topic Re: Sheer Amount of Ads - HBO Max in Sky Q

Sheer Amount of Ads - HBO Max

Shahir92 — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 16:47:18 GMT

The current viewing experience is a significant downgrade. Previously, I could watch series like The Wire or The Sopranos on my Sky Q box with minimal disruption. Now, the ad frequency on the HBO Max app is excessive; for example, during The Pitt, I encountered four adverts every ten or so minutes! This isn't the USA.

This level of interruption makes the service unusable and is not what I expect.

Has anyone experience been the same? This is a direct downgrade to the service we have had previously.

Re: Sheer Amount of Ads - HBO Max

PandJ2020 — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 16:58:10 GMT

@Shahir92 wrote:
This isn't the USA.

But HBO is.

They have exercised their right to their own programmes. At least Sky negotiated some continued access, alas not the same...

Re: Sheer Amount of Ads - HBO Max

nigea99 — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 17:10:52 GMT

@Shahir92 wrote:

The current viewing experience is a significant downgrade. Previously, I could watch series like The Wire or The Sopranos on my Sky Q box with minimal disruption. Now, the ad frequency on the HBO Max app is excessive; for example, during The Pitt, I encountered four adverts every ten or so minutes! This isn't the USA.

This level of interruption makes the service unusable and is not what I expect.

Has anyone experience been the same? This is a direct downgrade to the service we have had previously.

hi @Shahir92

Compared to watching the linear SKY Atlantic Channel, I suspect there may actually be less in total but one of the key differences is that, unlike on SKY Q, they are possibly more frequent with less 'per break' & also not skippable so you have to wait.

I also think the quite high repetition of the same adverts tends to make us think there are more

Another noticeable difference is you have to watch the ads before you start watching

The bottom line is, that WBD the content owner has direct control & they either want the income from those paying for the ads or from subscribers upgrading to tier to not have the ads.

BTW I found it to be similar on Paramount+ but I currently have upgraded that to a premium tier

Re: Sheer Amount of Ads - HBO Max

TimmyBGood — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 17:34:56 GMT

@Shahir92 wrote:

Previously, I could watch series like The Wire or The Sopranos on my Sky Q box with minimal disruption.

Yes, but the current Warner Bros Discovery Ltd management would almost certainly argue that like the rest of us you were also significantly underpaying for their rather valuable content, as a result of the legacy HBO - Sky Atlantic deal which went back nearly fifteen years and was signed when both sides were under previous ownership and the global television market was very different.

@Shahir92 wrote:

This is a direct downgrade to the service we have had previously.

Presumably that's absolutely intentional to 'encourage' users to pay the additional £5 pcm for the Max tier without advertising (which goes to HBO, not Sky, and so makes WBD stockholders happy)

Such a 'downgrade' is entirely legal as long as Sky permits exit from a minimum contract term if the user insists: this might be particularly relevant for those who chose Essential TV on Glass & Stream specifically because it includes Sky Atlantic which now has a considerably reduced lineup.

Re: Sheer Amount of Ads - HBO Max

Chodley — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 17:21:28 GMT

@Shahir92 wrote:
This is a direct downgrade to the service we have had previously.

Welcome to capitalism 😉

I guess on the positive side, you can now pay more to have no ads which wasn't even an option before (although voice control skipping them was a fun game)

Re: Sheer Amount of Ads - HBO Max

PandJ2020 — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 17:30:34 GMT

...I found the UHD download just fine. (Previously)

Re: Sheer Amount of Ads - HBO Max

Chodley — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 17:33:04 GMT

Ah yes and that was also a lovely perk 👍

Re: Sheer Amount of Ads - HBO Max

Me134 — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 17:34:00 GMT

@TimmyBGood wrote:
@Shahir92 wrote:
Previously, I could watch series like The Wire or The Sopranos on my Sky Q box with minimal disruption.
Yes, but the current Warner Bros Discovery Ltd management would almost certainly argue that like the rest of us you were also significantly underpaying for their rather valuable content, as a result of the legacy HBO - Sky Atlantic deal which went back nearly fifteen years and was signed when both sides were under previous ownership and the global television market was very different.

