Great customer service (unfortunately you'll need it)
Good picture quality (except on fast-paced sporting events)

BUGGY SOFTWARE CODE!!! Garbled audio and timer doesn't work.
Noisy picture on certain types of programming.
Painfully slow menus.

I did a lot of research before buying this unit and a B-50 as a secondary receiver. Unfortunately, sometimes even with all the research you end up making a bad decision and this was one of those times. The unit has a nice menu system with a picture-in-picture program guide, but unfortunately this requires a lot of processing power and the menus are painfully slow to react to user inputs. I will say that the unit has a nice picture, but if you're a sports fan be careful as the picture tends to get very noisy with fast action motion (I've especially noticed it on basketball broadcasts). The real problem with these units is the software bugs. On both the A-50 & B-50 receivers there is a bug in the event timer code which results in the timer not working most of the time. The behavior is very random, it will work for 2-3 weeks at a time and then decide to take a vacation for a month or so. Sony is aware of the problem and has been working on a fix since April, and apparently the bug has carried over into the newer A-55 & B-55 models. Another bug, which has reared its ugly head only on the A-50, is an audio asynchronization which causes the sound to become completely garbled occasionally. The only way to correct the problem is to change channels and then change back, thereby forcing the audio to re-synchronize. Unfortunately, when you've left the unit on a particular channel to record (because you have to since the timer doesn't work), when you watch the recording you'll often discover that the audio had gone out prior to the time of the recording. Consequently, the recording is useless as the audio is incomprehensible. Sony is also aware of this problem and has a fix for it, but unfortunately since the units are outside of the 3 month warranty they wanted $45 to exchange the defective A-50 for the audio problem. Well, instead of doing this I got tired of waiting for a fix for the timer problem so I took them up on an offer to exchange both the A-50 & B-50 for A-4s, which is the last model they manufactured that didn't have the timer bug. I've got to admit that their customer service has been great, they shipped me two A-4s and a pre-paid UPS 2nd day airbill for return shipping. I just swapped out the units, put the defective ones back in the boxes, and called UPS for a pickup. Unfortunately, one of the A-4s they sent is also defective! Very bad pixellation on certain channels that is not evident on the other receiver and which was never present with the old units. So I'm waiting for another A-4 as I type this. Overall, great customer support but unfortunately you're going to need it with this piece of garbage!! Take my advice and buy a Hughes (I wish I would have). Without a doubt, the most frustrating piece of consumer electronics equipment I have ever owned.

Similar Products Used:

RCA 1st Generation DSS
Hughes 2nd/3rd generation low-end receiver

Ok picture.
The index guide shows channel icons with current channel in a subwindow.

Bad sound, Slow guide update, Ignores remote and Tivo, Loses signal for no reason, buzzing power supply, runs red hot. Remote code conflict with Sony VCR.

I bought the A55 because I have been very happy with other Sony equipment, I believed the Audio King salesman, and I wanted Dolby digital sound. I should have read the reviews.

The picture quality is OK. I have not noticed the red pixelization that others have complained about.

The index guide works well. It displays a table of logo's and as you move the cursor over the logo, it tells you what is showing on that channel. You can browse the index while
watching/listening to the original channel in a small window.

Everything else about the A55 is bad.

The channel guide [time/channel grid style] is insanely slow, constantly waiting for satellite info. It can take 5 minutes to scroll the guide ahead 24 hours.

When I subscribed to DirecTV local channels, the sound would get tinny or distorted beyond recognition. Changing channels or power cycling the A55 fixed it temporarily. When I started recording with TiVo, 25% of my recordings would have bad sound. Sony said they knew about the problem and would let me know if they ever figured out how to fix it. They refused to exchange the unit because it was a design problem. After I canceled DirecTV local channels, I rarely experienced the bad sound.

Periodically, the A55 starts saying "searching for satellite", but when I change the channel up and back to the same channel, the problem goes away. (I'll see if swapping LNBs will fix this after the snow melts off my roof).

The A55 stops listening to the remote and the DSS serial port when it is busy or when it is reporting "Searching for satellite". That causes it to miss the TiVo channel change request, so TiVo records the wrong channel. That happens two ro three times a month.

