[mooseAndSquirrel]

I eot HBO through AT&T fiber. I run the app on a firestick. The weird problem I have is it will frequently start a show with audio and a black screen. I have to FF/REW to get the picture to show.

 

[Saturn_V]

...The weird problem I have is it will frequently start a show with audio and a black screen. I have to FF/REW to get the picture to show...

I get that too. Either that loading animation plays forever, or a black screen with no running time on the media search bar.

Glad to know that I'm not the only one. It usually happens with older titles, but I spent a few minutes trying to play the newly remastered Game of Thrones this week. (HDR/Dolby Vision + Dolby Atmos) Bupkis.

 

[hapster85]

If HBO programming gets folded into a Discovery channel- you better believe they'll insert ads on it.

HBO Max already has a tier with commercials for those who want to pay a little less and don't mind them. I'm on the no-commercial tier.

 

[aaronwt]

Where are you seeing this rumor. That still makes zero sense to me. More likely, if they are going to do anything, they will roll it into Discovery+ (and perhaps change the name, so it doesn't sound so much like a documentary channel). HBO Max just announced they will be showing the whole Game of Thrones series in 4K HDR and Dolby Atmos sound, and the new series will be shown that way as well. Why would they announce that if they were canning the platform. Then again, they killed CNN+ after a month or two and nixed a show on TBS hours before it was going to air, so who knows with these people?

They also spent $80 million on a crazy Bat Girl Movie. Only to cancel it this week, and they will never air it.

 

[aaronwt]

I get that they're trying to grow the Discovery brand, but that name means nothing to me. I've been cordcut since 2009. And I've never watched the reality/competitive reality and unscripted "dramas" they've been hawking for the past 20+ years. I was fan of Mythbusters and Dirty Jobs, but that's about it.

If HBO programming gets folded into a Discovery channel- you better believe they'll insert ads on it.

It's been seven years since I first subscribed to HBO Now. (aka HBO Go) If scripted programming is going away- I'd probably cut off the scrip.

If they do that then I will never subscribe. I have no desire to see any commercials. I would rather watch nothing than have commercials.

 

[trainman]

If HBO programming gets folded into a Discovery channel- you better believe they'll insert ads on it.

The current incarnation of Discovery+ has an ad-free tier, so I'm reasonably certain a combined "Discovery Plus, Plus HBO" would have one as well.

It's been seven years since I first subscribed to HBO Now. (aka HBO Go) If scripted programming is going away- I'd probably cut off the scrip.

Indications are that they'll be continuing original scripted programming on the HBO linear channel, which will also be available for streaming somehow -- there just won't be any new scripted programming that's exclusive to streaming.

 

[Saturn_V]

Indications are that they'll be continuing original scripted programming on the HBO linear channel, which will also be available for streaming somehow -- there just won't be any new scripted programming that's exclusive to streaming.

It's a shame, I really liked HBOMAX's original content: Hacks, Raised by Wolves, Station Eleven, Tokyo Vice, Flight Attendant. It didn't have the same vibe as the linear channel's originals, and felt genuine to the service.

If they do that then I will never subscribe. I have no desire to see any commercials. I would rather watch nothing than have commercials.

I think Discovery programming turned me off commercials forever. It's still a 45min program- but the ads are interspersed in unconventional timings. And it seems 5-8 mins of the program is spend recapping what happened earlier in the episode. It's constructed to move advertising.

May be I am over-reacting. Just not at all comfy about HBO being deprecated in any way.

 

[wspencerjr60]

Current rumor is Discovery will announce Thursday that it’s shutting down HBOMax and reverting HBO back to a premium channel with all the scripted shows being axed and unscripted shows being added to Discovery+.

That sounds insane, but considering a bunch of shows and movies were just canned, it’s now sounding plausible.

Makes plenty of sense to me, as I have already stopped my HBO Max subscription. I haven't watched anything on there for 2 months. No same time theater releases, the Perry Mason season 2 is delayed. I don't like much of the modern stuff that they have, so I'm not paying for it anymore..I watch Disney(Star Wars), Paramount(Star Trek), Prime(Movies,etc), Peacock(Indycar, IMSA, etc racing and some same time theater releases).

So, HBO Max, who needs it?

 

[astrohip]

Perry Mason season 2 is delayed

I know it's delayed, but I didn't realize it was on HBO-MAX. I thought it was HBO.

 

[wspencerjr60]

I know it's delayed, but I didn't realize it was on HBO-MAX. I thought it was HBO.

You could be right, as when I did see it I only had HBO, but I downsized my TV package a year ago and got HBO Max as my premium channel.

 

[cmontyburns]

Zazlov is ruthlessly cutting costs, so I guess we can’t rule anything out. But I would still be stunned. “Let’s invest in linear” is a strategy precisely no one is following.

 

[tim1724]

So, HBO Max, who needs it?

