How to Stream 'Game of Thrones' & HBO Now Anywhere -- Without An Apple TV
As Tyrion Lannister once said, "When one man builds a wall, the next man immediately needs to know what's on the other side." For those wishing they could get around Apple's wall and stream HBO Now on other devices, I give you hope.
Those who owned other streaming boxes besides the Apple TV were undoubtedly disappointed when HBO announced it had an exclusive partnership with Apple for the first three months of HBO Now's launch -- especially since that's right when "Game of Thrones" Season 5 airs.
But don't worry: If you have a Roku, Chromecast, PS4 or other non-Apple devices hooked up to your TV, that exclusivity wall is not as impregnable as you might have expected. Here's how to stream HBO Now without an Apple TV.
Pay TV
First off, it's worth mentioning that getting HBO the old fashioned way -- paying your local cable or satellite TV provider for the privilege (on top of whatever base package you may already be using) -- often costs the same price as, and can sometimes even be less expensive than, paying the $15 HBO Now subscription.
It's always good to check just in case, because through providers like Time Warner Cable, Comcast, and Verizon, you can get access to the actual live channel, as well as HBO Go apps on any device you might want.
PlayOn Takes HBO Now Practically Anywhere
The more inventive way -- and the way cable-cutters will want to check out -- is to get a subscription to PlayOn, a stream casting service that supports all kinds of web-based streaming services.
As CNET reported, PlayOn now supports HBO Now too, meaning you can connect your HBO Now subscription and toss Game of Thrones to practically any device that could be plugged into your TV.
That includes Android phones and tablets, Roku boxes, Google Chromecast, XBMC, Kindle Fire, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Wii, Wii U, Playstation3, and Playstation 4 -- among a few other, less common, media hardware listed here.
But there's a catch -- and an awkward one at that.
To sign up for HBO Now, you need to use an iPhone, iPad or another iOS Apple device. Borrow one from a friend if you're a strictly non-Apple person.
But to run PlayOn's setup software, you need a Windows machine (If you're an Apple person, find one of those aforementioned non-Apple people).
Assuming you can stretch the Apple/Windows divide, then set up your HBO Now login information on PlayOn, and install the PlayOn channel on your streaming device (check here for specific instructions on for every supported device).
If you sign up for HBO Now's free month and then use the special three-month PlayOn subscription offer that costs $10, you'll be watching Game of Thrones everywhere and anywhere for an effective cost of $10 the whole month (though you'll still have to deal with your HBO Now signup afterwards).
Happy streaming!
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