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What Is It?
Hulu is a content aggregator offering on-demand TV shows and movies from most of the major networks and movie studios. Hulu is the name of the free service, while Hulu Plus offers more features and is subscription based. Major players that own stakes in Hulu include NBC Universal (now merged with Comcast), News Corporation (owner of the Fox network), and Walt Disney Corporation (owner of ABC). CBS (which also owns Showtime and more) is the only major TV network that doesn’t own a piece of Hulu.
What's Available?
Most of Hulu’s content consists of TV episodes, news programming, and a handful of feature films produced by the three major concerns with ownership stakes. TV shows typically appear the day after they’re broadcast, and all this content is supported by advertisements, even if you spring for a Hulu Plus subscription.
So what do you get if you subscribe? Higher-resolution video, for starters. Hulu content is streamed in “standard definition” (a term Hulu doesn’t define), while Hulu Plus video streams in “high definition” (720p). And while basic Hulu is available only on a computer, Hulu Plus can be streamed to an increasingly wide range of devices. Also, basic Hulu delivers only the five most recent episodes of available TV series, whereas you get entire seasons on Hulu Plus.
Movies generally aren’t one of Hulu’s strengths, but cineastes will revel in the Criterion Collection of films available on Hulu Plus. Criterion is renowned for both the impeccable quality of its film-to-video digital transfers and its supplemental material, including deleted scenes, audio commentaries, and more. This supplemental material isn’t currently available on Hulu Plus, but it’s slated to be included in the future.
Devices with Support Built In
Hulu is available on Windows PCs, but you must be connected to the Internet to watch, and you can’t download and store videos on your machine. Hulu Plus has the same restrictions, but can be streamed to a variety of TVs from Samsung, Sony, and Vizio; various Blu-ray players from Samsung, Sony, and Vizio; TiVo Premiere DVRs; Android smartphones and tablets; networked media players, Roku and Western Digital networked media players; Sony’s Dash and Netbox; Sony's PlayStation 3, Nintendo's Wii, and Microsoft's Xbox 360; iOS devices; and—coming soon—Nintendo's 3DS handheld gaming system.
Pricing
Hulu is free. Hulu Plus costs $7.99 monthly. Videos on both services contain commercial advertising, and you’ll need to register for whichever service you decide to use.
Our Take
We loathe commercials, but they’re a reasonable trade-off for getting triple-A content for free. But having to pay for content and still be forced to watch commercials is something else. Hulu’s free iteration delivers most of what you’ll get on broadcast and subscription TV, so it could well satisfy your needs—provided you don’t mind watching standard-def video on a computer and don’t fall too far behind in a TV series season.
Hulu Plus offers a lot more content, and it’s available on a host of devices that will connect directly to your TV. If you’re looking to cut your ties to a pay TV service, it’s definitely worth $7.99 per month—even with the commercials. Aside from the excellent Criterion Collection, however, Hulu Plus can’t compete with the Netflix movie library.
What Is It?
Available for both Mac and PC, Apple’s free iTunes application lets you play, organize, and purchase digital music and video. You can also use iTunes to transfer your video purchases to an iPod, iPad, or iPhone, or stream that content to all these devices, as well as to the Apple TV media player. Whereas iTunes music downloads can only be purchased, movies, and TV show episodes can be either purchased or rented.
What's Available?
Apple’s media store offers a comprehensive collection of Hollywood movies, plus TV shows from the major broadcast and cable networks, including Showtime and HBO. Many of the films include what Apple calls iTunes Extras: deleted scenes, making-of documentaries, music videos, and so on. Just be aware that iTunes Extras are viewable only on a computer or via Apple TV.
Most movies and TV episodes are available in either standard or HD (480p and 720p, respectively). Unlike most of the other services discussed here, you can download both rented and purchased content to your computer or Apple device. You must watch rented movies and TV shows within 30 days of downloading. Additionally, you must finish watching a rented movie within 24 hours of clicking the Play button. You have 48 hours to finish watching rented TV shows.
Devices with Support Built In
A TV connected to an Apple TV media player; most iPod models (HD content will require an iPod Touch); iOS devices (HD content will require iPhone 4); Mac or Windows PC (via the iTunes software).
Pricing
To rent newly released movies, you’re typically looking at $3.99 for standard-def, and $4.99 for HD. To buy that same content, you’ll usually pay $14.99 and $19.99, respectively. Most TV shows sell for $1.99 for standard-def and $2.99 for HD.
Our Take
If Apple had its way, you’d only be able to watch iTunes content on Apple products. The company’s almost there now, supporting Windows only because of its huge, dominating installed base. Fortunately, you'll find other video-on-demand services delivering the same content on a wide variety of platforms, including the PC, Android, and iOS. We see very little reason to patronize iTunes these days for anything other than music (and we can recommend plenty of alternatives on that score, too).
What Is It?
Netflix started out renting DVDs by mail, but now emphasizes its subscription-based video-streaming service over renting physical discs. As a Netflix subscriber, you can stream as many movies and TV episodes as you like, but you can't download the videos to any device.
What's Available?
You'll find Hollywood movies, TV episodes from broadcast and cable networks (including Showtime but not HBO), and original movies and TV series carried on the Starz cable network. Netflix boasts a high-quality back catalog of streaming content, but it takes a long time for new movies to become available for streaming, and TV episodes generally don't become available until after their seasons have been released on disc. Videos are streamed at the highest resolution your Internet connection can deliver, up to a maximum of 720p.
Devices with Support Built In
Various HDTVs from LG, Panasonic, Samsung, Sony, and Vizio; various Blu-ray disc players from LG, Panasonic, Sony, Toshiba, and others; TiVo DVRs; most media players, including the Apple TV, Boxee Box, Google TV, Roku, and WD TV Live; PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, and Xbox 360; iOS devices (via an app); Mac or Windows PCs (via web browser).
