Discussion topic: HBO is not a replacement
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Message posted on 28 Mar 2026 05:05 PM
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HBO is not a replacement
Paid and kept Sky for Sky Atlantic for many years to be able to download Series such as Game of Thrones at my behest such was the offering from Sky. Now this is taken away and now I have to watch them on HBO with loads of ads as a stream and not a download. If I want to upgrade HBO to be able to download Game of Thrones I have to pay even more. This includes the fact that sky keep ramping up there prices. Feel ripped off almost on a corporate scam scale.
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Message posted on 28 Mar 2026 05:08 PM - last edited: 28 Mar 2026 05:21 PM
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Re: HBO is not a replacement
@Anonymous wrote:This includes the fact that sky keep ramping up there prices.
Only once a year like they've done since the dawn of time.
If you don't find it value then don't renew?
As an aside, I suspect it was HBO's decision and not Sky's to move to a streaming/ad model...
Message posted on 28 Mar 2026 05:29 PM
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Re: HBO is not a replacement
@PandJ2020 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:This includes the fact that sky keep ramping up there prices.
As an aside, I suspect it was HBO's decision and not Sky's to move to a streaming/ad model...
Indeed, WDB have been essentially waiting for their long-term exclusivity deal with Sky to expire in order for them to be able to launch HBO Max in the UK.
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Message posted on 28 Mar 2026 05:29 PM
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Re: HBO is not a replacement
@Anonymous
It's HBO taking back control of their own content. Sky had exclusive rights for many years... but not any more.
Message posted on 28 Mar 2026 05:34 PM - last edited: 28 Mar 2026 05:36 PM
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Re: HBO is not a replacement
@Anonymous wrote:Paid and kept Sky for Sky Atlantic for many years to be able to download Series such as Game of Thrones at my behest such was the offering from Sky. Now this is taken away and now I have to watch them on HBO with loads of ads as a stream and not a download. If I want to upgrade HBO to be able to download Game of Thrones I have to pay even more. This includes the fact that sky keep ramping up there prices. Feel ripped off almost on a corporate scam scale.
From. What I understand the present and new series of Game of thrones will still be on Sky Atlantic even though some series is now available on HBO max. From what I can see only series one is available on HBO max at present anyway.
Message posted on 28 Mar 2026 05:44 PM
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Re: HBO is not a replacement
@DaveDrizen wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:Paid and kept Sky for Sky Atlantic for many years to be able to download Series such as Game of Thrones at my behest such was the offering from Sky. Now this is taken away and now I have to watch them on HBO with loads of ads as a stream and not a download. If I want to upgrade HBO to be able to download Game of Thrones I have to pay even more. This includes the fact that sky keep ramping up there prices. Feel ripped off almost on a corporate scam scale.
From. What I understand the present and new series of Game of thrones will still be on Sky Atlantic even though some series is now available on HBO max. From what I can see only series one is available on HBO max at present anyway.
Yes but the issue is, if you want it in UHD without ads, you now need to pay extra to get it.
Message posted on 28 Mar 2026 05:50 PM
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Re: HBO is not a replacement
@DaveDrizen wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:Paid and kept Sky for Sky Atlantic for many years to be able to download Series such as Game of Thrones at my behest such was the offering from Sky. Now this is taken away and now I have to watch them on HBO with loads of ads as a stream and not a download. If I want to upgrade HBO to be able to download Game of Thrones I have to pay even more. This includes the fact that sky keep ramping up there prices. Feel ripped off almost on a corporate scam scale.
From. What I understand the present and new series of Game of thrones will still be on Sky Atlantic even though some series is now available on HBO max. From what I can see only series one is available on HBO max at present anyway.
But Sky's rights expire to things like Game Of Thrones then it will solely be available on HBO Max, unless they decide to sublicense the content elsewhere.
New seasons that Sky have already started broadcasting for example House of The Dragon and White Lotus, they will remain on Sky so will be available via both Sky and HBO Max. However for some of the older seasons, once Sky's rights to those seasons expire they will be removed from Sky's on-demand catalogue.
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Message posted on 28 Mar 2026 06:37 PM
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Re: HBO is not a replacement
@Angel_Aka wrote:
@DaveDrizen wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:Paid and kept Sky for Sky Atlantic for many years to be able to download Series such as Game of Thrones at my behest such was the offering from Sky. Now this is taken away and now I have to watch them on HBO with loads of ads as a stream and not a download. If I want to upgrade HBO to be able to download Game of Thrones I have to pay even more. This includes the fact that sky keep ramping up there prices. Feel ripped off almost on a corporate scam scale.
From. What I understand the present and new series of Game of thrones will still be on Sky Atlantic even though some series is now available on HBO max. From what I can see only series one is available on HBO max at present anyway.
Yes but the issue is, if you want it in UHD without ads, you now need to pay extra to get it.
