Directv and HBO blame game ....

[Hemi 6.1]

well If u look at the "schedule" the same programming eventually on all their channels..a DVR solves the need for all those channels

Not always!
and its still no excuse for EITHER satellite company to not carry the Entire fleet when we clearly pay more then everyone else.

Most all cable companys I researched have all the SD versions whether it be East or West feeds.
Fios and Att I would Imaging do too.

 

[DJ Rob]

Our local Comcast system has more HBO's in HD than Directv which is pretty sad.

Maybe this isn't totally Directv's fault though?
Maybe Directv's existing contract with HBO limits them from carrying more of the channels? Who knows how much of the $15 goes directly to HBO in this contract? Things to consider.

Hopefully they will be able to carry all of them in the future. It's funny that this thread is here - today I cancelled HBO and Cinemax since my wife wanted it mostly for True Blood and we won't be watching TV much since we are going to be out of town a lot in the future.

I probably would have kept it if they had HBO Comedy and On Demand.

 

[PMKS]

Here is a Premium channel package list for BOTH.
Directv!$14.99

• HBO HD
• HBO WEST HD
• HBO TOO
• HBO 2 WEST
• HBO FAMILY
• HBO FAMILY WEST
• HBO ZONE HD
• HBO SIGNATURE
• HBO LATINO

Dish!$15.99

• HBO HD
• HBO WEST HD
• HBO 2 HD
• HBO 2 WEST
• HBO SIGNATURE HD
• HBO COMEDY HD
• HBO ZONE HD
• HBO FAMILY HD
• HBO LATINO HD

DirecTV has HBO 2 East in HD now, but that's still pathetic that DirecTV has less HBO HD channels than Dish does? I did now know that...... c'mon DirecTV supposed HD leader

 

[Hemi 6.1]

DirecTV has HBO 2 East in HD now,

Yes, your correct .That came with HBO Zone I believe.

 

[jtwex]

I'm looking forward to the possibilities of Boardwalk Empire but so far nothing has come close to the Sex in the City & Soprano's days. Even at the end of the Soprano's run, they used to have 16 month gaps in new shows that were just mind boggling. I liked The Pacific but it wasn't even close to Band of Brothers. I still consider it the staple of my premium channels (get my boxing fix by watching the free airing the following week) but it sure is a pricey package compared to the Starz package. I don't compare it to the Showtime/TMC package because I've always considered that package a step below in quality of movies. I never noticed that HBO/MAX never offered any free previews through DTV but now it makes sense. Sounds like other providers haven't had any luck in getting them to lower their package price so one can only hope it happens if every provider does the same thing.

 

[Aridon]

There is going to be a huge shift in the next 5 to 10 years. People are going to consume far more content via a la carte (pay as you go programming) and all you can eat delayed VOD. Just look at the deals about to be made with netflix Amazon and Itunes looking to distribute content. People have been asking for a la carte programming and its coming. Much to Cable and Satellite providers demise, although sat companies have more to lose IMO.

Much like how cell phones have slowly replaced land lines you are going to get the same content but it will be delivered differently than in the past. Non-diversified companies will fail unless they get another anchor into the home (internet being a big one).

As for premium movie channels, they too are going suffer. Netfilx is huge and will continue to be huge. Most of these stations offer less than what netfilx gives for a fraction of the cost. HBO does have some good exclusive programming from time to time but it also has huge gaps with nothing. Also all of its exclusive stuff finds its way to neflix before too long simply because they want to cash in on DVD sales.

It certainly isn't worth the huge premium DirecTV and other providers charge to me and in this economy more and more people will drop it for cheaper alternatives.

 

[gadgtfreek]

I can promise you, the day I can get my Swamp Men, Ice Road Truckers, Caprica, American Chopper, Sons of Anarchy, etc... in HD from Apple or Amazon, or both, for 99 cents. Directv is toast at my house. Im watching Amazon, Apple and Google right now, very closely, with an itchy trigger finger.

 

[stonecold]

If I an inject a few comments from the other side.

On Demand - I have always been told it was a HBO issue with the contract.

On Upselling - Agents are trained to upsell on everything including HBO. But the problem again on this is contract, from what I am told. Starz and Show are more flexable in promotions we offer. HBO not so which limits what we can do an offer. Customer is upset and I offer HBO only promotion which is a 2 for 1 offer ith cinemax and she not happy with that I have better deals show time and similar ones for starz and customers loves those. So really the only fault HBO that not more HBO is being sold on directv.

We have not had a single hbo promo other then the 2 for 1 deal in over 2 years.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

We have not had a single hbo promo other then the 2 for 1 deal in over 2 years.

Dish must have a better relationship with HBO, Because they offer free HBO and Showtime all the time .

Not really sure what the problem is, but D* I hope has a replacement movie package for HBO and Cinemax.

 

[TNGTony]

As to HBO "cutting out" scenes from the DVD version... Are we sure that HBO isn't just showing the THEATRICAL release and the DVD/Cinemax version has added scenes or a different cut of the film?

The reason I ask this is that a few days ago Epix showed all the "Godfather" films and there were a couple of posts about how the film was cut and incomplete. Epix showed the theatrical releases of these films. The so-called deleted scenes were never part of the original release but were included in a later "chronological" cut of the Godfather 1 & 2 films made for TV.

I am almost certain HBO does not edit the films for content. They sometimes time compress and ALWAYS hack up the aspect ratio, but content is pretty much sacrosanct.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

As to HBO "cutting out" scenes from the DVD version... Are we sure that HBO isn't just showing the THEATRICAL release and the DVD/Cinemax version has added scenes or a different cut of the film?

