ROKU, HBO GO

[deborama]

Well count me as one more person who just cancelled their HBO because I only want to watch it over my Roku or forget it. After five beautiful years on Verizon FIOS, without a single technical outtage and the ability to watch everything over my Roku, I moved and now have a choice of only Comcast or DISH, and it's AWFUL. 

I am remembering how much I DESPISED Comcast for 11 years prior to my getting FIOS. I cannot believe people have been begging them for over two years to make HBO GO available on the ROKU and we still don't have it. Absolutely mind-bogglingly poor customer service. Unfreakingbelievable. How does this company stay in business? Oh yeah, it's an UNREGULATED monopoly. Great job, America. Sh*t.

[wsalopek]

While it's disgusting , and morally and ethically wrong, that Comcast does not allow their customers, who PAY THEM for HBO, to watch HBO in the way they see fit (even as Comcast advertises "customer satisfaction"...the NERVE!), perhaps the Google "Chromecast", just announced today and available for $35, will solve most of our HBO issues.

[DMilnerJax]

---

@cookr08 wrote:

Things like this, along with their "no to Netflix Open Connect, get Streampix!" stance, makes me a bit embarassed to be a paying customer. Stupid lack of options.

---

If I had a viable alternative for internet, Comcast would lose the last of my business in a heartbeat. I won't get Streampix because I refuse to get their substandard television service (programming, functionality, and especially equipment are amazingly deficient compared to what I have with my current television provider)--I made that mistake for 5 weeks last fall and will not go there again. Right now, my only other option is dialup. Comcast wants to completely control your viewing life. 

[DMilnerJax]

---

@deborama wrote:

Well count me as one more person who just cancelled their HBO because I only want to watch it over my Roku or forget it. After five beautiful years on Verizon FIOS, without a single technical outtage and the ability to watch everything over my Roku, I moved and now have a choice of only Comcast or DISH, and it's AWFUL. 

---

I have Comcast for internet, but use Dish for television and it is NOT awful, it is pretty darn good as a matter of fact. Picture quality-excellent. Programming-excellent. Equipment stability-excellent. Price-half what I was paying Comcast for better programming and features Comcast won't even consider (or tells the customer that they don't need and therefore should not want). Even when my promo period is over, I will be paying 100.00 less a month--for better programming and receivers.

[DMilnerJax]

---

@wsalopek wrote:

While it's disgusting , and morally and ethically wrong, that Comcast does not allow their customers, who PAY THEM for HBO, to watch HBO in the way they see fit (even as Comcast advertises "customer satisfaction"...the NERVE!), perhaps the Google "Chromecast", just announced today and available for $35, will solve most of our HBO issues.

---

I can just as easily run an HDMI from my PC to my television.  The point of the Roku for me is that I can still use my pc for other things (such as homework, research for papers, email, oh, just about anything) while I am watching the tube.

[JonnyWatcher]

I would have video-recorded that chat. Then I would have placed an order, run up a bill to install, etc, and then cancelled, suing them in small claims for any expenses on my end.

I think that would get some attention from corporate

[deborama]

yeah, i didn't mean the DISH was awful, i wouldn't know cuz I haven't tried it, but I don't like having the equipment on my roof...i just got off five years on Verizon FIOS and it was SO PERFECT! no satellite dishes on the roof, no ugly cables running up the side of the house, just a little box in the basement and perfect service (and I could watch HBO GO on my Roku!)

I actually don't want ANY paid television except HBO. I would prefer to get NO cable, and just have Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Prime and HBO Go. But that's of course not allowed.

All I know is I'm totally sick about this no HBO Go on the Roku with Comcast. I had no idea and I find it completely unacceptable.

[mlynnc72]

The Xfinity app on my Xbox doesn't "authenticate" because my Internet is not with Comcast, only my cable TV service. So even though I have a Comcast Tv subscription with paid premium channels, I cannot use their app for watching shows because my Internet carrier is a different company.

On top of that, I just purchased a Roku yesterday just to be able to watch my shows on an older SD TV and I find out that HBO Go isn't supported on Roku with Comcast.

