4 June 2020

Your guide to Showmax and the DStv Explora

Are you a DStv customer? Did you know that DStv Premium subscribers get Showmax for no extra cost?

That means unlimited access to the thousands of movies, series, kids’ shows and documentaries on Showmax without paying a cent extra.

Compact, Compact Plus, Family and Access subscribers in South Africa get Showmax for only 50% of the full cost.

All you have to do to access these deals is subscribe to Showmax by adding it to your DStv account.

Did you know that you can also watch Showmax on the Explora? Here, we answer your most frequently asked questions about Showmax and the DStv Explora: how and why to use them together.

What do I need to get Showmax on my DStv Explora?

You need to live in South Africa, Kenya or Nigeria.
Your Explora needs to be connected to the internet.
You need an uncapped connection of at least 10Mbps for the best quality picture, with 2Mbps being the absolute minimum speed. (Visit dstv.com/GetConnected and select “Connected DStv Explora” for detailed instructions.)
You need a DStv subscription as well as a Showmax subscription.

If you are a DStv subscriber without a Showmax subscription, sign up here.

How do I get Showmax on my DStv Explora?

First, make sure your Explora is connected to the internet. To find out how, visit dstv.com/getconnected and select “DStv Connected Explora” from the slider in the middle of the page.

For older Explora models

To access Showmax on your Explora, push the blue DStv button on your remote.
Then scroll to Watch Now and select Showmax.
Select the show you’d like to watch and press OK, and then click Watch Now.
You will now be on the Sign In screen.

For the latest Explora

Press the Showmax button on your remote.
Then hit the PROFILE button on your remote to get to the Sign In screen.

There are two ways to sign into Showmax on your Explora: by using the link, or by scanning the QR code.

Using the link:

Use your smartphone, tablet, PC or laptop to go directly to showmax.com/link in your browser.
Sign into Showmax.
Enter the unique code you’ll see on your TV screen – you have 15 minutes to do this before the code expires.
Get streaming!

Using the QR code:

Scan the QR code with your smartphone camera to open the website.
Sign into Showmax.
Enter the unique code you’ll see on your TV screen – you have 15 minutes to do this before the code expires.
Get streaming!

If you would prefer to sign in using your username and password, simply press the HELP key on your remote when the sign-in screen featuring the code launches on your TV.

How do I add Showmax to my DStv account if I’m already a Showmax subscriber?

Now that you’re all set up to watch Showmax directly from your DStv Explora, you’ll want to add it to your monthly DStv account. If you’re a DStv Premium subscriber, there is no cost for Showmax. DStv Compact, Compact Plus, Family and Access subscribers in South Africa get Showmax for R49, while in Kenya and Nigeria, DStv Compact and Compact Plus subscribers get Showmax for 50% of the standard cost (DStv Family, Access and EasyView subscribers in Nigeria and Kenya pay full price for Showmax but can add their Showmax bill to their DStv account for convenience).

In South Africa:

Go to www.showmax.com and sign in.
Go to Manage Account and click on Manage Subscription.
Choose the standard plan.
Select “DStv add to account” as your payment method.
Enter your South African ID number.
Confirm your mobile phone number. A one-time pin (OTP) will be SMSed to this number to verify your account.
Enter the OTP and accept the T&Cs. Your entire family can start watching Showmax on up to 5 devices.
Get watching!

In Kenya and Nigeria:

Go to Easy.dstv.com
Click on “My Account” and sign in to Easy platform.
Click on “Go to Showmax” and sign up for Showmax.
You will be automatically redirected to the voucher capture screen where the activation code is pre-populated, press submit.
Accept billing and click “yes”.
Your subscription is now successful, you can start watching Showmax!

And now you’re A for away!

Note that only South African, Kenyan and Nigerian subscribers can get Showmax on their DStv Explora and add Showmax to their DStv account.

Why should I get Showmax on my DStv Explora?

Sign up for Showmax to access thousands of movies, series, kids’ shows and doccies. Binge your DStv favourites from the beginning, or watch the many excellent shows that are first on Showmax or exclusive, such as HBO’s Succession and the latest seasons of Ray Donovan.
With the Explora, watch all this on your big-screen TV – you won’t need to crouch over your laptop or sacrifice screen size by watching on your mobile or tablet (although this is great when you’re on the go!)
Once you’ve signed up, watch on two devices simultaneously – while you’re watching the latest doccie, the kids can be watching Paw Patrol in another room.
You don’t need a smart TV or TV box, Apple TV or Chromecast device – using the Explora, you can watch Showmax on the TV you currently have.
However, certain Showmax features are currently not supported on the DStv Explora. These include: add to or view Watchlist, Recently Watched, Continuous Play, Resume Playback and Downloads.