Will you pay for Hulu on your i-device?

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If I were doing more traveling and still had my iPad, I probably would use the service. It seems like they're offering enough content to make it worth the cost, and it seems to run pretty well over 3g (just watched an episode of 30Rock with no buffering or stuttering). But just for my iPhone at home or for random watching I don't see the value.

What are your thoughts?
 
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Considering I could use it on my iPhone or iPad and I can stream it using the Hulu app on my Samsung TV, yeah it's a pretty good deal.

I'd love to see them make the apps available to everyone if non-plus even if you only get access to the newer content like today.
 
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While Hulu is great and I enjoy watching some of my favorite shows from when I was a kid like "The Time Tunnel" and "Lost in Space" (I really had the hots for Angela "Penny Robinson" Cartwright), I already pay over $500 a year for satellite service and I think that is waaaay to much so I am going to "opt out" of adding the Hulu app to my iPad
 
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Considering I could use it on my iPhone or iPad and I can stream it using the Hulu app on my Samsung TV, yeah it's a pretty good deal.

I'd love to see them make the apps available to everyone if non-plus even if you only get access to the newer content like today.

I forogt that they're going to offer it for other devices. If they make an app for my Vizio blu-ray player I may have to reconsider since I'll never pay the money for HD cable/satellite.

This and Netflix could be a winning combination for a cheap alternative to cable/satellite.
 
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Netflix.. I can understand. They offer a totally different service in that their instant viewing service is only a subsidiary means to their in the mail services. But Hulu ? The same service which can be streamed for free on a laptop? I really don't see the sense in that. I'll hook my laptop up to the flat screen tv if I really want to stream hulu like that. Amazing.. any way for them to take more money. And to think.. if Flash worked on the iPad.. Hulu would work without an paid app. Ironic and very convenient for all parties concerned (well, except the ripped off end user) IMO.

And you guys really think that Steve hadn't thought of this well in advance when pushing Flash away ? Heh...

Doug
 
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Netflix.. I can understand. They offer a totally different service in that their instant viewing service is only a subsidiary means to their in the mail services. But Hulu ? The same service which can be streamed for free on a laptop? I really don't see the sense in that. I'll hook my laptop up to the flat screen tv if I really want to stream hulu like that. Amazing.. any way for them to take more money. And to think.. if Flash worked on the iPad.. Hulu would work without an paid app. Ironic and very convenient for all parties concerned (well, except the ripped off end user) IMO.

And you guys really think that Steve hadn't thought of this well in advance when pushing Flash away ? Heh...

Doug

It's not the same service though Doug. It includes access to back episodes and full seasons of previous content not available to free Hulu users. The apps are just something on top of the increased streaming library. I believe they're also streamed in HD with Plus.

Hulu - Plus

There was also an analysis done and many of the full and back seasons are only available to stream on Hulu Plus, Netflix doesn't have them available for streaming.
 
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Ah, Ok. That makes a lot more sense now. Seeing as Hulu has to obviously purchase the rights for playback of this content, they need to cover their overhead. I didn't know that. Guess I should RTFrekin'M every once in a while eh ?

Ok, then perhaps I would change my mind after all. What I'd love to see though, is a totally unified service which brings the content to ones cable box as well as online box in one package. It would seem the future is headed that way anyhow.. One universal box which is an media center that streams your favorite services such as Hulu, Netflix etc., brings in all of your favorite cable or FIOS channels etc.. and has as many HD I/O ports as necessary to hook up to ones dedicated home theater audio/video rig.

Yeah, I'd totally pay for that. I'd love a full catalog of back movies and tv shows from any time period, to be available. Now on the mobile side of things, the truly mobile side... I see a problem in terms of connectivity to the net. Where there's wifi it's fine, but with ATT's current pricing scheme, there's no room for one to even think about trying to enjoy watching movies or shows because you always have to watch your minutes.

Would be neat to see Apple try and create their own broadband service and market it in competition with the likes of Time Warner, FIOS, Comcast etc...

Doug

Edit: On a side note, why are Hulu still messing with Adobe Flash at this point and not moving over to an more open standard ?
 
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Ok, then perhaps I would change my mind after all. What I'd love to see though, is a totally unified service which brings the content to ones cable box as well as online box in one package. It would seem the future is headed that way anyhow.. One universal box which is an media center that streams your favorite services such as Hulu, Netflix etc., brings in all of your favorite cable or FIOS channels etc.. and has as many HD I/O ports as necessary to hook up to ones dedicated home theater audio/video rig.

Funny you should want that because the FCC just dumped their failed CableCard initiative for something very similar to what you are looking for...the universal STB.

Edit: On a side note, why are Hulu still messing with Adobe Flash at this point and not moving over to an more open standard ?

For the same reason, no serious content providers are moving to an open standard or HTML 5 yet, the new stuff just isn't mature enough in terms of reportability and content protection (or at least that's the line Hulu, Netflix, and YouTube have recently toted)
 

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Will not have time to check it out until this weekend, but will definitely take them up on the free invite as soon as I get one and will more than likely pay the $10.

$50-60 for satellite? I wish. Had been paying $160 until about 3 months ago when I dumped $60 worth of it.

I'm almost at the point of being able to have a single device for my primary entertainment center now. My HTPC set up in the Family Rm can play DVD, HD-DVD, and Blu-Ray, record live TV and of course Netflix streaming. Along with storing and streaming any of that content from the server sitting back in the office.

For purchasing HD video content I already use iTunes and Amazon's Unbox.

Already a member at Hulu and have multiple shows set up as our favorites. On the weekend, I head to hulu and my queue. They'll have a list there of any new show that have come out sitting there ready to view with a single click. This has already eliminated the need to record multiple shows on the satellite DVR.

I have too many devices currently as I have not taken off the redundant devices. Have satellite receiver, the HTPC, HD-DVD player and B-R player all connected to my A/V receiver in one location via HDMI. It is used as the switch and have a single cable run in the wall over to the TV. Duplicate universal remotes that enable us to switch from one device to another with a single button click.

100' cat5e run from the office to a TC sitting there provides ethernet connection to all of the above devices.

Not the best room for 5.1, but I have run all the speaker cabling in the wall, through the attic with all speakers wall/ceiling mounted so they're not taking up floor space except the sub.

Have a PS3 sitting in the BdRm that can stream to that TV from the HTPC and the server.

Still more work to do on it, but it's beginning to come together.

If a few more channels come to internet streaming, I'll be able to dump the satellite and it'll become cheaper to purchase the little content we want to see that are not available.

So, yep, I'll probably pay the $10. But the availability on the iPhone or iPad will only be a free bonus as far as I can see.
 

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