What are the odds Comcast will block HBO Go on the CC?

[gone down south]

Given their history with the Roku, I'm laying even odds on this.

 

[Aquila]

Can you bring me up to speed on the Roku issue? What's the motivation for doing so? That's REALLY weird... since, if you're their customer and you're using HBO Go.. you're buying HBO from them. Is HBO Go available through a web browser or Google TV device that supports it?

 

[gone down south]

Comcast blocks HBO Go from playing on Rokus. Apple TV is OK, browser windows are OK, everything but the Roku.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[Aquila]

That's sorta crazy. I really wonder why... Did roku not pay them?

XT1060. Through spacetime.

 

[gone down south]

Comcast is the devil, of course.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[Devlyn16]

I'm Not familiar with the ROKU app. Does it differ from the standard HBO Go App? My thoughts are that if Comcast can't distingush the Chromecast receiving the signal from any normal Android device receiving the signal they can't know when to block the playback.

 

[olgeezer44]

It appears that there are conflicts going on with the streaming hardware providers. Before Chromecast, there were conflicts between Google and Roku. You cannot play youtube on Roku. Amazon sells Roku and recommends it. but many Roku owners complain that movies from amazon instant video lock up about half way through. This has been my experience and I dumped Roku and got a Sony Blu Ray player that's compatible with Amazon. Since both Amazon and Google have "cloud services," they might not play nice together. I'm sure Google wants us to get our streaming movies from the play store while many of us are Amazon prime members and want to get movies from Amazon. My primary reason for being an Amazon prime member is for the free shipping since we buy a lot of stuff from Amazon. Living in a small town limits our selection of products and Amazon prices are cheaper 90% of the time plus I don't like to shop. The thing I like about amazon prime tv is the older tv series that can be watched without commercials. I'm hoping to get our tv hooked up to be able to cast from the pc to tv via Chromecast. If Roku would have worked with Amazon, I would not have bothered with Chromecast or bought a new dvd player. Roku did keep track of the series episodes watched which was a nice feature. It's frustrating for some of us that the devices and channels are not all compatible with each other.

 

[dan1431]

I tried for a very long time to get an answer from Comcast as to why HBO GO is not available to ROKU users nor via my Samsung Blu-ray player.

The best answer I got (from somebody who works @ Comcast HQ in Philadelphia) was it was not a corporate mandate but simply a technical issue with the authentication algorithm required to authenticate Comcast HBO subscribers.

I am not sure I fully believe that answer but it was the best answer I could get.

In theory, since it seems like Netflix authenticates on the device and then streams via the Chromecast than it would follow that since HBO GO authenticates on the device and Comcast allows users to use the HBO GO application than it SHOULD be able to stream via Chromecast.

Dan