HBO GO, MAX GO & HBO Max
Lead mobile engineering for HBO's streaming service as it grew from the web to every screen, including helping build the next generation of HBO GO, the platform that evolved into HBO Max.
The brief
HBO GO had to bring HBO's whole library to every device subscribers owned, with consistent video quality and analytics everywhere, and it had to keep growing internationally.
CS54 worked under its own direct vendor agreement with HBO. Our core team of four was embedded in HBO’s digital products team, alongside HBO staff and other vendors, and the same engineers went on to work with us on our later projects.
What we built
- Helped build the next generation of HBO GO and HBO's online video products
- Implemented AirPlay and HDMI out for HBO GO on iPhone and iPad
- Led international development of the HBO GO iOS app
- Built the MAX GO Roku channel, forked from the HBO GO Roku app
- Built HBO GO Apple TV prototypes
- Built Android prototypes that isolated the video player and DRM to find performance problems early
- Built and maintained the core adaptive-streaming video player, with Conviva analytics
- Kept video and analytics in sync across desktop, Xbox, connected TV and mobile
- Worked with outside vendors on Samsung and Roku connected TV apps
- Helped shape the HBO GO APIs across all platforms
Objective-C · BrightScript · Adaptive streaming · DRM · Conviva · AirPlay
“I worked with Charles and his CS54 team at HBO during the build-out of HBO GO. They’re reliable and hard-working: whatever the complexity or deadline, they make sure the work ships on schedule. They also adapt quickly to new technology, which matters in a field that changes as fast as streaming.”