I can't see your point UHD has always been extra with a Sky subscription if you have and the programme is still going to be shown on Sky Atlantic even though it now available on the HBO max app as well they will be no change . Yes it a extra subscription fro the free offer for UHD for HBO max but that should not affect programming of Sky Atlantic. Sky has only lost the exclusive rights for HBO programming, as I said I said in my previous post HBO material will still be show on Sky including game of thrones . You have to pay extra to whatch some moves on HBO max app but if you have sky cinema subscription you still watch them all on there without the extra HBO max subscription, Have you looked in the on demand section of your box to see if Game of thrones is still there. I think you will find it still is, and if there was a UHD version it will still be there, and if you have a Sky UHD addon you still be able to watch it
Message posted on 28 Mar 2026 06:38 PM
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Re: HBO is not a replacement
@DaveDrizen UHD was download only. There is no GoT downloads...
Message posted on 28 Mar 2026 07:24 PM
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Re: HBO is not a replacement
I've never actually watched Game of Thrones, so I don't see the hype to be honest?
Message posted on 28 Mar 2026 07:24 PM - last edited: 28 Mar 2026 07:30 PM
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Re: HBO is not a replacement
@PandJ2020 wrote:@DaveDrizen UHD was download only. There is no GoT downloads...
Ok As I said Sky have lost exclusive rights and by the look of it some of the formats of HBO programming, which beyond the control of Sky HBO are in control of who they sell there rights of there programming. They have decided to put there programming on the own app for the UK rather then give it exclusively to Sky. Though the HBO max app subscription are collected from Sky subscribers by Sky, they are only collected on behalf of HBO, they are the ones who eventually get your HBO subscription money. Your actual subscription to sky tv has not actually increased. If take out HBO premium subscription your tv subscription stays the same. . Even payment for it taken separately by card to sky market place, not in your sky tv direct debit. In fact that you are paying though Sky you are getting the HBO max subscription £5 cheaper than if you paid it directly though HBO max web site. Even the basic with ads which you get free though Sky if you get that subscription dirct from HBO max you will be charged £4.99 a month .If want clarify things log on HBO max web site , look at there pricing and look at you account details it will say "payment through sky
Message posted on 28 Mar 2026 07:32 PM - last edited: 28 Mar 2026 07:32 PM
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Re: HBO is not a replacement
@DaveDrizen Yes, but the point is a Sky UHD sub no longer gives you UHD for that content... of course you can pay extra (to HBO) but devalues the UHD Sky sub.
Message posted on 28 Mar 2026 08:52 PM - last edited: 28 Mar 2026 09:29 PM
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Re: HBO is not a replacement
@Anonymous wrote:
If I want to upgrade HBO to be able to download Game of Thrones I have to pay even more. This includes the fact that sky keep ramping up there prices. Feel ripped off almost on a corporate scam scale..
If it comes as a surprise that corporations are quite keen on making money, you may not have been paying enough attention...
BT Halo 3+ Ultrafast FTTP (500Mbs), BT Smart Hub 2
Message posted on 29 Mar 2026 07:08 AM
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Re: HBO is not a replacement
Back in the day Sky brought a raft of new shows and a glossy channel to show them when we never had access to HBO content on mass.
During this time technology changed and it was only a matter of time that Sky lost its exclusivity to some of the best shows available. Personally I think Sky have pulled a decent deal together to continue to bring content and make Sky still relevant in a constantly changing market. For now, Sky still suits my viewing needs, along with some of its new own content recently.
The loss of UHD programs is a shame, I'd agree.
Message posted on 29 Mar 2026 11:25 AM - last edited: 29 Mar 2026 11:59 AM
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Re: HBO is not a replacement
@PandJ2020 wrote:@DaveDrizen Yes, but the point is a Sky UHD sub no longer gives you UHD for that content... of course you can pay extra (to HBO) but devalues the UHD Sky sub.
That is right you have to think as the HBO max and your Sky tv as two independent subscriptions. Sky is only taking any subscription money on behalf of HBO max and with the Sky deal giving you basic with ads as extra as I said in my previous post even payment for HBO max ( if you have a subscription other than the free one) is taken separately and you have to pay by card via the Sky market place. But other than that two services are independent of each other. You can not expect you Sky subscription UHD to give you on HBO max you have subscribe to HBO max for it. The same applys to the Netflix and Disney plus apps . if you want UHD on them you also have to subscribe to the relevant pack on those services. The only one when you get UHD included is if you subscribe to TNT sport you get Channel 493 TNT ultimate in UHD with you Sky UHD add on, and I don't think there is any extra charge using theHBO max app to view either. Other then tha the sky tv UHD add on for sky Tv channels only . To sum it up Game of thrones in UHD is no longer part of the Sky tv channels package as they no longer have the rights to show it that format and gone to a different provider there for you have to pay there subscription to get it. And by the look of it HBO max is only showing old Game of thrones programming at present any way, so the new content is not yet available on there yet and not sure when will be. So it cant be seen UHD or any other mode any time soon.
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