Apple in Talks to Bring HBO Go to the Apple TV

robjulo · Feb 1, 2013

malexandria said:
DirectTV version of HBO OnDemand sounds great. I've had OnDemand for Xfinity, Optimum and Verizon. Optimum was especially awful because those bastards charged $5 extra per premium channel for their OnDemand channels. At least OnDemand is "free" on Xfinity and Verizon if you already subscribe.

I can tell you for the most part all the Premium services OnDemand channels pretty much suck. It is very spotty, rare that they include a full season of any of their shows that alone multiple ones.

OnDemand should be just that, but it is anything but. Very scattershot and absolutely no rhyme nor reason how they are programmed. This is why services like HBOGo, MaxGo, etc are really good - but I do think it's crap all the hoops you have to jump through to get it. But when you can it really is pretty awesome service.

It is great but a caveat (may be important to some) is that, with Directv, you cannot get HBO to Go on other third party devices, (for example the Roku box). I don't know what the deal will be with AppleTv. Directv has chosen to offer their own version of HBO VOD equivalent to HBO to Go and to not allow actual HBO to Go on third party devices.

I can only assume that move is being made to at least try and do what they can to eliminate cord cutting.

Bill Killer · Feb 1, 2013

SeaFox said:
Aren't those series available on HBOonDemand, which is free with your subscription to HBO?

Through UVerse, my ISP, they are not. A very limited selection of past shows are available on HBOonDemand. For example, if I want to watch Entourage through UVerse, I only have access to about 4-5 episodes from a single season. Not very intuitive.

With HBO Go, the entire back catalog of shows and episodes are available.

tekstud · Feb 1, 2013

Peace said:
When I said MacBook it was in the generic sense. I was talking about my MBP.

The iPad needs to be able to mirror and fill the screen.

Exactly- and that's why Apple should have had the foresight to make the iPad's screen 16:9. Even turned sideways the iPad's aspect ratio is botched for mirroring.

Terrin · Feb 1, 2013

Apple should just create an App Store for the Apple TV. Build it and they will come. I want iMessage, Pandora, and Safari.

Belmont31R · Feb 1, 2013

I would prefer ala carte programming even if it costs me the same, and that way I can watch everything but 'live' shows on demand. HBO GO is much better than trying to watch the HBO channels or HBO On Demand through TWC. Their On Demand is not HD, and has about 1/4th the programming HBO GO has. HBO GO is the only reason I buy HBO through TWC. Ive never watched a full movie through the HBO channels on TWC. A few shows I watch here and there, though.

I don't like the idea of fixed programming schedules, and if you miss an episode or forget to DVR it then you're SOL for a week if they replay it or whatever. I would like a 'smart TV' type interface where all the programming I buy is shown, and if a new episode comes out I can watch it at will. Put a time limit on it or whatever. DVR is not always the best. Wait til you have to exchange a box for some reason or whatever and you lose everything you had saved.

The model of paying XX/XXX dollars a month for hundreds of channels (and paying for them, too, by default) needs to come to an end.

Tech198 · Feb 2, 2013

This would be great, now i can watch Boardwalk Empire ....

...

Apple would be doing good here.... I'm glad HBO finally cracked..... now everyone else will have to follow.

(yes yes, i'm in Australia, but geographically doesn't matter to me squat),,, If I want something, i get it ...

Which is why i'm also a long time of Netflix.

MacAddict1978 · Feb 2, 2013

Frisco said:
Nobody watches HBO since the Sopranos ended.

Of Course not... True Blood and Game Of Thrones come on and you hear crickets....

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rhaezorblue said:
We cut the cable TV cord after getting the Apple TV for Christmas. I would be so happy if HBO Go on the Apple TV didn't require a subscription to the whole $85 mess of crap. We bought a $30 digital TV air antenna and get our local stations like NBC, ABC, CBS, Fox, PBS.. switched our phone service to magicjack ($20 a year) so now the only monthly bills we have for entertainment are Netflix, Hulu plus and our U-verse internet. Way way cheaper than the $150 they were charging for all 3 bundled services.

tldr: HBO Go on Apple TV please, subscription based like Netflix!

NOT going to happen.... HBO will not offer subscriptions this way. They rely on cable and can't piss off the cable companies. They also have contracts with the cable companies that prevent this as well as with the studios. HBO's CEO had made a comment that I wish I could find about how for them to offer an ala carte subscription, they would need such a large subscriber base for it to be worthwhile, and the subscription price would be well over cable. Maybe years from now, but no time soon.... I WISH it would happen though. Screw you Comcast!

jdbr · Feb 2, 2013

Uk!

Come on Apple, time you started working on content for the UK. We've paid our money to you, now you supply us with a fully working product. If you want to operate in an international market, then you need to supply fully functional products, or reduce your prices to compensate!

mattsantiago · Feb 2, 2013

The sky is the limit... Why Apple don't throw satellites accross the entire world and start streaming from the sky??? This way they can disconnect from cable among any other TV service provider.

SeaFox · Feb 2, 2013

jdbr said:
Come on Apple, time you started working on content for the UK. We've paid our money to you, now you supply us with a fully working product.

Did Apple ever promise you specific services would be available on AppleTV that are not there right now?

You should buy products based on what they do the day you buy them, not what the marketing department promises you is "coming soon". Remember, once they have your money they don't really care about supporting the device beyond the warranty, and advertisers are professional liars.

Reminds me of all the people who bought Samsung BD-C6500 blu-ray players on the idea Hulu Plus would be added "soon". Never appeared and nothing those people can do now but buy another device that is compatible.

mono1980 · Feb 2, 2013

flux73 said:
People keep saying this, but what is it that they've done "to" the music business? Have they gone under? Are people no longer buying music?

