BT TV Pro box - will it receive firmware updates if no longer a BT TV customer?

[PeteB]

Long story short, I took out BT TV a few weeks ago and received a BT TV Pro box. Decided that Now TV didn't give me anything I wanted so cancelled within the 14 day cooling off period. I was aware that I'd need to return my box else I'd be charged for it.

Since my old BT Youview 4000 box is being temperamental, I searched online to see what I could buy to replace it. Not much it seems. I could buy a BT TV Pro box off eBay but prices are higher than the £125 BT will charge me if I don't return it. I called CS saying I'd be happy to pay BT for this box, and they said I could. However, I was also told it's life would be limited since it wouldn't get updated. I am still a BT Broadband customer though.

So can anybody confirm whether this is infact true please? Not much point buying it if I won't be able to download any future firmware updates. Thanks in advance.

[Brucemeister5 · Accepted solution]

I can confirm that what you’ve been told is completely incorrect. I bought a Pro tv box off eBay before we took out a BTTV subscription and we use that box to record Freeview channels and to use the apps on it. We use our subscription box to watch and record our subscription channels. BOTH of our boxes receive all of the updates.

[Les-Gibson]

I'm not so sure that's entirely true.

A friend of mine has one of the old T2100 boxes and is not a BT customer so he doesn't receive automatic updates but recently, when it was playing him up, I was able to perform a manual update on it from the settings menu.

[Brucemeister5]

@Les-Gibson Ok, that may be due to your friend not being a BT customer. The OP has stated that they intend to remain with BT Broadband. 

[Les-Gibson]

@Brucemeister5 

Understood but if a non BT customer can receive manual updates then why would a BT customer not be able to, that wouldn't make sense.

[PeteB]

Thank you for your responses guys. I couldn't for the life of me understand why I wouldn't be able to perform manual updates even if automatic ones did stop being sent to it.  

[Les-Gibson]

The only proviso I would add is that, unlike the 2100, perhaps the software on the BT TV Pro box prevents manual updates under such circumstances. You won't know for sure until you try but if you do (try) I'd be interested to hear the outcome either way

[PeteB]

Hi Les,

I've been advised in a PM, that someone who bought a BT TV Pro box from a shop around a year ago, does get the updates.

[Les-Gibson]

Great news, thanks for sharing it