HBO GO

[Rochar]

Is HBO GO available on my new LG TV as an app?

[morse2704]

No and there is no timetable.  Same as NHL.TV.  There were many premium Apps on my Samsung Smart TV.   My Samsung Smart TV broke down and my store replacement options were LGs.  LG Smart TVs are inferior.

Edited October 21, 2017 by morse2704
forgot an item

[John Jackson]

HBO GO like many of the other Premium channels require Adobe Flash. OS 3.0 doesn't support Flash, so we the consumers get screwed. I should have done more research before I bought my LG. I love the picture quality, but I also bought this "Smart" TV so I could drop the Roku. Lesson learned ;-)

[George Hofmeister]

Currently the only way I know of getting HBO GO on webOS is via the Amazon Prime app:

link hidden, please login to view

I am not sure whether you have to have an actual Amazon Prime Video account as well, or if you can just install the app and use the HBO GO part of it.

Sadly so many sites and services rely on Adobe's Flash, which is a constantly changing environment, instead of moving to newer more stable platform agnostic technologies.  Many manufacturers just do not want to have to keep playing catchup with Adobe.

[PeterV]

On 22-10-2017 at 8:03 AM, John Jackson said:

HBO GO like many of the other Premium channels require Adobe Flash. OS 3.0 doesn't support Flash, so we the consumers get screwed. I should have done more research before I bought my LG. I love the picture quality, but I also bought this "Smart" TV so I could drop the Roku. Lesson learned ;-)

Apple stopped supporting Flash on iPhone and iPad before LG did.  Even Adobe will stop  

link hidden, please login to view

What you should do is ask HBO to create an HBO GO app on LG smart tv's.

[morse2704]

As a consumer, I've already asked both HBO and LG  and both have said the other is holding this back.  I would think that both LG and HBO could work together and get it resolved with Adobe.  Currently, I watch HBO GO on the TV via my laptop.

Thanks for the feedback.

[John Jackson]

On 10/22/2017 at 5:04 AM, George Hofmeister said:

Currently the only way I know of getting HBO GO on webOS is via the Amazon Prime app:

link hidden, please login to view

I am not sure whether you have to have an actual Amazon Prime Video account as well, or if you can just install the app and use the HBO GO part of it.

Yes, I do have Prime and use it, but in order to access everything on hbogo, I'd have to pay for another subscription. But for now, I've been streaming hbogo from my laptop as needed. Hopefully this can get resolved at some point in the future. I see this as a win for everyone. 

 

[George Hofmeister]

On 30/10/2017 at 4:50 AM, John Jackson said:

Yes, I do have Prime and use it, but in order to access everything on hbogo, I'd have to pay for another subscription. But for now, I've been streaming hbogo from my laptop as needed. Hopefully this can get resolved at some point in the future. I see this as a win for everyone. 

I am confused, if you are using HBOGo on your laptop why can you not uses those credentials in Prime?

[John Jackson]

2 hours ago, George Hofmeister said:

I am confused, if you are using HBOGo on your laptop why can you not uses those credentials in Prime?

Because Amazon won't let you. They have a deal with HBO, Showtime etc that you have to buy to get access to the full content. You cannot use your  premium channel login.

[George Hofmeister]

14 hours ago, John Jackson said:

Because Amazon won't let you. They have a deal with HBO, Showtime etc that you have to buy to get access to the full content. You cannot use your  premium channel login.

Thanks for the clarification.

I am guessing then that the same level of content is not available through the Prime app, or does a subscription through Amazon cost more than direct from HBO?  

[morse2704]

That would more than likely depend on your cable provider.  We get HBO for free, but we pay for the other premium channels.  To subscribe to them individually, might alter your contract with your cable provider and probably be more expensive.  I've only added ACORN TV to Amazon Prime, because LG Smart TVs don't have that app.  Hope this helps.

[John Jackson]

46 minutes ago, George Hofmeister said:

Thanks for the clarification.

