HBO Max and Discovery have finally merged into Max, bringing a whole new round of questions about what the service has to offer, and it has a lot to offer. If you’re wondering whether there’s a Max DVR to record all that great content, the answer is – you don’t need one. Max is completely on-demand, so it’s already recorded for you.
Does Max come with a DVR?
While Max has a lot of content, it presently does not provide live TV. (But with the way streaming services are constantly changing, it can’t be ruled out for the future.) The lack of live TV means that there's also no DVR option available – because there’s nothing to record.
That said, if you sign up for the DirecTV Premier package, which provides Max with the live TV channel package, you will get a DVR. However, that DVR will not apply to Max content and only works with the live HBO channels.
What kind of on-demand programming is on Max?
With its recent launch, the super-sized Max boasts over 35,000 hours of content. And while dozens of series and movies have been removed, and shows in production or pre-production have been canceled, the service still is still putting out hit shows like Succession and Barry.
For a deep dive into all its content and features, read our Max Review.
While there is no DVR option available with Max, you can download its movies and TV show episodes for offline viewing. That's the on-demand streamer's DVR equivalent.
Does Max have offline viewing?
Seeing as a DVR only makes sense with live TV services, offline viewing is a nice feature for on-demand streaming services to have. And many providers, including Max, offer some offline viewing options.
Offline viewing allows you to download content to watch on your device without an internet connection. It’s a great option to have for many situations, including power outages, road trips, or times when you don't have internet access – or when it’s simply slow and overpriced, like on most commercial airlines.
There are a few restrictions with Max for offline viewing.
- The With-Ads tier doesn’t allow for any downloads
- You can only download up to 30 unique items per account for the Ad-Free tier
- You can download up to 100 titles for the Ultimate Ad-Free tier, but only 30 of those can be movies
- Certain shows are limited to 25 downloaded episodes from the same series
- Any item you download will expire 48 hours after you start watching it (unwatched downloads expire after 30 days)
- The download includes all 5 profiles, meaning all 5 profile users must share the same pool of 30 downloads
These offline viewing limits are not completely uncommon or unheard of. Every service that offers offline viewing also has some distinct and fairly strict limitations. That said, the 48-hour expiration date on titles you start watching is definitely far more restrictive than competing services.
While Max doesn't currently offer a free trial, the ad-supported tier means you can try it out for a month at a reduced price.
Sam Cook • Author
Sam Cook is a full-time content strategist by day, a part-time freelance content writer since 2015. In another life, he was a high school English teacher for nearly a decade. Based in sunny New Orleans, he writes long-form educational content on technology, including Insurtech, Fintech, HRtech, and content streaming.
Davan Hamilton • Editor
Davan Hamilton is an editor and writer based in Jacksonville, FL. Holding a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, her writing spans a wide range, from essays on film criticism and analysis to surreal poetry. Now, she works for Flixed as an editor, continuing to ignore the list of passion projects she’s accumulated. When she’s not glued to her computer, you can find her building endless amounts of Lego sets, binge-reading manga, or playing with (fighting) her cat.
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