Maintained by the home-entertainment agent. This page documents the kitchen AV setup in full — components, settings, signal flow, and everything needed to keep it working.
Setup summary — for Sony UK support
Equipment
| TV | Sony Bravia 3 K-55S3 / K55S38BP (2025) — firmware fully up to date |
| Source 1 | Sky Q main box → Sony HDMI 1 (Standard) via old HDMI cable |
| Source 2 | Apple TV 4K (3rd gen, 2022) → Sony HDMI 3 (eARC) via UGREEN HDMI 2.1 Certified 1m — 3 different HDMI cables tried |
| Audio | 2 × HomePod mini via AirPlay 2, driven by Apple TV 4K acting as eARC receiver |
Problem
With Apple TV 4K on HDMI 3 (eARC), Apple TV video formats that include 4K or Dolby Vision cause periodic total loss of HDMI video signal on the Sony when either box is power-cycled. Not every reboot, but often enough that the setup is unusable at 4K DV. When it fails, signal only returns after multiple restarts, unplugging HDMI, or dropping the Apple TV output back to 1080p SDR.
Confirmed test results
| ❌ 4K Dolby Vision on HDMI 3 (eARC) | Very unstable on reboot — periodic total loss of video signal on power cycle. Not every time, but often enough that the setup is unusable at this format. |
| ✅ 1080p SDR on HDMI 3 (eARC) | Stable — current fallback config |
| ⚠️ 4K Dolby Vision on HDMI 1 / 2 | Not yet tested. Next diagnostic step to isolate whether the fault is specific to the eARC port or a wider handshake issue. |
Already tried
| HDMI cables | 3 different cables tested including current UGREEN HDMI 2.1 Certified 48Gbps (well above 18Gbps Premium HDMI requirement) |
| HDMI 3 signal format | Enhanced format (ALLM) — the only enhanced option available on this TV |
| Sony firmware | Fully up to date via Settings → System → About → System software update |
| Apple TV firmware (tvOS) | Fully up to date |
| CEC / BRAVIA Sync | On — Auto devices off, Auto TV on, CEC device list shows HDMI 3: Apple TV, HDMI 1: Playback_3 |
| Sony AI Support (9 Jul 2026) | Consulted — confirmed no documented known issue, no K-55S3-specific firmware flag, no RMA basis. Recommended fallback: 4K SDR + Match Range/Rate. |
Current stable config (1-week test)
| Apple TV Format | 1080p SDR |
| Match Content / Range / Frame Rate | All Off |
| HDMI Output | YCbCr |
| Sony HDMI 3 signal format | Enhanced format (ALLM) |
| Sony Digital audio out | Prioritise pass through (preserves Sky Q Dolby Digital 5.1 via eARC) |
| Sony Speakers | Audio system (routes audio via eARC to Apple TV → HomePods) |
What we're asking Sony to do
- Log this behaviour against the K-55S3 for engineering visibility
- Confirm whether 4K Dolby Vision + eARC on HDMI 3 is fundamentally supported on this model or a known compatibility gap
- If a case review or engineer callback is available, request one
- Advise whether a future firmware update could address the eARC handshake at 4K DV
Physical Setup — 4 Components
1 · Display
Sony Bravia 3
55" 4K LCD · wall mounted
2 · Source
Sky Q
Main box on shelf · in-wall HDMI
3 · Streaming + audio hub
Apple TV 4K (3rd gen)
HDMI 3 (eARC) · AirPlay hub
4 · Room audio
HomePod mini × 2
TV end + far end · AirPlay 2
Current Connections
| Port | Device | Cable |
|---|---|---|
| Sony HDMI 1 (Standard) | Sky Q (from back of Sky Q) | Old HDMI cable |
| Sony HDMI 3 (eARC) | Apple TV 4K | UGREEN HDMI 2.1 Certified 1m — tried 3 cables before this one |
Settings
🍎 Apple TV
Video
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Format | 1080p SDR |
| HDMI Output | YCbCr |
| Match Content | Off |
| Match Dynamic Range | Off |
| Match Frame Rate | Off |
| Tap-to-Zoom Video | Off |
Audio
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Default Audio Output | Kitchen Apple Minis |
| Play Television Audio (ARC) | On (eARC) |
| Audio Format | Auto |
| Audio Mode | Auto |
| Enhance Dialogue | Enhance |
| Reduce Loud Sounds | On |
| Sound Effects and Music | On |
| Navigation Clicks | On |
📺 Sony Bravia 3
Video
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| HDMI 1 signal format | Standard format |
| HDMI 2 signal format | Standard format |
| HDMI 3 signal format | Enhanced format (ALLM) |
| HDMI 4 signal format | Standard format |
Audio
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Audio output | HDMI 3 (eARC/ARC) |
| Speakers | Audio system |
| A/V sync | Auto |
| Digital audio out | Prioritise pass through |
| Digital audio out volume | Max |
HDMI CEC