Pricing
A Netflix “Watch Instantly” account costs a minimum of $7.99 per month. This baseline plan doesn’t include any physical disc rentals, but it also places no limit on the number of videos you can stream. Of course, Netflix continues to offer plans that include physical disc rentals, and each throws in unlimited streaming as a value-added service.
Our Take
Netflix' $7.99 streaming-only plan is a great deal if you don't mind very long waits for newer movies and TV episodes to make their way onto the service. In an effort to appease Hollywood, which apparently fears that Netflix will dominate the post-theater retail movie business in the same way that Apple has come to dominate the music distribution market, Netflix cut deals with most of the studios to not rent new movies on disc until they've been available at retail for 28 days. New movies and current television episodes take much, much longer to make their way to Netflix' streaming service. Meanwhile, pay-per-view services such as Vudu offer new movies online the very same day they're released on disc. Regardless, we still recommend Netflix' streaming-only subscriptions for movies, but we think Hulu Plus delivers a far better experience for TV junkies.
Comments are closed on this article
SalladDazed
January 31, 2012 at 8:17pm
Bizarrely, we found out (the hard way) that 2011 and (I believe) 2012 Samsung connected TVs (using their Smart Hub interface) do not natively support Amazon VOD.
Apparently, this used to be offered via the Yahoo Widgets app (still available in the Samsung app store) but is not for model year 2011 and going forward.
Samsung recently has issued some bizarre but hopeful signs this may change at some point. Yahoo has made no official comment. Though Amazon's site provides arguably misleading language indicating Samsung TVs support their video streaming services, it has released no official comment on the situation.
We have been monitoring a thread on Amazon's site Since April of 2011, but nothing much has changed. Though a recent firmware upgrade included language in its feature list, the language was so poorly worded as to make little sense, and there was no change in the TV's ability to playback this content.
http://www.amazon.com/forum/home%20theater/ref=cm_cd_pg_pg1?_encoding=UTF8&cdForum=Fx2DJH5MIDFPGUV&cdPage=1&cdSort=oldest&cdThread=Tx2FSR7GPIMOR0C
jerryfrost
January 31, 2012 at 8:15pm
my friend's step-aunt makes $84 hourly on the computer. She has been fired for 9 months but last month her income was $8799 just working on the computer for a few hours. Go to this web site and read more u.go2.me/57V
MrSelatcia
January 31, 2012 at 8:40am
Good luck getting the MLB network working fully on your Roku, or even android for that matter. Never mind that the Roku's advertise the compatibility. Full MLB access on anything other than a PC or Apple product is an exercise in futility. Maddening considering what they charge.
Atomike
January 31, 2012 at 8:04am
No mention of ESPN 3? This is the only real way to stream sports. And it's not mentioned. Article is wildly incomplete.
Morete
January 31, 2012 at 2:05am
I was told that "due to movie studio restrictions", Vudu content is not streamable to PC in 1080p and it's only allowed to stream to HD TVs at that resolution.
OCFRED
January 31, 2012 at 1:08am
What is the common denominator? lower overall cost than a cable/DVR package. I may grab one of those logitec units since it seems to offer the only experience tailored around what the user wants rather than pushing whats most profitable for content holders and adverts. Lets face it and admit that the net has supplanted and enhanced "stealing" cable in more wonderful ways than we who grew up with VCR's could have imagined. What erodes the old profit model most is that nearly all new content created is complete Sh*t, no artistic integrity with scripted "realities" more perverse than bawdy fiction; at networks there are likely 50 suits selling airtime for every one fostering new talent. I'd rather keep getting 3 classic flicks at a time from Blockbuster through the mail for $22 with no due dates and personal control of playback free of ads. Web offerings are rough but growing everyday and evolving expression with returns for the artist instead of some talentless hack "managing" for indifferent, insatiable shareholders.
Sooner go back to video tapes or buy tickets to live performing art than endure network broadcasting. Entertainment's genesis from live theater to pictures, radio, TV and cable onto the web is only being criminalized by lawyers and the thugs behind them intent to keep their beaks saturated while audiences are left to die of thirst rather than be empowered to change the channel.
JohnP
January 30, 2012 at 9:24pm
I am consistently disappointed with embedded media boxes inside other products. XBox360, DLNA enabled TVs, Blu Ray players with network ports, Apple TV and on and on. Try getting High def and 5.1 surround sound out of these "appliances" is an exercise in frustration. Streaming TV always have their weak points and are only available in certain places in certain formats in certain codecs in certain audio types.
I cannot empathize how well a decent HTPC can rule the roost over all of these myriad formats and types. There is just nothing better out there which makes all these embedded media boxes both unnecessary and an expensive useless device. Just say no.
hades_2100
January 30, 2012 at 6:39pm
No XBMC? I only have 4 XBMC installations in my home and it just wouldn't be the same without it.
DaemonSeed
January 30, 2012 at 3:21pm
Very good article. However I was extremely disappointed that while you posted a bit about Boxee Box, you neglected its root primary parent from whence Boxee came.
XBMC is one of the most awesome media centers around today. I currently run XBMC Eden (Beta 2) and its rawked to the max. The XBMC Team do some really awesome work.
XMBC also has a nice healthy plug in repository to add more features to your HTPC experience. Check it out XBMC.org , available for OSX, Windows, Linux, Apple TV and you can even run a live dvd/usb distro. Do not pass this one up people!
In adittion, XBMC has a great live support forum so you can learn and expand your XBMC knowledge!
athlon11
January 30, 2012 at 3:12pm
If you included the MLB and NBA in that article why not the NHL? So much better than basketball.
