This is TERRIBLE news. The broadcast and streaming quality of Sky content is dire. So much so I have frequently bought series on iTunes rather than watch them on Sky, just so I don't have to put up with the would-be-embarrassing-if-it-was-2008 picture and audio quality. HBO Max would have been a relatively cost-effective way to circumvent Sky's anachronistic technology.
Sure, makes sense for you, but I don’t watch sport of any kind and, in my case, throwing Sky content up onto a cinema screen makes it practically unwatchable. It’s that bad. Sky is more than a decade behind other streaming services and for me that is becoming inexcusable. I wouldn’t care less if HBO Max was available as an alternative, but to be denied it is unacceptable. I’ll bet my house that most new HBO Max content will be 4K/Atmos, versus Sky’s appallingly low bitrate ‘supposed’ 1080p/Stereo or 5.1 at best.I dont regard it as bad news, not from my point of view. HBO Max would have been nice I guess, so I'm sympathetic to a point. But for some, like myself, who will need to continue with a Sky sub for live sports reasons, having Sky Atlantic as part of a package will make that Sky sub a bit more justifiable (assuming a discount, which I always get).
An HBO Max sub plus a (imagined) sports streaming deal (if one existed) would not be any cheaper.
Agree, its a shame for the reasons you give.Sure, makes sense for you, but I don’t watch sport of any kind and, in my case, throwing Sky content up onto a cinema screen makes it practically unwatchable. It’s that bad. Sky is more than a decade behind other streaming services and for me that is becoming inexcusable. I wouldn’t care less if HBO Max was available as an alternative, but to be denied it is unacceptable. I’ll bet my house that most new HBO Max content will be 4K/Atmos, versus Sky’s appallingly low bitrate ‘supposed’ 1080p/Stereo or 5.1 at best.
Agree, its a shame for the reasons you give.
But the vast majority don't use cinemas screens, nor care that much about the finer points of steaming resolution. And as I mentioned, keeping the Sky sub package somewhat meaty with Atlantic content isn't bad news for those, especially sports watchers, who still need to have a Sky package.
And it's fine if many folk don't care about such things, but I would argue that here, right here on AVForums, most of us do. And whether you personally care for the highest possible fidelity or not, I still think it inexcusable that Sky is over a decade behind other streaming competitors in this regard. Very disappointing.
This deal cuts off a load of content I'm interested in as I refuse to pay Sky for a sub-standard streaming service.
Maybe, but it'll cost a whole load more to watch it on iTunes than stream it. And I'm too tight to pay iTunes prices (Or Google/Amazon etc)
The cost is a good point. I have no issues paying £12 for my Netflix subscription, but then I'm sure I get better value out of that than I would by buying individual episodes as I watch quite a bit over a month.
HBO things I'm interested in that I can think of (or would've been recently)
So that wouldn't break the bank I guess.
- Game Of Thrones
- West World
- Watchmen
- True Detective
- Chernobyl
- The Deuce
The problem when buying individual series or episodes is that I feel much more conscious about buying it, so will miss some stuff that I could just have a go at on an all in one package.
But yeah the fragmentation that's coming up is going to be a pain, but my current plan is to dip into some of them for a month to watch what I want and then cancel (which seems to be most people's plans too).
Ah for peaks sakes Warner. Should of Launched HBO Max in the UK instead. I hope you put a clause in your contract so that you still can do HBO Max. I wanted to be looking to ditch sky in 2020.
HBO Max is not coming to the UK.
Streaming offerings are not one size (country) fits all, in the way that Netflix (sort of) is.
HBO, from their point of view, don't have the brand name recognition that they do in the US, where they're a longstanding channel in their own right. They know Sky does have brand value here, hence the different ambition for HBO content here.
That may change when it comes to renewing the Sky Atlantic deal next time around.
Ah for peaks sake Warner. Should of Launched HBO Max in the UK instead. I hope you put a clause in your contract so that you still can do HBO Max. I wanted to be looking to ditch sky in 2020.
I might end up just need to keep an eye on the shows and then see what I need to buy and is it cost effective waiting since HBO shows are quick to turn up digitally and Warner shows you sometimes can buy when airing on sky one.