Help! Sony 34" XBR960 Channel Memory Problem! (1 Viewer)

[Mark_TB]

I've had a problem develop with my Sony XBR960 this past week, and I'm hoping someone has a suggestion that might solve it.

Whenever I turn the TV power off, I lose my channel memory. When I turn it back on, the channel memory is cleared, and I have to reprogram all of the channels.

I tried doing a reset to factory defaults, but that didn't help.

Any ideas or suggestions? Even though the unit is still under warranty, I'm hoping to avoid having a tech come out to look at it. (My schedule makes that very inconvenient.)

Thanks in advance.

Mark

 

[Mary M S]

If your speaking of a tuner/decoder having to "PLEASE WAIT" aquire all channels on power up...I would think you need a service tech. If you are speaking of Favorite channel memory, that shouldn't clear unless you unplug the set. I have Sonys and mine don't ...but have you checked your particular owners manual to see if this model has a requirement to "save" custom selections before powering off?

 

[Mark_TB]

No, this isn't a problem with saving favorite channels -- it's the normal channel programming that disappears.

When I turn the set back on, it brings up the channel that was on when I last turned it off. But if I try to change the channel up or down using the "+/-" selector, nothing happens -- it stays on that same channel. If I go to the "show/hide channels" menu, there are NO channels programmed in there. It's like the channel programming been completely cleared. (I can still access channels directly by entering in the channel number.)

Sorry if my original description wasn't clear.

EDIT: I just noticed something odd -- it only happens on the cable input, NOT on the OTA antenna input. Strange.

Mark

 

[Mary M S]

Have you added anything to the chain or moved your AC cords (reason below) ?
First things first, - I have had some funky things go on which turned out to be the remote needing fresh batteries! (such as having to tune direct to channel on one input, rather than being able to use up/down arrows)
I am really vague on cable connections, (sorry) but I know you can have (revert to or stuck on one channel) issues with cable pretty easily with the wrong setup. If you’ve changed/added anything (or had recent service on your cable line) I would call your cable provider Tech service and explain the situation and ask for a walkthrough of your cables & settings. (if your really lucky you’ll get a tech who doesn’t’ just read from a flip book but understands the systems).

AC switching: I have little (to none) familiarity with the latest generation cable setups (digital) but seems I have read, (might be pertinent to you?) if you run through a converter and use its AC switch for powering your display, - When you cut power to converter it cuts power to display and reverts the newer models display’s to a default channel (2?) (taking it off 3 or 4) Some converters have a “SWITCHED” outlet, and you will need to figure out how to disable it to keep your display “un’ switched (always on). This is done via menus in the remote. If someone screwed up a setting via your remote this could ‘become’ an issue now.

I remember in years past when the cable guy came out to service my mom’s signal which had gone kaput. He got signal back but screwed up some other items (we discovered after he left). I had to go troubleshoot her bedroom display which was stuck on one channel, I can’t remember how I fixed it?!
(been too long) but on her older system it was something to do with some incorrect switching of cables in connection with a splitter and the A/B sides? I just remember playing with the cabling itself, and finally getting her display to start tuning channels again.
Sorry I can’t be more helpful, (I don’t have cable myself)

With Cable being the input you are having trouble with, I would definitely give your provider a call before you check into needing warranty work done on the display.

 

[Steve Berger]

Do you have a cablecard? It could be the source of the problem.

 

[Mark_TB]

Mary and Steve, thanks for the suggestions; unfortunately, none of them are the source of my problem. I've made no changes to my set-up or power sources, and I don't use a cable card.

The cable goes directly into my TV and uses its tuner.

I'll try to put this even more simply: Everytime I turn the TV on, there are no channels in the channel memory. I need to run the channel "auto program" to restore the channel list, and this takes almost an hour each time. After I do that, everything works fine again -- until I turn the TV off. Then, the next time I turn it on, I have to start the process all over again.

Mark

 

[Steve Berger]

Your set would appear to be broken :rolleyes. It could be memory chip, microprocessor, or power supply (the write process typically requires a voltage used nowhere else in the set). The only nuisance problem that I can think of is if a front panel button were stuck.

In the meantime, I suspect you only get a small number of digital stations (unless your cableco does "Clear QAM" and that is why the scan takes so long. If you can abort the scan after it gets through the analog stations, you might be able to add the few digitals manually. I haven't worked with this particular model so I don't know if these are options you can use but are general methods.

 

[Mark_TB]

Thanks for your suggestions, Steve. I will indeed be calling the repairman out to service my set. I was hoping that it was some simple little thing that I was overlooking, but, unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case.

Mark

 

[Mary M S]

Mark, what was the culprit?

 

[Mark_TB]

Hi, Mary. I've been too busy to schedule an appointment with the repairman, but hope to get to it in the next week or two.

Interestingly enough, I tried Steve's suggestion of stopping the auto-programming sequence after just the analog channels have been programmed, and guess what? Those channels stay in the channel memory, even after I turn the set off. The problem only seems to occur when I program ALL of the channels, analog and digital. (Unfortunately, the set won't let me direct access the digital channels unless I've gone through the complete programming cycle.) So I'm even more baffled, if that's possible.

I'll post back once it's fixed.

Mark

 

[Mark_TB]

In case anyone's still interested....

I finally had the serviceman look at my set this past week. Turns out it was simple to "fix," although, technically, it wasn't actually broken.

He did a firmware update on the TV's programming, and everything was fine. Apparently, the local cable company upgraded its digital capability, and the TV's old programming couldn't handle it. (Sorry that this is non-technical -- this is my interpretation, and any errors in terminology are a result of my own ignorance.)

Nice, simple solution and everything is once again working great!

Mark