ROKU, HBO GO

Yep and they actually removed my FB post and your link from this forum.  How can you much more sleazier can they get?

Ya, TravelerTC... there were some Facebook links that I posted to that are no longer here.  Obviously that is how you get attention!  Complaining on this forum doesn't work. 

From the XFINITY FB wall:

"At this time we do not have an ETA. We are working with partners to make TV programming available to customers in more ways: Xbox, tablets, and websites like XfinityTV & HBOGo. If and when it becomes available you will be notified"

You'll note that she didn't mention Roku at all.

My guess is that XBOX360 will get an OK from Comcast since they just signed a deal with Microsoft to put content on the XBOX.

Every provider has the "option" to enable streaming on different browsers, this is how my GoogleTV works because it's really Android and Comcast allows Android phone/tablets to access it.

Is Comcast really at fault?  

Maybe HBO didn't choose Comcast for streaming since I see U-verse is listed..

I agree, I believe that Comcast will allow HBO Go on the XBOX, it will be there way of saying that customers do have options other than their equipment (even if it isn't the option every customer wants).

Comcast/Xfinity will allow HBOGo on the xbox, but then you have to pay an additional monthly fee to to xbox/microsoft to use the service.  I'm sure comcast is making money from the deal with xbox.

Apparently Comcast won't allow we users to access HBOGo via Roku streaming players. 

On my PC, yes.  On my smartphone or tablet, yes. 

But not on a streaming player connecting to my TV.

Why?  To force me to use Comcast On Demand (with far fewer HBO programs and episodes available)?

Or do they just like pushing arbitrary and pointless restrictions on customers because they think they can?

As an FYI to this thread.  I talked with all sorts of Comcast tech support people.  The official word is that they don't "support" HBOGo on Samsung Smart TVs or Roku.  There was no explanation given when I asked why or what is special about those platforms that they should require a special effort on the part of Comcast to support.  I have still not received a promised email containing documentation or a link that explains this policy.

This is so obviously an effort on the part of Comcast to cling to relevancy as a content provider, when more and more people are talking about "cutting the cord".  If you're watching HBO on your TV, Comcast will insist that you do it through them, period.

I talked to a customer service rep yesterday.  I asked why Comcast wouldn't allow Roku users to use HBO GO, and he said it was a "business decision".  I told him that I was extremely upset (as were many Roku owners/Comcast subscribers), and asked him to pass the message on up the food chain.  For what it is worth, he said that he had received a number of similar comments.

An article in The Wall Street Journal earlier this week quoted Comcast as saying that they did not want "thier" content controlled by a third party since they somehow think that may affect their ability to interact directly with customers.  The Journal article specifically mentioned HBO GO on the Roku. I suspect they are worried that HBO might suddenly offer streaming as an alternative to subscribing through Comcast.  To the extent they are worried about HBO contacting me directly, HBO already has my user name and whatever information I gave them in order to get updates of their programming.

I know that HBO has been pressing them to make HBO GO available on the Roku. My guess is that many people (like me) are reevaulating the worth of an HBO subscription without access to HBO GO on my TV.  As my cable bill keeps going up (thank you, ESPN), I am wondering whether it is worth paying $15 to $20/mo. to HBO for the privilege of seeing maybe one or two movies a month (which I can probably find in my local library or at Redbox) and a series like "Game of Thrones".  I can see paying that amount if I had access to all of the HBO content on my television but not for a great deal less content such as what is "On Demand".  I don't know why anyone thinks we are going to watch endless hours of HBO (or any other) content on a 3 to 4-inch telephone screen.  I have a 17" computer screen, and I don't even like watching movies or TV on the computer. 

Is Comcast really worried that we are all going to "cut the cord" or limit ourselves to basic cable and HBO and therefore their profits are going to plummet?  Their prices may plummet as a lot of us get tired of paying $200/mo for internet access and cable, not because of HBO GO.

The amazing thing is that Allowing us access via Roku and SmartTV prevents us from CUTTING THE CORD.

I would be even happier and less likely to CUT THE CORD if they would work with ROKU on getting an Xfinity Channel going. 

If you have a good product that offers fair value to your customers you do not fear them using/seeing 3rd party applications. 

If you feel you do not then you do everything you can to keep your customers from seeing/using those products.

I just wanted to add one more voice to the crowd of shouts:

HEY COMCAST---MAKE THE ROKU CONNECTION WITH HBO !!!

We're already paying too much for too little.