Author Topic: HBO Streaming. (Read 3781 times)

Chino · « **on:** October 15, 2014, 09:13:20 AM »

HBO just announced that in 2015 you'll be able to subscribe to HBO as a streaming service that won't require a cable provider! This deserves almost as much celebration as Vlasto day!

hefdaddy42 · « **Reply #1 on:** October 15, 2014, 11:10:07 AM »

I must admit, that's pretty awesome news. HBO is one of the reasons I've been holding onto my cable subscription.

Ultimetalhead · « **Reply #2 on:** October 15, 2014, 11:38:48 AM »

That is fantastic news. As long as this means we get older shows like Six Feet Under, Entourage, and co. this becomes even better news.

Fuck cable.

Progmetty · « **Reply #3 on:** October 15, 2014, 12:17:03 PM »

YES! I saw it this morning on google news and pretty excited about it! I already have HBO GO but only cause a friend who has uverse is sharing the login info with me.
I second fuck cable.
Next and final nail in the coffin would be if ESPN does the same, a nice K.O for cable company tycoons, I'm guessing they will either radically reduce their prices to compete with streamers or simply make internet subscriptions much more expensive than they are now.

Chino · « **Reply #4 on:** October 15, 2014, 12:56:52 PM »

Quote from: Progmetty on October 15, 2014, 12:17:03 PM

YES! I saw it this morning on google news and pretty excited about it! I already have HBO GO but only cause a friend who has uverse is sharing the login info with me.
I second fuck cable.
Next and final nail in the coffin would be if ESPN does the same, a nice K.O for cable company tycoons, I'm guessing they will either radically reduce their prices to compete with streamers or simply make internet subscriptions much more expensive than they are now.

They are going to have to drastically alter their business model if they wan't any hopes of survival. I think they're going to have to start offering pay-per-channel options.

yorost · « **Reply #5 on:** October 15, 2014, 01:38:47 PM »

ESPN going this route would be surprising. I believe they make over $5 a month for just about every tv subscriber in the US since they force themselves into the basic packages and try to bundle their channels. I don't know what their cut is out of that and how many households they are exactly in, but it is around 100 million homes. Move them completely to a streaming model and, even if they kept all their viewers, their price would have to skyrocket to keep their revenue up. Offer an alternative to cable for their sports only viewers and they're threatening their own negotiating leverage to keep their place in cable. They're sitting pretty by being the pervasive sports channel, if anything I would have to assume they want to protect the current cable model.

HBO is already built on a premium model. While this is a big change, it's not the same degree as ESPN doing it would be.

As much as people want ala carte tv, I think people will be in for a shock if it happens. Pay about the same and have far fewer channels on average.

Chino · « **Reply #6 on:** October 15, 2014, 01:46:01 PM »

I just had to go through Comcast and and internet only package was more expensive than an internet/cable package.... I went with internet only out of spite.

yorost · « **Reply #7 on:** October 15, 2014, 01:56:26 PM »

You have to be talking about a 12 month special, then. We're internet only with Comcast and it is definitely a cheaper base rate than having both.

Chino · « **Reply #8 on:** October 15, 2014, 02:05:24 PM »

Quote from: yorost on October 15, 2014, 01:56:26 PM

You have to be talking about a 12 month special, then. We're internet only with Comcast and it is definitely a cheaper base rate than having both.

It's going to take 24 months until the internet only plan becomes cheaper. Once year three starts, it will be $20 a month less. I know a guy who knows a rep at Comcast. If I cancel my order, they'll be able to sign me up at a better rate.

yorost · « **Reply #9 on:** October 15, 2014, 02:23:42 PM »

How does Comcast's methods to hook customers with deals or specials from the inside alter their deals with either ESPN or HBO? I get there is a connection in making money to pay channels, but Comcast doesn't just decide how much ESPN or HBO get. That's negotiated on per subscriber numbers with requirements on which packages channels go in. ESPN makes a killing on cable, one of the most disproportionate channels on average viewers vs price. This is a great model for them, and how Comcast pays those bills to ESPN is up to them.

El Barto · « **Reply #10 on:** October 15, 2014, 05:58:52 PM »

Quote from: Chino on October 15, 2014, 12:56:52 PM

Quote from: Progmetty on October 15, 2014, 12:17:03 PM
YES! I saw it this morning on google news and pretty excited about it! I already have HBO GO but only cause a friend who has uverse is sharing the login info with me.
I second fuck cable.
Next and final nail in the coffin would be if ESPN does the same, a nice K.O for cable company tycoons, I'm guessing they will either radically reduce their prices to compete with streamers or simply make internet subscriptions much more expensive than they are now.

They are going to have to drastically alter their business model if they wan't any hopes of survival. I think they're going to have to start offering pay-per-channel options.