Screwed by Comcast on both fronts >:-((

[DavidMSwan]

You may assume that you can stream the same content from Comcast/Infinity/OnDemand as you can from HBO GO.  As a premium Comcast & HBO subscriber, this is what I expected.  However, this is not the case.  For example, my daughter wanted to watch season 1 of Game of Thrones.  Only season 3 is available from On Demand while HBO GO has every episode.  This is just one of many examples of content that is unavailable via On Demand. I can only assume that Comcast and/or HBO could not work out a licensing deal with Roku since we can stream HBO GO to Apple TV and XBox devices.  And I believe we used to be able to do so via Roku? 

Like many others, I have invested in several Roku players which I like very much, so this is a real nuasance considering what we already pay for Comcast+HBO. Hopefull Comcast/HBO will hear our collective voices and resolve this.

-David

[Maz]

---

@DavidMSwan wrote:

You may assume that you can stream the same content from Comcast/Infinity/OnDemand as you can from HBO GO.  As a premium Comcast & HBO subscriber, this is what I expected.  However, this is not the case.  For example, my daughter wanted to watch season 1 of Game of Thrones.  Only season 3 is available from On Demand while HBO GO has every episode.  This is just one of many examples of content that is unavailable via On Demand. I can only assume that Comcast and/or HBO could not work out a licensing deal with Roku since we can stream HBO GO to Apple TV and XBox devices.  And I believe we used to be able to do so via Roku? 

Like many others, I have invested in several Roku players which I like very much, so this is a real nuasance considering what we already pay for Comcast+HBO. Hopefull Comcast/HBO will hear our collective voices and resolve this.

-David

---

David,

Given this thread is almost 2 years old and has more than 1,300 posts, it appears unlikely that Comcast could care any less about us.

[DMilnerJax]

---

@DavidMSwan wrote:

You may assume that you can stream the same content from Comcast/Infinity/OnDemand as you can from HBO GO.  As a premium Comcast & HBO subscriber, this is what I expected.  However, this is not the case.  For example, my daughter wanted to watch season 1 of Game of Thrones.  Only season 3 is available from On Demand while HBO GO has every episode.  This is just one of many examples of content that is unavailable via On Demand. I can only assume that Comcast and/or HBO could not work out a licensing deal with Roku since we can stream HBO GO to Apple TV and XBox devices.  And I believe we used to be able to do so via Roku? 

Like many others, I have invested in several Roku players which I like very much, so this is a real nuasance considering what we already pay for Comcast+HBO. Hopefull Comcast/HBO will hear our collective voices and resolve this.

-David

---

No, HBOgo has never been available on the Roku for Comcast subscribers. One of the many reasons I left Comcast and went back to Dish--only to find there that even though it was supported on Dish, I didn't need it unless I was away from home, since the full HBOGo library is available on Dish OnDemand.

[saltzy57]

i have tivo with cable cards, therefore no xfinity services. Why can't Comcast allow HBOgo on Roku...

Trying to cripple perceived compettion by limiting access for your customers is a losing strategy. Embrace streaming over all devices and let your customers decide what they need.

[saltzy57]

why on xbox and not on roku or other streaming devices?

[wsalopek]

I can just as easily run an HDMI from my PC to my television.  The point of the Roku for me is that I can still use my pc for other things (such as homework, research for papers, email, oh, just about anything) while I am watching the tube.

That's what you can do with the Chromecast...while I don't have mine yet, from what I understand, you tell the Chromecast device, via PC/tablet/phone, what to stream, and IT does the streaming while you do other things with your PC/tablet/phone (in other words, it is NOT "screen mirroring").  And in the mean time, if you like, you can use your PC/tablet/phone (android or iOS), as a remote for the Chromecast...play, pause, etc.

While there are specific "apps" for the Chromecast, like Youtube, Netflix, etc, with many more to come in the near future, you can also watch anything that you could normally stream in a Chrome browser on your PC/tablet/phone.

To me, that sounds like HBO Go, xFinity, etc etc etc.

[Drifty]

I have the Chromecast and you should read the directions. It is screen mirroring sort of. You can run HBO Go in a Chrome tab and that tab will play on your TV. This allows you to work with other tabs or a different browser. 