It's the main thing I watch besides Netflix. Euphoria, Hacks, Westworld, The Flight Attendant, Minx, Last Week Tonight, His Dark Materials, Barry, Gentleman Jack, etc. Ok, some of those are HBO, not HBO Max, but I watch them on HBO Max so what's the difference, really? I've watched a bunch of other non-HBO content on HBO Max too. (Adventure Time, Infinity Train, the UK version of Ghosts)

I assume they'll merge HBO Max with Discovery+. I have no idea what they'd call it; the HBO Max name was kinda dumb but it's not as bland and generic as Discovery+. Maybe raise the price slightly for an ad-free combo.

I imagine they might cut back on the production of new scripted stuff; during the AT&T era they really focused on quantity over quality (but still managed to make a lot of great shows). But they won't axe it entirely. That would be an incredibly dumb way to mismanage their new property.

 

[wspencerjr60]

It's the main thing I watch besides Netflix. Euphoria, Hacks, Westworld, The Flight Attendant, Minx, Last Week Tonight, His Dark Materials, Barry, Gentleman Jack, etc. Ok, some of those are HBO, not HBO Max, but I watch them on HBO Max so what's the difference, really? I've watched a bunch of other non-HBO content on HBO Max too. (Adventure Time, Infinity Train, the UK version of Ghosts)

I assume they'll merge HBO Max with Discovery+. I have no idea what they'd call it; the HBO Max name was kinda dumb but it's not as bland and generic as Discovery+. Maybe raise the price slightly for an ad-free combo.

I imagine they might cut back on the production of new scripted stuff; during the AT&T era they really focused on quantity over quality (but still managed to make a lot of great shows). But they won't axe it entirely. That would be an incredibly dumb way to mismanage their new property.

I dumped Netflix too. I'll come back to it when the next season of Drive To Survive arrives.

I had Netflix to get DVD's regularly and the streaming was free, back in the 90's. I canceled when they had nothing but garbage to watch, just like HBO Max now.

 

[morac]

HBOMax has been quietly purging WB exclusive films from their service and layoffs are expected. The writing definitely looks like it’s on the wall.

HBO Max Quietly Removed Six Warner Bros. Streaming-Exclusive Movies

Warner Bros. Discovery has been quietly culling content from HBO Max — including several Warner Bros. movies that were exclusively streaming on the service — in what appears to be an ef…

variety.com

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/warner-bros-discovery-questions-ahead-of-earnings-211645018.html

I guess we’ll find out today what’s happening. News breaks at 4:30 pm Eastern.

Warner Bros. Discovery

Warner Bros. Discovery, a premier global media and entertainment company, offers audiences the world's most differentiated and complete portfolio of content, brands and franchises across television, film, streaming and gaming.

wbd.com

 

[dianebrat]

I had Netflix to get DVD's regularly and the streaming was free, back in the 90's. I canceled when they had nothing but garbage to watch, just like HBO Max now.

Jumping the gun a bit there, they didn't start streaming until 2007

 

[Steveknj]

This whole thing feels like typical corporate raiding, a la 1980s. Buy a company from a bigger company desperate to sell. Cut costs, lay off staff, and then flip the company for a tidy profit. What's strange is that it wasn't an investment firm that bought them, but another media company. But I get the feeling that at some point they might look to sell the whole thing (perhaps even Discovery itself) for a LOT of money, once they've gutted as many expenses as possible. The danger here, of course is that they might upset enough subscribers that they ruin the business completely.

 

[TonyD79]

I’m also concerned about the HBO Max back catalogs. Love watching older shows like the Flintstones or Young Justice.

 

[astrohip]

I assume they'll merge HBO Max with Discovery+. I have no idea what they'd call it; the HBO Max name was kinda dumb but it's not as bland and generic as Discovery+. Maybe raise the price slightly for an ad-free combo.

I get HBO-MAX free with my HBO subscription. I'm okay with a merger, but not if they decide to start charging HBO subscribers for the combined package. I'm not paying for another streaming service, especially since Discovery+ has zero appeal for me.

I'd really miss Hacks though. 😢

 

[Steveknj]

I get HBO-MAX free with my HBO subscription. I'm okay with a merger, but not if they decide to start charging HBO subscribers for the combined package. I'm not paying for another streaming service, especially since Discovery+ has zero appeal for me.

I'd really miss Hacks though. 😢

It sounds to me (and again this is all rumors) that with the merger of the two platforms, there will be no more exclusive to streaming HBO material. So either Hacks will wind up on linear HBO, or be cancelled. If you have an HBO sub with your cable/sat/OTT system, then you should be OK.

I also wonder if they will grandfather anyone with current HBO subs who get HBOMax into the new sub service (maybe for a year?)

 

[Rob Helmerichs]

I also wonder if they will grandfather anyone with current HBO subs who get HBOMax into the new sub service (maybe for a year?)

Well, if they stop doing scripted content then I'm cancelling my subscription. I love John Oliver, but not enough to pay for an entire streaming service!