Can't detect a USB HDD for recording

[woter324]

Hi,

I have a KD-49XG9005 (MY2019), and I am having a great deal of trouble getting the TV to detect my HDD.

The HDD was working fine with a Samsung TV (MY2013).

The HDD is 3.5" 700GB in an external USB 3.0 caddy with its own power supply.

Like the Samsung, I would like to think that it would be as easy as plugging it in. However, having had to resort to reading the instructions, I am now confused over what is and isn't supported / required. The way I read the following, the HDD has to be powered from the USB port.

https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/support/articles/00148248 

I have read that SSDs are not supported, so if I am reading this correctly, then one is going to be very hard pushed to find such a hard drive. There are very few 2.5" spinning HDDs that will run from 900mA, and certainly no 3.5" drives. Are Sony really saying the HDD has to be powered from the USB port?

I expect the age of the caddy means that it is USB 3.0 and not 3.1. Are Sony saying they don't support 3.0?

The HDD works fine on a Windows 10 and Linux laptop. I have tried after formatting the HDD NTFS and FAT32. It is also connected to the HDD USB port on the TV.

When I try to register the HDD under Settings > Recording Device Setup > HDD registration I get: 

Last night, under Settings > Storage & reset, I had the message "USB drive is safely ejected" [sic]. There were no further options. This morning nothing is showing under Storage & reset.

The final issue may be caused by this damn YouView. I've already run in to difficulties with other operations, caused by this unwanted software, and it appears on the later models, it cannot be disabled. I have read that HDD recording doesn't work if YouView is enabled, however, I would have thought that the HDD would still register.

Has anyone had any luck getting an HDD attached and working on this model series? If so, if you can share any tips, it would be greatly appreciated. 

TIA.

[Pascale_F]

Hi woter324, 

Welcome to the Community. 

You could contact Sony Support about this to see what they suggest.

Thanks,

Pascale

[woter324]

Thanks Pascale.

Almost a year ago to the day. I never contacted Sony support, but I happened to try the same HDD today.

It managed to make the TV reboot three times before I got to the screen that says "Can't detect an HDD for recording".

I was distracted and happened to leave it on that screen for a minute or two. When I returned it had actually detected the HDD!! 

Not that it's any help as Sony don't support the most basic of functions: timeshift.

[Win_88]

That's a bit odd, but okay I guess. Just keep us updated if you stumble upon other discoveries

Win_88