[LINK] Is this a portent of things to come?

Ross Kelso kelso at internode.on.net
Wed Jun 19 20:10:49 AEST 2013


[By way of background, in anticipation of the switching off the analogue television broadcasts some six months ago I purchased a rather large-sized Sony flatscreen television receiver, a Sony sound system (with DVD player), a Humax DVR (along with a 'lifetime' subscription to IceTV - unbelievably good value :) and an Apple TV box.  To my surprise upon installation of these gizmos, I find that they all required ongoing software updating and hence access to the Internet!  Of course, the EPG function of the Humax DVR simply cannot work without Internet access.  On finding my WiFi reception was poor, I ran a Cat_6 cable to the lounge room and thereafter I had/have an absolutely fantastic system.  The real value-added component has been IceTV which allows remote programme scheduling - I can be travelling interstate or even overseas and very easily set new programmes to be recorded.]

A few nights ago things went crazy - whilst viewing a recorded programme, the TV set began to repeatedly go black and even switch off!  Matters seem to have settled down a day or so later, but then this afternoon I received the following message which explained what was going on:
===================
Dear Bravia TV owner,

Over the last couple of days you may have experienced some software problems with your Sony Bravia TV. If this has affected you, I would like to personally apologise for the inconvenience this has caused & explain why it has happened.

The problem was caused by some corrupt Programing Guide (EPG) data sent from the NINE Network.  EPG data is sent periodically and automatically to your TV to update the in-built Channel-Guide. In this instance, the corrupt data clashed with the software in some of our Bravia TVs and caused the set to freeze or turn off.  NINE Network engineers have identified the source of the data corruption and have stabilised the issue.

This software clash is simply fixed automatically through an update to the Programing Guide data.  Rest assured that this has done absolutely no damage to your TV itself which will continue to operate normally.

If for some reason your TV is still not performing due to this issue, you can reset it by:

Turning the TV off and unplugging it from the powerpoint
Leaving it to stand for one minute
Plugging the TV back in to resume viewing 
If there are any further updates on this issue, we will post them on www.sony.com.au/support. Alternatively, please feel free to contact the Sony Customer Contact Centre 
on 1300 13 SONY (7669).

Again, I apologise for any frustration or inconvenience this may have caused.

Yours sincerely,

Carl Rose
Managing Director, Sony Australia & New Zealand
==================

Further explanation was given at the following link:

http://www.sony.com.au/support/announcement/563909 

Clearly what happened here was an accident BUT immediately my mind turned to the prospect of a more sinister reoccurrence in the future if someone (or a hostile government agency for example) wanted to propagate software that could remotely turn off television sets anywhere in the world!  Is this a portent of things to come? 

Cheers

Ross Kelso
PS:  Don't ever get an Internet-connected refrigerator :)!



More information about the Link mailing list