topic Re: Netflix 4K/Dolby Vision - Bluetooth issue (KD-49XF9005) in Android TV

Netflix 4K/Dolby Vision - Bluetooth issue (KD-49XF9005)

lpanos — Sun, 11 Aug 2019 23:56:40 GMT

Hello,

I have the Sony Bravia KD-49XF9005.

Software version Android Tv Oreo 6.6520.

When I use my bluetooth speakers or headphones, Netflix 4K/Dolby Vision content won’t play-neither they appear as a preview icon.

When I turn off tv’s bluetooth, they appear again and the content goes 4k/Dolby Vision again.

I tried both uninstall updates in Netflix app and cleared cache and data. Also, I reset the TV, but still nothing.

Please is there a solution?

Thanks

Re: Netflix 4K/Dolby Vision - Bluetooth issue (KD-49XF9005)

Sean_Mc — Tue, 13 Aug 2019 15:25:07 GMT

Hi there,

Welcome to the Sony Community.

I'm looking into this and will update the thread whenever I have an answer. In the meantime, perhaps another member of the community might have a solution.

Best wishes,

Sean Mc

Re: Netflix 4K/Dolby Vision - Bluetooth issue (KD-49XF9005)

digitalray — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 11:09:54 GMT

hi i have that problem too.. for a year now!

netflix doesnt get back to me with any solution or explanation.. 6 support people couldnt help me at all.

its so annyoing.. i buy an expensive sony tv and expensive sony headphones and whenever i connect them with the tv, the signal changes from Dolby Vision HDR to normal HD.

disconnect and Dolby Vision turns on again.

i tried everything, factory rest, delete app cache, uninstall netflix updates.. really anything.

nothing works.

and everyone plays like they dont know anything about this problem, although it exists for several YEARS now and every forum has people complain about it.

Re: Netflix 4K/Dolby Vision - Bluetooth issue (KD-49XF9005)

DarranA — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 12:51:46 GMT

Hi there,

Having searched for information for you the following thread has the same issue:

http://bit.ly/2MqQqoi

User : Fontmeister experimented with an old Bluetooth headset and had the same issue. Concluding that any Bluetooth headset connected caused this issue.

It seems to relate to Netflix rather than a Sony issue.

On this thread: http://bit.ly/2MnY9mH someone has found a solution to this issue that seems to relate to downloading the latest version of the app from the Google Play store.

However I suggest that you speak to Sony Support in order to determine that your Sony equipment is not the issue.

I realize that you have contacted support before; I am assuming you contacted Sony? As frustrating as it is If the solution above does not work for you I would advise you keep at support and also Netflix. As of right now it is hard to determine whether this is a Sony side issue or a Netflix related software issue.

I hope the solution I found above works for you though.

Regards,

Darran

Re: Netflix 4K/Dolby Vision - Bluetooth issue (KD-49XF9005)

digitalray — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 13:31:36 GMT

Hi,

thanks, i've read the threads so far, but there is no solution.

uninstalling updates, installing the app new, deleting app cache and data and even factory reset didn't help.

updating from the store didn't help either as the app updates itself automatically, so there are no new updates.

HDR / DV with Bluetooth works fine in other apps like Google Play Video, so i guess it's not an Android System Bug or a limitation of Sony Hard / Software but rather how netflix handles hardware device information input from the Sony TV.

first i thought that their media streams are video/audio linked so they just dont deliver this combination of 4k hdr and low quality bluetooth audio, but in modern tvs this is probably not the case and everything gets packed in a container format like mp4 with h264 and some audio codec. netflix would either do this on the fly or have several combinations of video / audio streams of every movie which they just stream.

maybe when using bluetooth audio which is a very low quality usually, the standard video quality adjusts to a maximum of 1920x1080 for an overall quality adjustment. so netflix would'nt offer a a stream of bluetooth low quality audio combined with 4k hdr.

but so many people use bluetooth headphones on their 4k HDR TVS, and even soundbars connect with bluetooth, which would make 4K HDR Content not viewable anymore.

that doesn't make sense at all..

Re: Netflix 4K/Dolby Vision - Bluetooth issue (KD-49XF9005)

rooobb — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 13:42:32 GMT

This happened in the past and was fixed by subsequent release of the app by Netflix.

In august appeared this article in the support page that now states it is normal operation...

https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/support/articles/00202828

Re: Netflix 4K/Dolby Vision - Bluetooth issue (KD-49XF9005)

digitalray — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 13:59:38 GMT

that's unbelievable..

they fixed it in the past and now we have to live with not beeing able to watch 4k or hdr with bluetooth headphones connected ?

so they were able to fix it, but now it's not working anymore and they just say live without 4k and hdr when using your bt headphones ??

Re: Netflix 4K/Dolby Vision - Bluetooth issue (KD-49XF9005)

rooobb — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 14:01:47 GMT

It is strange for me too since I cannot find a valid cause for it (prime video i.e. is not affected by using a BT device so it should not a limitation of the TV)

Re: Netflix 4K/Dolby Vision - Bluetooth issue (KD-49XF9005)

rooobb — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 14:05:12 GMT

BTW I just checked that is spread to other devices (i.e. Firestick https://www.reddit.com/r/fireTV/comments/aokg18/netflix_content_not_playing_in_4khdr_when_fire/)

Re: Netflix 4K/Dolby Vision - Bluetooth issue (KD-49XF9005)

digitalray — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 16:14:05 GMT

i don't think Dolby Digital 2.0 would be the culprit, because if they only have DD 2.0 stereo streams and bluetooth can't deliver them, it wouldn't be possible to hear anything, even from DVDs that have DD 2.0 and 5.1 streams just like netflix. Even TV streams in DD 2.0

So what would happen if the Sony TV takes a DD 2.0 Signal and decodes it to a normal Stereo Signal for output to the bluetooth headphones (it's even encoded again for bluetooth anyway), why should that affect the netflix stream ? netflix is still delivering DD 2.0 to the Sony TV.

i doubt that theory from the linked thread.

even if DD had something to do with it, why would the video signal change to 2K and turn off HDR... doesn't make sense..

if they were able to fix it before, it's a software issue that only netflix is having, most probably with android.

