HBO NOW available NOW!

[Grooveriding]

There has only been one post up until now that has laid any sort of judgment on Apple. Other than that all I've seen is the usual butthurt from Apple users who allow themselves to also become devoted fans that take offense at anything that seems negative towards the company.

If it's hard to see why people wouldn't be happy that this service is locked to Apple devices for three months then that's your problem. Most consumers don't use Apple, so don't be so shocked at the reaction to the 3 month lock-in

 

[JSt0rm]

There has only been one post up until now that has laid any sort of judgment on Apple. Other than that all I've seen is the usual butthurt from Apple users who allow themselves to also become devoted fans that take offense at anything that seems negative towards the company.

If it's hard to see why people wouldn't be happy that this service is locked to Apple devices for three months then that's your problem. Most consumers don't use Apple, so don't be so shocked at the reaction to the 3 month lock-in

Its the worst thing that's ever happened to anyone ever.

 

[Red Storm]

Maybe it has to do with security measures or something else like apple paying them a pile of $$$$ to make hbo now in the first place. Buy a apple tv. It costs as much as a decent dinner.

I have a work issued iPhone 6+, so I'm already good to go.

I totally understand people not liking the exclusivity. HBO Now was all about breaking the exclusivity of HBO with cable. So HBO is advertising this to cord cutters but it's still tied down (for now), just to a different cord.

It's not the end of the world, it's just annoying.

 

[Rakehellion]

I'm watching a movie in my web browser and it isn't even in high definition. Lame.

 

[zinfamous]

Need an apple device to use it?

Guess I'll just borrow GOT from my buddy then. No money for you HBO, hope it was worth it.

This service was first announced at Apple's most recent circle jerk tech rollout event that they do. whatever it's called....you know that annual one where they talk about how important their shit is, when it really doesn't do anything.

Anyhoo, it was always planned for an Apple-only service for a short time, then all devices after that. I think 3 months or longer? Probably whenever the current season of GoT is over.

 

[zinfamous]

HBO has a ridiculously high percentage of quality content. My cable company charges $16 for HBO, so $15 isn't bad at all.

And having no cable makes this a no-brainer. I currently have internet + basic cable + HBO
(by the way, did you know that "basic cable" today means: network TV...through your cable box? lol--holywhatthefuck! Comfuck have completely redefined what cable means. They actually charge you for FREE channels if you go the "basic cable" route. No TBS, or TNT, or CNN, or ESPN, etc. You know...the actual cable channels. I literally get more channels--and HD--through my antenna than through the shit basic cable they send me--SD, obviously)

anyway, when this goes live to real devices, I'll definitely be dropping the basic + HBO service and picking up HBONOW...assuming it isn't as shitty as HBOGO; which works on Chromecast only during a blood moon and on the 6th hour after the fifth cycle of a virgin Astralarian's letting ceremony.

 

[bunnyfubbles]

This service was first announced at Apple's most recent circle jerk tech rollout event that they do. whatever it's called....you know that annual one where they talk about how important their shit is, when it really doesn't do anything.

Anyhoo, it was always planned for an Apple-only service for a short time, then all devices after that. I think 3 months or longer? Probably whenever the current season of GoT is over.

yup, pretty much. 3 months = ~13 weeks, GOT starting up this coming weekend, then airing until its 10 eps are done so if you want legal access to watch GoT with the rest of the world you have to get HBO NOW right now, through iTunes.

 

[Rakehellion]

There's Game of Thrones, Vice TV, some standup, and a few movies. None of this is all that interesting to me. I'll probably cancel before the trial is up.

 

[Ichinisan]

... "basic cable" today means: network TV...through your cable box? lol--holywhatthefuck! Comfuck have completely redefined what cable means.

As far as I know, "basic" has always meant "local broadcast + shopping networks + local cable access channels" -- at least in my area with Charter and NuLink. The one that includes cable networks (MTV, Discovery, etc) was usually called "Expanded Basic."

NuLink renamed "Expanded Basic" to "Digital" during an all-digital transition over 1 year ago.

Before digital transition
Basic - all channels under 20 and the HD versions of those channels
Expanded Basic - all channels under 100 and the HD versions of those channels
Digital Basic - all channels under 200 and the HD versions of those channels
Digital Premium packages - HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, Starz, etc (200s, 300s, 400s, ...)

After digital transition
Basic - all channels under 20 and the HD versions of those channels
Digital - all channels under 100 and the HD versions of those channels
Digital Plus - all channels Under 200 and the HD versions of those channels
Digital Premium packages - HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, Starz, etc (200s, 300s, 400s, ...)

They actually charge you for FREE channels if you go the "basic cable" route. No TBS, or TNT, or CNN, or ESPN, etc. You know...the actual cable channels. I literally get more channels--and HD--through my antenna than through the shit basic cable they send me--SD, obviously)

Yeah. Local broadcast stations actually benefit from cable / satellite helping them redistribute the same signal they broadcast over-the-air for free (more viewers = higher ad revenue). However, these broadcast networks somehow convinced lawmakers to enact something called "retransmission consent" -- which allows them to extort per-subscriber fees from every subscription TV provider. It's a big part of the reason TV costs are increasing so rapidly.

QUOTE=zinfamous;37314664anyway, when this goes live to real devices, I'll definitely be dropping the basic + HBO service and picking up HBONOW...assuming it isn't as shitty as HBOGO; which works on Chromecast only during a blood moon and on the 6th hour after the fifth cycle of a virgin Astralarian's letting ceremony.[/QUOTE]
I'm betting it will be pretty much the same as HBO GO on Chromecast. On my Apple TV, HBO GO works very well.

