I ordered a new phone and the new plan provides HBOmax (how this is different from HBO is unknown to me). The service is available on the phone and also devices like Apple TV. But not on Fire TV. Apparently, no technical reason.

Amazon in my mind is basically unfriendly. While Apple will allow Amazon content, Amazon does not allow for Apple content. And now, it doesn't allow for HBOmax.

When my Fire TV breaks, I'm buying an Apple TV. And I'm continuing to wean myself off Prime. It's becoming less valuable over time - in fact, it's already downright annoying and cumbersome to use - trying to filter through all the PRC crap to find something worth buying. There will come a day soon where I completely cut the Prime cord and rid myself of Amazon.

Actually, the ones playing hardball are HBO and its owner, ATT. ATT is refusing to come to terms with both Amazon and Roku over revenue sharing. This is short-sighted by ATT, since 70% of households stream with one of those two devices.

It is irritating, however, no matter who is ultimately at fault. I'm thinking of cutting the cord, and when I do, if Amazon and Roku have not made a deal with ATT/HBO, I'll probably use the money I'll save ditching cable to buy a couple of Apple TV devices.

Yep. HBO is currently in a stalemate with a couple streaming box providers, including Amazon and Roku, over fees and revenue sharing.

I'm heavily invested in Roku devices, yet have a HBO Max subscription. So I'm in the same boat currently.

If you have the ability to "cast" to your Fire TV (or "screen share" or "mirror" or whatever they want to call it), you can pull up HBO Max on your laptop or cell phone, and cast it to the TV. You just can't get the HBO Max app directly on it (yet).

ATT owns HBO and Warner. They just hired BLM founder as content provider. And of course, they have CNN and the VIEW. Cutting out Amazon for ATT is not positive.
My Opinion

You Can Sideload HBO Max onto the Firestick if you really want to.

It would be easier to see what at&t doesn't own these days. I think it's at 100 companies now, maybe more.

quote:

Originally posted by unarmed:
You Can Sideload HBO Max onto the Firestick if you really want to.

Was reading about that. Is this really safe? I'm not convinced yet. If this is the case, why doesn't Amazon just provide the app if the workaround is so easy. Nothing to lose....

Okay - follow-up dumb question if you happen to know.

HBO app is available on Fire TV. It sounds like people with HBO account can use HBOMax (if available on their device). If HBOMax is a superset program, why can't I use my HBOMax account with the HBO app - this would allow me to access at least some HBO content on Fire TV since the HBO app is supported (albeit not the HBOMax app).

And how much difference is there for Amazon if they allow for HBO and not HBOMax?

Sigh, I just don't get it - Billion dollar companies quibbling over shit like this and making it painful for customers.

I want to buy an Apple TV but can't figure out if a new version is going to be available soon. No rush so I can wait if one will be available soon (seems like one is expected). This apple secrecy is annoying. I can understand the basis to some extent but it's very customer unfriendly given they have no predictable cadence.

If you log into your HBOMax account on a computer, and set up your account using an email address and password, you can use that to log into a "legacy" HBO app on Roku or FireStick.

You will only get the HBO movies and series, and not the HBOMax content though.

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:
And how much difference is there for Amazon if they allow for HBO and not HBOMax?

Because HBO/AT&T had already signed a contract with Amazon for the prior HBO app, which is still in place. HBO/AT&T is now refusing to sign a new contract with Amazon for the HBO Max app, unless they get a bigger chunk of money.

quote:

Originally posted by Gibb:
If you log into your HBOMax account on a computer, and set up your account using an email address and password, you can use that to log into a "legacy" HBO app on Roku or FireStick.

You will only get the HBO movies and series, and not the HBOMax content though.

Brilliant! This worked! I had access to Max via my ATT account. This didn't work and ran into blocks. Setting up a password specifically in the Max context allowed access to the HBO app on Fire.

Thanks!!!

You're very welcome. I'm pissed as well at the whole situation and discovered this work-around so I've been using it.

I do place the blame on HBO, if I am paying them for the service, it shouldn't matter on what device I want to watch it on.

AT&T can eat a bag of dicks. They ruin every company they buy.

They also bought the rights to the Houston Astros, and they played hard ball with prices for competitors leaving much of Houston (e.g. me) without regular season Astros baseball.

Big corps, in my mind, are all largely corrupt. They have a duty to their shareholders - I get it. But it shouldn't come at the cost of screwing over customers. Last time I upgraded my phone, Verizon screwed me over out of hundreds of dollars. And not because I did anything wrong - they just wouldn't honor their terms and gave me the run around.

So, I vowed that upon the next upgrade, I would move to ATT. And here I am. Not because I like ATT. But because Verizon screwed me over last time.

If these companies would just do right by their customers..... Greed is not good. A company can maintain plenty a healthy margin while still doing right by the customer.

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:
So, I vowed that upon the next upgrade, I would move to ATT. And here I am. Not because I like ATT. But because Verizon screwed me over last time.

And ironically, it's now AT&T (owner of HBO) that's screwing you over currently.

There's always Sprint.

Yup. I realize the irony.

The older I get, the more I realize that I just ping pong back and forth between these corporate oligopolies. We'll see how long I last w/ ATT before swinging back to Verizon.

Wow. Much ado about nothing. I scanned most of the content available from A to Z. I added about a half dozen titles to the watch list. And even then, I could take or leave the titles.

No wonder it’s free. After those titles, I can actually remove the app from my devices.

I found a stellar reason for HBO -- many of the Studio Ghibli movies are offered!! Awesome!!