HBO now $18?

[Mojo Jojo]

I was doing the half price premiums for 6 months for all of them but Cinemax and they just ran out so I logged in to drop a few of them. I was surprised to see that HBO has now gone up from $16 to $18. I haven't seen this mentioned around here so I was wondering when this change happened.

HBO has been the most expensive premium for as long as I can remember but I have subscribed for years because of the original programing. I still think they are the best premium but it's pretty hard to say they are worth $5 more per month than the rest of the premiums. $18 per month is pretty steep when Starz, Showtime, and Cinemax are $13 and EPIX is $7. I planned to keep HBO and Starz but now it looks like it will probably be Starz and EPIX. I'm done with HBO until Game of Thrones starts back up.

If you want to save some money, you may try Blockbuster @ Home for $10/month as an alternative to Starz ($13/month) and Epix ($7/month). BB@Home has Starz Cinema SD, Epix 1, Epix 2, and Epix 3 (no Drive-In last time I checked). This should give you access to Starz and Epix on Dish online. You may also get some additional channels with BB@Home like Centric HD, Crime & Investigation HD, Encore Suspense SD, Hallmark Movie Channel, HDNet Movies (although it is on in lieu of AMC for now), IndiePlex HD, Logo HD, Mav TV HD, MGM HD, MoviePlex SD, Palladia HD, PixL, RetroPlex HD, Sony Movie Channel HD, Universal HD, Velocity HD, and WFN. This should also give access to Encore and MoviePlex on DishOnline.

Also, Encore Movie Pack (although currently SD only) is $5/month for channels 341-347 and 377) if you do not have them with AT250 and AEP already.

I hope this helps someone.

 

[king3pj]

If you want to save some money, you may try Blockbuster @ Home for $10/month as an alternative to Starz ($13/month) and Epix ($7/month). BB@Home has Starz Cinema SD, Epix 1, Epix 2, and Epix 3. This should give you access to Starz and Epix on Dish online. You may also get some additional channels with BB@Home like Centric HD, Crime & Investigation HD, Encore Suspense SD, Hallmark Movie Channel, HDNet Movies (although it is on in lieu of AMC for now), IndiePlex HD, Logo HD, Mav TV HD, MGM HD, MoviePlex SD, Palladia HD, PixL, RetroPlex HD, Sony Movie Channel HD, Universal HD, Velocity HD, and WFN. This should also give access to Encore and MoviePlex on DishOnline.

Also, Encore Movie Pack (although currently SD only) is $5/month for channels 341-347 and 377) if you do not have them with AT250 and AEP already.

I hope this helps someone.

If it came with Starz HD even if it was just the main Starz channel I would definitely do that. I will very rarely record a movie that isn't HD though. I want the good picture quality and 5.1 sound.

 

[mike123abc]

DIRECTV still has it for $15.99 on their web site. TWC has it for $14.99...

I guess Dish decided to lead the way to higher prices.

 

[mike123abc]

That is a good point. I wish Showtime had a similar service. I would like to watch Dexter but I've only seen the first 2 seasons and Homeland, which I haven't seen any of. I can't find a good way to watch older seasons of Showtime series like you can with HBO though. If they would let me watch their back seasons I would be glad to help out their ratings on their current seasons.

Showtime does it is called Showtime Anytime. Dish does not offer this service though to its subs. I believe only FIOS and Uverse offer it at this time.

 

[KAB]

Even at $18 HBO is must for us. I happen to use HBO Go often too.

I was all over it, with Go, but having got caught up on the shows I wanted, will probably drop until April when Game of Thrones returns. Was into Boardwalk Empire for a while, now I am not so compelled. $18.00 per month is getting a bit much, based on what they have to offer these days. We watch Showtime more now with Dexter and Homeland.

 

[KAB]

Ahh that's why I never saw it. It was posted in a thread about Dish broadband. I have good cable internet so I'm not interested in satellite broadband and I never read that thread. Thanks for pointing it out.

It was not Scott that posted it there, it was Sherrman while discussing a retailer chat where it was announced.