[delid2]

Lets face it guys.  Comcast is about the money.  Lets take Netflix for instance, you can use someones Netflix account in any home and anywhere so Netflix is losing millions of dollars because you can give your friends your account ID and password and they can watch free movies at home without paying for a netflix account.  Why would Comcast let you stream movies through Roku so you can give your ID and password to anyone else with a Roku box and let them have access to HBOgo for Free!!!  See where i'm going with this?  Comcast didn't become wealthy by giving free movies away.   /

[deborama]

But that doesn't make sense, because all the other major cable providers DO allow access through the Roku. Verizon and Time-Warner are just as money-grubbing as Comcast and they allow it! Comcast is extra evil for sure.

[rwspears]

Comcast could always charge per roku authenticated per month. 5 bucks would be my guess. Thats what a box rental is i believe. They could also limit them to connect through specific IP addresses to keep people from using them away from their house. Then again with those restrictions people wouldn't use them anyway.

[priziedog]

Also, wouldln't the same apply to Xbox and Apple TV: anyone can share their HBO sign-in with anyone else? Comcast authenticates on both of these. So why not Roku?

[delid2]

Point taken.  But i can't see any other reason.  I guess i can argue Roku is popular and sells a lot of units.  They can stand to forego the profit margins from those other things mentioned above, i.e. Apple, Xbox, but the profit margin loss from Roku would exceed the percentage that they've estabilished since they've done their homework and realize that Roku sales are up there.  Don't know, just rationalizing.  But what ever the case is, you can bet your bottom dollar that it's profit driven.  I'm on this thread now because as i went through my roku apps and saw Hbo go, and thought i'd be able to use it since i have comcast and i'm already paying for HBO.  I was surprised to find out that Comcast / Xfinity wasn't on the list for activation companies on the page for  www.hbogo.com/activate  WTH!!

[Maz]

---

@delid2 wrote:

Lets face it guys.  Comcast is about the money.  Lets take Netflix for instance, you can use someones Netflix account in any home and anywhere so Netflix is losing millions of dollars because you can give your friends your account ID and password and they can watch free movies at home without paying for a netflix account.  Why would Comcast let you stream movies through Roku so you can give your ID and password to anyone else with a Roku box and let them have access to HBOgo for Free!!!  See where i'm going with this?  Comcast didn't become wealthy by giving free movies away.   /

---

Does it work that way?  Comcast should know if a non-Comcast customer is logging on, plus, isn't it tied to a specific device?  You have to enter a code onto your Comcast account which matches the code that comes up on the TV when you attempt to gain access.

[DavidMSwan]

LOL!  I'm a bit embarrased to learn this thread is going on 2 years old!  I just ran into the problem and jumped in to the discussion w/o looking at the age of the thread. Given this, you are problaby correct to state that Comcast and Roku may never come to terms.

[DMilnerJax]

---

@saltzy57 wrote:

why on xbox and not on roku or other streaming devices?

---

$$$$$$$$$$ would be my guess. 

[DMilnerJax]

---

@wsalopek wrote:

I can just as easily run an HDMI from my PC to my television.  The point of the Roku for me is that I can still use my pc for other things (such as homework, research for papers, email, oh, just about anything) while I am watching the tube.

That's what you can do with the Chromecast...while I don't have mine yet, from what I understand, you tell the Chromecast device, via PC/tablet/phone, what to stream, and IT does the streaming while you do other things with your PC/tablet/phone (in other words, it is NOT "screen mirroring").  And in the mean time, if you like, you can use your PC/tablet/phone (android or iOS), as a remote for the Chromecast...play, pause, etc.

While there are specific "apps" for the Chromecast, like Youtube, Netflix, etc, with many more to come in the near future, you can also watch anything that you could normally stream in a Chrome browser on your PC/tablet/phone.

To me, that sounds like HBO Go, xFinity, etc etc etc.

---

Thanks for the clarification. I still dont' see the added value for the Chromecast though, I *already* own a Roku--why should I need to buy more equipment?  Easier to switch to a provider that does not limit my viewing options.