The reason I ask this is that a few days ago Epix showed all the "Godfather" films and there were a couple of posts about how the film was cut and incomplete. Epix showed the theatrical releases of these films. The so-called deleted scenes were never part of the original release but were included in a later "chronological" cut of the Godfather 1 & 2 films made for TV.

I am almost certain HBO does not edit the films for content. They sometimes time compress and ALWAYS hack up the aspect ratio, but content is pretty much sacrosanct.

Fact remains they are different, and Cinemax has the better version. Make of it what you will Cinemax is the DVD release.
HBO is for the grannys that can't handle a little more Graphic nature.

I've had all these premiums long enough to know, and anyone else that has as well knows what I mean.

Cinemax has the better version of all its HBO versions!

 

[TNGTony]

Fact remains they are different, and Cinemax has the better version. Make of it what you will Cinemax is the DVD release.
HBO is for the grannys that can't handle a little more Graphic nature.

I've had all these premiums long enough to know, and anyone else that has as well knows what I mean.

Cinemax has the better version of all its HBO versions!

You made the assertion that HBO Cuts its films while Cinemax doesn't. My point is that (I think--don't know for sure) HBO does NOT cut films for content. It is the exact same film one would have seen in the movie theater. That is all I was saying.

As is the norm with the internet the argument then changes. Now the argument is, it doesn't matter, Cinemax is better because it shows different versions of the movie. This changes things from concrete to abstract concepts.

"Better" is in the eye of the beholder here. Now we are into preferences and a totally different argument which is "Which version of a movie is better, the original theatrical release, or the DVD release with added scenes and sometimes even totally different sequences? In many instances the added scenes were those removed by the director because he decided they ruined the pace of the movie. Sometimes the scenes are removed because they make the difference between a theatrical release being rated R instead of PG13 or R instead of NC17. This again does not necessarily make a movie "better".

An example for me is the ending of American Gangster on Starz (I think, not sure which movie channel it was). It was totally different than the ending in the theater, and to me it was totally unnecessary and RUINED the end of the movie. This is an opinion.

The added scenes are there to entice people to buy the movie for stuff they didn't see in the theater and it isn't always "better". Sometimes it is. Often times it's just longer and the pace of the film is affected. "American Gangster" is one example in my mind of how added scenes are a detriment to the movie.

I get your point. I don't agree with the conclusion. Cinemax has (really awful) soft core porn and older movies in their mix. HBO has original series in theirs. That is really the extent of the diffence in these services.

It's all moot anyway. With the advent of the Roku box and other such devices, the days of standard cable/satellite are numbered.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

I didn't mean Cinemax was better then HBO in all aspects.

I just feel the Movies that are on Both Cinemax and HBO, The Cinemax version is better. Series well HBO wins hands down, since Cinemax poor excuse for Porn is about all they have for a series.

I would rather watch the Godfather, or Scarface on Cinemax then on HBO.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

An example for me is the ending of American Gangster on Starz (I think, not sure which movie channel it was). It was totally different than the ending in the theater, and to me it was totally unnecessary and RUINED the end of the movie. This is an opinion.

The added scenes are there to entice people to buy the movie for stuff they didn't see in the theater and it isn't always "better". Sometimes it is. Often times it's just longer and the pace of the film is affected. "American Gangster" is one example in my mind of how added scenes are a detriment to the movie.

.

American Gangster was on HBO and Cinemax. I know, Because I have them recorded.

HBO Never showed Frank walking with Richie at the end and talking.
Cinemax did!
I'm sure there was more, but right off the top , thats just 1 scene I can remember.


Cinemax gives what you get in the Movies and DVD, HBO gives what they want.

 

[Juan]

Well the same people that own "STARZ" now own Directv..hmm

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Well the same people that own "STARZ" now own Directv..hmm

Yep, which is my guess why we have all the Starz Encore channels.

 

[goaliebob99]

I would like to see outtermaxHD added and others not carried at all on sat, but cable and fiber does.

 

[TNGTony]

American Gangster was on HBO and Cinemax. I know, Because I have them recorded.

HBO Never showed Frank walking with Richie at the end and talking.
Cinemax did!
I'm sure there was more, but right off the top , thats just 1 scene I can remember.

-so HBO does not cut movies then. Keep this in mind it was the only reason I responded to your post. You asserted that HBO cuts movies. They don't.

Cinemax gives what you get in the Movies and DVD, HBO gives what they want.

Perspective Correction:

HBO Gives you what you would see in the movie theater uncut/unedited-- A true HOME BOX OFFICE - the real movie.
Cinemax gives you what they want. -- whatever version they feel like giving you Theatrical/home/alan smithee/special edition/etc.

So with the American Gangster example - I prefer HBO because it showed the "un-ruined" movie without the alternate bad ending.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

So with the American Gangster example - I prefer HBO because it showed the "un-ruined" movie without the alternate bad ending.

Well I think a Premium channel should show the movie in its entirety. Just like its shown at the movies, HBO does not do this.
In other words they cut out scenes.
Thats Editing.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

-so HBO does not cut movies then. Keep this in mind it was the only reason I responded to your post. You asserted that HBO cuts movies. They don't.



Perspective Correction:

HBO Gives you what you would see in the movie theater uncut/unedited-- A true HOME BOX OFFICE - the real movie.
Cinemax gives you what they want. -- whatever version they feel like giving you Theatrical/home/alan smithee/special edition/etc.

So with the American Gangster example - I prefer HBO because it showed the "un-ruined" movie without the alternate bad ending.

You have that Backwards. Cinemax and DVD along with the Movie theater are the same.

Some DVD's have deleted scenes section, But thats not what I'm talking about.

Completely different.

As far as the "Bad" ending , well thats the entire movie that was played at the theater, and the same one thats on my Cinemax DVR recording.

HBO version is Shorter and missing parts.