Vivimate is an IPTV service that doesn't carry DStv, and we don't own a DStv decoder, so none of this comes from our own trial and error. Every code name and fix below is DStv's, taken from the South African error-code pages we read on November 10, 2026and shortened into our own words. Each code in the tables links to DStv's page for it. Other DStv countries keep their own lists.
Start with the words on screen
DStv lists 35 codes, but you rarely need to memorize any of them. The message under the number usually tells you which part of the chain has failed: the account, the smartcard in the decoder, or the signal from the dish. Answer two questions and you're in the right section.
Eight codes you can clear from your phone
Only a minority of codes carry DStv's "Can be cleared online" label. On those pages a Fix error button opens DStv's Fix errors tool, which sits behind your account sign-in, and each page warns that the code may take up to 15 minutes to clear.
No browser? DStv's contact page offers two other ways in. On WhatsApp, save 060 060 3788 and type "Hello" to reach self-service. By USSD, dial *120*68584# from the number registered on your account; DStv says it can check what you owe, clear errors and reconnect packages. If a code still won't budge, live chat on DStv's website runs from 07:00 to 23:00, Monday to Sunday.
Account and subscription codes
The pattern is the same across this group: confirm the account is paid and the package active, then use Fix error. Two codes look alike but differ. E16 and E109 both say "scrambled"; E16 can be cleared online, while E109 sends you to an agent if you're paid up.
| Code | DStv's name | What to do, per DStv | Clears online |
|---|---|---|---|
| E16 | Service is currently scrambled | Services suspended or channel not in your package. Check balance and package; if both are fine, Fix error. If the channel isn't included, upgrade. | Yes |
| E17 | No Active Subscription | Reconnect an expired subscription through Self Service. If it's active, Fix error. | Yes |
| E19 | Subscription expired | Often a decoder left unused for a while, or a suspension. Check the account, then Fix error. | Yes |
| E30 | Checking the subscription status | Usually clears itself in about 5 minutes. If not, Fix error. | Yes |
| E32 | Validation in progress | Leave the remote alone. Still there after 5 minutes: Fix error. | Yes |
| E33-0 | Notification | Subscription being confirmed; normally resolves by itself. If it lingers, Fix error or chat to an agent. | Yes |
| E42 | Parental Control lock | Enter the PIN. Forgotten it? Reset it with Fix error. | Yes |
| E18 | Channel is not available | Channel blocked for a while; should return within 30 minutes. If not, chat to an agent. | No |
| E109 | Channel currently scrambled | Check package and balance. If the channel is included and you're paid up, chat to an agent; if not, upgrade. | No |
| E100 | Smartcard validation failed | Decoder unused for a long time. Check the account, then chat to an agent. E101 carries the same name. | No |
When the fix is "upgrade", remember the package names changed on September 17, 2026. Compact is now DStv Sports, Family is DStv Select and Access is DStv Starter. The current options run from DStv Starter at R99 a month on DStv Stream (R150 with a decoder) to DStv Premium at R979 with a decoder, per DStv's article dated September 8, 2026; our DStv packages and prices page has every row.
Smartcard codes
Most of this group shares one routine from DStv: switch off at the plug, take the card out, wipe it gently with a soft, dry cloth, put it back with the chip facing down, and power on. If the code survives that, DStv sends you to a service centre or agency to have the decoder and card tested. E107 is the exception that clears online, because it's about pairing rather than contact.
| Code | DStv's name | What to do, per DStv | Clears online |
|---|---|---|---|
| E04 | Please insert smartcard | Power off at the plug, remove the card, wipe it with a soft dry cloth, reinsert chip down, power on. Still there: service centre or agency. | No |
| E05 | Unknown Smartcard | Make sure it's a valid card for this decoder; clean and reinsert. Then contact DStv. | No |
| E06 | Smartcard Failure | Wait 30 seconds. Then power off, clean and reinsert the card; service centre if it persists. E07, Checking Smartcard, is its twin. | No |
| E107 | Smartcard Error | Wrong card, or card not paired. Confirm the card, then Fix error to re-pair. | Yes |
| E120 | Synchronization in progress | Keep the decoder on; usually done in about 5 minutes. | No |
| E600 | Validation in Progress | Allow up to 15 minutes; if it stays, take the decoder to a MultiChoice branch or agent. | No |
Signal and dish codes
These point outside the house. For E48-32, DStv's first suggestion is simply to check the weather, and it reminds you that DStv Stream, BoxOffice and Showmax still work while the dish is rained out. If the weather is fine, the routine is a cable check and a power cycle of at least 10 seconds at the wall. For the overload codes DStv prefers an accredited installer, and on E73 it warns that a do-it-yourself fix can make things worse.
