ROKU, HBO GO

When is xfinity going to support HBO Go?  I'm often away from home, and use a Roku device.  You are one of the only providers who do not support it.  As a customer, I'd like to have access to everything I'm paying for, regardless of where I am physically located at the moment.

I've been a Comcast TV and Internet customer for many years as well as a subscriber to HBO.  I was curious about using a content streaming device such as a Roku XS to play the HBO content that I already subscribe to on other devices in my home.  Comcast is not listed as one of the providers on the HBO Go website that supports streaming through a Roku device.  I was wondering if there are any plans to change this in the near future -- seems a shame I can't fully utilize the content I'm paying for.

Thanks!

I just bought a ROKU to stream HBO shows...No Comcast /Xfinity code!!! I'm so mad. 

I just bought a Roku so my wife and I would not have to go into my son's room to watch HBO GO on his xBox...I try\ied to activate my Roku on the HBO GO channel, only to find out that Comcast does not support HBO GO on the Roku, even though they do support it on my Android phone, PC, etc etc.

This is HUGELY dissapointing...like I said, THE major reason I bought the Roku was to watch HBO GO.

Comcast...what gives?  Why not Roku?  What is your reasoning?

Please put HBO GO on the Roku.

Thanks...

come on comcast. how about you listen to your customers and let us access HBOgo on our ROKU boxes. you're charging us enough every month that you can unblock a service that isn't costing you anything because its already accessible on EVERY OTHER DEVICE!!!

Please grant access to ROKU. We already pay for the cable box, and you already grant access to our mobille devices. Alternative to including us, your customers in a dialoge on this issue could include we, as a group, choosing to have the dialogue with the various PSC, PUC and local licensing entities, as well as the FCC to treat this as an equal access issue. 

If someone from Comcast legal would care to engage this forum on a cogent and lucid level, it would go along way toward good customer relations.

So, what's the deal, xfinity? I pay an unglodly amount for all my services including watching HBO. I can stream it on my computer, Why not my Roku when every other company allows it? Please, don't give anything about costs. I'm already paying a ton and a subscription to HBO. If it's about promoting Streampix, well you a metric ton of work to do to get that even one tenth of the service it needs to be.

Allow the streaming of HBO on Roku. Do it now.

I'm already contacting the FCC, but I can't believe a class action lawsuit hasn't been started on this. Maybe its time

From what I've read, Comcast does not support the HBOGO app on any of the tv's or roku like boxes. I could be wrong, but I do remember reading that somewhere.

Also, regarding your comment about Comcast not lying about when they do block things, sadly that is not true. Perhaps the support people aren't told the truth, but Comcast has been caught blocking things in the past (and denying it until the end).

http://www.edbrill.com/ebrill/edbrill.nsf/dx/hart-v.-comcast-proposed-class-action-settlement-for-lotus-notes-throttling

http://arstechnica.com/uncategorized/2007/10/comcast-traffic-blocking-even-more-apps-groupware-clients-affected/

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20071021/150541.shtml

Hey Wakky..

You need to spend more time reading through all the posts before you blame Roku.  It's definitely a Comcast problem and the idiots that you talk to at Comcast support are clueless.  Go to the HBOgo/activate page and try to find Comcast or Xfinity listed as an option for Roku or Samsung TV's.  You will find nothing there because they will not allow any connected to TV devices to be authorized.  They do allow for mobile and computers via a browser because they aren't connected to TV devices.  Roku is not at fault and they have tried in many ways to fight the battle and HBO could really do more in my eyes!!

When considering purchasing a ROKU device, I asked about HBOGo. ROKU customer reps informed me that if I had HBO via Comcast, all I would need to do is contact them to set it up. I did. Then I found out that ROKU did not support Comcast. When I contacted Comcast about the issue, which was several times and many minutes over the phone, I was told by Comcast they have no idea who ROKU is and that Comcast is not blocking them. Comcast reps, a total of three on separate calls, all told me the same thing. ROKU is not on their blocked list.

From everything I have been told by Comcast, this is a ROKU issue and not a Comcast blocking issue. I find it highly unlikely that three different Comcast employees would spend so much time with me over the phone with all three giving the same response if they were being dishonest.

If you, or someone else reading this, has direct info that it is Comcast blocking ROKU, I would appreciate them emailing it to me at xxxxxxxx@comcast.net. From everything I can gather, this is a ROKU issue and ROKU is the one stating that Comcast is blocking them. Comcast does not make any such statement that I can find.

Hello,

I think you misunderstand the situation. Comcast internet is NOT blocking ROKU in any way. You can use your ROKU on your Comcast internet connection, to use Netflix, Amazon, or any other number of apps, without any issue.

The problem is that the HBO App will NOT work. It will not work because Comcast refuses to authorize the ROKU for use with the HBO Go application.

HBO Go requires activation by the cable provider in order to work. Try using HBO Go from a web browser, and it will prompt you to go to Comcast first to login, after which you will be accorded access to HBO Go. That is the issue here - Comcast has made apparently made a business decision not to allow HBO Go to be activated on their cable network.

They have not communicated the reasons for this, but suffice it to say that the use of Roku with HBO Go does threaten Comcast's revenue, and for now they seem to be circling the wagons.

I hope this helps you.

Another reason this makes no sense is that I can hook up my notebook computer, or my desktop computer, or our xBox, to our TV, and watch HBO GO.  Comcast has authorized those devices.

So with all those ways (and probably a couple more I am not thinking of), to watch HBO GO via Comcast on a TV, why the heck is Comcast not allowing the same thing to happen via Roku?

What is it about, say, an xBox, that makes it different, in the eyes of Comcast, than a Roku?

Geez...

P.S.  I guess you guys know you can use "Playon", a Roku app, to get HBO GO thru the Roku, to the TV...but it's a bit of a hassle and not as slick as it would be if HBO GO's app itself was authorized for use.

Comcast has a working relationship with Microsoft/Xbox and started off my offering Comcast on Demand on Xbox and later added HBO Go.

Google "Comcast blocking HBO Go" and look at the hits you get or look at this article about how the CEO of Time Warner is unhappy about some cable companies are blocking the app (basically only Comcast at this point).....

http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2012/02/08/time-warner-ceo-sends-clear-signal-to-cable-operators/