[DMilnerJax]

---

@delid2 wrote:

Lets face it guys.  Comcast is about the money.  Lets take Netflix for instance, you can use someones Netflix account in any home and anywhere so Netflix is losing millions of dollars because you can give your friends your account ID and password and they can watch free movies at home without paying for a netflix account.  Why would Comcast let you stream movies through Roku so you can give your ID and password to anyone else with a Roku box and let them have access to HBOgo for Free!!!  See where i'm going with this?  Comcast didn't become wealthy by giving free movies away.   /

---

Actually, Netflix limits the number of devices that can concurrently watch programming. Depending on your account type, you can have 2 or 4 people viewing at any time among all devices, including PC or iPhone. It is not difficult to restrict the number of concurrent viewers on an account.

[DMilnerJax]

---

@rwspears wrote:

Comcast could always charge per roku authenticated per month. 5 bucks would be my guess. Thats what a box rental is i believe. They could also limit them to connect through specific IP addresses to keep people from using them away from their house. Then again with those restrictions people wouldn't use them anyway.

---

You are correct, that would be a deal breaker for me. I was already paying for HBO, the Roku was mine, and not theirs to  bill for. Using the Roku to stream HBOGo would not be using Comcast resources, they would have had no right to bill me an extra charge to do so. I suspect they are getting money from MS for every xBox live subscriber connected to HBOGo through Comcast authentication.

One reason I like Dish is not only can I watch HBOGo from anywhere I can get an internet connection, I can watch live televsion using my pc, iphone or tablet from anywhere I can get an internet connection, including on I95 connected to 3G travelling to my son's house or in a hotel room where the available programming does not include the channels we want to watch. I do not have to pay an extra fee to stream live television as I would have had to do with Comcast, nor am I restricted to streaming on a tablet connected to my home wireless network.

[JonnyWatcher]

This whole subject is just ridiculous at this point. Shame on Comcast. Here is the bottom line:

1) There is no reason to block it when it is allowed on the Apple and Xbox. Maybe they are paying Comcast a kickback. Who knows.

2) Using Comcast's On Demand is a joke. If I had the full HBO catalog, maybe there would be no cause to complain, but they only offer a small portion of the catalog.

3) There are lots of workarounds, but at the end of the day I want HD and I want 5.1, not SD mono or stereo streaming. I don't want browser based or dongle based devices.

4) I just went ahead and bought an Apple TV. Now I get HBOGo in HD and 5.1 over Optical. And I also get Netflix in 5.1, which is an added bonus (the Roku only streams Netflix 5.1 in DD+ over HDMI).

So the only thing Comcast succeeded in doing was forcing me to spend an extra $100 on a 3rd party box. And of course with making me 100% certain that I will vote my position on my HOA board to scuttle a deal with Comcast next time we are up for renewal. Congrats to ComCast.

Of course, I still have to use my Roku, because Apple TV doesn't allow Amazon. It would have been nice to have 1 universal streaming box, but I have concluded that will not be possible. Everyone has their turf to protect and so long as that is the case they will exclude solutions that threaten them in some way.

Deal with it.

[DMilnerJax]

---

Does it work that way?  Comcast should know if a non-Comcast customer is logging on, plus, isn't it tied to a specific device?  You have to enter a code onto your Comcast account which matches the code that comes up on the TV when you attempt to gain access.

---

You can authenticate HBOGo on multiple Roku devices, and the beauty of Roku is that it is not tied to your home IP address or company. I watch Roku in hotel rooms all over the country, including HBOGo.  I take it to my son's house when we go there (although I just bought my daughter-in-law one, and their cable company Brighthiouse authenticates with HBOGo).  However, it would not be difficult to restrict concurrent logins and viewing.

[wsalopek]

I don't want...dongle based devices.

That's what all these "boxes" are...Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, etc...it's just that the Roku and Apple TV are bigger dongles than the Chromecast.

[Schnitz69]

Xfinity does not support HBO Go via ROKU. 

Why not?

Are there any plans to support it in the future? If so, when?

[ArthurHammer]

---

@JonnyWatcher wrote:

This whole subject is just ridiculous at this point. Shame on Comcast. Here is the bottom line:

1) There is no reason to block it when it is allowed on the Apple and Xbox. Maybe they are paying Comcast a kickback. Who knows.

---

No way SHERLOCK! Roku is like the underdog in this sitution. Roku helps Amazon, Netflix, Hulu, other video apps get profits. How would Roku help Comcast make money if they won't pay Comcast? Think like this the only way Comcast would allow Roku if they pay Comcast! Simply Comcast and DirecTV are bullies.

