Ever miss the classic HBO channels? Well, Max is now testing a similar experience that solves the conundrum of what to watch

An image of the Max streaming service homepage showing House of the Dragon, Barbie, and NBA

(Image credit: Gabby Jones/Bloomberg)

Max is rolling out a live-feed of shows and movies dubbed channels
Peacock and Disney Plus among others already have a similar experience
Rather than trying to decide what to watch, you'll be able to hop into a themed channel

Max is having a particularly busy week, just confirming that its password-sharing crackdown has begun, but the streaming service is doing more. Now joining the likes of Peacock and Disney Plus, Max is starting to roll out channels to subscribers in the United States.

What is a channel? Well, much like cable from years past, Max will let you tune into a channel that’s a stream of HBO programming. Possibly solving the question and conundrum of what to watch and let you dive right into a category of programming you might be interested in.

For this initial rollout, Max’ Channels will be available to subscribers on Ad-Free or Ultimate Ad-Free plans in the United States, and the service has five feeds to pick from at launch. HBO, HBO 2, HBO Comedy, HBO Signature, and HBO Zone will serve up live feeds of classic HBO programming from shows to movies with documentaries, specials, and docuseries in between.

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A look at Channels in Max. — (Image credit: Max)

Much like a traditional cable channel paired with a DVR, you can hop into whatever is currently streamed with the added ability to pause the stream, rewind it, and even fast-forward it. This experience will live directly within the Max app and is designed to complement the traditional streaming service experience of finding and starting content.

It’s worth noting that the first channels debuting from Max are similar to HBO’s own channel lineup back in its prime. If I find myself a part of the test, I look forward to seeing Curb Your Enthusiasm on HBO Comedy plenty. In a shared release, Max notes that this “launch provides the infrastructure for future iterations and ongoing innovation of channels.” This means that, much like Disney, we could see Max roll out themed channels throughout the year, even when new shows are launched.

For instance, when a new season of House of Dragon launches, Max could spin up a channel leading up to it, streaming the previous seasons and even episodes of Game of Thrones. And it’s likely that before this rolls out to all users in the United States or other markets, Max could make changes to the design and how channels work entirely.

Time will tell, but if you’re in the United States and have Ad-Free or Ultimate Ad-Free plans, keep an eye on the Max homepage for a new Channels bar.

Jacob Krol is the US Managing Editor, News for TechRadar. He’s been writing about technology since he was 14 when he started his own tech blog. Since then Jacob has worked for a plethora of publications including CNN Underscored, TheStreet, Parade, Men’s Journal, Mashable, CNET, and CNBC among others.

He specializes in covering companies like Apple, Samsung, and Google and going hands-on with mobile devices, smart home gadgets, TVs, and wearables. In his spare time, you can find Jacob listening to Bruce Springsteen, building a Lego set, or binge-watching the latest from Disney, Marvel, or Star Wars.