Hopefully by now you’ve bought a smart TV or a streaming device like a Roku or Firestick in preparation for the switch to our new fiber internet service and you’ve got it working. Maybe you’ve even started watching shows on Netflix, Hulu, Peacock or some other streaming service. But in my opinion one of the best streaming services that you can access with a smart TV or streaming device is PBS Passport. With PBS Passport you can watch all of your favorite PBS shows whenever you like. If you’re a KQED member (or a member of some other PBS TV station) you can access the entire catalog.
Here’s how to do this. It’s a two-step process. (1) Activate the PBS Passport benefit from your PBS station, then (2) activate Passport on the device that you’ll be using to stream shows.
Activating the PBS Passport Benefit
First, if you’re already a KQED supporter, check to see if you’re eligible for Passport (generally requires a minimum annual donation of $60) here. If you’re in the KQED member database, you should quickly get an email with information about how to activate your PBS Passport benefit, including an activation code, which you’ll enter here. If you haven’t already created a PBS account, you may be prompted to create one. Be sure to write down the password. If you’re not a KQED member (or member of some other PBS TV station) you’ll have to become a member first. If you’re a member of KQED but your email isn’t in their database, you will probably have to contact KQED member support.
Activating PBS Passport on your TV or streaming device
Once you’ve activated your PBS Passport benefit, the next step is to associate your benefit with the PBS app on your TV. install the PBS app on your smart TV or streaming device. When you open the app, you should see a screen that prompts you to activate Passport. When you click that button, you’ll see activation instructions, including another yet another activation code (this is different from the benefit activation code mentioned in the paragraph above). Go to your laptop or tablet and navigate to this device activation page: https://www.pbs.org/activate/. Enter the activation code displayed on your TV or streaming device on this page. You’ll be prompted to log in to your PBS account. If you don’t know the password, you may have to do a password reset. Wait a few seconds after entering the activation code and your TV should return to the main PBS menu, and you should be able to play any of the videos (including those with the compass symbol that shows that it’s only available to Passport members).
Check out the impressive catalog of shows that you can watch, anytime, anywhere.
You can find more information about PBS Passport here.
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