The sound chirps when you change channels.

The power supply has a high pitched buzz sometimes. I think it buzzes when tuned to odd numbered transponders.

The A55 is poorly vented, so it runs very hot. It needs a fan or more ventilation slots. I moved it out of my stereo cabinet to keep it cooler, but then the power supply buzz is louder.

The IR code that the A55 uses for channel+, is the same code that my Sony VCR uses for fast forward and there is no way to change the IR ID for the VCR or the A55. So if TiVo is recording from the A55 while I am watching a video tape,
what gets recorded on TiVo skips to different channels each time I FF the VCR. I am forced to use RF mode, but then I cannot use my universal remote to control the A55.

The final indignity is that I bought the A55 for the DD sound, but then I discover that very few movies are transmitted in Dolby Digital and most movies are DD 2.0, not the 5.1 I expected. I can't blame Sony for that problem.

great picture and sound.

no jump loop feature.

sony a55 DD receiver has overheating problems. that's why you will have picture break up. you need to mod the box with a high powered fan from the right side. then you will get sufficiant airflow to the ic's and power supply. and there you have it, a awesome visual and listening experience. i give it a 4 .5 with the mod of course. without the mod it gets a 0.

Similar Products Used:

sony B3 dss receiver

Great picture. And great sound - when it works!

Tinny, buzzing sound happens about once a day. The only way to get rid of it is to cycle the power, or change channel. If you're recording something - tough...

Do not buy this satellite receiver!!! I've gone through three, all of which had the same problem - a buzzing, tinny sound that would occur anywhere from once a day (currently) to once a week. The only way to get back to normal sound is by changing the channel or cycling the power; so if you're recording something, you're stuck.

I've made multiple calls to Sony customer service, who now agree that there is a problem with this model. They're no longer building or shipping the A55, if that tells you anything; and the recent "broadcast fix" that they tried to implement with DirecTV has failed dismally (I confirmed this with them yesterday). So I'll be trading in my unit for a different brand, which is a pity since Sony usually makes great products.

Compact size, Dolby Digital

Picture clarity, sound problems, slow menu response time, poor customer service,etc.

I purchased this untit for the size and Dolby Digital. I sincerely wish I had done some research even though when I purchased it this model was fairly new. At first it kept shutting off. When I called customer service they continuously had me disconnect the AC line cord and remove the access card. They also had me get a new card which did nothing. After about 5 times, and only after my insistence that something else was wrong, they agreed to replace the unit with another.

Unfortunately, this was just the beginning of my disappointment. This unit may be small, but what a pig! It is so slow when scrolling through the program guide it will drive you crazy. The picture quality isn't even close to my old RCA. For some strange reason whenever I am on the FOX channel sound eventually switches to the rear speakers and when I swith to a lower channel, like 204, the sound is garbled. To clear this I have to swith to 203 and then back to 204. I strongly suspect the Sony and not my Denon AVR 2700 as it never did this with the RCA. I was very pressed for space and at the time this fit the cabinet. However, I miss my old RCA

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RCA DRD102RW

Preview during guide displays

Failure to lock on audio (the "tinny" fault); incredibly slow, inexplicable guide searches; runs hot; what they said

Bought my first A50 for the 5.1 digitial (I have a TA-E9000ES)and was relatively pleased. Then had a lightning hit. Took forever to talk to someone at sony who knew where to send it, another three weeks to tell me it was fried. Insurance paid for a replacement.

Have since added local channels and the premium channels and have recently noticed the "tinny" effect happening more and more often. This seems to happen when the digital audio fails to lock on properly. My system switches autmatically to analog, where the tinny audio shows up. In digital, there are interruptions in the audio about every 14 seconds - drive ya nuts! Especially common on HBO channels, where they may have a decoding glitch. Channel 501 "Six feet under" is almost unusable.

Had the same IR interference problem with Sony VCR ffwd commands - oops, there goes the DBS channel! Expecially annoying while trying to program the VCR, where you need many hits on the ffwd button. Gave the VCR (2 months old) away.