@Shahir92 wrote:
This is a direct downgrade to the service we have had previously.
Presumably that's absolutely intentional to 'encourage' users to pay the additional £5 pcm for the tier without advertising (which goes to HBO, not Sky, and so makes WBD stockholders happy)

Such a 'downgrade' is entirely legal as long as Sky permits exit from a minimum contract term if the user insists: this would be particularly relevant for those who chose Essential TV on Glass & Stream specifically because it includes Sky Atlantic.

"Such a 'downgrade' is entirely legal as long as Sky permits exit from a minimum contract term if the user insists"

Do Sky not have themselves covered for that in the T&C's? Content and channels can change sort of thing?

Re: Sheer Amount of Ads - HBO Max

TimmyBGood — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 17:48:37 GMT

@Me134 wrote:

Do Sky not have themselves covered for that in the T&C's? Content and channels can change sort of thing?

Yes, but there's also a specific clause to cover a significant reduction in service: that's required to make the contract 'fair'.

As I mentioned above, users who specifically chose Essential TV don't get bundled 'free' HBO Max and are left with a distinctly reduced Sky Atlantic lineup: I counted two titles making up twelve timeslots in a single day earlier this week.

Re: Sheer Amount of Ads - HBO Max

Shahir92 — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 19:01:48 GMT

Thanks you all for the replies, all gave me a better understanding of the deal between HBO and SKY.

Unfortunate that HBO have decided to go this direction. I will definitely not be paying the extra £10 a month to upgrade to the ad free version, as I'd rather purchase the box sets of the shows I would want to rewatch.

Re: Sheer Amount of Ads - HBO Max

GillHope — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 21:11:30 GMT

Yes , the reduced quality and excessive ads are ridiculous. I've written to Sky and will not be entering a new contract with them .

Very disappointing as I've been a Sky customer for 27 years ! I'm cheaper just paying for Netflix, HBO Max and Disney Premium services separately!

Re: Sheer Amount of Ads - HBO Max

GillHope — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 21:14:51 GMT

I feel as though I'm back to watching TV in year 2000 !

Re: Sheer Amount of Ads - HBO Max

PandJ2020 — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 21:32:16 GMT

@GillHope wrote:
I feel as though I'm back to watching TV in year 2000 !

What, SD?

Re: Sheer Amount of Ads - HBO Max

NickNewark — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 06:45:51 GMT

@Shahir92 It's £5 a month extra through Sky marketplace to take it to the next level without adverts. You get promo for shows sometimes at the beginning, but you can skip those.

Re: Sheer Amount of Ads - HBO Max

Me134 — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 07:26:44 GMT

@GillHope wrote:
Yes , the reduced quality and excessive ads are ridiculous. I've written to Sky and will not be entering a new contract with them .

Very disappointing as I've been a Sky customer for 27 years ! I'm cheaper just paying for Netflix, HBO Max and Disney Premium services separately!

The individual 4K monthly deals for just those three is £49pcm, or £32.49 through a Sky sub (as well as all of the extra channels, recording with a Q box plus Discovery+ which would be an additional £3.99 pcm). Obviously, there are deals and annual, pay upfront deals individually.

Make sure you do your math before jumping.

Re: Sheer Amount of Ads - HBO Max

GillHope — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 08:08:48 GMT

My Sky bill is £67 pcm , including cinema , UHD etc .. and that's after I phone them every year or so and demand for them to take my bill down 😂

I was on the phone to them for about 2 hours the other night about the HBO thing , was passed round 4 people I think until I got to one guy who said they'd take my price down so that I didn't feel so bad upgrading to Premium HBO Max - then he said that he'd phone me back the next day with a deal as he had to talk to his supervisor and surprise surprise didn't phone when he said he would .. phoned later on that day when I couldn't take the call , and so have gone to the lengths of writing a letter to Sky in Livingston 😂 Will see what happens there .. but am very wary now about signing up to another 2 year contract . If I cancelled today it'd cost me £440 ! So I'm just going to let me contract run out and then cancel .

Thanks for thoughts though .