Best Way to Watch a TV Series (DirecTV OnDemand HBO, etc.)

[prolific]

I'm currently a DirecTV customer (that may or may not be relevant here) and want to know what the best way to catch up on a TV series (past season and current season) would be. I believe I have a couple of choices:

1) DirecTV OnDemand
2) Netflix
3) [other options I'm not familiar with at the moment]

I watch a handful of shows (Boardwalk Empire, Game of Thrones, Magic City, to name a few) - what's the best (easiest and cheapest I suppose) way to be able to watch these episodes at my leisure? Is the OnDemand option DirecTV offers worth it?

Thanks in advance!

 

[americanaudiophile]

Since your list of programs has mostly HBO shows then you should be able to access them with HBO Go. I assume you have HBO on Direct TV so that should give you access as you have to be a subscriber to use it. You can use a computer or the app on iOs or Android device.
You can use the website sidereel.com to see which services offer the programs you want.

 

[prolific]

Since your list of programs has mostly HBO shows then you should be able to access them with HBO Go. I assume you have HBO on Direct TV so that should give you access as you have to be a subscriber to use it. You can use a computer or the app on iOs or Android device.
You can use the website sidereel.com to see which services offer the programs you want.

I guess I can just hook my laptop up to my DTV receiver or something? Is there an easy way to go about this?

 

[smitbret]

I would definitely check out the DirecTV OnDemand first since it is free. You would need to subscribe to the channels that provide the services and make sure your HD DVR is connected to the internet with a Cinema Connection Kit or directly to the HD DVR if you don't have whole home. You may also consider streaming through HBOGo.

 

[ssddx]

do you have a home theater system with hdmi input? optical input? component input? tv only and no receiver?

if you have a receiver with hdmi input or only a tv and no ht system then you can use straight hdmi.
if you have a receiver with optical you could get a hdmi splitter with optical spdif output and use that
if you have a receiver with component or composite inputs you could split the sound off hdmi in this manner with a box or cable.

of course there are a variety of other ways you could connect up depending on your equipment and setup.

the way i hook things up is via straight hdmi.

netflix has quite a selection for the price but is not the best place to find up to date shows as it can take a good while for them to get added due to network television realizing netflix is now a thread to them and refusing to license programs to them right away.

quite a few shows you can watch over the internet for free. we dropped directv over 10 years ago and will never go back. what a complete waste of money. you pay good money to watch reruns and advertisements. definitely nothing like they used to be when it was still USSB. if you consider the complete lack of movies to watch its almost cheaper to buy the series outright than to use directv for the low amount of new content they have.

i used to have netflix and they do have a decent selection. not updated very frequently but enough to watch for awhile and you can cancel at any time. i dont have netflix anymore but for the shows i do want to watch like mythbusters you can watch them online in many cases free (but at standard def).

 

[prolific]

do you have a home theater system with hdmi input? optical input? component input? tv only and no receiver?

if you have a receiver with hdmi input or only a tv and no ht system then you can use straight hdmi.
if you have a receiver with optical you could get a hdmi splitter with optical spdif output and use that
if you have a receiver with component or composite inputs you could split the sound off hdmi in this manner with a box or cable.

of course there are a variety of other ways you could connect up depending on your equipment and setup.

the way i hook things up is via straight hdmi.

netflix has quite a selection for the price but is not the best place to find up to date shows as it can take a good while for them to get added due to network television realizing netflix is now a thread to them and refusing to license programs to them right away.

quite a few shows you can watch over the internet for free. we dropped directv over 10 years ago and will never go back. what a complete waste of money. you pay good money to watch reruns and advertisements. definitely nothing like they used to be when it was still USSB. if you consider the complete lack of movies to watch its almost cheaper to buy the series outright than to use directv for the low amount of new content they have.

i used to have netflix and they do have a decent selection. not updated very frequently but enough to watch for awhile and you can cancel at any time. i dont have netflix anymore but for the shows i do want to watch like mythbusters you can watch them online in many cases free (but at standard def).

Yeah at the moment, I have just the HD DVR receiver from DirecTV, so via direct HDMI cable will be the route.

I guess another option may be the Apple TV? I know that has the HBO Go app on it, I'd be able to watch from my TV downstairs, perhaps easier?

 

[thee_prisoner]

Hulu is good but you aren't going to get any HBO or Showtime content.