I've had the TA-E9000ES hi-end AV pre-amp for about a year, a 53" sony TV, a 27" Wega TV for 1-2 years - great products. I have a RMAV2000 univeral remote which won't learn commands from the newer VCR's. These last experiences are turning sony into a four-letter word at my house. TV's are great, the rest of their stuff sucks.

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RCA

Good Picture Quality

Really Bad Audio Problems
Very Bad Audio Problems..and worse Customer Support

In the one year since I had the A-50 and B-50, the first A-50 unit went south with a loss of transponder problem. For $90 Sony sent me a rebuilt unit..which had intermittant audio problems. The audio problems are now more frequent, so before the warranty died, I called about an exchange (on their dime). As of today I have been WAITING 3 WEEKS for a "call back" to discuss my problem. No manner of supervisor has been able to speed up the process..and they don't really seem to care. I'm trying to hook up a home theater system which I am getting for Xmas, but don't want to be counting on this A-50 unit as my audio source. Needless to say, I bought a Yamaha receiver rather than a Sony. I am very disappointed with the equipment..but more so with the lack of support. The refesh rate of the programming grid is very slow and much to frequent for a channel changer like me.. I don't have a handle on what to recommend, but the A-50 is NOT the way to go. It doesn't sound like the A-55 is any better.

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B-50

Menu Structure

Audio and picture

I bought my original A50D about 8 months ago. From the start, I was disappointed in the video quality. My picture would often times seem blocky even with a signal strength in the low 80s. Shortly after having the unit, I would get occasions when the audio and video were out of synch. If I power cycled the unit, the problem went away. Sony eventually replaced that unit. But with the replacement unit, I would get the audio distortion that some of you mentioned. Changing channels solved the problem. After several calls to Sony, they finally admitted that it was a known issue with some units and they were working on the problem. They said they would replace my unit once they had a fix. After about 4 months, I contacted them to see if they resolved the issue. It was still an unresolved, so they offered to buy my unit back for full price. I sent them the unit about two weeks ago and purchased a Mitsubishi Dolby Digital unit. I received my chech from Sony yesterday for $150.

The Mitsubishi is awesome. The picture quality difference is amazing. I miss Sony's preview option in the guide, but have gotten use to life without it. I have been told that Hughes makes the units for Mitsubishi, so I would assume similar performance from them.

I was extremely disappointed with Sony, but at least they rectified the problem. I have a Sony TV, DVD, VCR and camcorder and have never had any issues with them.

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Mitsubishi

Crisp clean picture

Burned up my HU card!

I should have come here first.

I thought I would upgrade from the low-end Hughes Silver
receiver to the Sony SATA55 to get Dolby Digital and UHF
remote.

I experienced one of these receivers in my previous
apartment complex which had a MATV/DirecTV setup. IT worked
perfectly in the nice air-conditioned apartments.

When I moved I ended up with the free install offer
and got a perfectly fine Hughes setup. After getting
the new cabling done I got the Sony for the main room and stuck the Hughes in the bedroom. The Sony worked just fine
up until the summer when the inside temperatures started
to reach 85-90 degrees on the hot days. The receiver runs HOT HOT and would "lose" the access card becuae it was warping inside the unit. Finally the HU card just gave up and fried. Strangely the receiver still works.

I would AVOID THIS UNIT if you're considering it and live in
a place you cant keep cool.

Circuit City has a 30-day return/exchange policy on DirecTV equipment. This receiver started baking about that time. So dealing with Sony required a credit card deposit and a RMA to get a refurb unit. Needless to say I'm pissed and will be shopping around for another DD receiver when I can offload the replacement Sony.

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Hughes "Silver" receiver

Great remote, great picture, dolby digital.

Menu is a little slow.

I bought my SAT-A55 a few months ago and love this thing! I have not had any of the problems mentioned below and I can even change the channel on my receiver when I'm out by my pool. The remote is great if you want to distribute your signal to multiple televisions. Maybe I got lucky but for the price I paid, it is more than worth it.

The menu is a little slower than I'm used to. If you want fast menus get an RCA. But at least in my case, the SAT-A55 is far superior to the four previous receivers I've used.

Similar Products Used:

RCA, Mitsubishi, Hughes