I've been watching and pondering this for years now. At this point I still think the whole thing is too chaotic to make predictions. The current model is obviously not sustainable, despite ESPN's tremendous influence over CATV. However, I till think there's another couple of years for the paradigm to change, which will fuck up everything. TWC/Comcast are moving forward as if they'll still control the internet five years from now; hence all of the consolidation. They might, or it might be something we've never heard of yet.

gmillerdrake · « **Reply #11 on:** October 15, 2014, 06:41:39 PM »

It's a good start and promising as far as perhaps one day getting to the 'al a carte' for cable.....but for the time being I'll just continue to use my brothers password. I guess I'm a jerk for doing so but HBO ain't going broke anytime soon....

MetalJunkie · « **Reply #12 on:** October 15, 2014, 08:09:03 PM »

Are they going to charge 79$ a month?

cfmoran13 · « **Reply #13 on:** October 16, 2014, 06:53:38 AM »

As long as they don't rape us with what they charge, this will make my upcoming break from cable that much easier.

Progmetty · « **Reply #14 on:** October 16, 2014, 07:34:16 AM »

I think they'll charge anywhere between 25$ and 35$, I don't expect it to be Netflix or Hulu kinda money.

Chino · « **Reply #15 on:** October 16, 2014, 07:35:33 AM »

Quote from: Progmetty on October 16, 2014, 07:34:16 AM

I think they'll charge anywhere between 25$ and 35$, I don't expect it to be Netflix or Hulu kinda money.

I'm guessing $20 at the most. If Netflix starts really ramping up the production of their own content (which they appear to be doing), HBO Go will not seem as appealing. I really can't imagine many people leaving Netflix in favor of HBO Go. Don't get me wrong, HBO has a lot of really amazing content, but if I had to choose between one or the other, I feel like I'd run out of stuff to watch on HBO really quick.

Lynxo · « **Reply #16 on:** October 16, 2014, 11:15:38 AM »

Well, I guess this was only a matter of time. There already exists HBO Nordic for us Scandinavians where we can get all our Game of Thrones and True Blood.

HBO Nordic costs as much as Netflix does, which is 79 swedish kronor (roughly 11 dollar a month). I have no idea if that's the price they're gonna use in the US though. But that they use the exact same price as Netflix gotta tell you something at least.

KevShmev · « **Reply #17 on:** October 16, 2014, 11:25:16 AM »

Quote from: Chino on October 16, 2014, 07:35:33 AM

Quote from: Progmetty on October 16, 2014, 07:34:16 AM
I think they'll charge anywhere between 25$ and 35$, I don't expect it to be Netflix or Hulu kinda money.

I'm guessing $20 at the most. If Netflix starts really ramping up the production of their own content (which they appear to be doing), HBO Go will not seem as appealing. I really can't imagine many people leaving Netflix in favor of HBO Go. Don't get me wrong, HBO has a lot of really amazing content, but if I had to choose between one or the other, I feel like I'd run out of stuff to watch on HBO really quick.

For me, the difference would be movies. HBO always has a good selection of movies, while Netflix's selection is horrible. I recently cancelled my Netflix account cause I never use it. I'll re-up for a month when the next seasons of House of Cards and Orange Is the New Black come out.

jasc15 · « **Reply #18 on:** October 16, 2014, 12:08:42 PM »

I wonder what the cable companies are going to do as this cable cutting trend continues to grow. They own the infrastructure that is allowing people to avoid their services, and they already limit bandwidth based on who pays them enough. I feel like there isn't going to be a free lunch for the users in the long term.

Chino · « **Reply #19 on:** October 17, 2014, 06:42:38 AM »

Quote from: jasc15 on October 16, 2014, 12:08:42 PM

I wonder what the cable companies are going to do as this cable cutting trend continues to grow. They own the infrastructure that is allowing people to avoid their services, and they already limit bandwidth based on who pays them enough. I feel like there isn't going to be a free lunch for the users in the long term.

A select few providers will become the monopoly in their areas, and the price of internet will double or triple.

jasc15 · « **Reply #20 on:** October 17, 2014, 09:26:08 AM »

That's the only way I see this going. It will be cool for a while for the first cable cutters to have their cake and eat it too, but that will end eventually.

Chino · « **Reply #21 on:** October 17, 2014, 09:32:10 AM »

Watch it come full circle and actually end up being cheaper to just buy the physical versions of media again.

cramx3 · « **Reply #22 on:** October 20, 2014, 01:42:27 PM »

This is great for cable cutters and people around the world where HBO isn't offered. Easily the best channel for original TV shows. However, I only pay 10 a month for it and can't cut my cable since I watch sports so its not meaningful personally.

