UK freeview "Apps" on current BRAVIA 50-55" Google TVs

[WelshChap]

Hi Folks - New member here.

I will be undergoing major surgery later this week with a long recovery at home. 

Our old samsung TV died and we are looking at replacing it fairly swiftly with a 50-55" Bravia 
with Google TV, freeview and freesat as I wont have a lot I can do for a month! probably an X89
series set.

I have found out that the Bravias sat boards only support DISECQ 1 not USALS  / DISECQ 1.2 -
very short sighted Sony! but I can live with that by getting my PC Sat card to stream to the TV and control it remotely.

But every advert I see, be it Currys, Ao, Rcher Sounds et al, all have this caveat statement about the main UK freeview Apps (Iplayer / ITV Hub / chans 4 & 5 etc) implying that they will be "Available during 2021" 

Well, candidly, there's not a whole lot of 2021 left !!

So what is the status of these Apps please ? no point in asking the sales people in shops - they cant even demo it and no 2 shops give the same answers.

I don't want to be humping big boxes to and fro around retail park car parks and wont be able to for at least a month after my op so grateful if anyone can quickly confirm the status of these UK centric apps please?

Many thanks in advance 

regards 

WelshChap 

 

[royabrown2]

@WelshChap 

The apps aren’t present on 2021 Sony TVs, and there is no guarantee that they will be added before your convalescence is over.

LG TVs have these apps, as they have Freeview Play, but I believe Samsung are in the same boat as Sony here, and possibly every TV manufacturer who doesn’t offer Freeview Play.

The best solution, if you want to stick with Sony, would be to get an Amazon Firestick, plug it in a spare HDMI port on the TV, and get the apps that way.

£30 - £50 depending on how capable you want the FireStick to be, but you might want to ask whoever you get your new TV from if they would like to throw one of these in as a sweetener.

Somebody may be along in a minute to suggest casting the catchup apps from a mobile phone as a solution, but that would go over like a lead balloon in our household.

[WelshChap]

@royabrown2 

Many thanks for that. 

It makes the choices more difficult again sadly as the picture quality of the LG we have seen is notably inferior to both the Sony and Samsungs. 

I have no "brand loyalty" provided we have a good picture , with main TV catchup apps available and ideally a subset of android apps side loaded for my media preferences. I have an android STB in my camper van and am trying to get what it delivers on the road, but at home.  Ideally with one remote and at most a Wireless mouse. 

I fear youre 110% right on any other "external" approaches.

Not family compliant! 

I think for now I will try and buy another android STB and stick with the bedroom portable which were currently using in the living room! At least that will drive my dish motor too!

is there any word from Sony about possible timescales.

Thanks again

Regards

WelshChap

[WelshChap · Accepted solution]

An epilogue to my original post.

We bought a toshiba UHD ready android TV - 50" jobbie. Cracking picture!

All the catch up apps were already installed, and thus far only 2 of the apps i side-loaded dont work:

di.fm - non-issue as can access through firefox

Real VNC Viewer. 

Bit overkill for a TV but would have been handy - not a major loss. 

Sattelite, freeview and cable tuner embedded as well.

Glad we didnt go 55" as it would have overpowered the room as well. 

Sorry to any Sony "Fan bois!" offended by this post, but at the end of the day, if the features arent supported then I wasnt going to invest

Regards to all

WelshChap

[rooobb]

If you are happy anyone is happy, no offense. To define a Toshiba "cracking picture" is a bit stretched, but if you like it good for you

[royabrown2]

@WelshChap 

I’ve never heard of ‘UHD ready’ - how does that work?