Almost everyone has heard of HBO over the years.
It is a television network that has been putting out great shows since it was founded in 1972.
HBO Now is a subscription service that the company has launched in 2015 to give users on-demand access streaming to HBO’s original content.
They have films, TV series, documentaries and more that have won awards and great reviews over the years.
This is a standalone service that a person can buy to use on their own.
There is no need to have a previous subscription to HBO itself, unlike its HBO Go services.
HBO Now
HBO Now is targeting those consumers who are getting rid of their regular cable and looking for a streaming service to take its place.
HBO Now is setting itself up to compete with the other well-established streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hulu.
The ironic part of HBO approaching the after-cable market is that they are considered one of the biggest subscription cable companies there is but rather than trying to keep everyone locked into cable they are diversifying their portfolio to expand rather than streamline.
Moving from cable to a combination of cable and online content is the only way they are going to be able to rival Netflix and other streaming services that have no ties to the old school cable services.
HBO Now Content
If you have not heard of the popular series, Game of Thrones, then you have not been online or read anything on social media over the last year.
HOB put this popular series out and you now have the opportunity to go online with HBO Now to watch that series along with others like Ballers and The Wire.
You can watch these series through the HBO library alone with other full-length feature films that are full of both older and current selections.
Some are well-known titles and others give the viewer a more eclectic offering.
There is something for everyone, especially those who like programming that is not all main-stream.
How it all Works
While the usability of HBO Now is a little confusing there is lots of content available through the search engine.
There are multiple menus that let you find content.
The high demand content tends to scroll at the opening of the app so you can see what many others are enjoying as well.
Some shows are movies that are promoted, and some are suggested to you through your previous viewing choices.
The highlights will show you HBO’s original shows and then let you search for the things you may be interested in if nothing there appeals at the moment.
There is no autoplay on HBO Now so that can be a little frustrating but most things you want are easy to search for and click on.
You get lists of titles with images so you can see if it’s the content you want.
Just scroll through and peruse.
Streaming
The quality of streaming on HBO is excellent no matter what device you are using.
Load times are quick, no lagging or stalling and the actual quality of the video is high quality as well.
You won’t have complaints about the quality of content you are watching if you have the internet speed it needs.
If you run into any issues it will probably be because of the internet, not HOB Now.
Sign Up and Sign In
Signing up for HBO Now is not complicated.
It is generally the same process as with most things we buy into or join.
Have your credit card ready as you will need it before you can log in.
Once you have an account, you can link them to your other devices without any issue.
Whether you have Android, Firestick, Roku, iOS or want to use Chromecast on iOS or Android you will find they all work really well.
Cost
HBO Now will cost you $14.
99 each month.
That is close to what you would pay for Netflix’s higher-end plan or the same as Sling TV.
No matter what other streaming services you compare it to or combine it with, you are still going to be paying a lot less then you would if you are using old school cable plans.
HBO was one of the first streaming services to hit the market and have retained their good name through the years.
They are easy to subscribe to, offer easy access and have great streaming quality when you find the content you want to watch.
Their original content is some of the best and while it might be a little pricier than some other streaming services, their depth of content makes it worthwhile.
HBO has some of the best original content which is always high quality.
It makes it cost more than worthwhile.
