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Sony has started rolling out another update for its BRAVIA TVs. This time it’s not about new features but primarily about fixing bugs that appeared after earlier updates. For several months users have been reporting, among other things, issues with Dolby Vision and audio sync over HDMI.
Dolby Vision issues
The issues affect models with the MediaTek Pentonic 1000 SoC that were updated from Android 12 to Android 14. The list includes, among others, Sony A95L, BRAVIA 9 and 9 II, BRAVIA 8 and 8 II, BRAVIA 7 and 7 II, and BRAVIA 5. One of the first major bugs was a black screen when playing Dolby Vision from devices connected via HDMI. Sony fixed it in the August firmware v114.602.170.1, although some users still experience flickering lines in Dolby Vision.
Audio out of sync with the picture
Sound issues proved even more troublesome. BRAVIA owners began reporting that when using HDMI sources the audio gradually falls out of sync with the picture. In one of the larger threads on Reddit the owner of an 85-inch BRAVIA 9 described delays of up to 1-2 seconds, as well as occasional audio dropouts over eARC that required restarting the TV. Other users reported similar problems.
Now Sony is releasing firmware v114.603.100.1, which is meant to fix the picture and sound synchronization issue. The update has started rolling out to TVs in North America and should appear in Europe soon. Early user reports suggest an improvement, though it's still hard to say whether the issue has been completely eliminated.
Importantly, not all bugs may have been fixed yet. FlatpanelsHD notes that audio dropouts over HDMI eARC may still occur, along with the mentioned flickering lines in Dolby Vision. The whole situation is rather unusual. Sony's switch to Android 14 brought several new features, but the company has spent months gradually addressing problems that appeared after that update.
Source: What Hi-Fi?, FlatpanelsHD, Reddit, Sony Support
