What will Dish do about HBO?

[Ronnie-]

I don't actually own the devices but why would Amazon sell them with a $60 price difference if they are the same product? No one would buy the full box version if they are the same.

Roku does something similar with their stick vs the box.

The difference in the fire stick and box is the stick can't play some of the more complex games. For a video streamer it plays the exact same content and uses the same software.

Oh and the box comes standard with the voice capable remote. The stick does not. And that's $30 difference right there.


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[Foxbat]

I have not subscribed to HBO over Dish, mostly because of the cost. Sure, I'm looking forward to the Free Preview weekend preceding the Game of Thrones season premiere, and I'll try to catch up on the previous season. But GoT is not enough to make me want to pay $18/mo to Dish.

However, now that I have a 25 Mbps ISP, I signed up for Netflix at $8/mo. It's probably gone up now that I'm past my first year with them. My Dish bill with AT200 is over $110/mo and I'm looking to cut costs. The Blockbuster add-on saves me $10, as does cutting the Dish Protection Racket, er, Plan. Eliminating those two from my bill and subbing to HBO Now gets me more current movies and original programming than BB has with their movie channels, plus saves a few dollars as well.

My channel requirements are Comedy Central, NBC Sports, and the ESPN family of channels. If SlingTV could provide those channels I would seriously look at dropping Dish or downgrading to the Family Pack.

 

[harshness]

I don't actually own the devices but why would Amazon sell them with a $60 price difference if they are the same product? No one would buy the full box version if they are the same.

This is not sound reasoning. Modular products like the FireTV almost always cost more. For the additional cost, you get additional flexibility. In this case, the additional flexibility comes in the form an included voice remote, much more powerful hardware, hardwired Ethernet capability, availability of a gaming controller and games and more comprehensive output options.

It would likely cost upwards of $40 just to get optical audio out of the FireTV stick.

 

[king3pj]

This is not sound reasoning. Modular products like the FireTV almost always cost more. For the additional cost, you get additional flexibility. In this case, the additional flexibility comes in the form an included voice remote, much more powerful hardware, hardwired Ethernet capability, availability of a gaming controller and games and more comprehensive output options.

It would likely cost upwards of $40 just to get optical audio out of the FireTV stick.

That's the point I was trying to make. The Fire TV and the Fire Stick aren't really the same thing.

 

[Ronnie-]

That's the point I was trying to make. The Fire TV and the Fire Stick aren't really the same thing.

Hmm, I see them as basically the same thing, as gaming aside (and the stick plays most of the simple games) the only difference out of the box is the remote, and you can get that for the stick as well.

There are additional outputs (maybe, I do not remember), but most will use straight hdmi and nothing else so that is more or less a wash. And I would wager with nothing to back it up that most will use wifi (not here maybe) than to go through the trouble of hooking it up ethernet, so that is pretty much a wash as well.

For the purpose of streaming discussions though, they are pretty much one in the same. You get the exact same "Fire TV experience" I guess is what I am saying.

Not that its a big deal.

Edit: I do have one of the sticks, had the box itself, and also have various roku boxes and stick, plus the chromecast (in a drawer) and my xbox one. If the fire stick (or box) had vudu support, I would use it more. I for one found the interface nice, and it is pretty fluid. I certainly wish HBO Go were coming to some of the other devices and I really do not see myself buying another just for it. I just do not think I would us the apple tv for anything else as most of my digital content is tied into vudu and my ultraviolet account.

 

[stardust3]

The discussion in this thread sure doesn't match the title.

 

[dangue]

Since there's so much Apple bashing, here's my prediction: this Apple TV price cut is a bandaid meant to bridge the gap until the next version of the device. I expect a refresh in the fall that will take advantage of the finalization of 4K standards and increased availability of hardware to support it.

This is the next logical step to me, and I imagine all players in the streaming field are working towards it. (Which is why a refresh yesterday would not have worked so well.)

No insider knowledge here, pure speculation on my part.

 

[dare2be]

I apologize for my contributions to the bashing, but after having a family member basically bash us, and more importantly, having my nephew bash my daughter for not using Apple products (parroting his dad's cult mentality), I had my reasons.

What was funny, when my daughter started giving valid reasons why her tablet wasn't as bad as it was being made out to be, it was the nephew who got all upset.

 

[bobvick]

I love my Apple products. I keep trying new Android products but find myself going back to Apple as it just works.

I use a Macbook Pro for my computer and LOVE it, it goes everywhere with me and runs better than ANY laptop I have ever owned. And can use OSx and Windows at the same time, plus have unix available to me as well so its like 3 computers in one.

