It looks as if HBO GO is on the way....

http://www.zatznotfunny.com/2011-10/rok ... ent-114789

Nice. And Roku also announced the $50 Roku LT.

This probably also means that MAX Go is included or will be coming soon after HBO Go. Cinemax is the red headed stepchild of HBO, but MAX Go has great streaming programs as well. MAX Go is available everywhere that HBO Go is, so I think it is on the way as well.

But you are still required to have a HBO cable/satellite subscription, right? No go for cord cutters still?

nighthawk_md wrote:

But you are still required to have a HBO cable/satellite subscription, right? No go for cord cutters still?

Yes, you are still required to have an HBO subscription for HBO Go.

If HBO went over the top and offered a standalone subscription it would greatly impact the money that carriers of the channel are willing to pay them to carry HBO. Most guess that HBO gets $8 per subscriber x 30,000,000 estimated subscribers. $240,000,000 a month is a lot of money to risk to make life better for cord cutters that want HBO.

I think it will happen eventually, but it's years away.

nighthawk_md wrote:

But you are still required to have a HBO cable/satellite subscription, right? No go for cord cutters still?

Yes. In fact, I just added HBO GO to my cable subscription when I heard the service was coming to Xbox. While I would much rather be able to subscribe to the service independent of a cable/satellite subscription, the option is better than nothing. On a related note, I just found out recently that I get access to Epix just by having Cox service; no additional subscription or payment is required. It looks like in the very near future my Roku boxes will be providing me access to most of the major video services -- Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon, HBO GO, Epix and Crackle. If Roku would just work out a deal with Vudu (the highest quality service) that would be great.

nighthawk_md wrote:

But you are still required to have a HBO cable/satellite subscription, right? No go for cord cutters still?

flower. What's the point then?

It'd be free money for you HBO! Oh well.

jetman1287 wrote:

nighthawk_md wrote:

But you are still required to have a HBO cable/satellite subscription, right? No go for cord cutters still?

flower. What's the point then?

To get access to content you don't currently have access to....

I don't have cable anymore, amd there's no way I'd ever subscribe again, but the REAL victory out of these channels coming to Roku is the recognition by the content providers of Roku's legitimacy as a platform. Big players like this coming means more will follow. TV.com, I'm talking to you

jetman1287 wrote:

nighthawk_md wrote:

But you are still required to have a HBO cable/satellite subscription, right? No go for cord cutters still?

flower. What's the point then?

It'd be free money for you HBO! Oh well.

While I don't subscribe to HBO or other premium movie channels this opens up the possibility of having a 2nd TV with HBO content without the need of a STB that carries monthly fees. I suppose you could also watch on the road if you can take your ROKU. Also TIVO doesn't have access to on demand type stuff so this helps there too. Probably other uses I'm missing.

senorgregster wrote:

I suppose you could also watch on the road if you can take your ROKU.

That may not be the case. It isn’t just your login information that is looked at, but the service provider; information contained in the IP hearder. As an example, when I login to HBO GO on my iPad or ESPN on my Xbox, there is an indication that the connection is “powered by” or “provided” by Cox. If you are trying to login to the service via a different ISP (from a hotel or some other location) that does not support the video service, you might be out of luck.

It's very likely the contractual language gives Roku the rights to offer an HBO pay service once it's completed/finalized by HBO. HBO is already working on a cost model for non-traditional media delivery, so this may be the next step. Why would any content provider start working with non-traditional media companies, it's definitely not the margins. Granted, they could have morons thinking that this is the way to stop the cable subscriber exodus, but it's unlikely to be the true reason. I am calling it now, by second quarter 2012 HBO will announce monthly contracts outside of dish and cable to Microsoft (Xbox), Roku and whoever else is signed before then.

jcmolet wrote:

senorgregster wrote:

I suppose you could also watch on the road if you can take your ROKU.

