Whats the difference between HBO, CineMax, Showtime, Starz, etc?

[imported_Pablo]

I'm considering getting DirecTV and was wondering what the differences are between these premium channels... I know HBO has a lot of great original content... Can anybody fill me in on the pros and cons of these channels?

 

[mugs]

They're all a waste of money if you're in it for the movies. HBO's original content is great though.

 

[mobobuff]

Varying qualities and quantaties of late-night porno.

 

[Kerouactivist]

If your going to get one get HBO if you get two get HBO and the Starz package....

Definitely don't get Cinemax and HBO because they pretty much overlap each other on the movies they play

 

[Manzelle]

HBO has the best original series but they play crap movies all the time...

Starz plays the best movies all the time but over and over and over again...no original series that I am aware of...

Cinemax plays the best softcore porn and some decent movies...again no original series that I am aware of...

Showtime has good boxing, decent original series and they show decent movies...

 

[vi edit]

Best original series : HBO > showtime > stars/max
Best movies(both quality and quantitiy) : Stars > max > hbo > showtime
Best softcore porn : Max > *

Or that would be take on it. Showtime is pretty much a waste short of a few series they have - Penn & Tellers Bullsh!t is one, the "L" word was another popular one.

 

[imported_Pablo]

Thanks for the help guys... Another question for DirecTV users... what is the deal with the cards? I looked on Ebay and there are a bunch of cards listed as P4 or P5... is that like an access level? What do these cards do and is it like illegal cable black boxes or something? Sorry, I'm a sattellite noob.

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: Pablo
Thanks for the help guys... Another question for DirecTV users... what is the deal with the cards? I looked on Ebay and there are a bunch of cards listed as P4 or P5... is that like an access level? What do these cards do and is it like illegal cable black boxes or something? Sorry, I'm a sattellite noob.

Honestly, I wouldn't mess around with buying off of Ebay. You can walk right into Best Buy and they'll practically give away a two or three room + tivo box with free install.

Direct paid me $65 to put in my two room setup. When I purchased, best buy was running a 50% off open box buys. The open box was $70, half of that was $35. Then Direct gave me a $100 rebate on top of it.

The cards are the brains of the receivers. They are what determine what programming you have available to you. You usused to be able to buy programmers for the cards, but last I heard a few years ago the satellite companies were changing the codes around every couple hours. So, to get what you wanted, you had to reprogram the card a couple times a day. Not sure what the P4/P5 designation is though.

 

[MaxDSP]

If I had to pick one, I'd pick HBO (which is what I currently have). The original series' it puts out are nothing short of amazing, such as The Wire, The Sopranos, Oz (series ended last year though), etc
For movies, I'd go with Starz, and then HBO.

 

[FrustratedUser]

Originally posted by: bthorny
If your going to get one get HBO if you get two get HBO and the Starz package....

Definitely don't get Cinemax and HBO because they pretty much overlap each other on the movies they play

Zing!

Correct. I have HBO and Starz. Theyt compliment each other nicely.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Also consider HBO + netflix instead of HBO + Starz!, if you like foreign films and/or widescreen.