Hey, we get it, TVs are more like computers that ever before, and sometimes software updates don’t go as planned. But that is cold comfort for owners of Sony’s high-end 4K TVs, which were promised a year ago that they’d get support for Dolby Vision. A recent firmware update issued by Sony that was supposed to deliver said HDR support, appears to be missing a key ingredient: Actually being able to see Dolby Vision content from external devices like 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray players.
The problem seems to be a glitch in the way Sony is handling Dolby Vision over external ports, including HDMI, and USB, according to Forbes. Consumers trying to play Dolby Vision content from devices like Oppo’s 4K Blu-ray player, or Apple’s 4K version of Apple TV, are finding that their Sony TVs simply aren’t being recognized as Dolby Vision-compatible, even after the update.
Interestingly, the botched update isn’t a total write-off. Streaming Dolby Vision content from services that the TVs can access directly via built-in apps, like Netflix, and Amazon Video, does work. On another bright note, Sony’s commitment to Dolby Vision and HDR isn’t under any doubt. The company debuted a new range of fully Dolby Vision compatible TVs and UltraHD Blu-ray players at CES 2018, so we have every reason to believe that this glitch will be short-lived once Sony figures out what is going on. When it does, perhaps it can pass on what it learned to Apple. Turns out plenty of Apple TV 4K users are none too happy that once the device recognizes an HDR-capable TV, it only sends HDR signals down the HDMI connection. So far, Apple hasn’t released a fix.
As much as this will no doubt prompt eye-rolls from people who have spent some serious cash in preparation for the Dolby Vision goodness that awaits them, there isn’t actually a whole lot of 4K Dolby Vision content on physical media at the moment. So Sony, consider this a very short grace period before your customers start an all-out social media revolt. That wouldn’t be pretty, even in Dolby Vision.
