"Does Tidal work on Sony Smart TV?" Yes. Most modern Sony Smart TVs (from the X80K series to the flagship A95L OLEDs) run on Google TV (or the older Android TV OS), so they support the native Tidal app found in the Google Play Store. And today, Tidal uses Max quality (up to 24-bit/192kHz FLAC) and standardizes Dolby Atmos for immersive audio. But, Sony TV interface often default to lower quality settings to save bandwidth.
So, in this post, we are going to walk you through how to install the official Tidal app on Sony TV, change Sony system settings to enjoy HiRes Tidal audio, and provide an alternative way to play Tidal on Sony TV offline without any playback issues.
Part 1. How to Get Tidal App on Sony Smart TV Officially
There is an easy way for you to install the Tidal app on the Sony smart TV. After you get it successfully, you can access the Sony TV Tidal app for music in high quality. The detailed steps are as follows.
How to Install Tidal App on Sony Google TV (Models 2021 - Present)
Step 1. Press the Google Assistant on your Sony remote. Or, go to the Search section at the top of your TV's home screen.
Step 2. Type Tidal to search for the app and click Install.
How to Install Tidal App on Older Sony Android TVs
If you have an older Sony Bravia TV (pre-2021), you can download and install Tidal app from the Google Play Store.
Step 1. From your Sony TV's home screen, go to the Apps section and choose the Google Play Store icon.
Step 2. Search for the Tidal app and tap Install to get it on your TV.
Ensure your TV's firmware is updated, as older versions of Sony Android TV may no longer support the latest Tidal app which contains the "Max" FLAC updates.
How to Connect Tidal to Sony TV
Step 1. Once installed, open the Tidal app and you will see a 5-digit alphanumeric code on the screen.
Step 2. Go to link.tidal.com on your computer or mobile devices.
Step 3. Sign up or log in to your Tidal account.
Step 4. Enter the code displayed on your Sony TV to link it with your Tidal account. Then you start streaming Tidal on Sony TV.
Part 2. Best Sony TV Sound for Tidal Max & Dolby Atmos
Many users complain that the Tidal sounds on the Sony TV is low. This is because the Android operating system often mixes all audio to a standard 48kHz, degrading your high-res Tidal streams. To get pure Tidal Max (FLAC) and Dolby Atmos passed directly to your speakers or soundbar, you must adjust the digital output settings.
These menu paths apply to most Sony Bravia models running Google TV.
1. Enable eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel)
If you are using a soundbar or external receiver, you must use the HDMI port labeled eARC/ARC on the back of your TV. Optical cables cannot carry the full bandwidth of Dolby Atmos.
Step 1. Press the gear icon on the Sony TV's remote to go to Settings.
Step 2. Choose Display & Sound > Audio Output.
Step 3. Scroll down to eARC Mode and set it to Auto.
2. Force Audio Pass-Through
By doing this, your Sony TV will send the raw data to the sound system. This is essential for preventing the TV from downsampling your 192kHz FLAC files.
Step 1. On the Audio Output screen, scroll to Pass Through mode.
Step 2. Adjust the setting from 'Off' to Auto.
3. Digital Audio Output Settings
Step 1. Locate the Digital Audio Out option in the Audio Output section.
Step 2. Set it to Auto 1.
Auto 1 outputs compressed audio without change, which is required for Atmos metadata. Auto 2 often downmixes multi-channel content.
4. Verify in-App Quality
Step 1. Open the Tidal app on your Sony Smart TV.
Step 2. Go to Settings > Audio & Playback.
Step 3. Check if the Streaming Quality is set to Max.
Part 3. How to Play Tidal on Sony TV Offline without Buffering & App Crashes Issue Forever
The official method above seems convenient, but streaming problems happen from time to time even with the correct settings. For example, there is a bug when it will stop playing next tracks in an album or playlist, users have to start to play again manually several times. Or, the app on Sony TV not working well. Therefore, to solve these problems once and for all, we here introduce a solution that allows you to play Tidal music on Sony TV without any playback issue.
AudFree Tidal Music Converter is the right tool you'll need to make that happen. It is a professional software well-designed to download Tidal songs as MP3, AIFF, FLAC, WAV, M4A and M4B files on your computer. Adopting the advanced technology, this great tool can run at 37X speed to download music without lossing any audio quality. This way, you can fully enjoy the Max sound quality when you play Tidal on Sony smart TV offline and there will be no difference than streaming from the Tidal Sony TV app.