I am guessing then that the same level of content is not available through the Prime app, or does a subscription through Amazon cost more than direct from HBO?  

Correct. You do get access to several HBO shows, movies. I am pretty certain if you pay for the HBO "channel"  through Amazon, you get full access. But since my cable package includes HBO, I refuse to pay again. It's also interesting to note that after hbogo and other mobile apps came out, the content available from "On Demand" was drastically reduced. 

[George Hofmeister]

Using the official LG contact form, and importantly asking for a reply, I enquired  why there is not HBOGO app available for webOS as there was for NetCast.  A screen-shot of their reply is attached.

The short answer is that it is HBO's (or any other provider's) responsibility to create an app for webOS, and that as the consumer we should approach said provider to make our needs known.

However, LG will pass such requests through their internal structure so that the company can see what is being requested, so maybe they will then work with the content provider or possibly do it themselves.

The upshot is make your voice heard directly to both LG and any content provider you want to produce an app for webOS, and that the forum is just a forum and we cannot expect LG to read our outpourings.  If I was to submit a question again I would include the fact that I am a member of this forum and that many members have the same requests as myself.  This may then get the forum in to LG's sight-line, because who knows if they are even aware it exists. 

[John Jackson]

Thank you George. I will make a request as well and hopefully others will do the same.

[treday630`]

I think this is region specific. Because if you check this youtube review video you'll see that this reviewer actually have HBOGo as an app on his LG Oled TV.  When asked about it, in the comments he states that the HBOGo app was on their default. 

 

You'll see the HBOGo app as scrolls through all his apps:

 

 

[John Jackson]

Thank you for sharing this info. It very well be a regional thing, but this TV has Web OS 3.5. Latest update available that I can get has Web OS 3.3. 

I'm not knowledgeable enough about the differences between 3.5 and 3.3, so maybe someone else can comment. 

[DRH]

You can use HBO GO thru Amazon Prime if you use your fire stick instead of the Amazon button on the LG remote. I had used HBO Go and Showtime previously thru the fire stick on my non smart tv at our cottage....Bought this new LG 55 inch smart web OS tv this week and realized Amazon would not give the option to sign in to my HBO Go and Showtime accts any more....Starz also.  They want me to buy an additional subscription (which is robbery imo)if I use the LG Amazon button on remote.... I do really like the voice search option with the firestick remote so I plugged it in to this new tv and was able to use my HBO Go, Starz and Showtime accts signed in thru Comcast. So still need a couple of remotes but I'm watching all my channels that I pay for at our other house. I don't see how it's legal for them to have you pay twice for premium channels when HBO advertises you can watch anywhere with their app if you have a subscription,

[John Jackson]

I got a Roku Streaming Stick for Christmas, so it's a non-issue now. No way I'm paying twice for the same thing. It just irritating that due to software, the consumer gets boxed in a corner. 

[Patricia Curry]

I can receive HBO GO content now, however, the menus have to be accessed through my tablet.  I use miracast to show the content on my TV.  If this is an answer to any of this, let me know and I will clarify.  However, if its actually having the HBO app on the TV, I can't help.  

[Notevaya]

On 10/18/2017 at 9:50 AM, Rochar said:

 

Is HBO GO available on my new LG

link hidden, please login to view

as an app?

HBO support for LG leaves a lot to be desired.

[Patricia Curry]

No it is not.  I have to use the chromecast dongle (although not subscribed to chromecast) and download the app to my tablet which I miracast to my screen.  That was the only way I could receive HBO programming through Hulu.  Although Hulu is available as an app.  Frustrating for sure.

[George Hofmeister]

HBO GO is not available globally, this is due to commercial agreement with other broadcasters (e.g. SKY in the UK) and in other instances regional restrictions.  This is not something that LG has control over, so before berating them check directly with HBO whether or not their app should be available in your region.

[Shkëlqim Zilbeari]

I do have HBO GO in my UH 770 ... but the app wont work if u are a direct user and have paid the services online.

The app works only if u use the HBO services through an operator. 

