HBO & Amazon Prime

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

From Gizmodo:

"Amazon just announced an agreement that makes Prime Instant Video the only place you can watch HBO originals online without an HBO subscription. Starting May 21st, Prime members will get exclusive, unlimited streaming access to pretty much every HBO original you're interested in except Game of Thrones.

Right out of the gate, Prime members will get access to every episode of The Sopranos, The Wire, Deadwood, Six Feet Under, Rome, Eastbown & Down, Enlightened, and Flight of the Conchords; and select seasons of Boardwalk Empire, True Blood, and Treme. Early seasons of Girls, The Newsroom, and Veep will be included as they pass the three-year mark from original airing. Sorry True Detective fans, this agreement doesn't include Rust Cohle.

Technically, this marks the first time HBO's original content has been available for non-HBO subscribers (not counting HBO Go users freeloading on someone else's subscription). And right now, Prime Instant Video is only available to US customers, meaning this agreement probably won't reach beyond US borders for now.

Even considering Prime's recent price increase to $100 a year, which kicked in April 17th, this new truckload of content reinforces the notion that Amazon Prime is probably the best deal in tech. "

[Zane C. Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Zane C.]

From Gizmodo:

"Amazon just announced an agreement that makes Prime Instant Video the only place you can watch HBO originals online without an HBO subscription. Starting May 21st, Prime members will get exclusive, unlimited streaming access to pretty much every HBO original you're interested in except Game of Thrones.

Right out of the gate, Prime members will get access to every episode of The Sopranos, The Wire, Deadwood, Six Feet Under, Rome, Eastbown & Down, Enlightened, and Flight of the Conchords; and select seasons of Boardwalk Elmpire, True Blood, and Treme. Early seasons of Girls, The Newsroom, and Veep will be included as they pass the three-year mark from original airing. Sorry True Detective fans, this agreement doesn't include Rust Cohle.

Technically, this marks the first time HBO's original content has been available for non-HBO subscribers (not counting HBO Go users freeloading on someone else's subscription). And right now, Prime Instant Video is only available to US customers, meaning this agreement probably won't reach beyond US borders for now.

Even considering Prime's recent price increase to $100 a year, which kicked in April 17th, this new truckload of content reinforces the notion that Amazon Prime is probably the best deal in tech. "

See, if they offered this version of a Prime in Canada, they'd make a ton of money. I'm already choked that they don't offer this version of Prime, with their streaming audio and video in Canada, and this is like further insult to injury! Bah! C'mon Amazon!

[Alex K. Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Alex K.]

The beginning of the end for television and everyone will be streaming and have the ability to pick what channels they want. If I watched a lot of TV I'd be on this.

[Newt Cox Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Newt Cox]

That is a great deal. Too bad I got a very low data cap and can't stream. I would get Amazon Prime just for Boardwalk Empire and True Detective.

[Guest Close suha52]

HBO's programs arrive on Prime as the streaming video battle between Amazon and Netflix heats up,

[Dom D Spoon! Find all posts View Profile Close Dom D]

This is one of those situations where competition is a disadvantage to the consumer. The content is just split in too many directions. What would have been nice is if when the switch to digital distribution happened (and it could be seen coming a country mile off) the studios had all banded together to form a digital distribution network that worked for all of them. Relying on a bit here with netflix, a bit with Apple (god help us all) and a bit with Amazon does no one any good. A one stop shop with everything you need would have been great. As it is none of them are viable options.

[Zane C. Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Zane C.]

This is one of those situations where competition is a disadvantage to the consumer. The content is just split in too many directions. What would have been nice is if when the switch to digital distribution happened (and it could be seen coming a country mile off) the studios had all banded together to form a digital distribution network that worked for all of them. Relying on a bit here with netflix, a bit with Apple (god help us all) and a bit with Amazon does no one any good. A one stop shop with everything you need would have been great. As it is none of them are viable options.

You're absolutely right, Dom. Problem is, they all want a bigger piece of the pie than the other guys. It'd be great if they did this, but I don't know that it will ever happen, sadly. We can always hope though, huh? :)

[MonkeyBeat Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close MonkeyBeat]

You're absolutely right, Dom. Problem is, they all want a bigger piece of the pie than the other guys. It'd be great if they did this, but I don't know that it will ever happen, sadly. We can always hope though, huh? :)

When I first heard word of Warner Archive starting a streaming service, I assumed that was Warner cutting out the middle man to get their full slice of pie by being the only place to stream all the titles in the Warner Brothers movie & TV libraries. Instead it's just a dumping ground for titles few would ever want to see, and some that should have never been remembered.