Experience thread - QM163E_U_0.15.209.1 for 6401-7601 and 6432-7272

[Caroline – Philips]

New software is available now:

QM163E_U_0.15.209.1 – Date: 2017/10/10

-Android 7.1.2 based software
-Update of Google apps
-Amazon HDR and Amazon Dolby Digital+ support
-Added HLG Support
-Reduced Upgrade time
-Enhanced Security - Fix for NPO and ARD Mediathek app
-Fix for sporadic horizontal lines when playing 4k HDR
-Fix for Ziggo picture freeze and macroblocks
-Improved Browser compared to Android M
-Improved Google cast 4K support
-Improvements in stability
-Improvements for YouTube v2 playback
-Support of cable operator Teleing for Slovenia

[mrmojo666]

TV Model Number: 55PUS6501

Previous Firmware: QM163E_000.010.077.002

Positive:

snappy, finally installed apps respect the correct order in homepage (the most used stays at left side)
seems that 4k cast is working (even at 30 fps instead of 60)


Negative:

- Still missing Android API 24/25 full support: with KODI/SPMC ARC passtrought there are always the same limitations no dts no HD audio formats etc , the same with changing refresh rate.

- philips cheated to get youtobe working, they capped 60 fps video to 30 (Android tv with a crappy youtube support is ridicolus.)

- Still there is no amazon video on italian philips app store neither playstore.

-Still no support for DD+ in netflix

I DO NOT understand the point to upgrade to android 7 without develop any API support level 24/25 ????
One thing is clear , philips don't want to support opensource projects neither the killer features that users expecting form philips tvs. And they sold crappy chipsets that are not able to support YT correctly ay 4k, no VP9 60 fps support neither vp9 High10 HDR

[briceofnice]

Link for download the new firmware is again for the last firmware (version:000.010.077.002, zip fichier , 864.5 MB, publié 13 juillet 2017)

https://www.philips.fr/c-p/49PUS7101...-ultra-hd/aide

[Jardadts]

TV Model Number: 65PUS7601
Previous Firmware: QM163E_000.010.077.002

negative:
- Kodi passthrought AC3 5.1 (all bitrate) does't work ,previous firmware AC3 works :-(
and DTS still dosn't work

- Youtube HDR still doesn't work

- laggy interface


I don't recommend update to new Android 7 !!!

[tuobraun]

TV Model Number: 55PUS6501
I DO NOT understand the point to upgrade to android 7 without develop any API support level 24/25 ????
One thing is clear , philips don't want to support opensource projects neither the killer features that users expecting form philips tvs. And they sold crappy chipsets that are not able to support YT correctly ay 4k, no VP9 60 fps support neither vp9 High10 HDR

Will Philips developers provide us with Picture-in-Picture support that seems to be native for Android 7 but missing in this FW that is rather strange?

Can Philips representatives contact Google developers to make YouTube app great again? I mean to let users choose quality at least.

One more thing about the You Tube App. I use a usb external storage and the previous version 1.3.11 used external memory for caching. I could see that during video playing my flash drive was blinking. After YouTube update to version 2.04 the external storage is not used. So it means that constant streams are slowly killing TV internal memory by caching videos. Any solution for that?
Thank you.

[rfk]

After updating my 65PUS7601 to the new firmware I have two problems in the Amazon app:
- Numpad and keyboard of the remote control don't work any more (I have to use the onscreen keyboard instead).
- Sound and picture and not synchronous any more. There is a small but annoyingly visible delay.

Any ideas? Can other users check this as well? Is it possible to downgrade the software? I wish I hadn't updated...

[hugon]

55pus7101

positive:
- there's a new amazon app in philips apps, and you can switch subtitles to different languages (ex. polish)

negative:
- keyboard doesnt work in this amazon app. and the sound is out of sync (only in amazon app) - it's unusable :/

[sweetohmygod]

should i update? or just stick to the old FW

[rfk]

negative:
- keyboard doesnt work in this amazon app. and the sound is out of sync (only in amazon app) - it's unusable :/

So I'm not alone. Wow, this is bad.

should i update? or just stick to the old FW

If you use the Amazon app I strongly recommend you to stick to the old version.

[atika]

55pus7101

negative:
- keyboard doesnt work in this amazon app. and the sound is out of sync (only in amazon app) - it's unusable :/

I had the same problem with the keyboard in the Amazon app. Fixed with a full restart of the tv. Power down and unplug for a couple of minutes after FW update.

[kikook]

TV Model Number: 55PUS6501

Negative:

- Still missing Android API 24/25 full support: with KODI/SPMC ARC passtrought there are always the same limitations no dts no HD audio formats etc , the same with changing refresh rate.

