Valkyr Junkie
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HBO coming to Amazon Prime Instant Video
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DVD/BD sales must be huge so it makes sense not to have them via streaming.
It's not a legal restriction insomuch as it's counter to the business model of HBO.
HBO has a really sweet deal for the past 25 years if you think about it. They rely on the cable operators to find customers for them, so their marketing costs are mostly zilch - the only advertising they do is for their major shows around season premier time, which is a much more limited time frame than all 365 days of the year, plus Comcast/DirectTV/et al does just as much advertising for them for free. Their revenue is driven directly through the cable machine as an add-on premium service. As a result, they can focus their sole energies on procuring and securing good content - 80% films and 20% original content. In modern days, with HBO GO, they've had to invest more in the online services side of the business, but their business is still focused on:
1. Secure film rights.
2. Procure and produce new content.
3. Create a CDN infrastructure as a fast-follower to Netflix and Amazon.
Now think about Netflix's business. They do all of the following:
1. Secure film and television rights.
2. Retain customers month-to-month.
3. Gain new customers month-to-month to continue growth curve.
4. Create one of the largest CDN infrastructures in the world.
5. Not relevant to this discussion, but they also maintain shipping infrastructure.
6. Also procure and produce new content.
Basically, the monetary incentive to becoming a streaming-only service isn't quite there yet because HBO would then have to incur all of the additional costs of becoming an independent service.
I'm pretty sure it's in syndication on other networks.
chickdigger802
Banned
never had hbo, or cable really. which of the listed shows are a must watch?
They're all pretty amazing, this is like, the last 10 years of superlative television.
Still though, no true detective, no true blood, no game of thrones, newsroom and veep coming later. This is a great package, but not the package most people are looking for.
teruterubozu
Member
True Blood is included.
Dead Prince
Banned
thank you $90 prime price hike.
Wiktor
Member
I would say loosing all 9 seasons of 24 is pretty big deal too.
No The Comeback? I know it's not one of their prestige series, but it's on Go, holds up pretty well, and seems like the kind of thing they'd want to stick on Prime given the recent faint rumblings of investigating a potential revival.
Face it Tiger..
Banned
But amazon prime isn't in Canada. and we don't have an HBO go in Canada, just terrible on demand apps by Bell/Shaw..
The rest of the world doesn't exist when it comes to Amazon media services.
teruterubozu
Member
They're calling it the "first wave" of titles, so I'm hoping we'll get more down the line.
Normal rotation. It'll come back. No reason why it wouldn't.
NYCmetsfan
Banned
Might watch some of the older shows but not bring on my nexus 7 and not having new shows sucks. Real time and Jon olivers show!
HBOgo works for me and the interface is so much better. Though I have access to all three streaming services hbo go netflix and amazon. Plus I have a hopper. There is too much content these days.
This is awesome for Amazon. But fix your interface!
HBOgo works for me and the interface is so much better. Though I have access to all three streaming services hbo go netflix and amazon. Plus I have a hopper. There is too much content these days.
This is awesome for Amazon. But fix your interface!
You can stream all of GoT on HBO GO, which is probably a better analogue to Sky TV.
marvelharvey
Member
Is Amazon Prime Instant Video region locked or can us oversea underlings watch too?
Ah ;_;
Conor_Fool
Banned
Hell yeah, finally might watch The Sopranos.
That would be awesome if they made up for the difference through Instand Video (IThe student discount, that is)
That would be awesome if they made up for the difference through Instand Video (IThe student discount, that is)
The dream of having one über service was never going to happen, sadly.
I have Netflix and Prime, but I really have Prime for shipping, and I split the cost amongst family members who share the service. If I had to pay the full $100 for Prime going forward, I'd cancel.
friskykillface
Banned
bye bye netflix, i'll unsubscribe later today
this is huge D:
this is huge D:
Netflix has exclusive rights to all Disney content as well as it's original shows. Canceling Netflix for some old back catalog HBO content is a bad idea.
I don't think it's really comparable to this HBO thing, though. I can see people subscribing to Prime long-term to get access to the HBO back catalogue without needing cable. That's a solid bullet point that will be a selling point for the life of the deal. It's old content in general, but all of it is new to subscription streaming. 24 has mostly been streamable forever from numerous places, and aside from a spike in interest when the new season hits it's probably not going to be a strong draw on a recurring basis.
Amazon has made some other smart exclusive pickups in the past (Veronica Mars, Hannibal, The Shield, even Under the Dome has seemed to work out OK), but the HBO one is the first one that I think is going to be a lasting library advantage.
It's not to protect physical disc sales, it's because HBO as a channel have a three year holdback before their subscription VOD window.
That's irrelevant with Sky, as Sky own the right to the earlier release windows as well in the UK (which is why this deal will never be replicated in the UK, as Sky own exclusive rights on HBO content for the next 12 years IIRC).
Maninthemirror
Banned
This essentially justifies the Amazon Prime price increase
and FYI.
Netflix and Amazon are both needed if you want to cancel cable. Both have exclusive deals like Amazon with HBO and Netflix with Disney
and FYI.
Netflix and Amazon are both needed if you want to cancel cable. Both have exclusive deals like Amazon with HBO and Netflix with Disney
Saw the thread title and thought "whoa, that's huge" but then I read the three year delay part.
- Game of Thrones, Sex and the City, Entourage, and Curb Your Enthusiasm don't seem to be part of this deal.
- Amazon is only getting the "early" seasons of True Blood and Boardwalk just as they're finishing up their runs.
- With this three year delay, the shows you want today will be "old" by the time they hit streaming.
It's a nice perk if you want to watch/rewatch some of HBO's classic series, but this isn't quite a game changer IMO.
- Game of Thrones, Sex and the City, Entourage, and Curb Your Enthusiasm don't seem to be part of this deal.
- Amazon is only getting the "early" seasons of True Blood and Boardwalk just as they're finishing up their runs.
- With this three year delay, the shows you want today will be "old" by the time they hit streaming.
It's a nice perk if you want to watch/rewatch some of HBO's classic series, but this isn't quite a game changer IMO.
D
Deleted member 47027
Unconfirmed Member
Deadwood alone makes Amazon Prime Instant where I'm jumping off to if I need another streaming sub - currently don't use Netflix, only have WWE Network. Deadwood is worth the price of admission, folks!
cubicle47b
Member
This is a smart move. None of their recent content will be on the service so it probably won't have an effect on subscriptions or blu-ray sales and I'm sure Amazon paid very well.
Qwell
Member
Great news, I can finally watch Sopranos and I would much rather finish watching Dead Wood this way as well. Been watching Prime a lot lately with Good Wife, Fallen Skies, Americans and Hannibal. Sucks that they are raising the price of Prime, but if it helped them secure content like this I'm all for it.
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