[JonnyWatcher]

---

@wsalopek wrote:

I don't want...dongle based devices.

That's what all these "boxes" are...Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, etc...it's just that the Roku and Apple TV are bigger dongles than the Chromecast.

---

I understand your point. My point is that, so far as I know, you can't get 5.1 from Chromecast. Meanwhile, AppleTV (and my trusty XDS) output matrixed audio via optical to my AV receiver. I want solutions that allow me a home theater experience.

[wsalopek]

---

@JonnyWatcher wrote:

---

@wsalopek wrote:

I don't want...dongle based devices.

That's what all these "boxes" are...Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, etc...it's just that the Roku and Apple TV are bigger dongles than the Chromecast.

---

I understand your point. My point is that, so far as I know, you can't get 5.1 from Chromecast. Meanwhile, AppleTV (and my trusty XDS) output matrixed audio via optical to my AV receiver. I want solutions that allow me a home theater experience.

---

This Netflix support page says Chromecast does 5.1:

https://support.netflix.com/en/node/10380

[thelancinator]

It is absolutely ridiculous that Comcast refuses to support both the Roku and Samsung Smart TV's with HBO Go.  I have now bought two items to stream HBO GO without realizing that Comcast doesn't support either.  First, I bought a Roku box and didn't find out it wasn't a supported device until I went to activate it.  Then recently, I purchased a new Samsung Smart TV....and didn't realize it wasn't supported until I went to activate that as well.

We are all already paying for the HBO GO service thru Comcast by paying for our HBO subscription, yet for some reason, that isn't enough for Comcast and they refuse to give straight answers to their paying customers.  I saw all the scripted responses people have been given over and over and over again from Comcast employees, and none of them ever even come close to giving a straight answer as to why Comcast won't support the Roku box or Samsung TV's or when we can expect them to, if ever.

I found an upper management guy on Twitter that had addressed this before in the past, so I decided to send him a Tweet asking about it.  It took several hours to get a response, but I did finally get one, although it was passed down to another employee to answer and it was nothing more than the same BS they give to anyone that asks about HBO GO.  Here is the conversation (so far):

    Lance ‏@thelancinator96 25 Jul

    @Matt_CIM @comcast @HBO @samsung Long time Comcast customer and have a Samsung Smart TV and a Roku box, when on earth will we get HBOGO??


Will OsborneVerified account ‏@ComcastWill

@thelancinator96 Comcast is continuing to work with our partners to deliver even more TV choices to our customers on new devices.

As you can see, it is just more of the same run around.  Comcast needs to give its customers an answer once and for all on this because it's obvious that we all want to be able to get what we are already paying for, and I REFUSE to spend more money on yet another device just to get HBO GO.

[Jaggster2012]

I am in the same boat here.   I access HBO GO on my iPad and it is great.  You can watch ANY HBO program ever...unlike HBO On Demand.   I bought anew tv and got the Roku so that I could access HBO GO on the large screen...of course that was quickly shot down when I discovered that because I am a Comcast customer that my hands have been tied and I cant access HBO GO.  Its insane that I am paying for HBO content yet I cant view it how I want to.  And not becasue I am not paying for it but because I am paying for it through Comast! I have been a supporter of Comcast for many years but its things like this (and the X1 unit they pushed on me a few months ago) that make me ask myself "Why should I remain a Comcast customer?"  It so frustrating!!!!

[delid2]

But never the less, you can still do well sharing your ID and password because i know people who are currently doing this and not once has anyone been kicked off for too many viewers.  I guess it's rare that all 4 users will be logged in at the same time.  But i think it's not a big issue for Netflix becaues even though sharing happens Netflix has a large consumer base that makes it worth while.  I believe Netflix probably has 3 times as many customers as Comcast because Comcast is not everywhere.  Netflix is available to anyone with a laptop.  However, i feel Comcast is afraid to lose potential customers if they allow Roku on Xfinity and friends and family started sharing accounts in different households. In otherwords, Comcast is GREEDY as he!!  Furthermore, they're smart with the 6 month deals they claim are deals.  I currently have a 6 month promotion deal for the preimum channels because i like all of the Magic City, Trueblood, Boardwalk, Camelot...etc, but yet i'm still paying over $200 a month and i don't even have a land-line.  I have the double play.  Can you say OLIGOPOLY!! 

