Freeview failure hits Sony recorder owners

Sony says it is experiencing "a major technical issue" after many owners of its DVD recorders lost access to their Freeview TV channels. Dozens of owners have written to the BBC to complain that a malfunctioning software update on Friday has caused their devices to stop receiving or recording Freeview. Many complained about a lack of response from Sony customer support. Sony said it was doing everything possible to solve the problem. "A major technical issue has been flagged to our dedicated team. We will update you asap," the Japanese firm tweeted back on Saturday in response to dozens of messages about the problem. The company's own support forums as well as other independent online sites were filled with complaints from irate users over the weekend. Sony HXD recorders, such as the RDR-HXD870 model, which were updated Friday with the firmware 1.70 fix, seem to be affected by the issue. "It may already have come to your attention that thousands of owners of Sony DVD units have completely lost all their access to Freeview channels," Geoff Cheers, from Chorley, wrote to the BBC. Graham Johnson, from Oxford, wrote: "There are thousands of people affected by this, many of whom, like me, have wasted hours today trying to retune and repair their machine. Many folks, it seems, have also been out and bought a new one. "Sony's Twitter feed and own technical support website are in meltdown with angry customers, and Sony themselves are conspicuous by their absence." On Sunday, a spokeswoman for Sony UK told the BBC: "We are aware of the issue and our engineers are doing everything to solve it."

Japan to start 4K "Ultra HD" TV in July 2014

Japan will start the world’s first 4K TV broadcast in July 2014, two years earlier than originally planned.

According to the Asahi Times, the Japanese ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has decided to start broadcasting in 4k during the finals of the football World Cup in Brazil in July 2014.

The first broadcasts will be transmitted via the country’s communication satellites rather than via the direct broadcast satellites. However, usage of BS satellites is planned at a later stage.

Originally, the Japanese were planning to launch 4K broadcast in 2016. The move to bring the world’s first regular 4K broadcasts” forward is intended to boast 4K television set sales. The UltraHD televisions are now on sale by Japanese makers including Sony, Panasonic, Toshiba and Sharp as well as from Korean manufacturers such as LG.
source: broadbandtvnews.com/2013/01/28/japan-to-start-4k-tv-in-july-2014/

Sony SET TV on TDT gone - replaced by AXN

Sony Entertainment TV, or SET, has been replaced by AXN on Spains TDT service.

If you try to view SET on TDT then you will either get a Channel Scrambled message, or just a blank screen.

The Sony SET channel has been replaced by AXN.

This is a subscription only channel on TDT.

You need a viewing card and subscription to view AXN.

AXN shows many USA imported programmes:
Andromeda, E.R., The Collector, Fastlane, F/X: The Series, Highlander, Homicide: Life on the Street, Kidnapped, MacGyver, Michael Hayes, Mutant X, New York Undercover, Nash Bridges, Odyssey 5, Police Rescue, Quantum Leap, Relic Hunter, Criminal Minds, Sliders, Third Watch, The Shield, Ghost Whisperer, Fear Itself, Lost, FlashForward



More information on Sony SET on TDT being replaced HERE



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