What HBO Max Is Missing
HBO’s new streaming service, HBO Max, launched yesterday, and with it, there has been a lot of confusion about how and where you can access it and what you can even watch on it.
First, the good news: if you previously subscribed to HBO Go or HBO Now, you should have automatically upgraded to HBO Max at no additional monthly cost beyond what you already pay. However, this turned out to be not the case for everyone, and HBO Max is currently not compatible with all devices you may have previously used to stream HBO content.
Embarrassed? We don’t blame you.
HBO Max lacks a lot for new streaming service
You might think that after creating two other streaming services (Go and Now) HBO will get better at this whole “application”, you are wrong. First, if HBO hadn’t automatically switched from Go or Now to Max for you, the process of migrating your existing HBO account to HBO Max isn’t straightforward. While some HBO customers can take a step by simply logging into a new service with their existing accounts, others cannot – and figuring out which segment you are in takes a little bit of work.
Plus, your HBO Now settings, including parental controls, browsing history, and My List queue, won’t carry over to Max — you’ll need to set them up again, no matter how or where you got the service before.
Other than that, HBO Max does not currently run on Roku or Amazon Fire TV, so if one of them is your preferred streaming method, you’re stuck for a while accessing the new service through your computer. And don’t expect better picture and sound: video quality for HBO is limited to HD (there is no crystal clear 4K picture here), and sound quality is Dolby Digital 5.1. Sure, these are the same specs as HBO Now and Go, but the launch of new premium services seems like a good time to upgrade to specs, right? HBO told CNET that it has 4K, HDR, Dolby Vision, HDR10 Plus, and Dolby Atmos updates on its roadmap , but none are available today.
Still interested?
How to Connect to HBO Max as an HBO Now Subscriber
If you’ve already paid for HBO Now, you will be able to sign in to HBO Max using your usual email and password combination.
For this to work, you will need to subscribe to HBO Now in one of the following ways:
- HBO (HBONOW.com)
- App stores: Apple, Google Play, Samsung TV.
- Hulu
- ISPs Consolidated Communications, Liberty, Optimum or Verizon
The first time you sign in, you will have to agree to the new terms of service before you can access the HBO Max catalog. If you disagree, you can still only watch HBO Now content.
How to Connect to HBO Max as an HBO Go Subscriber
If you pay for HBO through your cable company, you can sign into HBO Max using your cable account email address and password , provided your cable company supports the process. The list of supported providers includes:
- Altice one
- Atlantic broadband
- Apple TV
- AT&T TV
- AT&T U-verse
- Coke
- DIRECTV
- Optimally
- RCN
- Range
- Suddenlink
- Verizon FIOS
- WOW!
- Xfinity
How to connect if your current HBO login is not working
If you are unable to access HBO Max using one of the previous methods, the only alternative you have at the moment is to cancel your existing HBO subscription and sign up using one of the supported options.
HBO Max costs $ 15 a month, just like the traditional price for HBO Now, so switching should be easy, even if you have to wait a bit to access new content on your streaming device of your choice. If you get this discounted HBO subscription; however, you can check the content available on Max and see if the new offers are worth the extra money for you.