23 October 2020
How to check if your smart TV supports live streaming
Live sport with Showmax Pro is best viewed on a big screen – but not all smart TVs support live streaming.
The following smart TVs currently support Showmax Pro
| Brand | Product | Released | Operating system | Showmax Pro support |
| Samsung | Smart TV | 2017 & newer | Tizen 3 & higher | Yes |
| LG | Smart TV | 2014 & newer | webOS 1 & higher | Yes |
| Hisense | Smart TV | 2019 & 2020 | VIDAA U3 & U4 | Yes |
| Android (Sony, Hisense, Panasonic, JVC & more) | Smart TVs & Media Boxes | 2013 & newer | Android 4.4.0 & higher | Yes |
| Apple | Apple TV 4th Gen & Apple TV 4 | 2015 & 2017 | tvOS 12.1 & higher | Yes |
We are continuously working on adding more supported devices – for a list of devices that do not support Showmax Pro click here.
How to check your smart TV’s year
Checking what year your smart TV was released is not always simple. Here are some guidelines:
Samsung smart TV
Only Samsung smart TVs running the operating system Tizen Version 3 and higher support Showmax Pro. Tizen Version 3 was first introduced into the Samsung range in 2017. To check the year of your TV you will need to find your model code.
If you cannot find your model code on the exterior of the TV set, check your model code on-screen by pressing Menu > Support > Contact Samsung.
Model codes starting with the letter “U” look something like this: UA40M5300AKXXA.
The year is indicated by the 5th character (J,K,M,N,R,T) – see table below.
| Year code | Year | Tizen Version | Showmax | Showmax Pro | ||||
| U | A | 4 | 0 | J | 2015 | 2.3.x | Yes | No |
| U | A | 4 | 0 | K | 2016 | 2.4.x | Yes | No |
| U | A | 4 | 0 | M | 2017 | 3.x | Yes | Yes |
| U | A | 4 | 0 | N | 2018 | 4.x | Yes | Yes |
| U | A | 4 | 0 | R | 2019 | 5.x | Yes | Yes |
| U | A | 4 | 0 | T | 2020 | 5.5 | Yes | Yes |
All Q-Series (Quantum dot) models are supported – indicated by the letter “Q” in the 5th position of the model code for example: QA65Q900RBKXXA
| Year code | Year | Tizen Version | Showmax | Showmax Pro | ||||
| Q | A | 6 | 5 | Q | 2017+ | 3.x+ | Yes | Yes |
LG smart TV
All 2014 and newer LG smart TVs using the webOS operating system support Showmax Pro.
Check your TV version via the on-screen menu: Settings > General > TV Information > webOS TV version
LG smart TV models with NetCast OS unfortunately do not support Showmax Pro.
| LG Models | Released | Operating System | Showmax | Showmax Pro |
| LG Smart TV | 2011-2014 | NetCast | Yes | No |
| LG Smart TV | 2014+ | webOS | Yes | Yes |
Hisense smart TV
The latest 2019 and 2020 models of Hisense smart TVs running VIDAA U3 and VIDAA U4 operating system as well as Hisense smart TVs running Android TV do support Showmax Pro.
| Model | Name | Year | Operating System | Showmax | Showmax Pro |
| 65U8QF | 65″ LED Matrix | 2020 | VIDAA U4 | Yes | Yes |
| 55U8QF | 65″ LED Matrix | 2020 | VIDAA U4 | Yes | Yes |
| 65U7QF | 65″ 4K ULED | 2020 | VIDAA U4 | Yes | Yes |
| 55U7QF | 55″ 4K ULED | 2020 | VIDAA U4 | Yes | Yes |
| 65U7WF | 65″ 4K ULED | 2020 | VIDAA U4 | Yes | Yes |
| 55U7WF | 55″ 4K ULED | 2020 | VIDAA U4 | Yes | Yes |
| 58B7200UW | 58″ 4K UHD | 2019 | Android TV | Yes | Yes |
| 50B7200UW | 50″ 4K UHD | 2019 | Android TV | Yes | Yes |
| 2019 Models | 2019 Models | 2019 | VIDAA U3 | Yes | Yes |
You may need to update your TV firmware manually to enjoy the new functionality.
Press the settings button (it looks like a cog) on your Hisense remote. Navigate to All > About > System Update. Press Detect to get the latest TV firmware.
Update: 2019 Hisense smart TVs running VIDAA U3 now also officially support Showmax Pro.