HBO GO is much more complicated compare to Netflix

[José Antonio Vidal Melzi]

HBO has very nasty pornography 

[Bob Rodes]

On 10/22/2017 at 4:04 AM, George Hofmeister said:

Currently the only way I know of getting HBO GO on webOS is via the Amazon Prime app:

link hidden, please login to view

I am not sure whether you have to have an actual Amazon Prime Video account as well, or if you can just install the app and use the HBO GO part of it.

Sadly so many sites and services rely on Adobe's Flash, which is a constantly changing environment, instead of moving to newer more stable platform agnostic technologies.  Many manufacturers just do not want to have to keep playing catchup with Adobe.

There's a distinction between HBO GO and HBO NOW that needs to be understood. HBO GO is an application with which cable subscribers who have HBO as part of their cable package can access streaming content from HBO online, by logging in with their cable account. HBO NOW is a subscription service that is independent of any cable accounts. You pay around $14.99 per month and  you get access to the same streaming content.

These are two different applications. HBO NOW is available via the Amazon Prime app, as well as numerous others such as Hulu. HBO GO is not available through any of the apps that provide streaming content. Rather, it's a standalone app that you can download to any iOS or Android device, as well as many others such as Amazon Fire Stick and Roku. Sadly, though, LG isn't one of them.

[Rick Suntag]

8 hours ago, Bob Rodes said:

There's a distinction between HBO GO and HBO NOW that needs to be understood. HBO GO is an application with which cable subscribers who have HBO as part of their cable package can access streaming content from HBO online, by logging in with their cable account. HBO NOW is a subscription service that is independent of any cable accounts. You pay around $14.99 per month and  you get access to the same streaming content.

These are two different applications. HBO NOW is available via the Amazon Prime app, as well as numerous others such as Hulu. HBO GO is not available through any of the apps that provide streaming content. Rather, it's a standalone app that you can download to any iOS or Android device, as well as many others such as Amazon Fire Stick and Roku. Sadly, though, LG isn't one of them.

That really is lousy - I already have HBO with my DirecTV subscription.  There's no way I'm going to pay $15/month for a second subscription.  I can't believe in 2018, I need to get a Roku or other device to play one of the most watched OTT stations!  How does LG not include all of the top 10 providers - Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, HBO, Starz, Showtime, MLB, Youtube, CBS All Access, Sling TV.

HBO has

link hidden, please login to view

- How do you leave them out?

[GerryP]

I found that if I bookmark hbo go and showtime now after signing in to them through the web I will always have a tab for them. Until they actually add the individual apps it seems to be a good alternative

[Rick Suntag]

On 8/11/2018 at 11:00 PM, GerryP said:

I found that if I bookmark hbo go and showtime now after signing in to them through the web I will always have a tab for them. Until they actually add the individual apps it seems to be a good alternative

Hmm - I just tried that - got through the login (painfully) but can't play video - something about Adobe I think (it was late night / not 100% sure)

[GerryP]

The only one that didn’t work for me and gave me an adobe flash error was Cinemax   Hbo and showtime work fine

[George Hofmeister]

On 7/26/2018 at 2:53 PM, Rick Suntag said:

HBO has

link hidden, please login to view

- How do you leave them out?

Apps on the whole are not produced by LG but by content providers.  In the same way that Apple and Google do not produce all the apps in their respective stores.

If you want an app it is the content providers that need chasing.

[Rick Suntag]

36 minutes ago, George Hofmeister said:

Apps on the whole are not produced by LG but by content providers.  In the same way that Apple and Google do not produce all the apps in their respective stores.

If you want an app it is the content providers that need chasing.

It's LG's product - if LG wants  to appeal to the broadest audience, they can cut deals with the major providers.  Leaving out HBO is huge.  I had been thinking about picking up an LG OLED to replace my now aging family room set, but there's no way I'm spending >$2000 if it doesn't include everything I routinely watch - Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, HBO, SHO directly on the set without needed yet another box with yet another interface