New Poster
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2 Messages
ROKU, HBO GO
I have HBO GO on the computer and on my iPad. I really want it on Roku, too. Any chance of that???
New Poster
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2 Messages
I have HBO GO on the computer and on my iPad. I really want it on Roku, too. Any chance of that???
Wellesley72
Contributor
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29 Messages
11 years ago
Just when I thought a glitter of hope was on the horizon, Comcast comes through in its usual, unhelpful fashion. I live in the Boston area and received a promotional message from Comcast offering me one free month of Xbox Live if I signed up for a one-year membership. There may have also been a promotion for the sale of Xboxes.
Three interesting news items today. From The Wall Street Journal, "An Xbox costs $199.99 or $299.99 compared with a Roku online streaming gadget at $49.99 and up. To access most entertainment features through the Xbox, users also need a subscription tier to the Xbox Live service at $60 a year." Also, before running out to buy an Xbox, note that as the Xbox ages, sales have been bumpy (down 25% in 2012 Q3 from 2011 Q3). There is a possibility that a new Xbox will go on the market at the end of 2013.
HBO also extended its agreement with Univeral Pictures until 2022. HBO now has exclusive contracts from 50% of all movie studios.
Finally, Roku has announced (a) collaboration with a fair number of TV manufacturers to carry its Roku "stick" and will be rolling out new channels soon, including PBS, PBS Kids and the new Blockbuster/Coinstar channel. Don't know if any of these need authentication by Comcast.
Interestingly enough, I also received a notice from Comcast that my cable TV bill is going up by about $3 and my internet is going up by $5. Sounds like Comcast is subsidizing the cost of hefty new contracts like ESPN by increasing internet bills.
I plan on switching to Verizon FIOS, which is now less expensive than Comcast and which supports HBO GO. I also can't justify paying $20 for HBO since I only watch about one movie a month and apart from Game of Thrones, Boardwalk Empire and Girls, their original content is either aging or not that appealing. With its expanded content, HBO GO would keep me as an HBO subscriber; otherwise, they lose out also.
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blyea
Frequent Visitor
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9 Messages
11 years ago
Makes sense? Comcast? Well there is my laugh for the day. I guarantee they lost more customers than they gained or retaind with this policy. There was no sensible reason for Comcast to dis-allow HBO Go on the Roku except for possible deals made with Microsoft that no one has discovered yet.
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amzngsurf
New Poster
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1 Message
11 years ago
If it's available on Xbox and Tablets etc... then it will be available on Roku soon. It only makes sense.
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BobC123
New Poster
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3 Messages
11 years ago
I switched to Verizon FIOS last week and have not regretted it for a second. Better and cheaper than COMCAST. COMCAST goes as soon as I clear the DVR.
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jhusosky
Regular Contributor
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100 Messages
11 years ago
When adding up the cost of the XBOX 360 vs Roku lefts not forget that XBOX 360 uses 160W and Roku uses around 2W, thats 80 times the power usage! How many rings of death will 24/7 usage cause.
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Katmido
Contributor
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24 Messages
11 years ago
Sadly, FIOS it is not available where I live but people up in the northern part of our state LOVE IT. We've seriously thought about Dish, though we would lose the Walking Dead...but I can wait a year to buy the season. I will just pay for that show per episode. Maybe Roku will have TWD via Amazon Prime. Or I can pay for episodes on iTunes.
Obviously Roku and HBO are okay. Comcast and HBO are okay. So, why would Comcast agree to provide HBO Go on Xboxes and iPads but not on Roku? They want Roku to pay some $$$ for the privilege.
HBO needs to put some pressure on Comcast to join the party. Maybe we need to be posting on their forums?
I love HBO and HBO Go. I can still get it yes, on my laptop and I can HDMI that to my bigger screen but it is a crummy picture. Everytime I turn my Roku on I see that big HBOGO logo and it just makes my blood boil!
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jhusosky
Regular Contributor
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100 Messages
11 years ago
I am sure they were not happy but it took almost 9 months for HBO's sister company Time Warner Cable to finally allow GO on Roku and that was after the president of Time Warner Communications complained why he could not get GO on his Roku at their annual share holders meeing.
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Wellesley72
Contributor
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29 Messages
11 years ago
I think that HBO has made its displeasure known to those cable companies that don't allow customers to access HBO GO on their Rokus. (I think that's just Direct TV and Comcast.)
Because the cable companies keep "bundling" their channels, the cost of cable is going to get so expensive that either the cable "model" is going to have to be revamped or everyone is going to switch to streaming video. (ESPN is commanding $5/household from cable companies for the privilege of carrying their content.)
Right now, I don't think that HBO has any incentive to add HBO GO as a stand-alone system; they are still collecting a lot of cash from Comcast and others right now. However, as the number of cable subscribers declines (and that number has been going down for the last 4 to 5 years, driven mainly by increased costs to subscribers,, my guess is that at some point in the next 2 to 5 years, HBO will offer HBO GO as an alternative to subscribing to HBO via Comcast and Direct TV.
This is a great case of "hogs get fat, pigs get slaughtered".
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DMilnerJax
Contributor
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362 Messages
11 years ago
Add to that an annual fee of $60.00 for xBox live to allow the streaming content as opposed to no additional monthly service fee for Roku streaming.
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DMilnerJax
Contributor
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362 Messages
11 years ago
You will not lose access to Walking Dead on Dish, they reached an agreement with AMC a couple of months ago. AMC is on channel 131, watching the Green Mile as I type.
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jhusosky
Regular Contributor
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100 Messages
11 years ago
TW is really showing some guts. I wonder if they will be giving access to the On-Demand library too.
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DMilnerJax
Contributor
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362 Messages
11 years ago
Yes, it does only make sense. But it is not going to happen, since Comcast refuses to support it. It has been availalbe for almost a year now on xBox and tablets, and there is no sign of Roku on the horizon at all.
I have received several excuses from Comcast tech support/customer service ranging from "our system is not compatible with Roku's" to "well, it is available on the xBox, perhaps you should get one of those." Comcast will not make any money from the Roku and does not want to encourage it since some will use it in rooms where there is no cable in lieu of getting a Comcast box that would incur another monthly charge. I suspect they also have some type of agreement with Microsoft with respect to the xBox platform.
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bgamman
Frequent Visitor
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16 Messages
11 years ago
Looks like Time Warner's taking it one step further.
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DMilnerJax
Contributor
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362 Messages
11 years ago
Nice. This is going to be the future of cable for them, any wagers on how long it takes them to offer it as a "stand alone" service for anyone, even outside of their hardwired areas?
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gabe0x02
New Poster
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3 Messages
11 years ago
Please add me to the list of super annoyed people who thought his HBOGO account would be valid on my ROKU. I blame both companies but Comcast most of all. What the ... COMCAST!!!!
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