 

[Mixolydian]

Still too expensive...if it was $5/month or even $10/month I'd get it. But their current price isn't really any cheaper than I can get from the cable co.

 

[CZroe]

And having no cable makes this a no-brainer. I currently have internet + basic cable + HBO
(by the way, did you know that "basic cable" today means: network TV...through your cable box? lol--holywhatthefuck! Comfuck have completely redefined what cable means. They actually charge you for FREE channels if you go the "basic cable" route. No TBS, or TNT, or CNN, or ESPN, etc. You know...the actual cable channels. I literally get more channels--and HD--through my antenna than through the shit basic cable they send me--SD, obviously)

For most of my life TBS has been an Atlanta-area broadcast station kinda like WGN is also broadcast in Chicago. In recent years they switched to cable-only, which what they already were to the vast majority of the world anyway. The broadcast station became some throw-away independent station playing reruns of Bonanza all the time (probably still owned by Turner)

 

[CZroe]

Can the OP please edit to mention that it's only Apple exclusive for the first three months? Way too many people seem to be dismissing this forever based on the assumption that it is Apple exclusive for the foreseeable future.

I don't own an iOS device and I'm not going to buy one just to watch GoT. So sue me.

So wait three months for the exclusivity to expire. Sheesh.

 

[ch33zw1z]

pft, apple exclusive.

arrr.

http://help.hbonow.com/app/answers/...sion/L3RpbWUvMTQyODU4MjAxNy9zaWQvU3NqeExxam0=

read the faqs, if you have a pc that qualifies, then watch it on that.

i'll be more interested when there's a roku app.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Still too expensive...if it was $5/month or even $10/month I'd get it. But their current price isn't really any cheaper than I can get from the cable co.

the point is that you don't have to spend $100+ with the cable company just to get the package that has HBO.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Can the OP please edit to mention that it's only Apple exclusive for the first three months? Way too many people seem to be dismissing this forever based on the assumption that it is Apple exclusive for the foreseeable future.

So wait three months for the exclusivity to expire. Sheesh.

lol...people are allowed to be unhappy about Apple exclusive products.

 

[cbrunny]

Not in Canada!

 

[ch33zw1z]

vpn, son.

 

[CZroe]

Seems asinine. Why hardwire a new service's launch to only be available to mobile devices running an OS that does not make up the majority of the market ? Why lock the launch to a hardware device type at all ?

I can see why Apple would love this, but what does HBO gain from strangulating a a new service's launch from breathing the majority of the potential market ?

Like Ichinisan says, Apple TV is not a mobile device, but I'll add that the exclusivity is only three months. This isn't permanent.

the point is that you don't have to spend $100+ with the cable company just to get the package that has HBO.

Apple TV is $69, not $100. Even then, plenty of people already own Apple hardware.

lol...people are allowed to be unhappy about Apple exclusive products.

*woosh*
Unhappy is fine as long as they are they are unhappy for the right reasons:
"I have to wait three months?! Screw Apple!" Vs. "What?! 'Apple exclusive?!' Screw HBO Now! What are they thinking?! I'll never buy an Apple product to use it therefore I will never use it! They screwed up big time!"

Apple didn't have the service three months ago either. The problem is that these people are going to go on thinking it's Apple-exclusive three months from now and will not revisit this or entertain the idea of signing up.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Apple didn't have the service three months ago either. The problem is that these people are going to go on thinking it's Apple-exclusive three months from now and will not revisit this or entertain the idea of signing up.

How's that our problem? HBO chose it, they can live with it.

*woosh*
Unhappy is fine as long as they are they are unhappy for the right reasons:
"I have to wait three months?! Screw Apple!" Vs. "What?! 'Apple exclusive?!' Screw HBO Now! What are they thinking?! I'll never buy an Apple product to use it therefore I will never use it! They screwed up big time!"

Again, who cares? You're butt hurt because of someone else's butt hurt. Move on.

Apple TV is $69, not $100. Even then, plenty of people already own Apple hardware.

ok? I was replying to Mixo.

 

[cbrunny]

vpn, son.

People are allowed to be unhappy about American exclusive products.

 

[ch33zw1z]

People are allowed to be unhappy about American exclusive products.

i never said they couldn't be, just trying to help you out

 

[Ichinisan]

Still too expensive...if it was $5/month or even $10/month I'd get it. But their current price isn't really any cheaper than I can get from the cable co.

It's $1 less than what my cableco charges. Gives you *everything* HBO has, on-demand. If you have the hardware you need to access it, I see no reason to pay $16 when I can get it for $15.

 

[Ichinisan]

For most of my life TBS has been an Atlanta-area broadcast station kinda like WGN is also broadcast in Chicago. In recent years they switched to cable-only, which what they already were to the vast majority of the world anyway. The broadcast station became some throw-away independent station playing reruns of Bonanza all the time (probably still owned by Turner)

From what I understand, Peachtree TV (WPCH) is still a "superstation" that gets carried by subscription TV providers around the US (and even in Canada).

 

[JM Aggie08]

ITT: Nothing is ever enough.

 

[CZroe]

From what I understand, Peachtree TV (WPCH) is still a "superstation" that gets carried by subscription TV providers around the US (and even in Canada).

That's because many that offered TBS were using the broadcast stream instead of the cable stream. It's not like cable customers or providers wanted Peachtree TV. It's filler, which is why I called it "throw-away." All of Canada lost access to TBS during the transition thanks to that. WGN works the same way, which is why some cable providers have two WGN channels, one with local news and one with other programming that plays over the local stuff.