I DO NOT understand the point to upgrade to android 7 without develop any API support level 24/25 ????
One thing is clear , philips don't want to support opensource projects neither the killer features that users expecting form philips tvs. And they sold crappy chipsets that are not able to support YT correctly ay 4k, no VP9 60 fps support neither vp9 High10 HDR

I completly agree with the kodi/spms issues.
My 2017 55PUS7272 is completly unusable for me in this case.
Should I buy a 20 euros box to have an android system working ?
To propose the android 7 upgrade and not rectifying that seems very pathetic to me.
This is my first and last Philips TV.

[sweetohmygod]

Thanks for the answer. I don't use Amazon app, so i'll upgrade. Also, after the upgrade, i want to hard reset/factory reinstall the tv so its a fresh install. Any tips on which is the best procedure for this? I will come with updates after this. thanks in advance! Also, a small side note, i baffles the mind how after the Androdi upgrades, we can't get 60 FPS via Youtube.

[Jardadts]

Kodi is unusable on this firmware!!!
I had to instal SPMC as an alternative for Kodi.There is AC3 5.1 OK.

This firmware is slower then previous version.

[Jinx1337]

65pus7601, but it applies to all your ANDROID TV sets:

Model: 65pus7601
firmware: QM163E_U_0.10.77.2
prev firmware: QM163E_U_0.10.15.1

Generally good job on this firmware.

+ [Stuttering] Chromecast (Youtube)
Seems fixed so far. I need to test some more, as it did not always happen.

Following issues remain:

- [API] [MediaTek] [M] DTS passthrough not working via AudioTrack API
DTS audio passthrough does not work via the standard AudioTrack raw bitstream API in Kodi:
DEBUG: Opening Passthrough RAW Format: STREAM_TYPE_DTS_512 Sink SampleRate: 48000
ERROR: AESinkAUDIOTRACK - Unable to create AudioTrack
ERROR: CDVDAudio::AddPacketsRenderer - timeout adding data to renderer
The native Video app works for DTS passthrough. But since it also worked with Android Lollipop, which lacks the respective API for DTS, it most likely uses the PCM hack or some private APIs.
Philips/MediaTek really have to focus on the standard Android APIs as app support is the big strength of the Android platform! This however doesn’t play out when using private APIs, leaving standard APIs broken!
All standard Android AudioTrack APIs being used by Kodi V17 Krypton work perfectly fine with the nVIDIA SHIELD TV!

Please, for the love of anything that's holy - GET THIS FIXED!
Many people demand it, just do it already. Do not provide us with broken Android firmware!

- [API] [MediaTek] No HW decoding of VC-1 Advanced profile via MediaCodec
Decoding VC-1 Advanced via the public Android MediaCodec API is currently not supported and is therefore software decoded in Kodi via ffmpeg. The weak ARM cores of the MediaTek SoC obviously can’t handle the decoding of 1080p in real-time.
MediaTek drivers on Philips lack the respective codec:
OMX.MTK.VIDEO.DECODER.VC1 video/wvc1
The MediaTek MT5890/MT5891 SoC is perfectly capable of decoding VC-1 Advanced as the native Video app shows no problem playing it back. This app however seems to have access to some private API definitions (libstagefright).

- [API] [MediaCodec] Some videos stutter when played back via MediaCodec
Some videos exhibit quite a severe stutter every few seconds when being played back within apps that use the standard Android MediaCodec API (for example Kodi 16/17, VLC, MX Player in “HW” mode).
Same videos play fine within apps that directly use libstagefright it seems (Video, MX Player in “HW+” mode, Kodi 15).


-[API] [M] Display Mode API not implemented - Everything 60Hz
Check out Android API documentation.
Everything except Live TV can only run at 60Hz. Even the Recorded Title List plays PAL recordings only at 60Hz, resulting in micro-judder.

- [Wi-Fi][MediaTek] Still mediocre 802.11ac speeds
A WiFi Speed Test (app has been sideloaded on the TV), downloading data from a fast Synology NAS to the Sony TV, yields ~120mbps at perfect Wi-Fi conditions (3m from AP in direct line-of-sight). Typical speeds at that distance would be 300-400mbps though.
Playing back the jellyfish encodes at different bitrates via DLNA confirmed the above results.
As it turns out, the Wi-Fi controller only runs at USB 2.0 speeds. So it is either connected to an USB 2.0 root hub only or badly configured.
----

[Jinx1337]

All in all - a pretty pointless update.

What was the point of updating to the new FW revision without even implementing its APIs, OS fragmentation aside?

Caroline, you personally promised to keep us updated on the work of your engineers/technicians.
They have all information required - all provided by your customers - in order to fix a couple of glaring issues that have not been fixed [AC3 bug aside] since these model's existence!

Now I am kindly asking you to clarify: are the issues from above being worked on?
Most requested ones being: DTS PASSTHROUGH, REFRESH RATE SWITCH, VC-1 PLAYBACK; all in all, STANDARD ANDROID APIs IMPLEMENTATION.

Are these being worked on? Or are we to purchase another brand of TVs, because this is becoming quite offensive towards your customers, who for the reasons mentioned happen to be your free-of-charge QA DEPARTMENT.