Sony flat screen TVs may malfunction due to software glitch

Japan's Sony Corporation says that about 400,000 of its Bravia brand liquid crystal display (LCD) and rear-projection TVs launched last year may malfunction due to faulty software.

A Sony spokeswoman said that after 1,200 hours of use the TVs may not be able to be turned off or switched out of stand-by-mode. She said the TVs were sold in Japan, the United States, South America, China and other Asian countries.

The software for those sets receiving digital or cable broadcasts can be upgraded automatically but Sony must dispatch a person to fix those TVs that are receiving analogue signals, the spokeswoman said. She declined to comment on how much it would cost to fix the problem.

The number of TVs affected comes to about 10 percent of the 4.2 million LCD and rear-projection TVs Sony is aiming to sell in the current business year to March.

Sony has enjoyed strong sales of its Bravia brand TVs since launching them worldwide late last year, taking market share from LCD rival Sharp Corporation in the United States market during the key year-end holiday season.

Source: Media Network, Reuters

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