HBO doesn't want my money?!

[zimon66]

Wanted to see Westworld. After the success with Showtime's monthly plan (for Penny Dreadful third season,) via Amazon, I was ready to do HBO Now.

Well, after spending several hours last week on a goose chase ending with HBO NO!

For reasons I don't understand, streaming HBO thru a PC is not readily possible if at all. Listing does exist, but mouse over and doesn't highlight up or lead anywhere like the other links. There is a big song&dance sign-up that supposedly can do with a secondary device IF you got an Apple product or Android - neither of which I have. My phone is 2004 Motorola Razr (only have it for emergencies) so no upgrading anytime soon there. Not putting myself thru hell with that damn router again. Six hours hours total, Prince's death, frustration with tears, guesswork and a whole lot of luck to set-up. Followed by two months of 24/7 nervousness, always wondering when things would go wrong. Then things did go wrong, unable to get online access. Ended with being back online, relived the stress was gone, and router banished to TV cabinet never to see the light of day.

Next time, professional's doing the work. My cable company now offers wifi setup. Whenever I upgrade from dsl to cable (maybe next Spring), getting their router, too. Yes, will cost some more, but keeping my peace mind intact is very important.

Anyway, after trying various links to sign-up, threw in the towel and went the illegal route. NOT proud of that. I'm willing to pay $14.99 a month. HBO's been offering monthly subscription for over a year now, highly anticipated and estimated $100 million budget series, you'd think they'd want to collect money from everybody. Robotic cowboys don't come cheap. HBO's slowness on availability don't make a whole lot of sense.

Signed-up for announcements. Someday, HBO will send out "Stream on PC now available" and I will go legit.

Comments

[wicked-jester.livejournal.com]

Oh, HBO can be streamed on PC - but for some reason, you can't sign up for it on PC. I purchased my subscription via Google Play on my phone and then I was able to sign in and stream on my computer. It was weird.

Edit: Didn't see that you already mentioned using a secondary device, sorry. I managed it on my android phone but yes, I'm not sure how it'd work on other devices.

[zimon66]

EXACTLY. I tried numerous times to sign-up and went in a loop. Maybe the trick is go fast enough looping on PC, you're magically transported to a working sign-up?

Why not have a deal with Amazon, like Showtime and Starz did, for immediate streaming?

Even less sense, HBO later did make the first episode free for viewing on their site for everybody. I tried that and it started with an ad for another of their series (played perfectly for the whole bit). Main feature; continuous buffering. Go figure.

[wicked-jester.livejournal.com]

The buffering does not get better with a paid subscription, trust me! What you saw with the free preview is exactly what you'd get with the full package. I think this is a tactic to get people to purchase the (presumably superior in quality but also more pricey) DVD sets.

[meathiel]

You tried ... their problem if it doesn't work ... *lol*

[zimon66]

And I TRIED like The Oatmeal, too.

[1-rhiannon-1.livejournal.com]

I don't understand why HBO has to make it so difficult! I know they like money!

[zimon66]

Supposedly, they make more using third parties than directly with customers.

[of-salfarro.livejournal.com]

Motorola Razr is an android device.

[of-salfarro.livejournal.com]

I presume you could also use Bluestacks on your PC (android emulator) to sign up.

[of-salfarro.livejournal.com]

HBO website says you must have a device, not a PC to sign up.

[zimon66]

My phone is over a decade old, and doesn't have texting or Internet.

The way the subscription jazz is laid out, gives the impression you can sign-up thru PC. It's not until you poke around in there a little that the truth becomes apparent. Be nice if HBO would put "Sign-up via PC is currently not available" front and center in decent sized, eye-catching font.

After trying iTunes - Westworld podcasts galore, but no access to the series. And they're charging twice the amount Amazon is for the 1973 movie - I'm very iffy of giving Bluestacks a shot.

[of-salfarro.livejournal.com]

I know the phone.. got the Maxx version sitting in my basement lol. I bring it out from time to time as a backup device. I ran mine through the washing machine once. Just a question of whether it would let you install Now on the older Android operating system plus getting a wifi connection going on it (since you don't have wifi at home if I recall, you'd just have to take it to a friend's or a place with public wifi like a library or something. Unless what you're saying is the wifi is actually broken on it.)

Anyway, you don't need a device to watch you just need one to sign up with with like a Google Play account or whatever Bluestacks is kinda glitchy on my PC but if you get it working long enough to sign up you're good.