Android TV devices
Sony, Hisense, JVC, Skyworth, Toshiba, Panasonic, TCL, Haier and many other leading television manufacturers all offer smart TV models running on Android TV OS 4.4.0 or newer. Check carefully before purchasing as these brands could also have models that use their own proprietary operating systems which do not support Showmax or Showmax Pro apps.
There are also many different media boxes available (some better than others) that run on the Android TV operating system – if it runs on Android 4.4.0 and newer, is not rooted and has decent DRM (Digital Rights Management) support, it should* support Showmax and Showmax Pro.
*We are not able to test Showmax apps on every single device on the market – so it’s best to do some research and check the above with the manufacturer before purchasing.
You can easily check the version of Android on most devices by navigating to Settings > About.
Note – this may vary from device to device.
| Code Name | Version | Released | Showmax | Showmax Pro |
| KitKat | 4.4 – 4.4.4 | Oct 2013 | Yes | Yes |
| Lollipop | 5.0 – 5.1.1 | Nov 2014 | Yes | Yes |
| Marshmallow | 6.0 – 6.0.1 | Oct 2015 | Yes | Yes |
| Nougat | 7.0 – 7.1.2 | Aug 2016 | Yes | Yes |
| Oreo* | 9.0 – 8.1 | Aug 2017 | Yes | Yes |
| Pie* | 9 | Aug 2018 | Yes | Yes |
| Android 10* | 10 | Sep 2019 | Yes | Yes |
| Android 11* | 11 | Sep 2020 | Yes | Yes |
Tip: In any Android TV device, look for the highest spec from well-known mainstream brands that run on a recent version of Android (8 or higher). The device must not be rooted and must have proper DRM support. We aren’t able to guarantee that Showmax Pro will work on every device due to the complexities of different components used by different manufacturers.
Apple TV
Apple TV devices from 2015 onwards running tvOS 12.1 do support the latest version of the Showmax app – which includes live streaming with a Showmax Pro subscription. You can easily check the version of tvOS on-screen by pressing Menu > Settings > General > About.
| Apple TV Models | Model # | Released | Showmax | Showmax Pro |
| Apple TV 4th Generation | A1625 | 2015 | Yes | Yes |
| Apply TV 4K | A1842 | 2017 | Yes | Yes |
If you have an older 2012 Apple TV (3rd Gen Model A1427 or A1469) and a mobile device that supports AirPlay, it should be possible to cast to your TV – please note we have no control over whether Apple will continue supporting AirPlay on older devices.
Other ways to enjoy Showmax Pro on a TV
Connect your computer to your TV set using a high quality HDMI cable. Showmax is supported on most popular and up-to-date web browsers like Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, Firefox and Safari.
Devices that do not support Showmax Pro
| Brand | Product | Released | OS | Showmax | Showmax Pro |
| Hisense | Smart TV | 2017-2018 | VIDAA U3 & lower | Yes | No |
| Hisense | Smart TV | 2014 – 2017 | Vewd / OperaTV | Yes | No |
| Samsung | Smart TV | 2015 – 2016 | Tizen 2.3/2.4 | Yes | No |
| LG | Smart TV | 2012 – 2014 | NetCast | Yes | No |
| PlayStation | PS4 | 2014+ | Orbis OS | Yes | No |
| XBox One | All models | 2014+ | Xbox OS | Yes | No |
| DStv Explora | All models | 2013+ | Explora | Yes | No |
| Chromecast | All models | 2008+ | Chromecast | Yes | No |
| Hisense | Laser TVs | All | VIDAA U3 & lower | Yes | No |
| Hisense | Roku TV | All | Roku TV | No | No |
| Panasonic | Smart TV | 2013 – 2017 | Firefox OX | No | No |
| Apple TV | 1st, 2nd, 3rd Generation | 2007, 2010, 2012 | tvOs 11 or lower | No | No |
| Roku | All Roku TV devices | 2008+ | Roku | No | No |
We are continuously working on adding more supported devices and we’ll update you as soon as we do.
Why Showmax Pro?
Showmax Pro is a streaming service available for Showmax subscribers in Africa that bundles the Showmax entertainment offering with music channels, news and live sports streaming from SuperSport.
Subscribers can live stream the latest seasons of the English Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, UEFA Europa and UEFA Conference leagues, as well as every game of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
The platform also offers a wide range of other live sports events including athletics, professional boxing, and the world’s biggest marathons. Visit showmax.com to learn more or to subscribe to Showmax Pro.
Join the conversation on social media by following and interacting on the below pages:
Twitter: @ShowmaxPro
Instagram: @ShowmaxPro
Facebook: @ShowmaxPro
