Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

HBOGO Activation Issues on new Apple TV

nylon

nylon

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Oct 26, 2004
1,417
1,063
Anyone having any issues activating HBO GO (not HBO NOW) on the new Apple TV? Activation on the laptop succeeds with the code but the app on the Apple TV says activation error.
 
Yep people reporting it around the world.

Major issue.

HBOGo not activating the ATV4...

They know about it and dont care.

They simply tell you to RESTORE the whole box.... 'and try that' !!!
 
Is this happening for US customers or only for those using VPN's around the world to access?
 
I activated mine using my iPhone, and it worked without issue.
 
I subscribe to HBO and showtime as standalone, but it is shocking that Siri does not search both HBO go and showtime anytime. It only searches across the paid standalone service.

Technically you can see if what you search is on there, but the actual link to watch the show you search is for the HBO now app and showtime app.
 
Users in reddit and other places are reporting the HBOgo app is now geoblocked on the ATV4 and that is why it is no longer activating!!

Seems they have defeated the SmartDNS workarounds.
 
StevenWalker said:
Users in reddit and other places are reporting the HBOgo app is now geoblocked on the ATV4 and that is why it is no longer activating!!

Seems they have defeated the SmartDNS workarounds.
Click to expand...

I'm sure the DNS providers will figure it out.
 
Not true. DNS workarounds have not been defeated. :)
I found a workaround on reddit.

You have to connect your Mac (or whatever else you use to do the activation) via a US VPN and then do the whole regular activation process on hbogo.com/activate.

No clue why it works since it doesn't really make sense but it does.
The VPN is just required for the activation of the app and not during further use.

Hope I could help you guys since I was searching the web for hours for a solution for this problem
 
pacito77 said:
Not true. DNS workarounds have not been defeated. :)
I found a workaround on reddit.

You have to connect your Mac (or whatever else you use to do the activation) via a US VPN and then do the whole regular activation process on hbogo.com/activate.

No clue why it works since it doesn't really make sense but it does.
The VPN is just required for the activation of the app and not during further use.

Hope I could help you guys since I was searching the web for hours for a solution for this problem
Click to expand...

I've been able to successfully activate by entering the code on hbogo.com/activate. However the Apple TV throws up the 'Activation Error' notice. Are you saying try to do the activation while the Apple TV is connected to the VPN through the Mac and then once activated switch back the DNS based solution?
 
No.
On the Apple TV you do everything as you did before.
The only difference is that you connect your Mac to the Internet via a US VPN for the activation. No need to connect your apple tv to the VPN.
Like I said it doesn't really make sense because it seems as if the problem would need to be fixed on the apple tv, but apparently it doesn't.
I have no idea why it works but I can tell you that it does.
 
Same boat here. Activation site says I'm good to go but I get an activation error on the Apple TV.

Tried with unblock-us DNS on the Apple TV and Tunnel Bear VPN on my Mac, still get the same error.
 
adam_vv said:
Same boat here. Activation site says I'm good to go but I get an activation error on the Apple TV.

Tried with unblock-us DNS on the Apple TV and Tunnel Bear VPN on my Mac, still get the same error.
Click to expand...

try using the Unblock-US VPN.

Thats how I did it.
 
Oh and under Settings>Accounts>iTunes and App Store>Preferences>Location United States has to be selected. That setting does not change by itself by just using an US iTunes Account.
 
Just use a vpn as if you would use it because you would want to access a otherwise geoblocked site on your mac and when you are connected go to hbogo.com/activate
You don't need to do anything out of the ordinary with the Apple TV.
No VPN on the Apple TV!
Follow the same procedure on the Apple TV as you did when you got the Activation Error.
 
Everyone is doing that, and it doesnt work.

The PC's are returning successfully activated messages, but the ATV's then return an Activation Error message.

The ATV4 is not being protected by the geoblock measures. Unless you can get the ATV4 'hidden' behind a VPN, it wont activate.
 
pacito77 said:
try using the Unblock-US VPN.

Thats how I did it.
Click to expand...

I just tried using the Unblock-US VPN. Didn't work. Do you mind either posting or sending me a PM with a step by step.

I even setup the UNBLOCK-US VPN on the mac. Then bridged the Mac VPN connection to the Apple TV so the Apple TV was using the Mac's VPN connection to the internet. Same error.
 
Last edited:
nylon said:
I even setup the UNBLOCK-US VPN on the mac. Then bridged the Mac VPN connection to the Apple TV so the Apple TV was using the Mac's VPN connection to the internet.
Click to expand...

I would like to try this.

Can you explain how I do this please?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back