That may not be the case. It isn’t just your login information that is looked at, but the service provider; information contained in the IP hearder. As an example, when I login to HBO GO on my iPad or ESPN on my Xbox, there is an indication that the connection is “powered by” or “provided” by Cox. If you are trying to login to the service via a different ISP (from a hotel or some other location) that does not support the video service, you might be out of luck.

That is incorrect, with respect to HBO. See the terms of use for the eligibility requirements:
http://www.hbogo.com/#terms/

To be eligible to access the Services, you must meet the following criteria (the “Eligibility Criteria”): (1) you must reside within the fifty contiguous states of the United States of America ("US"), the District of Columbia, and certain US territories (the “Service Area”); (2) you must be a subscriber with an account in good standing with an authorized television provider (“Distributor”) of (a) HBO that carries HBO GO, or a (b) Cinemax that carries Cinemax GO; and, in certain cases, (3) you must subscribe to both HBO and HBO on Demand or to both Cinemax and Cinemax on Demand, as applicable. If you meet these Eligibility Criteria, you may additionally be authorized to add household member accounts, subject to availability, as described in more detail in the terms of use of your Distributor.

There is no language barring you from using it while connected to a different ISP than your cable provider. In fact, when you enter the site, the about and mobile pages state HBO Go is available "Wherever You Go" and "minimum 3g required for viewing on mobile devices" and so on.
http://www.hbogo.com/#whatis/

I do not know the ESPN terms.

gonzotek wrote:

jcmolet wrote:

senorgregster wrote:

I suppose you could also watch on the road if you can take your ROKU.

That may not be the case. It isn’t just your login information that is looked at, but the service provider; information contained in the IP hearder. As an example, when I login to HBO GO on my iPad or ESPN on my Xbox, there is an indication that the connection is “powered by” or “provided” by Cox. If you are trying to login to the service via a different ISP (from a hotel or some other location) that does not support the video service, you might be out of luck.

That is incorrect, with respect to HBO. See the terms of use for the eligibility requirements:
http://www.hbogo.com/#terms/

To be eligible to access the Services, you must meet the following criteria (the “Eligibility Criteria”): (1) you must reside within the fifty contiguous states of the United States of America ("US"), the District of Columbia, and certain US territories (the “Service Area”); (2) you must be a subscriber with an account in good standing with an authorized television provider (“Distributor”) of (a) HBO that carries HBO GO, or a (b) Cinemax that carries Cinemax GO; and, in certain cases, (3) you must subscribe to both HBO and HBO on Demand or to both Cinemax and Cinemax on Demand, as applicable. If you meet these Eligibility Criteria, you may additionally be authorized to add household member accounts, subject to availability, as described in more detail in the terms of use of your Distributor.

There is no language barring you from using it while connected to a different ISP than your cable provider. In fact, when you enter the site, the about and mobile pages state HBO Go is available "Wherever You Go" and "minimum 3g required for viewing on mobile devices" and so on.
http://www.hbogo.com/#whatis/

I do not know the ESPN terms.

Interesting...and that sounds great. However, what then would stop you from passing your login information to friends and family? I may be mistaken, but I have to believe there is some mechanism in place that prevents those that are not subscribers from accessing the service.

jcmolet wrote:

Interesting...and that sounds great. However, what then would stop you from passing your login information to friends and family?

Nothing (other than the TOU people agreed to when signing up). Although, I'm sure there are technical measures in place to prevent multiple simultaneous streams from the same account, similar to Netflix. For the record, I've used HBO Go on the ipad on 3 or 4 different ISPs, and HBO Go on the iphone on at&t, all while comcast has been my sole provider, without any issues. I've only ever been signed in and streaming from one device/isp at a time, however.

I may be mistaken, but I have to believe there is some mechanism in place that prevents those that are not subscribers from accessing the service.

It's all login-based. If a person shares, and HBO notices, we have to assume they will be cut off. But I don't think they care what IPs you're logging in from. (I think, from my interpretation of the TOU, you can even use the service while out of country, as long as you still legally reside in the US and pay the cable bill, but someone will have to confirm/refute that).