HDD recording problem after firmware update

[RogerBill]

The firmware update v6.6053 (11/23) from Android 9(P) to Android 10 (Q) has caused problems with HDD recording on our Sony KD-49XH9505. The software update to PKG6.5076.0635EUA in January 2021 solved the previous HDD recording problems and had worked until this latest update.

The symptoms with this latest update are different and include:

1. Failure to record programmes set on the timer
2. Loss of recorded programmes 

I have, of course, tried all the usual steps of resetting the TV, unplugging the TV, checking the update has been installed and that there are no other updates waiting to be installed. The aerial signal strength is 100% and we have not suffered any power cuts, the problems are the same whether or not the TV is being used to watch another channel whilst recording. Other than installing the software update no other changes have been made to the TV, aerial or hard disc.

[DazzaS]

I have the very same problem with the same TV after the latest firmware update (TV now on Android TV OS build 10 QTG3.200305.006.S36 880521).  I’ve factory reset the TV but still have the same problem.

Other information I can add:

• Old recordings on the HD are still available to view (from the previous firmware)
• New recordings are viewable normally until the TV is switched off, after which, the new recording is tagged with a Title unknown, date of Thu 1 Jan, 01:00 (00H00M) and a size of 1.2GB HDD1 and is placed as the earliest recording in the list. Obviously, the disk size is dependent on the program that was recorded.  And is unplayable returning “Playback error” on the screen.

If anybody from Sony is monitoring this, can they either have a software chap look at the problem or advise how to go back to the last version of firmware (the one that included the FreeSat feature) as the recording feature worked OK on that version.

[RogerBill]

Thanks DazzaS for posting 

It's really good to know that I'm not the only one suffering with this problem. Your additional info exactly matches the symptoms on our TV. I've been in touch with @SonyUK via Twitter private message. Their latest suggestion was a factory reset which, as you say, doesn't solve the problem. Will post on here if I hear anything further from them. In the meantime it might add some impetus if you feel like contacting Sony via Twitter or any other means you have available.

[RogerBill]

Hi again DazzaS

Just noticed this https://community.sony.co.uk/t5/android-tv/software-update-december-2023/td-p/3932954 thread describing different symptoms. Your description of our HDD recording problem made me wonder if it's related and whether it'd be worth trying uninstalling the latest update to the YouView app. But it seems a bit like clutching at straws.

[DazzaS]

Hi RogerBill,

I carried out a few more experiments with the TV but nothing seemed to work.  I later contacted Sony Support via email, their reply suggested unplugging the TV from the mains for 2 minutes, checking version info, disconnect all external devices etc but the one thing that was the turning point with this problem "was to try a different USB device"!!

I registered a different USB hard drive (after removing the original one) and the recording started to work as intended (recordings were visible in the list after recording, and didn't disappear when the TV was restarted or was in standby for a while).  Looking on the internet I found that any size hard drive over 256GB can be used but the Android system limits the drive capacity to 256GB (but I didn't see any errors relating to "full disk").  Anyway, my original hard disk was 500GB but probably had more than 200GB of films on it, so I deleted a load of films and tried again - same issue.

I then decided to de-register the original hard drive and re-register it and hey presto! recordings are being saved correctly and not disappearing when the TV is powered down or goes into standby for a while.  Obviously, I have lost all the TV programs stored on the original hard drive but at least I can now successfully record programs again and start saving a few movies for a rain day.

[royabrown2]

@DazzaS @RogerBill 

I would speculate that Android can only see, and address, up to 256GB, and that while you can use a physically larger disc, you would have to format it to appear as only 256GB.

With 200GB already used on the disc, the chances are quite high that some or all of your recordings go onto sectors above 256GB on the disc, something the disc has no problem doing, but that Android can’t subsequently retrieve.

[DazzaS]

Hi royabrown2,

Quite possibly, but removing a load of films off the USB hard disk didn’t correct the problem especially the HD ones (6-8GB each).  Also, there are no disk tools built into the TV to defrag the disk, not sure if the Android file system cleans itself up after I delete programs or it just gets more fragmented as time goes by.

Not sure if the issue was a direct consequence of the firmware update or the Android/Sony 256GB USB hard drive limit or my film collection.

Anyway, I’m currently checking out the newly de-registered and re-registered original USB hard drive and all seems OK – I’ve lost no programs yet during my testing.  I’ll report back if that changes.

RogerBill what is the state of your storage device? it is larger than 256GB and how much data is being used?  I record films that I cannot watch at the time but get rid of only a few so the disk fills up over time!

[royabrown2]

@DazzaS 

I don’t know the algorithm that Android uses, but other disc systems will add new stuff at the current high water mark, and only start reusing deleted sectors when the disc limit is reached. So 200 GB of files plus some earlier deletion will likely have pushed your disc over 256GB; and even deleting lots of the 200GB won’t have created any immediately reusable space below 256GB.

[RogerBill]

Hi DazzaS

Many thanks for the info which is far more useful and informative than anything I've received so far from Sony.

In answer to your question there are 890 Gbytes free on a Samsung T5 1TB USB 3.1 Gen 2 SSD. The recordings were all made before I updated the firmware and we do not want to lose them. If Sony can't come up with a solution I think we'll be buying a Humax Aura freeview recorder as this isn't the first time we've had problems with the Sony HDD recording facilties. This expensive solution would be extremely disappointing as I seem to remember the Sony publicity made a point of mentioning the benefits of the HDD recording option.

Until I installed the firmware update the HDD was working fine except that recorded programmes were often labelled with details of the preceding programme. It seems Sony doesn't handle the UK Freeview EPG data reliably whereas even my 16 year old Panasonic recorder manages perfectly well! 

You may find this December 2020 thread interesting which discusses the previous HDD recording problems: https://community.sony.co.uk/t5/android-tv/various-hdd-recording-problems/td-p/3747868

[RogerBill]

I first reported this problem in December 2023. After many emails Sony acknowledged it was the latest firmware update that was the cause of the problem on 1/2/24 and that they were working on a solution. I chased again last week and received this in an email:

With reference to your enquiry, please note that the technical department has advised that there is no available date that we can disclose regarding the update release, however, the release will be soon.
We highly appreciate your patience.

The wait continues!!