 

[Teehar]

DIRECTV still has it for $15.99 on their web site. TWC has it for $14.99...

I guess Dish decided to lead the way to higher prices.

Interesting,I just assumed it was an HBO increase not a Dish increase.

 

[dangue]

DIRECTV still has it for $15.99 on their web site. TWC has it for $14.99...

I guess Dish decided to lead the way to higher prices.

Are you saying that HBO's contracts with all the providers expire at the same time? Otherwise, the pricing of HBO by other providers can't really be used to determine if Dish or HBO is the source of the increase.

Sent from my iPhone using SatelliteGuys

 

[CK SatGuy]

If dish, or any TV provider could offer HBO or any premium without a base package, one would think there would be a lot more subs. Let's face it. The only 2 reasons I can think of to sub to cable/sat is for either live sports or premium networks or both. The rest of the shows you can pretty much just watch on your computer with at least a decent Internet connection. Of course if there isn't a decent internet option for you, then that's a different story.

 

[ScottChez]

Wow For $18 they better have super fast instant on demand of every HBO movie or throw in Cenimax which is the same company or something special that they other channels do not have.

 

[dangue]

Wow For $18 they better have super fast instant on demand of every HBO movie or throw in Cenimax which is the same company or something special that they other channels do not have.

I didn't do a thorough testing of it, but HBO Go did seem to provide access to just about all HBO content (including back seasons of HBO produced dramas). I have no idea about live sporting events like HBO boxing. If I could get HBO Go as a stand alone product, I'd choose it over the traditional multiplex. If you have the broadband connection to support it, it's hard to beat given its flexibility.

Sent from my iPhone using SatelliteGuys

 

[Claude Greiner]

I remember when it was $12.99 and was priced the same as all the other movie channels.

Pretty soon its going to be $20, and which gets into the prices as a base package such as Dish family.

 

[The Fat Man]

I had HBO a while back (cable days) my wife and I decided that we needed to cut spending when we bought the house (that was why we chose Dish and dumped Comcast). HBO got the ax. It took some time to get used to tv viewing without it. So I can see those who would pay any price for it. I really don't watch much HBO programming outside Boardwalk Empire with friends. In my opinion, other than the constant late night shows that I'm constantly making sure the kids don't see, Cinemax is more valuable than HBO at this point. Same movies, less price. Plus, Strike Back is a good show.

Now will they rise Cinemax's subscription fee?

 

[MikeD-C05]

I like three series shows on HBO:

True Blood
Boardwalk Empire
Real Time with Bill Maher

The movies on HBO are the same movies you can get on any premium movie service like Cinemax/showtime or Starz. But for $18.00 a month I can NOT justify keeping it for 3 tv series I watch. Last summer I had it for 1/2 price which got me through True Blood and most of the Real Time shows. But for Boardwalk Empire I said no go. I like the show but I will not keep HBO for one series. HBO has over priced itself right out of the market. So unless I can get it for FREE for 3 months or 1/2 price for 6 months, I will NOT subscribe any more. IF everyone dropped them , they would have to reconsider their pricing.

 

[Tampa8]

IF everyone dropped them , they would have to reconsider their pricing.

As with most anything......

With the limited sample here, it very well may be HBO is going to see a drop in subcriptions. I am in minoriy it looks like.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I canceled my HBO as well.

 

[rajmarie]

I have hbo for mostly series. Currently it's at half price. I don't think I pay full price but don't know when GOT season will start. That plus homeland are the 2 best shows IMO right now on premium tv.

I guess next year I will have to start jumping from one premium to another when needed to save money.

 

[Scherrman]

I get all the movie channels as part of the everything package so I didn't see an increase. I love using my Roku to watch HBOgo so I can watch Band of Brothers whenever I want. I can rewatch Eastbound and Down again too.

 

[rjruby]

I remember paying $10/month for ONE HBO channel back in the 1970s.

 

[robk299]

An idea: if HBO has programming you like, try subscribing to it only for the season finale, then you'll likely get a marathon of the season and save money.