| Code | DStv's name | What to do, per DStv | Clears online |
|---|---|---|---|
| E48-32 | Weather | Rain or storms. If the sky is clear, check dish cables, switch off at the wall for at least 10 seconds, switch on. | No |
| E48 | Searching for Signal | Weather, cables, connections or dish alignment. Same cable check and 10-second power cycle; then chat to an agent. | No |
| E38 | Service is not available | Loose cables or a misaligned dish. Switch off, push cables firmly into the right inputs, switch on. E39 has the same name. | No |
| E73 | TV link overload | Call a DStv accredited installer; DStv warns against fixing it yourself. | No |
| E74 | LNB1 overload | Switch off, check dish cabling into the correct inputs, switch on; then an accredited installer. E75 is LNB2. | No |
The rest of the list
- E37, invalid channel number: the channel may have ended. Reboot and rescan, then press TV and choose My Channels.
- E70, service not available for viewing: the channel only plays on TV1, the main TV, not on TV2.
- E43: the channel isn't available for your country. Chat to an agent if you think it should be.
- By name only, from the index: E45 Service not allowed, E50 No Services Available, E71 Song title and artist not available, E72 Rescan in progress, E106 Notification, E118 Channel can't be viewed and E33-4 Insert correct Smartcard. Open each on DStv's list for the steps.
DStv Stream app messages
The app has its own vocabulary. "Streaming limit reached", per DStv's page on streaming on more than one device, means every stream your subscription allows is already playing, or you've gone past the limit of 4 linked devices. Close a stream, or remove a device under More, Settings, Manage Devices, and give it about 5 minutes before starting on the new one.
If the app stopped working altogether, DStv's FAQ "Why has my DStv Stream App stopped working?" says it regularly tightens security to comply with its rights agreements, which can shut out devices that don't keep up, and the cure is to install the newest version from your app store. More on the app itself is in our DStv Stream guide.
If you're in the US or Canada
A blank DStv app in North America isn't a code to clear. DStv's app FAQ says that outside African countries with DStv there will be no content available, because its content rights don't allow it. None of the steps above change that, and we don't suggest ways around it. Our DStv overview explains where the service plays.
Where Vivimate fits
These codes have nothing to do with Vivimate, which is a separate IPTV subscription and doesn't carry DStv or SuperSport. For problems with IPTV apps, our guide to channels that won't load is the closer match. If you're in the US or Canada, the 24-hour free trial needs no card and lets you search the guide before paying; we don't promise any particular channel. Plans are prepaid, with no auto-renewal: 1 Month for $19.99 ($31.98 for two devices), 3 Months for $29.99 ($47.98 for two devices), 6 Months for $39.99 ($63.98 for two devices) and 12 Months plus 2 free for $69.99 ($111.98 for two devices). A first purchase has a 7-day refund window when a service problem you report can't be fixed, per our refund policy. IPTV is a legal technology; the seller's rights are what count, as our page on IPTV and the law explains. We don't publish the rights agreements behind our channels.
Frequently asked questions
What does E16 mean on DStv?
DStv names E16 "Service is currently scrambled": either your services are suspended or the channel isn't in your package. Check your balance and package first. If both are fine, use the online Fix error tool and allow up to 15 minutes; if the channel isn't included, DStv's answer is an upgrade.
How do I fix E48-32 on DStv?
E48-32 is DStv's weather code: rain and storms can interrupt the satellite signal. If the weather is clear, DStv says to check the dish cables are properly connected to the decoder, switch the decoder off at the wall, wait at least 10 seconds and switch it on.
Which DStv error codes can be cleared online?
On the detail pages we read, eight carry DStv's "Can be cleared online" label: E16, E17, E19, E30, E32, E33-0, E42 and E107. Each says the code may take up to 15 minutes to clear. Smartcard and signal codes generally need hands-on steps instead.
How can I clear a DStv error without a computer?
DStv's contact page lists WhatsApp self-service on 060 060 3788 (start with "Hello") and the USSD code *120*68584#, dialled from the number registered on your account, which it says can clear errors. Live chat runs 07:00 to 23:00, Monday to Sunday.
Why does DStv show no content in the USA?
DStv's app FAQ says that outside African countries with DStv there will be no content available, because its content rights don't allow it. That's a rights limit, not a fault the error steps can fix, and we don't suggest ways around it.
Sources
All read November 10, 2026.
- DStv South Africa: Error codes index, and the detail pages linked in the tables above
- DStv: Contact us and Streaming DStv on more than one device
- DStv help: Why has my DStv Stream App stopped working? and What is the DStv Stream App?
- DStv news: New DStv Packages: Everything changing, dated September 8, 2026 (package names and prices)
Couldn't read: the Fix errors screen itself, which needs a DStv account, and any DStv list of numbered error codes for the DStv Stream app. We didn't open the detail pages of E07, E33-4, E39, E45, E50, E71, E72, E75, E101, E106 and E118 today, so those appear by name or as the twin of a code we did read.
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