About doug3507

Here is a link that talks about this. It is dated but details some of the issues.   http://gigaom.com/video/hbo-go-for-roku-comcast-directv/   and this link which states don't blame HBO.   http://www.technobuffalo.com/2012/02/10/hbo-go-not-working-on-your-roku-dont-blame-hbo/   I still do not agree with that though as I think HBO is in the drivers seat here. If any service did not have HBO I would be long gone from being a customer. If HBO demanded their go content to be provided in their contract and a TV provider did not agree and then refused to sign the contract and carry HBO it would be the provider that would suffer. HBO users would just go elsewhere. This would be a good selling point for FIOS in my area, I wonder why they have not used it in their ads.   ... View more

I commented on this before. I have direct TV and Comcast internet.  Also as has been stated before the problem is authorization not content blocking. In other words if HBO had your subscription information and could authorize you directly there would be no problem with any device. Comcast or any other cable or internet content provider would just be the carrier of the data which is NOT blocked.   Unfortunately I don't think that TV content providers supply actual customer info to HBO. They just supply numbers and pay HBO for the number of subscribers passing that charge onto you. If HBO actually had your account information then they could directly authorize you. At this point it would have nothing to do with your internet carrier. Roku would talk to HBO directly without limitation from your internet provider.   That being said I still don't think that HBO is not without fault here. They are the HBOGO content provider and if they thought that this was hurting their business they could put pressure on the TV providers - DirectTV and Comcast to allow devices to be supported. It is kind of false advertising because they do advertise even on directTV that HBOGO is available and they don't stipulate there are any other limitations. So if HBO had a way of authorizing you directly then there would be no issue with any device as long a HBO allowed it. I see a lot of people talking about leaving their TV providers because of this but no one ever talks about leaving HBO. Not that I have any illusion that anyone would really leave HBO because of this and HBO probably knows that but I still think they share the blame. The problem would also be solved If their contract with the TV providers stated that HBOGO must be supplied to all subscribers without limitation. So how about complaining to HBO. I doubt Comcast or DirectTV would fail to sign a contract with that stipulation and jeopardize their having HBO content.         ... View more

Yesd, I agree it is Comcast that doesnot allow the process of confirming you are an HBO customer BUT if one has Comcast Cable and gets TV from DirectTV then it is DirectTV that is at issue. If DirectTV allowed HBO verification then the data would flow over my Comcast Internet connection just fine. So in my case it is a DirectTV problem not Comcast. ... View more

Yes, I would have to be authorized by DirectTV but the question looms why would DirectTV care about the Roku as the data would always be handled by another source. DirectTV does not handle internet data. That part was spun off to another outfit. Also DirectTV is listed for BOTH the Samsung and Xbox devices. Sure seems like a Roku issue to me. Why would DirectTV allow those but not Roku. Does not make sense. I thik there is more to this than meets the eye. ... View more

This is NOT a Comcast blocking issue. It is an authorization issue with HBO.  When you go to the HBO go activation site and select Xbox360 or Samsung TV comcast is there but not for Roku. I have Comcast for Internet but DirectTV for TV. If there were a Direct TV option under Roku I could get it because it would check my direct TV account to see that I am a valid HBO subscriber. It is just a validation that you are a subscriber not anything to do with the actual data (port) being authorized.   I can go on my comcast internet on my computer, go to HBO GO and tell it I am direct TV and it validates and works fine. HBO is the culprit. They do not have a selection for either Comcast or Direct TV for the Roku as your provider.   Not sure who to complain to on this but there are three choices - Comcast, HBO, or Roku. Very dissapointing that HBO go is not on the Roku with direct TV or Comcast. ... View more