Re: Netflix 4K/Dolby Vision - Bluetooth issue (KD-49XF9005)

adrdbr — Wed, 29 Jul 2020 12:32:44 GMT

Hi guys,

I have the same exact issue even with the latest firmware update from Sony and lastest Netflix app version.

With the Bluetooth connected, any 4k video on Netflix won't play. I get this error message:

As soon as I unplug the headphones from the TV and restart, the 4k Netflix video will play.

If the Bluetooth receiver is turned-off, but still connected to the TV, the video will not play. So it needs to be unplugged from the TV's USB port.

Note that Prime video 4k videos play without any issues with the Bluetooth active, so the issue is related to how Netflix interacts with the Sony connected hardware.

Re: Netflix 4K/Dolby Vision - Bluetooth issue (KD-49XF9005)

rooobb — Wed, 29 Jul 2020 12:36:58 GMT

AS already reported in this thread this is considered normal operation and due to Netflix app restrictions.

https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/support/articles/00202828

Re: Netflix 4K/Dolby Vision - Bluetooth issue (KD-49XF9005)

adrdbr — Wed, 29 Jul 2020 20:56:12 GMT

The link provided does not address the issue at hand.

The 4k videos from Netflix does not play on the Sony TV when a Bluetooth device is used.

How can you believe that the resolution to this problem is saying to disconnect the device?

Why does Sony advertise the Netflix integration with a physical button if NOT all scenarios are covered?

Is this a situation where the customer needs to play ping-pong between Netflix's Support and Sony's Support to have it solved?

Isn't there any internal communication exchanged between Netflix and Sony to have this issue solved through a Netflix or Sony upgrade?

It is disappointing to see that the solution is to not use the Sony product to its capabilities.

Just an idea: what if we all that have this issue start returning the TV's because we were lied it has Bluetooth capabilities and fully integrated with Netflix (see the button on the remote)?

Re: Netflix 4K/Dolby Vision - Bluetooth issue (KD-49XF9005)

rooobb — Thu, 30 Jul 2020 07:37:06 GMT

I do not understand you comment sincerely. Given that also for me Netflix should work at maximum resolution regardless on how I want to hear the sound, netflix should work in any case but in 1080p instead of 4k so which is the claim you have on the button presence on the remote?

And the situation is quite clear (as you yourself checked with other apps): it's up to netflix app to reduce the availability of 4k based on the presence of a bluetooth device, so you should complain with them

Re: Netflix 4K/Dolby Vision - Bluetooth issue (KD-49XF9005)

adrdbr — Thu, 30 Jul 2020 07:44:36 GMT

My point is that for me Netflix does not play 4k at all; I get an error message.

Maybe, in your case, 4k plays as 1080p, but I get an error message.

At the same time, Netflix says that Sony should solve this issue.

Re: Netflix 4K/Dolby Vision - Bluetooth issue (KD-49XF9005)

rooobb — Thu, 30 Jul 2020 08:05:38 GMT

My own tv does not even show the title available as 4k when bluetooth is enabled. At least it did, since I do not have a netflix subscription anymore. In any case I suggest you to push on netflix, since it is the app that nehave in this way. Unofficial information told me that the bluetooth device is recognized by the app as a potential break for pirates download

Re: Netflix 4K/Dolby Vision - Bluetooth issue (KD-49XF9005)

digitalray — Thu, 30 Jul 2020 08:56:04 GMT

They told me the same, I argued a long time with Netflix and they insisted that is a Sony TV problem, maybe related to Android system drivers as the system reports to Netflix that both at the same time is not possible.

I went with Sony more than 6 months ago and had a months-long forth and back, trying everything with their support, removing all hdmi inputs, firmware updates, complete reset of the TV and other things, nothing worked, then they told me to get back when the team finds a solution, that was 6 months ago, I asked again last week and they said they are sorry, and the research department hasn't got any solution so far.

I guess they don't have the time or hardware in this TV to make it possible and that's why they put the info up on the Sony faq that its simply not possible with a Sony TV and Netflix to use Bluetooth headphones and 4k (& hdr btw) at the same time.

It might simply be Android related in the end why Sony cant use their hardware to do it and Netflix because their system is coded on specific Android driver inputs.

Google play video can do it, so it seems it might really be Netflix who is in charge here to fix that.

Re: Netflix 4K/Dolby Vision - Bluetooth issue (KD-49XF9005)

rooobb — Thu, 30 Jul 2020 09:02:48 GMT

What I can say is that there is noway that Android will tell to Netflix app that it cannot handle both at the same time. and indeed it does on Prime or youtube. It is a very old problem raised if I remember well 2 years ago, than a new version of the app was released and was working for a certain period. Than all of a sudden it started again and that article appeared on sony website. So at least they should be aware of the root cause, probably they don't want to tell you