HBO, MAX, or Showtime package - which 1 and why?

[episodic]

Ok which should I get, I can only afford 1 - which and why should I get?

 

[vi edit]

HBO has more popular (I won't use the word "better") original programming. With that being said, their programming has been so popular that they have more or less given up on any decent movies.

Cinemax is really only good for soft core porn.

Showtime seems to have a higher quality movie selection, with a programming lineup that is gaining ground on HBO.

My choice would be HBO for shows, Starz pack for movies. Depends on what you value more.

 

[Zorro]

Skinamax

 

[Aharami]

I have HBO. not many good movies. I mainly only watch Entourage.

 

[TheUnk]

My service called me up last month and offered Cinemax for $5/mo. I now see why people call it Skinamax. Probably going to cancel it.

I'd cancel my HBO/Sho too if I didn't love boxing so.

 

[Ns1]

hbo for entourage
when season is over cancel for weeds on showtime

 

[ric1287]

hbo: entourage, curb your enthusiasm, the wire

showtime: dexter, weeds

 

[FoBoT]

poll?
null, i wouldn't pay for any of those
if it is part of a deal/bundle, then i would get starz, just movies

 

[jpeyton]

HBO, easily. Their series are of another caliber entirely.

Sopranos, Entourage, Rome, The Wire, Oz, Deadwood, Six Feet Under, Curb Your Enthusiasm, etc.

Their mini-series are killer too: Band Of Brothers, From The Earth To The Moon.

You know they'll always have something great to watch in their lineup.

 

[BRObedoza]

hbo for their original series' and boxing.

 

[tw1164]

HBO: Inside the NFL

 

[DainBramaged]

Blockbuster-Through-The-Mail

 

[KeithP]

I am with DainBramaged. I tried HBO for awhile, switched to Cinemax and I now I am going to cancel that as well. My problem is that I really prefer to watch movies in their original aspect ratio. Both HBO and Cinemax crop their HD movies to fit the standard 16:9 screen. So 2:35 movies get the pan and scan treatment.

I would just put their monthly fee towards Netflix or Blockbuster and just rent what you want to watch.

-KeithP

 

[captains]

hbo

especially if you like to watch ghostbuster

 

[zinfamous]

I would go HBO--better overall selection of programming. If you're into softcore, go for cinimax or showtime. showtime has some decent stuff too, but cinimax is pretty worthless

 

[Pantoot]

Originally posted by: jpeyton
HBO, easily. Their series are of another caliber entirely.

Sopranos, Entourage, Rome, The Wire, Oz, Deadwood, Six Feet Under, Curb Your Enthusiasm, etc.

Their mini-series are killer too: Band Of Brothers, From The Earth To The Moon.

You know they'll always have something great to watch in their lineup.

Exactly...unless you want to watch a decent movie, then you are better off with Starz or showtime.

 

[DrPizza]

If you're getting it for movies, I'd simply subscribe to netflix or blockbuster. We had all the movie channels for a long time. Then, I realized I was paying simply to see the same movies over and over and over. Plus, they didn't start when I wanted them to, but at the scheduled times. So, of the 2 movies that I hadn't seen yet that I wanted to watch during the month, I'd have to really pay attention to when they were on or I'd miss them. But don't worry, if you miss a movie, it'll be on 10 times next month, and the month after that, and the month after that, and the month after that... And, 90% of the time when you flip through the 8 HBO channels (or however many there are), you'll notice that every movie is at least 5 years old, most 10 or more.

 

[jandrews]

I think people are missing on demand. On demand is like the best reason to get HBO because you can watch their series, documentaries and movies whenever you want.

 

[mugs]

If you want movies, I'd go with Netflix or Hollywood Video's MVP plan. Yeah, there are disadvantages to both of them, but at least you get to pick the movies you want to see. When I had HBO in college I rarely watched, or if I did they weren't movies that I would have picked if I was at the video store.

For original programming, HBO is great.

 

[torpid]

HBO, because it has great original programming. Showtime has dexter, but its other shows are weak, IMO.

HBO also gets better sporting events and has better sports shows.

 

[lokiju]

In all honesty. Stars is the best "movie" channel out there.

They always get the newest releases months before the rest and seem to always play a better selection also.

HBO and Encore suck for movies mostly.

I hardly ever find anything worth watching on either.

 

[dainthomas]

Originally posted by: episodic
Ok which should I get, I can only afford 1 - which and why should I get?

4.99 Netflix ftw

 

[IceBergSLiM]

Da Ali G show, john from cincinatti, entourage, sopranos, carnivale, curb your enthusiasm.....thats reason enough for hbo

plus comedy specials and good documentaries




oh and the moonlight bunny ranch!

 

[Jesus the Porkyeti]

Take HBO - Bill maher and all the others that have been mentioned.

Showtime does have weeds, dexter, Penn & Teller Bullsh!t, and This American Life though.

Btw, are they bringing back This American Life fore another season. Anyone know?

 

[Pabster]

None :laugh:

They all repeat the same garbage over and over ... There is very little original programming left on any of these networks, certainly not worth the $35 to $50 a month extra for all of them...