Chino · « **Reply #23 on:** March 19, 2015, 06:49:57 AM »

Kind of bummed this is only on Apple devices... I just equipped my house with 4 fire sticks.

hefdaddy42 · « **Reply #24 on:** March 19, 2015, 07:37:34 AM »

Quote from: Chino on March 19, 2015, 06:49:57 AM

Kind of bummed this is only on Apple devices... I just equipped my house with 4 fire sticks.

It's only Apple-exclusive for the first three months.

Chino · « **Reply #25 on:** March 19, 2015, 07:41:55 AM »

Quote from: hefdaddy42 on March 19, 2015, 07:37:34 AM

Quote from: Chino on March 19, 2015, 06:49:57 AM
Kind of bummed this is only on Apple devices... I just equipped my house with 4 fire sticks.
It's only Apple-exclusive for the first three months.

Oh really? Cool beans in that case. Why even bother then? I'm sure Apple paid HBO something for the exclusive rights. If it was for a year or more, I could almost understand it.

cramx3 · « **Reply #26 on:** March 19, 2015, 08:34:05 AM »

Quote from: Chino on March 19, 2015, 07:41:55 AM

Quote from: hefdaddy42 on March 19, 2015, 07:37:34 AM
Quote from: Chino on March 19, 2015, 06:49:57 AM
Kind of bummed this is only on Apple devices... I just equipped my house with 4 fire sticks.
It's only Apple-exclusive for the first three months.

Oh really? Cool beans in that case. Why even bother then? I'm sure Apple paid HBO something for the exclusive rights. If it was for a year or more, I could almost understand it.

The first three months of it happen to be the months that Game of Thrones is airing, it makes a lot of sense for Apple to grab those viewers first. I think this is a great and big movement towards cutting the cable companies out of the picture.

JayOctavarium · « **Reply #27 on:** March 20, 2015, 10:15:06 AM »

Quote from: hefdaddy42 on March 19, 2015, 07:37:34 AM

Quote from: Chino on March 19, 2015, 06:49:57 AM
Kind of bummed this is only on Apple devices... I just equipped my house with 4 fire sticks.
It's only Apple-exclusive for the first three months.

Thank god

Calvin6s · « **Reply #28 on:** March 20, 2015, 05:34:54 PM »

I just order HBO for 1 month out of the year on my satellite plan and watch the latest seasons of Game of Thrones, Veep or whatever else is on HBO that I care about. And you can even binge watch a bunch of old series as well.

The bigger satellite problem for me has always been that HBO and Showtime are the biggies for watching boxing. But the good events are PPV anyway, so not a big loss. And uhm .... YouTube has the "not championship" PPV fights up the very same night anyway.

ariich · « **Reply #29 on:** March 21, 2015, 05:40:29 AM »

Here in the UK my only subscriptions are online ones.

We have freeview TV that gives us the basic channels, but I haven't bothered with satellite or cable services. Instead I have some online subscriptions:

1. NowTV, which covers most of our Sky TV channels, including Sky Atlantic which tends to get most of the good HBO shows for example. It also has some on demand online "boxsets", though not that many and most don't stay available for all that long.

2. Amazon Prime. I chose this over Netflix because it has pretty much as much on-demand stuff, but also includes the usual one-day delivery on purchases, plus Kindle benefits as well, and for only a little bit more than Netflix costs only for its streaming. They have some original shows as well, like Extant aired on Amazon here, and Bosch was commissioned by them.

I don't currently have Netflix, but am considering it just because there seem to be more and more shows airing on it.

hefdaddy42 · « **Reply #30 on:** March 21, 2015, 05:50:46 AM »

Was Bosch good? I've read several of the novels that are the basis of the show. Connelly is a good author.

ariich · « **Reply #31 on:** March 21, 2015, 05:53:56 AM »

Yeah, I actually really really liked it.

I didn't really know what to expect. I haven't read any of the novels, and hadn't watched any other shows commissioned by Amazon (I think this came out of their annual pilots thing). But I thought I'd give it a try, and I found myself pretty gripped. As I understand it, it's based on 2 or 3 of the books, so there's some overlapping of plots alongside each other, which I thought made for a very engaging season. The acting was fantastic as well, very convincing.

Very much hoping they do a second season.

hefdaddy42 · « **Reply #32 on:** March 21, 2015, 07:04:42 AM »

I think I read that it was renewed for a second season.

ariich · « **Reply #33 on:** March 21, 2015, 07:08:06 AM »

Ah, you're right! Happened a couple of days ago, but I missed it: https://www.tv.com/news/bosch-renewed-season-2-amazon-142669406096/

Great news.

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Author Topic: HBO Streaming. (Read 3781 times)

Calvin6s