From time to time Sky release software updates for their Sky boxes, the main purpose of these updates is to add new features to your Sky box and/or make changes, tweaks and improvements to the look and functionality of the Sky Guide.

Software updates also contain bug fixes for issues picked up through testing and customer feedback in order to improve the usability and stability of your Sky box. They may also include “Under the Hood” changes to how your Sky box works, which correspond with changes made at Sky’s end, and are necessary to continue receiving your Sky subscription.

All Sky boxes receive their Software updates via your satellite dish from a number of different Satellite streams. There are two main types of update stream, automatic update streams and forced update streams.

• Automatic update streams are used by Sky to “push” the software update to your box in order to automatically update it.
• Forced Update Streams, known as “DR Streams”, are where your Sky box “pulls” the software from when you perform a forced update as described at the bottom of this page.

When Sky is ready to release a new major version of software to the public they do so through a controlled “rollout” process. This is in order to limit the impact on customer services as all updates generate some increase in contact to Sky. This process also limits the customer impact should there be issues with the new software.

During the rollout Sky pushes out the update to certain models of Sky box in small batches, with the number of boxes updated in the batch’s starting out relatively small. Thought the rollout Sky monitors reports of issues carefully through a verity of different channels, both within Sky and externally. The rollout process is flexible and changes based on feedback received through these channels.

If reports of issues are low, then Sky can increase the number of boxes updated in the next batch. If Sky starts to see a sharp increase in issues reported, they can decrease the number of boxes updated in the next batch or suspend the rollout while they investigate. When the next batch of boxes is updated is also flexible and can change based on feedback from the previous batches. This flexibility is the reason that Sky does not publicise a detailed rollout schedule, as dates can change frequently.

During the rollout all eligible Sky boxes will automatically receive the update at some point over a period of 2-3 months. These automatic updates typically occur on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, around 2am. However, they can also occur on other days.

During the rollout the previous “stable” version of software remains on the forced update stream (DR stream). This happens for several reasons:

• To recover from a worst case scenario in which an automatic update went wrong and corrupted the software. Sky could instruct effected customers to perform a forced software update to restore the software on the box.
• If customers experience stability issues with the new software, they can revert to the previous stable version using the forced update method.
• To enable customers to update a Sky boxes which may be running out of date software due to not being used for an extended period of time.

Towards the end of the rollout when the majority of boxes have been updated, and the software has proved itself to be reliable the DR stream will be updated with the newer version of software.

It is at this point which you can perform a forced update in order to update your box to the new software being rolled out. Performing a forced update before this point is fruitless and can actually delay your box receiving the update automatically.

The planned date for when the new software will be added to the DR stream is also not publicised as this too changes based on feedback and is always subject to a final decision on the planned day itself.

If you wish to perform a forced software update you can find all the instructions necessary to do so bellow.
There are 3 different methods of force updating Sky boxes, which one(s) you can use depends on which type of Sky box you have.