Is there a legit way to stream HBO shows (i.e. Westworld)?

As per the title. I just want to be able to watch Westworld (and why not, other HBO shows - isn’t High Maintenance on HBO?), on my computer or on my TV on demand (connected to internet via Apple TV). Is this possible in Taiwan?

I know HBO Go exists, but it seems to be only Hong Kong and Philippines. I don’t have cable and don’t particularly want it, but I guess if paying for cable lets me also stream stuff, I may be persuaded to sign up.

I do regularly buy TV shows from the iTunes Canada Store (using a Canadian credit card), but the HBO shows usually aren’t available there until a couple of months after the season ends.

When I look at the HBO website, there’s something called “HBO On Demand”. I guess that means I can stream if I’m a cable subscriber - but does that give me options for current shows?

Yeah, I know there are other options, options that I’ve been using for many years, but it’d be nice to do things legally and marginally more ethically.

HBO Go is only for those who already subscribe to HBO through cable in North America. The app you want is HBO Now, but you’ll have to access it with a US IP address. The service is blocked in Taiwan, and if HBO’s servers detect a Taiwan IP they’ll block you. (HBO Now is probably already on your Apple TV desktop. If not you can choose to put it there from Settings).

You’ll also have to subscribe to the HBO Now service. Last time I looked it was US$14.99/month. There was a 30-days free option. (so far I will wait for Westworld S2 to come to HBO Asia).

A VPN would do the trick, or any other tunneling option. Some are free, some are not. There also may be more dubious ways to do this.

Here is one I found by searching “watching hbo now in taiwan”. I don’t use it and can’t vouch for it (and I don’t think it’s free). Just an example.

https://taiwanhbo.usa-ip-address.com

1 Like

Is HBO available legitimately in Taiwan in any way shape or form?

Yeah, through cable.

1 Like

Thanks all. Sigh, it sounds about as complicated as I feared.

Is anyone using the HBO On Demand service? That seems to offer streaming, if you’re already a cable subscriber. But I’m not sure if that’s really what it’s doing, because I’m not a cable subscriber. As far as I can tell, they’ve got a rather appallingly slim list of series available: Barry, Miss Sherlock, Silicon Valley, Westworld (starting in a few days), and Strike Back. And that’s it for series.
http://hboasia.com/OnDemand/en-tw/subscribe

HBO On Demand only works on your television that his hooked up to your cable provider. The shows are available “on demand”, watch them when you want to. However, you can’t access HBO On Demand on any other device.

HBO Go works on computers, tablets and phones. (The way Netflix works)

Both services “stream” content to you. The only difference is that one is only available on your television and the other is on other devices.

HBO On Demand is available in Taiwan, but as you mentioned, the available shows are slim compared to what is available in the US.

HBO Go is not available in Taiwan. HBO Go services are currently only available in Hong Kong and the Philippines in Asia.

1 Like

Thanks - that clears it up for me.

So just how much is a cable subscription these days? Haven’t had one in … god, well over a decade.

And are HBO On Demand still the censored versions, or are they uncut?

The VPN option is not complicated, and it’s not illegal. It is expensive, a little anyway.

I’ve had HBO Now before. It gives you complete access to the same HBO content available in the US. HBO shows a “new” or near-first release movie every Saturday night, and all are available for viewing for months. The best feature, though, is the availability of HBO original content. All the way back to Oz, Sex in the City, The Wire, The Sopranos, through Westworld: all episodes of all seasons are available for streaming without censorship. Everything. Sports, too, so you get boxing matches and Hard Knocks (if you like American football).

HBO used to do early rounds of Wimbledon, but no longer and that is not available. HBO also used to record Broadway shows (like back in the 80s), those too are not available.

The only downside is finding a legit VPN service, and paying monthly for both the VPN and HBO Now. The hookup is easy. HBO Now has nothing to do with your current cable subscription (or lack of it). It is a stand alone HBO channel.

1 Like

Oh that’s good to know. I was thinking more like Netflix, where using a VPN was great at first but eventually became too complicated for me to bother with.

The problem is that Netflix servers record all IP addresses requesting a link. They also track IP addresses that are known proxy IP addresses. Part of the hookup is a query, and if the IP used by the VPN has been stored as a proxy the Netflix server will deny your request.

This is a game that all VPN’s and all content providers play, HBO included. Like Netflix, HBO owns many valuable shows and movies, and they work hard to protect their intellectual property. Reputable and honest VPN services are fully aware that their US IP’s are temporary, and constantly supply new, fresh US IP’s to their customers.

That said, you do risk a blocked connection now and then. It happens.

2 Likes

Bump, in hope that the tech and accessibility have changed in Taiwan over the past couple of years, because the streaming market is changing FAST in the rest of the world, if not on this island: is there a way yet in Taiwan to turn on my TV, select “HBO” from a little menu, and watch an HBO show of my choosing, when I want to?

I don’t have cable, and I’m not particularly interested in it. I’ve got a TV that I almost entirely watch via an Apple TV box (Netflix, Plex, currently Amazon Prime, although I’ll cancel that one once I finally watch Fleabag). I don’t want to bother with a VPN (partly technical hassle, mainly I just don’t watch that much TV). Really I just want to sign up and pay for HBO like I do for Netflix.

I see HBO Max is coming in May, but I believe that won’t include Taiwan; searching for HBO On Demand, discussed upthread, now leads me mainly back to … this thread. The HBO Taiwan page offers a schedule and little else.

Disclaimer: my renewed interest in this has nothing whatsoever to do with the hull breach apparently suffered by the Good Ship Pirate Bay.

2 Likes

HBO Go has just been launched in Taiwan.

Confusingly It’s a digital streaming service like Neflix, but it seems to require a cable subscription?

2 Likes

Aaaaand it’s gone

1 Like

This name change (post above) is for the US right now, not Taiwan.

I have HBO on my cable subscription in Taipei, they keep advertising the HBO GO app (which is run by HBO Asia, out of Singapore).

But, HBO Max (US subscription) + VPN is probably a better deal for most people, if you already have another use for the VPN, and you don’t want HBO Cable. There’s a lot more content than HBO GO.

1 Like

How can we see what’s on HBO TW?

Does it have big shows like Game of Thrones and Westworld in HD with traditional Chinese subtitles?

Cable only, not MOD. For some reason they can not get the rights to distribute it.

1 Like

My landlady pays the cable bill, so I never bothered to set up the Taiwanese Android TV app for HBO GO (you usually sign in with your cable provider account, and I doubt she has online account for that either).

So, I haven’t tried Cable + HBO + HBO GO in Taiwan, but HBO Original series (like Westworld, Game of Thrones, Succession) would be included, in HD (not 4k).

Some of the film content that’s available in other regions may be available, but that’s where you get in to per-country licensing agreements and things start to appear and disappear.

You can actually browse it all here though: https://www.hbogoasia.tw/

1 Like