after an hour or so then would not find the hdd? I had the message "boot error, refer to imanual" where there was nothing helpful at all in the I manual. 

I then plugged the hdd into my bedroom samsung TV and this found the files and played them instantly. Proving the hdd to be fine. 

The next day I then reset the TV to factory settings and connected the hdd via a sum vision media player and connected the media player by hdmi to the TV. After an hour and a half of no issues the TV again went blank and reset. 

However this time it has fried my hdd! The hdd wil not work at all either connected to my samsung TV or laptop. Needless to say I'm far from happy and want to know what sony are doing about this?

The TV has the latest update as of 4/3/15 and if this can't be fixed then it's going back to john Lewis. When buying the TV in john Lewis they were happy for me to plug my hdd into a few samsungs and all were so much more responsive than the slow sony and played the files fine, however I opted for the sony on reputation and am now wondering if I made the right decision. 

What at are sony going to do about this? 

[allanmarchdk]

Hi,

I can only concur with your story and I find it so arrogant that Sony after so long havent made a software / firmware update - for me it is important that this functionality works, so if Sony doesnt knows words like customer care and service - well it's just not the brand to chose by future purchase...

[Nathe42]

I can confirm the same issues even after the recent update. It also crashes when playing via dnla from buffalo and dlink Nas drives (the tv is hardwired over gigalan). I have reincoded all files to mp4 at the specified settings using handbrake which took over a month of encoding. All the reincoded files work on Samsung TV's, chromecast TV hdmi dongles, Sony z1 phone, Samsung galaxy note and tablet, pc's, roko streaming device and more from the same network both wireless and hardwired depending on device. Added to this the lack of progress on the "coming soon" 4od and itv players it makes a stunningly good tv almost unusable and no better than one less than half the price! I, until recently was a real fan of Sony products owning many over the years but I will stop recommending them to people until they get there act together with support and products that work as advertised. 

[lutonian]

Hi Guys,

I gave up in the end and bought an external media player from western
digital called the WDTV.

Take note Sony, this hardware will play anything and it's based on open
source software!

...sent via HTC M8

[deelam]

Giving up seems to be the best option unfortunately!

My Sony is going to be relegated to the kid's room and replaced with a Panasonic or Samsung.

I feel really done over and let down by Sony with this one annoying issue which spoils the TV. 

[DazlingMyers]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for the replys,  I would really love a Sony representative to view these posts, read through them carefully and act.... However the last response from Sony was "that there is nothing wrong and there TV's are fine.".. Mmm someone tells me they are fibbing, they basically have a code issue on their players, they won't admit it as it would cost a fortune to replace and update all TV's. However what they don't realise is that more posts such as these will eventually fall on their demise, and people will stop buying their products. So Sony, if you are looking at these post, be aware like any company today you can lose reputation very quickly.

I certainly wouldnt touch a Sony Product again...