Channels & viewing

[anon5]

I just added HBO Max subscription via Roku.com. Now from my Roku 3 Device, the HBO Max channel won't launch. I had previously added the HBO Max channel (but did not use it - but it did launch at least once.)

Details
Roku 3 - 4200X
v. 10.5.0 Build 4208-04

HBO Max
v 50.60 build 70744

Troubleshooting steps:

• Removed HBO Max channel, added it back (required cancelling subscription)
• Restart Roku Device

All other channels work fine. 

[makaiguy]

After removing a channel, best practice is to clear the Roku's memory by restarting it before reinstalling the channel.   Did you do this?  Without the restart you may not get a clean reinstall.

Depending on your Roku model and Roku version number you'll find the System restart option under either Settings > System or Settings > System > Power ... or just unplug from its power source for a few seconds then plug back in.

[anon5]

Thanks @makaiguy. I did the channel reinstall *both* ways - restart after reinstall, and restart after removing the channel but before reinstall. 

Same response - HBO Max won't start - just spins for a bit then quits. 

I suspect there may be a problem when the channel is trying to authenticate to HBO - but that is just a quess.

[anon5 · Accepted solution]

I was able to resolve this issue. 

I went to HBO Max online to try and log in that way - but I didn't have a password since my initial subscription was done in a web browser via Roku.com and no option was given to create a password. 

So I used the HBO login Password Reset function. Once I had a valid password set up, then the HBO Max channel in Roku loaded fine. 

So - it appears that there is a problem with subscribing to HBO Max outside of the Roku Device. Since no password is created when this is done online, there isn't a password that the Roku Channel can authenticate with. 

I hope that someone from Roku will investigate this. 

[makaiguy]

In many cases (I don't know if HBO MAX is one of them) when you subscribe to a premium channel through Roku you must access the channel through The Roku Channel.