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The point is that Apple has a lot of power in the music industry now, and that's something that these short sighted execs can't stand. They are greedy and want it all. It doesn't matter to them that Apple actually saved them. They'd never admit that.

malexandria · Feb 2, 2013

Catch

robjulo said:
It is great but a caveat (may be important to some) is that, with Directv, you cannot get HBO to Go on other third party devices, (for example the Roku box). I don't know what the deal will be with AppleTv. Directv has chosen to offer their own version of HBO VOD equivalent to HBO to Go and to not allow actual HBO to Go on third party devices.

I can only assume that move is being made to at least try and do what they can to eliminate cord cutting.

There's always a catch, but this one may not be too bad if you have a direct tv on each box. I guess if you already subscribe to DTV then you aren't a "chord cutter."

1251division · Feb 2, 2013

Bill Killer said:
With HBO Go, the entire back catalog of shows and episodes are available.

Yes, right on. ^This is why this is very cool.

The whole Apple TV thing kinda takes the "Go" aspect out of it though...HBO should consider renaming

US Marine · Feb 3, 2013

This is useless unless they offer the ability to buy HBO a la carte without a cable subscription. Then I'd pay for it. Until then, I'm sticking with Netflix/Hulu.

xp0z3d · Feb 3, 2013

Would love to extend desktop via airplay rather than just have a mirroring option.

alent1234 · Feb 3, 2013

US Marine said:
This is useless unless they offer the ability to buy HBO a la carte without a cable subscription. Then I'd pay for it. Until then, I'm sticking with Netflix/Hulu.

I don't know
I might go back to paid TV once fios comes to me in a few months because its cheaper than cable and no need to buy blu rays or iTunes versions of shows

nelmat · Feb 3, 2013

Dr. Scott said:
Screw HBO. Where's the damn Safari?

...because everyone owns apple products... I swear, do people even think before they respond?

Well how else are you going to browse a website using Apple TV? How about you think before you make stupid requests? Select navigation options, follow links in text, roll over images? Not possible, no current solution.

iisdan · Feb 3, 2013

Dr. Scott said:
Screw HBO. Where's the damn Safari?

For what? I have an xbox 360 with IE and ps3 with a browser, the ONLY time me or anyone i know uses them is to illegally stream movies. What other use is better than using your phone or mac to airplay?

furi0usbee · Feb 3, 2013

HBO doesn't realize the future of content is *NOT* the cable companies. I have HBO Go, not because I have cable, I don't. My father has DirecTV, and I pay him $10/month so I can get access. So for $7.99/month I have Netflix, $10.00/month I get HBO GO, then I buy season passes for shows like The Walking Dead, South Park, etc. Also, I get Fox News Channel (live) for FREE because of DirecTV.

How long before these media companies realize we don't need the cable companies as middle men? If Apple could get me a package where I can choose exactly what I want for $30-$40/month, I'm so there.

But as of right now, I get my news via Fox News, (not the best, but at least it's live). I can get MSNBC free streams online, and I get HBO, which has *many* series I like, and there are thousands and thousands of hours of content there.

So for less than $20/month I get pretty much everything I want, and buy the other shows I want.

I would rather deal with the network directly, forget the cable companies.

Zeldain · Feb 4, 2013

WhoDaKat said:
The only thing that would make this cool was if non-cable users could "order" a subscription a la carte from HBO, like you do with Hulu or Netfilx. If its just HBO Go, who cares?

Exactly right... this is a non-starter. There's zero value to having HBO on my AppleTV (or other devices) if I still have to tie it to a cable company subscription.

If I'm going to pay a cable company for HBO, I'm going to watch it on the big $2500 screen in my living room, not my phone anyway.

trouble747 · Feb 4, 2013

SeaFox said:
Aren't those series available on HBOonDemand, which is free with your subscription to HBO?

It would depend on your cable provider, I assume. You cannot watch any episodes of The Wire with uverse or Dish Network, AFAIK.

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furi0usbee said:
HBO doesn't realize the future of content is *NOT* the cable companies. I have HBO Go, not because I have cable, I don't. My father has DirecTV, and I pay him $10/month so I can get access. So for $7.99/month I have Netflix, $10.00/month I get HBO GO, then I buy season passes for shows like The Walking Dead, South Park, etc. Also, I get Fox News Channel (live) for FREE because of DirecTV.

I don't understand your point.

(A) Your father is most certainly violating HBO's service terms, and (B) even with cable HBO costs more than $10 a month.

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Zeldain said:
Exactly right... this is a non-starter. There's zero value to having HBO on my AppleTV (or other devices) if I still have to tie it to a cable company subscription.

If I'm going to pay a cable company for HBO, I'm going to watch it on the big $2500 screen in my living room, not my phone anyway.

...and where would your Apple TV be connected?

BigSaintDogs · Feb 6, 2013

HBO/MAX/Showtime

a HBOGo addition would probably bring MaxGo also. That would set precident for Showtime Anywhere also. I am waiting for STARZ to offer a mobile app as well. With the quality off these networks origional programing These would be great additions to the apple TV. I currently use the websites for HBO, Cinimax and Showtime on my Macbook Air and use Airplay. As far as individual subscritions to premium networks that would bypass the major cabble and Sat companys, don't hold your breath... I think that is a long time from now. The mobile apps would be a great start. Once they add these I will by an additional Apple TV for my travel bag as I travel allot for work. They are great for the hotel room! just my 2 cents

milo · Feb 18, 2013

WhoDaKat said:
Do you know that HBO is owned by Time Warner Cable?

Nope, Time Warner which is a totally separate company from TWC. And that doesn't change the fact that there are lots of people who would be happy to pay for HBO who are taking their money elsewhere.

Apple in Talks to Bring HBO Go to the Apple TV

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