[DMilnerJax]

---

@delid2 wrote:

But never the less, you can still do well sharing your ID and password because i know people who are currently doing this and not once has anyone been kicked off for too many viewers. 

---

Actually, it's not that someone gets kicked off, instead when the third concurrent user tries to watch something an alert displays that the account is at maximum connections. Happens frequently in our family.

[stew1]

It's funny how Comcast support HBO GO on Apple Tv and Not Roku. And now that Fox Now is on Roku it seem Comcast will not support that either. Is it just me or does Comcast have it out for Roku? I'm seriously considering AT&T Uverse.

[thelancinator]

---

@stew1 wrote:

It's funny how Comcast support HBO GO on Apple Tv and Not Roku. And now that Fox Now is on Roku it seem Comcast will not support that either. Is it just me or does Comcast have it out for Roku? I'm seriously considering AT&T Uverse.

---

And that's what makes it even more frustrating!  As soon as HBO GO was available for AppleTV, Comcast jumped right on board, all the while Samsung Smart TV's and Roku had the HBO GO apps for a long time now and Comcast refuses to support them even though there are a lot more people with Smart TV's and Roku boxes than there are with AppleTV boxes.

[tcs2605]

its all about money with this company and not custumer service  you can get on fios,cox

[rwspears]

People just use Q-Berts language LOL @#%! hehe leave it up to the imagination of the reader then its their own fault if their offended.

[jhusosky]

I really wish Xfinity paid as much attention to the content of over 1400 requests as opposed to language of those posts.

[Queen-Evie]

I don't make the rules. I do enforce them. I notice that y'all are fixated on the language aspect. Neither of you commented on the other part of the reason for removal. Telling people you hope their children get cancer is lower than low.

By the way, there is a thing called RESPECT which many people have a lack of.

[jhusosky]

Sorry Evie, since we could not see the original post (no issue with the removal nor you doing your part keeping the forum to keep such things policed) we do not know what went on. Our beef is with the fact that comcast refusses to allow authorization for ROKU devices while they allow every other thing access (except you frustrated Samsung people, oh ya that's me too). 

What makes it frustrating, other then the total lack of conceren by comcasts part is that for some of us paying for comcast services is not an option. I pay for extended basic service with HBO through my assosiation dues which I do not have the option of not paying the cable portion, so since I use DirecTV for my TV service the only benifit is getting HBO GO on my ROKU but you will not allow me to do that. 

We wish you could easily get someone higher up in comcast to atleast under stand and comment on this issue as easily as you can use the tools comcast has given you to police the forums.

People he only want to get what they pay for and would get if they were with any other cable tv provider or dish network.

[addingst]

hey comcast - get your act together. i just bought a roku for the sole purpose of using it for HBOGO. now i find out (after i set it up and activated it) that i can't use it for the only reason i bought it. what is so hard about allowing HBOGO on the roku? every other provider does.

[hussman]

Yeah cancer is horrible. I lost a family member to cancer. Trying to switch the conversation to make it about that low-life puts you in the same boat. We don't need lectures about RESPECT when as paying customers we've been marginalized and ignored.

Keep it about Comcast's total DISrepect for it's customers. Back to getting our voices heard. 

[CRBryant]

---

@rog286713wrote:

the only thing the app would do is provide you on demand type programming, which you should have with your regular cable box, what exactly would you like the app to be on roku that you can't already do with your cable box.?"\

---

Wow, that is an interesting response from a "Silver Problem Solver" I wonder if you still have your job?

Well I would like to be able to watch a HBO show without having to force the cable box to change the channel.  My old TiVo 2 still works and is hooked up to that box.  That is why I would like to use Roku. 

I can use XBox or another game system, but it gets overheated and I am sure Comcast would not but another game system when it overheats.

[rwspears]

I want the app to have the complete HBO library of their series programming available from now till HBO goes out of business.

[jhusosky]

Sounds like you would like comcast to authorize the hbogo channel on your roku, and that would take no work on comcast's part