I have two Apple TV's one at work and one at Home. They work great but not as good or as much choice at a the Roku 3 which is my prefered streaming box.

I don't see myself getting an Apple watch, I can't see paying that much money that you will probably want to upgrade to the latest version in a year. If I want to check weather or use Apple Pay I can take the phone out of my pocket and have a better experience.

I have been an Apple "snob" for years. I have only used Macs back to when we had System 7 and System 8. I tried an Android phone for ONE day, and HATED every minute of it. Apple products in general, but especially Macs are reliable, fast, and simply "just work" when you need them to. I use Windoze so rarely, that I don't even have VMware on my Mac right now.

 

[T134]

If the fire stick (or box) had vudu support, I would use it more.

Fire is built on Android. Side load the VUDU app and you have it. That's assuming Amazon hasn't blocked sideloading in the newer Fire versions.

The reason I don't like Amazon's Android based products is no Google Play and constant attempts to lock down the platform. Both are contrary to the whole Android concept. As far as Play goes, that is not directly Amazon's fault. There is a no-compete clause where you cannot have Play Store OEM built on a device that has its own Market/Appstore. Either way between the two issues I have no interest in the Amazon Androids. They might as well be Apple products

As far as the difference/no difference between fire stick and fire tv, there is a huge difference that you may or may not notice depending on your use and needs. The fire stick is basically kmart with a low end dual core processor and little RAM and memory. Don't expect it to do 4K or oddball HD video or anything too special. The FireTV on the other hand is a semi decent quad core with some RAM and storage for apps. It will get a lot further if your needs are beyond the typical cookie cutter sheep $29 mentality. You are paying 3x as much for their STB for a reason.

 

[MikeD-C05]

Why couldn't they just stick with the HBO GO name for both services?

I guess that HBO wanted to differentiate between the two. HBO go has been around a while and it is already connected to existing cable /satellite subs.

 

[harshness]

Why couldn't they just stick with the HBO GO name for both services?

I expect that HBO Now will offer a different format compared to HBO Go's VOD format.

 

[ChadT41]

What's the likely hood that hbo now will be like SlingTV with a 3 day recall on shows and movies, and not the vast library offered on Go

 

[mike1977]

http://order.hbonow.com/faq/index.html

 

[ChadT41]

http://order.hbonow.com/faq/index.html

Good info. Looks like Go and Now will be almost identical, atleast according to the FAQ sheet.

 

[CK SatGuy]

Still no real differences to justify a new name:

What is the difference between HBO GO® and HBO NOW??
HBO GO® is HBO's authenticated online streaming service, available at no additional cost to HBO subscribers through their participating television provider.

HBO NOW? is a new, standalone online streaming service that is available to all customers with a high-speed internet connection. HBO NOW? subscription prices may vary by participating partners.

Both services provide instant access to HBO's award-winning programming and more of the biggest and latest Hollywood hit movies.

To me, HBO could have just said this: Get HBO GO for $15/month or for FREE with your HBO subscription on cable or satellite. That's it. Just simple and straightforward marketing.

 

[KAB]

Still no real differences to justify a new name:

What is the difference between HBO GO® and HBO NOW??
HBO GO® is HBO's authenticated online streaming service, available at no additional cost to HBO subscribers through their participating television provider.

HBO NOW? is a new, standalone online streaming service that is available to all customers with a high-speed internet connection. HBO NOW? subscription prices may vary by participating partners.

Both services provide instant access to HBO's award-winning programming and more of the biggest and latest Hollywood hit movies.

To me, HBO could have just said this: Get HBO GO for $15/month or for FREE with your HBO subscription on cable or satellite. That's it. Just simple and straightforward marketing.

Perhaps it will be more obvious once we see the UI.

 

[Bobby]

Now is a product provided by HBO for HBO customers directly. GO is a product provided by HBO for Satellite and Cable companies, under contract, for their customers. It makes sense to keep them totally separate...

 

[bobvick]

Now is a product provided by HBO for HBO customers directly. GO is a product provided by HBO for Satellite and Cable companies, under contract, for their customers. It makes sense to keep them totally separate...

To tell you the truth it would probably make the program providers less pissed off if they called them the same thing and said, you can get HBO GO for $15 per month, but it is streaming only, one device at a time (I have no idea how it will be). To get HBO GO, HBO, and HBO On Demand, order from your cable or satellite provider for $18, 19, etc...

 

[barleyguy]

Dish will probably eventually start selling HBO on Sling TV, making Internet delivery a good thing rather than a bad thing.

Dish has been planning Internet delivery since 2008. It was one of the primary reasons Dish Network and Echostar became two corporations - to decouple the programming from the means of delivery.