MAX and 4K

[ekilgus]

As we already know, a Dish subscription to HBO includes MAX streaming. This morning I received an email from MAX stating on Dec 5 that streaming pf 4K content will no longer be available to me. A search indicated MAX will be offering a premium tier for 4K and Dolby ATMOS content. Of course, it will cost more, around $4 more.

I wonder what Dish will do? I’m guessing probably nothing. So, this means if I want content in 4K, I’d have to subscribe to this MAX premium tier separately from Dish, which means of course, I’d drop HBO from my Dish account. Has anyone heard about this or what Dish might do or not do yet?

 

[detuch254]

This same email was Received by DIRECTV customers. I believe it is a MAX protocol, not an individual provider protocol.

 

[Stuart Sweet]

There will be a fairly scathing editorial on The Solid Signal Blog about this tomorrow... look for it.

 

[ekilgus]

This same email was Received by DIRECTV customers. I believe it is a MAX protocol, not an individual provider protocol.

I never said it was directed only at Dish subscribers. Before HBO was restored on Dish, I subscribed to MAX directly. This means if I still subscribed directly and wanted 4K I would have just had my monthly bill increased by that $4. My question was since the MAX steaming is included with a Dish subscription to HBO, how will Dish handle this? Will there be any way I can get 4K content without subscribing directly and dropping HBO from my Dish account?

 

[Bruce]

There has not been any news that providers will be able to offer the 4K upgrade, which does surprise me since it is so early in Max’s availability as a streaming service.( I know HBO and all that, but MAX is not HBOMAX).

Warner long game goal is for everyone to subscribe directly with them, then they will no longer have to split the monthly fee with a provider (Dish for example), this might be the beginning of that.

If you are going to subscribe to the 4K option and plan on keeping it all year, I recommend the year option, that way you save a couple of dollars on the monthly price.

I have it for the year, wish I did not, HBO type content is way down, next year will be worse because of the strikes, new movies are down since they only get movies from Warner ( just a couple of years ago, new movies on HBO was from Fox, Universal, Columbia/Sony and Warner, the first two went to their streaming services, Warner was outbid by Netflix for all Sony Movies).

I do have to say, it does look great in 4K/DV, for both new and legacy content, for example, Succession four seasons are in 4K, looks so much better.

 

[Bruce]

There will be a fairly scathing editorial on The Solid Signal Blog about this tomorrow... look for it.

Is part of that-Warner‘s long game goal is for everyone to subscribe directly with them, then they will no longer have to split the monthly fee with a provider.

Because I just posted that right above.

 

[Bruce]

Will there be any way I can get 4K content without subscribing directly and dropping HBO from my Dish account?

As I posted, no.

And I thought they would, but Warner needs to maximize revenue for MAX, especially since they are still having money woes and dealing with $44 Billion in debt .

But why give a provider 30% ( guessing) of the monthly cost when they can get the whole thing.

Warner can still change plans, they have a few more weeks.

 

[Yespage]

I got this as well, as per my AT&T Gig account. Would have missed it, if not for the OP though. Thanks!

So "only" HD and up to 2 streams at one time... for "free". Still works for me.

 

[Stuart Sweet]

Is part of that-Warner‘s long game goal is for everyone to subscribe directly with them, then they will no longer have to split the monthly fee with a provider.

Because I just posted that right above.

You’re likely not wrong. But that’s not the real thrust of the article.

 

[Yespage]

As we already know, a Dish subscription to HBO includes MAX streaming. This morning I received an email from MAX stating on Dec 5 that streaming pf 4K content will no longer be available to me. A search indicated MAX will be offering a premium tier for 4K and Dolby ATMOS content. Of course, it will cost more, around $4 more.

I just realized that the poster subs to HBO. While I get it as a bonus with my Internet, I don't quite pay outright for it. So I can see why my access is reduced.

Why in the heck would Warner reduce the access to 4K content online, if someone was subscribed to them directly through Cable or Sat? Are they seriously expecting people to sub to both or are they purposefully screwing over cable/sat channels... or is this a negotiation ploy for Cable/Sat to up their pay to the premiums to provide 4K streaming?

 

[Bruce]

Why in the heck would Warner reduce the access to 4K content online, if someone was subscribed to them directly through Cable or Sat? Are they seriously expecting people to sub to both or are they purposefully screwing over cable/sat channels... or is this a negotiation ploy for Cable/Sat to up their pay to the premiums to provide 4K streaming?

That has been their plan since they first put out HBOMAX, they want the entire monthly fee to themselves.

Your second option would be a better idea at this point in MAX’s existence, try to get a better deal with providers.

 

[ekilgus]

Is part of that-Warner‘s long game goal is for everyone to subscribe directly with them, then they will no longer have to split the monthly fee with a provider.

Because I just posted that right above.

I finally got a response from MAX
------------------------------------------
Thank you for your reply and for letting us know about your concern.

Upon checking, we currently don't have an available plan upgrade for subscription that are through a provider. You can upgrade for higher tier plan if you choose to subscribed directly. I hope this helps. Thank you.
---------------------------------------

I've got to believe more than half of MAX subscribers are through a provider. Right now DISH CSR's are clueless, they had no idea what I was talking about. I suppose we'll have to wait and see what happens.

 

[Yespage]

That has been their plan since they first put out HBOMAX, they want the entire monthly fee to themselves.

I ponder whether this is more about the DVR, than the fee. Streaming provides most of everything on demand... but you can't keep it. We've got all sorts of stuff on our DVR that was recorded from previous subscriptions we no longer have. Streaming (and HDMI encryption) ends that.

It'd make a lot more sense to have a Max 4K add-on for provider accounts than to anger the customers, especially the Sat TV folk.

 

[Bruce]

I ponder whether this is more about the DVR, than the fee. Streaming provides most of everything on demand... but you can't keep it. We've got all sorts of stuff on our DVR that was recorded from previous subscriptions we no longer have. Streaming (and HDMI encryption) ends that.

While broadcasters have always hated the DVR, this is all about the fee.

Look at it from Warner’s view, I have heard, but not sure, that Warner gets 70%, Providers 30%.

So for a $20 per month fee, that is $14/6.

If 20 Million subscribe to the 4K plan, by keeping it, that is $400 Million a month, $4.8 Billion a year

If 10 million of that 20 million subscribe to the 4K plan via a provider, they are losing $60 Million a month, $720 Million a year.

The new rumor is, when the contracts are up, is no more online access, you can still get HBO via a provider, but no more MAX, only way is direct/online.

Or, your only online access will be with Commercials, since the other rumor is the middle tier (1080P no commercials) will also be going away, raising the with Commercials price to $15 , then the other tier, is the upgrade to 4K( have not heard if that price will be going up, but I do not doubt if that will happen).

By the way, Viacom is already about to do this with Showtime, the only way to get online is with Paramount+, for the same price you would pay a provider for just Showtime, online access goes away in 2 weeks I believe.

It'd make a lot more sense to have a Max 4K add-on for provider accounts than to anger the customers, especially the Sat TV folk.

If this was 2016, I would agree, DirecTV/Dish total sub numbers were , roughly, 35 Million Subscribers between the two, today, about 15 Million for both, Comcast has more then DirecTV/Dish added together .

Their power is waning.