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| CEC control | On |
| Auto devices off | On |
| Auto TV on | On |
| CEC device list | HDMI 3: Apple TV · HDMI 1: Playback_3 |
📡 Sky Q
Video
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Picture resolution | 1080i |
| Judder reduction for TV apps | Off |
Audio
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Digital audio output HDMI | Normal |
| Digital audio output optical | Dolby Digital |
| Digital audio delay HDMI | 0ms |
| Digital audio delay optical | 0ms |
HDMI CEC
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| HDMI control | On |
Current Test — 1-week stability
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Test started | 9 July 2026 |
| Duration | 1 week |
| Config being tested | Apple TV Format: 1080p SDR · Match Content: Off · Match Dynamic Range: Off · Match Frame Rate: Off |
| Reason | Increasing picture quality to 4K or Dolby Vision causes loss of video signal when boxes are turned off and on again. Match Content turned off so Apple TV doesn't try to change format automatically. |
| Trade-off accepted | Cannot see higher quality content — 1080p SDR only. Can cope with this for the kitchen setup. |
| Open question | Will the same problem occur if the same setup is replicated in the lounge? Lounge TV is a much better set (Sony KD55A8 OLED) but older (2020). To be determined. |
1. Sony Bravia 3 — K55S38BP
Source: Sony UK official spec — K-55S3
| Display | |
|---|---|
| Make / Model | Sony Bravia 3 K55S38BP (2025) — model ref K55S38B.UKA |
| Screen size | 55" (54.6" actual) — 139 cm diagonal |
| Panel type | LCD — Direct LED backlight. Frame Dimming (not zone dimming). |
| Resolution | 4K UHD — 3840 × 2160 |
| HDR | HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision |
| Panel refresh rate | 50Hz native (UK spec). Motionflow XR 200/240Hz processed. |
| Processor | 4K HDR Processor X1 |
| Colour | TRILUMINOS PRO, Live Colour Technology |
| Picture modes | Vivid, Standard, Cinema, Game, Professional, Graphics, Photo, Dolby Vision (Vivid / Bright / Dark / Game) |
| Connectivity | |
|---|---|
| HDMI | 4 × HDMI 2.1 features: eARC/ARC and ALLM (all 4 ports). HDCP 2.3 on all ports. No VRR. Ports are clustered on the right-hand rear panel (left side when facing front) and face rearward — cables route cleanly behind the TV, not from the side. |
| eARC | Confirmed — supports lossless Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA passthrough. In this setup: Sony TV → eARC → Apple TV 4K (not a soundbar). |
| Digital audio out | 1 × optical |
| USB | 2 × — USB HDD recording supported (1 stream) |
| LAN | 1 × Ethernet |
| Aerial / Satellite | 1 × RF coaxial, 1 × satellite IF |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 6E — 2.4 / 5 / 6 GHz. Bluetooth (version not published by Sony). |
| Headphone output | None |
| BRAVIA Sync / CEC | Listed as "No" on Sony official spec — full Sony ecosystem sync not supported on this tier. Standard HDMI-CEC behaviour to be verified on setup. |
| Audio (built-in) | |
|---|---|
| Speakers | 10W + 10W (20W total) — X-Balanced Speaker, Bass Reflex × 2 |
| Formats | Dolby Audio, Dolby Atmos, DTS Digital Surround, DTS Express, DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS-HD High Resolution Audio, DTS:X |
| Smart / Software | |
|---|---|
| OS | Google TV (Android TV base) — Google Play Store |
| Casting / streaming | Chromecast built-in, Apple AirPlay, Apple HomeKit |
| Voice | Built-in microphone with mute switch. Google Assistant via remote and mic. |
Sony UK Support — K-55S3 / BRAVIA 3
| Channel | Detail | Link |
|---|---|---|
| 📞 Phone | +44 (0) 20 7365 2810 · Mon–Fri, 09:00–18:00 | Call |
| 🆕 Open a new case & call | Register model, issue and case ID first — skip phone menu, agent has context immediately (recommended) | Open case |
| 💬 Live Chat | Chat with a real Sony agent (not the AI bot) | Live Chat |
| ✉️ E-mail | Written support via web form | |
| 🤖 AI Support (Sony Smart Assistant) | First-line AI bot — used 9 Jul 2026 for eARC/DV issue. Confirmed no known K-55S3 bug, no firmware fix, recommended fallback: 4K SDR + Match Range/Rate. No case ID created. | AI chat |
| 🔧 Book a repair | If a hardware fault is confirmed | Book repair |
| 🛡️ Warranty checker | Sony Electronics warranty status | Check warranty |
| 👥 Sony Community forum | User community — search other BRAVIA 3 / K-55S3 owner threads | Forum |
Last updated: 9 July 2026