Demand 5 gone from Bravia KDL-40HX723

[sony-cat]

Just writing to express how deeply overjoyed (please note the sarcasim) that Demand 5 has now gone from my KDL-40HX723 smart TV.  With no warning, not even a software update.  

The icon is still there.  But when you click on it now it just says:

"This service is no longer available on this device"

Demand 5 was the thing I used most and now this has gone, my TV is offically dumb TV not a smart TV.

So not only did we never get 4OD that was implied that we would get.  We lost all the other channels too.  Okay, we still have iplayer, but I doubt we will for much longer, after the previous batch of TV's to this one were switched off.

Europen law states that a product should work for 6 years after purchase which this has not.  More like just over 3.  If you can ever say it was fit for what it was advertised for in the first place.  I don't think this is acceptable for a £900 TV.

I will never purposefully buy another 'smart tv' again.  I think your offering was pathetic and customer service was non-existant.  

I'll stick to my PlayStation in future, thanks.

[jumpsuit]

Hi sony-cat and welcome to the Community

Just to let you know Sony don't answer posts on this forum, its's a Sony user / fan based community.

Thanks for the info though.

I assume you've been in touch with customer services, what did they say?

[jumpsuit]

@sony-cat, (and all other affected members), did you see This Page on the site?

It shows you how to continue viewing Demand 5 in the FAQ section

"The below FAQs can help you work around this service termination and go on watching Demand 5 on your current TV, if you own other compatible devices such as smartphones, tablets or computers:

How to connect your computer, tablet or phone with your TV via Wi-Fi Direct
How to use the Wi-Fi Direct feature with an iPhone device
How to send contents and playback to TV from computer?

We hope these options will help you continue to enjoy Demand 5, and apologise for the inconvenience."

[sony-cat]

Couldn't see the point to be honest.  What are they going to say other than, 'the service has been terminated'?

They weren't helpful when 4OD was missing when the TV was brand new, why would they be any more helpful now the TV is older?  

Plus, they are not easy to find the contact info for.  It's just a waste of time all around.

[sony-cat]

Thanks for the link, I appreciate seeing confirmation the service has been pulled.

However it just tells me to do what I said I was doing in my OP was doing anyway, use my PlayStation.  I'm very lucky I have a PlayStation.  Not everyone does.  If you have bought a device dedicated to on demand TV, you would expect that to work, not to have to buy a games console for it's secondary function of TV!

I think it's really poor.  The TV is much newer than my PS3 on which the service is being supported.  It's terrible they are suggesting you use a phone or a computer instead now.  That's why we all purchased a smart TV in the first place, so we wouldn't have to!  Most phones didn't have that capability when these came out either.

One of the reasons I wanted a smart TV was the power consumption is much lower than using the PS3, that is out the window now.  It should also be easier and quicker (although in reality that was debatable).

I appreciate this is not your fault, but if the Sony forum is not the place to whinge about it, then were is?  How many other products do you buy that cease to function for their original purpose in just over 3 years?

[jumpsuit]

No problem, whinge away lol

I'm sure you'll find a few of my whinges on site too.

Your frustration is totally underdstandable - at least you can still get Demand 5 although its not an ideal way for you.

[rayatkinson314]

I bought my Bravia tv in December 2010 from the Leeds Sony Centre with a promise that other channels would be available in the near future.As you say this did not happen and we have now lost 5 on demand  and u tube and Iplayer was also not available for weeks earlier this year.The free content is now poor.I have always bought Sony TVs in the past but this one is my last.I have a Samsung smart TV in my conservatory and it's available programmes are spot on.

[garfield100]

fwiw, our EX723 had a warning message displayed on screen on the Demand 5 app every time we launched it for the few weeks before the app was eventually removed.

If anyone is looking for an inexpensive way to add all four catchup TV services to your 2011 Bravia TV, shopto are corrently offering the nowTV box for less than 15 quid.  You don't actually need to subscribe to Now TV services to be able to use BBC, ITV, ch4 and Five catchup TV services on the box.  I've been using one with a non-Smart Samsung TV, and just ordered another one for our Bravia EX TV.

Otherwise, it is usually £20 from Argos or Currys.

Note that the nowTV box is 2.4 GHz wifi only.  ie. no ethernet connection.

Update: I tried to activate newly bought nowTV box and it appears they now require a valid payment card associated with the account.  

If you only plan to use the nowTV box for catchup TV from BBC etc, make sure you set up and more importantly, switch on (off by default), the Payment PIN feature when logged into the NowTV My Account using web browser.  Also as an added precaution, launch the NowTV app on the newly activated nowTV box and go to 'My Account' and you may discover you are logged in already.  Simply 'Sign Out', These two measures should prevent accidental purchases.  Second box now hooked up to EX723 TV and working briliiantly for catchup TV services and YouTube.