In order to use the new HBO Now app, your Fire TV and Fire Tv Stick will need to be running the latest software version. For the Fire TV, that’s version 51.1.6.2 and for the Fire TV Stick, that’s version 54.1.2.2. You can download and install HBO Now on Fire TVs running older software, but once launched, you’ll be greeted with a message informing you that a software update is required before you can use HBO Now. Rooted Fire TV owners will be relieved to hear that a pre-rooted ROM of this latest software version was just released last night.
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Any confirmation that it is also checking for root as this xda user states? I will install later tonight myself.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=62430571&postcount=6
This is the first I have heard of this on the Fire TV. Looks like there is an easy workaround though.
I can confirm, HBO Go does not play videos if you have administrative or “root” privileges on the device which you have purchased and paid for from Amazon. Thanks, HBO, for protecting us from the dangers of ownership.
Sorry, I did mean “HBO Now” and not “HBO Go”. HBO Now does not play videos if you have rooted your device.
It’s looking for the /system/xbin/su executable. I ssh’d in, remounted in RW, and renamed it xu. HBO is working now.
Probably will just reinstall the latest rooted rbox ROM after the free trial…
Does this work using Comcast Xfinity login ? I only see options for Optimum/Verizon.
It works for me this way on older firmware.
Actually I just realized this is for hbonow and not hbogo.
I believe if you subscribe to HBO with a cable or satellite provider you’d use HBOGo, not HBONow.
Bummer.. Is there a version of HBOGo that can be sideloaded and works with
the FTV remote instead of a keyboard/mouse.
Wow, so this is the third Android ‘platform’ HBO Now is supporting (Google Play store, Amazon app store, and now Fire TV). This version has a completely different UI, and the controls overlay now disappears correctly after the video starts.
BTW, the app just checks for a command named ‘su’ in the search path. It doesn’t actually verify if that command works (sorry CyanogenMod users), but it aborts playback if it finds a command with that name. Since you have unlocked the bootloader you don’t need ‘su’ for root access over adb in any case, but changing the name or location of ‘su’ will probably break the SuperSU app. I’d rather have HBO Now in any case :-)