Sky Glass smart TVs have broken en masse, apparently after a botched update.
Users have found that their Sky televisions simply refuse to turn on, after automatically downloading the update.
But there is a relatively simple fix that brings the TVs back to life.
The problems are also affecting Sky Stream, the pucks that can be plugged into other TVs.
Both Glass and Stream represent Sky’s move into providing its programming over the internet, rather than through the satellite and dishes that gave the company its name.
Sky Glass provides that into a TV that integrates the company’s software tightly. Though it can also take external inputs, users navigate through Sky’s own menus.
The TVs already receive software updates straight from Sky. They are automatically downloaded and then installed, without the owner having to do anything.
Usually, that means new features will appear when the TV is switched on. This time around, however, it seems to have been wrongly applied – leaving some TVs unable to switch on at all.
“We are sorry that some Sky Glass and Stream customers are currently experiencing issues when trying to switch on their devices,” a Sky spokesperson said.
Sky advised customers to “manually restart” to fix the issue, referring them to a full guide to doing so on its website.
It is done by turning off the TV at the mains, and then pressing and holding the standby button that is found at the bottom right hand side of the TV. While holding that button, the TV should be switched on – and then the button can be un-pressed when the LEDs flash, which might take 20 seconds.
The Sky TV should then complete a recovery process that should bring it back to life. That could take up to 15 minutes on slower internet connections.
The TV should then run its owner through a setup process that will bring the TV back online.