Furthermore, AudFree Tidal Music Converter is capable of preserving all the metadata, such as artist, year, genre, album cover, etc. You are also encouraged to customize other parameters like bit rate and sample rate for Sony TV. What's more, this software offers a free trial for both Windows and Mac computer.
AudFree Tidal Music Converter
- Download Tidal songs with zero quality loss for Sony TV
- Convert Tidal to FLAC, MP3, WAV, etc. at 37X speed
- Play Tidal on Sony TV offline without Internet connection
- Customize output settings of Tidal music, preserve ID3 tags.
Install the AudFree Tidal Music Converter for Windows or Mac on your computer. Now, let's go through the steps on how to download and convert Tidal music for offline playback on Sony smart TV.
- Step 1. Load Tidal songs to AudFree
- Launch the AudFree software and log in to your Tidal account. Find the Tidal track/album/playlist that you want to play on Sony TV, open it and tap the + icon. Then press 'Add to list' to load files nto the AudFree Tidal Music Converter.
- Step 2. Select output settings of Tidal Music
- Hit the Menu button from the upper-right corner and select 'Preferences' > Conversion, you are then directed to choose the output format for Sony TV and set other parameters, including channel, bit rate, and sample rate. Here we suggest you convert Tidal to MP3 as it's the most commonly used format. Moreover, it allows you to archive output files by album or artist
- Step 3. Convert Tidal tracks for Sony smart TV
- Press the button 'Convert' to start the conversion. The Tidal songs will be converted in batch and stored in the output folder. Once the conversion is completed, you can find them in the converted history list and locate them on computer.
- One thing you need to pay attention to is that all the converted Tidal songs should be for personal use only but not for commercial.
- Step 4. Play Tidal on Sony TV offline
- Now, all of the converted Tidal songs are stored in the output folder. You can now transfer Tidal songs to a USB drive and plug it into the Sony TV. Open the Media Player on TV to browse for the Tidal files, then you can enjoy Tidal on Sony smart TV. All the track information will be displayed when playing.
Part 4. FAQs about Tidal on Sony Smart TV
Why Is Tidal Not Working on Sony Smart TV?
This is usually caused by corrupt app cache or your Sony TV running out of memory. You can restart the TV by holding the Power button on your remote for 5 seconds to perform a full system reboot. Also, go to Tidal app's Settings > Apps > Tidal > Clear Cache to remove temporary files. Besides, you can go to Google Play Store to ensure you have the latest version of Tidal. If the app continues to crash, use AudFree Tidal Music Converter to download your Tidal songs to a USB drive and play them offline via the TV's native Media Player.
Why Does Tidal Keep Buffering or Stuttering on My Sony TV?
Tidal 'Max' quality FLAC files are large and require significant bandwidth. If your WiFi signal dips, the music will stop. So, go to Settings > Apps > Tidal > Clear Cache to free up temporary memory on your TV. Also, you can connect your Sony TV via an Ethernet cable instead of WiFi for a stable and high-speed connection.
Why Does the Tidal App Keep Crashing on My Sony Smart TV?
This is a known issue with memory (RAM) management in the Sony Android TV version of the Tidal app. Sony TVs prioritize picture processing, and will force-close background apps if they use too much memory. So, hold the Power button on your Sony remote for 5 seconds until the 'Restart' menu appears and select Restart to clear the system RAM.
View also: How to Fix Tidal Keeps Crashing
Why Am I Getting 'Network Error' or Losing Access to My Tidal Playlist on Sony TV?
This usually happens if your Tidal subscription has expired or the Tidal app is outdated. So, ensure your payment method is active. If you stop paying, you lose access immediately. Also, make sure you use the latest version of Tidal app. Or, you can use AudFree Tidal Music Converter to download your playlists as local files forever. This prevents you from ever losing access to your music due to network errors or subscription changes.
Can I Use Tidal Connect or Chromecast to Play Tidal on Sony TV?
Yes, you can cast Tidal music to Sony TV by Tidal Connect or Chromecast from your device directly. But the Chromecast may stream audio at 16-bit/44.1kHz only.
View also: How to Stream Tidal to Chromecast
Part 5. In Conclusion
Installing Tidal on a Sony TV and stream music is a direct method for users. Besides, by adjusting your TV's sound settings, you can enjoy Tidal Max and Dolby Atmos audio quality. However, Sony Tidal app's frequent buffering, crashes, or the inability to keep your music after cancelling frustrate you. So, the AudFree Tidal Music Converter remains the most robust solution for you. It can download and convert Tidal music to a permanent and high-quality offline file that works on any Sony TV, regardless of its operating system.
Miley Swift
Staff Editor
