Sony Bravia TVs and the BillionDollarArtGallery

Below are instructions for using the BillionDollarArtGallery with a Sony Bravia or Sony TV.  Sony Bravia TVs vary from model to model. Please send your TV model number for the best support response, or search our Knowledge Base for your TV's manual. 

Note: Some older Sony Bravia TVs are stamped in dark plastic near the USB port “Service Only.” This means that the USB port will not function for normal USB devices: it is only for servicing the TV.

IMPORTANT: Use the TV’s remote – NOT the cable remote. The cable remote does NOT access your USB ports.

Alternate USB Ports on External Devices:  The Roku Ultra has a USB port that DOES work well; if you have a Roku Ultra, you can use the Roku Remote.  Cable boxes with USB ports do NOT work because the USB port is only for servicing the TV.

Age of Your TV:  Sony TVs made AFTER 2013 can read USB sticks formatted for both FAT32 (files less than 2GB) and NTFS (files larger than 2GB). If your TV does not recognize your USB stick, you may need the FAT32 version. To determine the kind of USB stick you have, insert it into a computer: check the size of the “0000 Video …” file. It is 1.95GB on a FAT32 USB stick, and 5.9GB on an NTFS USB stick. If you require the FAT32 stick for an older TV, please contact BillionDollarArtGallery.

Using the Sony TV Remote 

The button in the center of the direction keys is called the “arrow” key, and is depicted in the Sony Bravia manual as

 Plug the BillionDollarArtGallery in the USB port on your Sony Bravia TV.

Play the BillionDollarArtGallery

1. Press HOME, then select → [Photos], [Music] or [Videos] → the desired USB device or media server.
2. We suggest playing the video, which is marked 0000 Video BillionDollarArtGallery  This file plays all the paintings, the music and captions so you can learn about the paintings. If you prefer not to hear the music, press the MUTE button on your remote.
3. Select files or folders to play from the list.

Additional Notes from a Sony Manual

You can enjoy photos/music/movies stored on a USB device on the TV screen.

• If the USB device connected to the TV has a power switch, turn it on.
• Press the HOME button, and select (Apps icon) from the Home menu, then select [Media Player]. If the supplied remote control has an APPS button, you can press the APPS button.
• Select the USB device name. Select the folder, and select the file to play.

Additional Notes from a Sony Bravia Manual

Photo playback automatically starts when you connect a USB storage device after turning on the TV, and you select [Slideshow] or [Thumbnail View] in the [USB Auto Start] settings. Photo files must be stored in a folder under the DCIM folder for automatic playback start. Also, the folder name under the DCIM folder is required to be a combination of 3 numerals and 5 letters (can include “_”), for example, 101MSDCF. This means that the files on the USB stick may need to be re-arranged for a Sony Bravia like this:

1. Plug the BillionDollarArtGallery into your computer.
2. Create a directory on the BillionDollarArtGallery called DCIM
3. Click on that directory and create a sub-directory called 919BDART
4. Go back to the main directory, highlight the files, cut them, and paste them into the 919BDART directory.
5. This is complex for many people. If you prefer, please send your silver BillionDollarArtGallery stick to Memsender Inc. ATTN: Sony Bravia Setup, Box 92, Titusville, NJ 08560. We will make the changes and return the product to you at no charge.

How to see the name of the painting

• You can stop the slideshow to see the name of the painting, the name of the artist, the year it was painted, and the museum where the painting can be seen.
• Press the Info key and the OK / Enter key to see the painting information at the top of the screen.
• To resume the slideshow, press the Slideshow button at the bottom of the screen, and the OK / Enter key on your remote.
• To hide the command bar at the bottom of the screen, tap on the Back key.

Every TV is slightly different. 

If you cannot get your TV to display the paintings, please submit a ticket with the make and model of your TV, and as much information as you can tell us about the problem. We will download your TV's manual and send you a procedure for your TV usually within 24 hours.

SUBMIT A SUPPORT TICKET NOW