A comparison of PS3 and 360 as media players

[patsu]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-...-be-near-deal-for-hulu-s-paid-tv-service.html

Sony Corp. is close to an agreement to carry a paid TV service from Hulu LLC on its PlayStation 3 video-game console, two people with knowledge of the talks said.

The partnership could be announced as soon as next week, according to the people, who asked not to be identified because the arrangement hasn’t been made public.

PlayStation 3 owners who register for the console’s free Web service, the PlayStation Network, will be able to subscribe to a planned Hulu pay service, giving them on-demand access to current prime-time television shows from NBC, Fox and ABC, the people said. Hulu is also in talks to put the service on Microsoft Corp.’s Xbox, Reuters reported previously.

Patrick Seybold, a spokesman for Sony’s PlayStation Network in Foster City, California, declined to comment, as did Christina Lee, a spokeswoman for closely held Hulu. The website plans a $9.95 a month subscription service, the Los Angeles Times reported previously.

 

[RobertR1]

Today, I made a home group with my W7 PC and added my gf's W7 lpt to it also. Shared all the libraries and then shared the 360 to both also. It all works quite well. The goal next year sometime is to get a server and use that for storage so we take content off both machines and then stream pics/docs/movies/music off one central hub. The streaming to the 360 works well. No issues so far.

 

[patsu]

http://techcrunch.com/2010/06/29/hulu-plus-premium/

The rumors were true. Today, Hulu is announcing the launch of Hulu Plus, an ad-supported, premium subscription service that will run $9.99 per month and includes HD access to full season runs of shows from Fox, ABC, and NBC. Better yet, Hulu Plus will work across a multitude of platforms, including PCs, the iPad, iPhone, some Samsung Blu-ray players, and soon, the PlayStation 3. The service is currently only available to select Hulu members who have been invited — you can request an invite here.

Content will be delivered at a resolution of 720p (HD) when available, and can be downgraded in low-bandwidth scenarios.

Hulu clearly intends to distribute the service across as many platforms as it can. Along with the aforementioned device partners, Hulu intends to include Hulu support with more Blu-ray players and TVs, including some from Sony and VIZIO. Support for the Xbox 360 will be coming in early 2011.

I have a feeling PSN may end up with multiple subscription packages (e.g., for movie buffs, for core gamers, all-in-one, etc.). [size=-2]You'll have multiple plus signs at the end of your nick by the time they are done. [/size]

 

[AzBat]

Xbox 360 is getting it too, but according to the official site... http://www.hulu.com/plus/devices

It's "Coming Early 2011". PS3 only says "Coming Soon".

Other devices supported now...

• iPhone
• iPad
• iPod Touch
• Samsung Internet enabled TVs
• Samsung Blu-ray Internet enabled players including the BD-C6900
• PC

Coming Fall 2010...

• Sony Internet enabled TVs & Blu-ray players
• Vizio Internet enabled TVs & Blu-ray players

$10/month is too much for ad-supported content. For $9/month I get ad-free streamed content from Netflix and unlimited DVDs(1 out at a time). Since I already have PlayOn for Hulu(and no added expense), I will probably pass on this.

Tommy McClain

 

[patsu]

According to the video here:
http://www.hulu.com/plus/guided_tour

PS3 version is coming as early as July.

It may be easier to roll out for PS3 Blu-ray stack first, before other standalone Blu-ray players (I have no insider info here).

It will face a tough competition against iPad. The tablet offers a portable TV experience, which is more compelling than the big screen TV experience at least in this household. PSP2 needs to do something here.

EDIT: Or remote play from PS3 to iPad, PSP2 and other devices. So I only pay once. I am not going to pay for multiple Hulu device subscription. iPad still has an edge because of 3G streaming but multiple device playback is more important.

 

[AntShaw]

It will face a tough competition against iPad. The tablet offers a portable TV experience, which is more compelling than the big screen TV experience at least in this household. PSP2 needs to do something here.

I can't get to the links here at work because they are blocked, but if Hulu is charging $10 per device, that's a recipe for disaster. Granted content is mildly different, I can get a $9 a month subscription via Netflix that allows me to stream my content to any device.

 

[Scott_Arm]

Hulu would have to add a lot more tv networks to get me to pay for it. I'd pay for Netflix if it were available here, but not Hulu.

 

[obonicus]

$10/month is too much for ad-supported content. For $9/month I get ad-free streamed content from Netflix and unlimited DVDs(1 out at a time). Since I already have PlayOn for Hulu(and no added expense), I will probably pass on this.

Conspiracy theory on the street is that Hulu will start paring down the free offerings to make plus the one you want.

 

[RobertR1]

Add HBO, speed TV, ESPN and we got a deal for $9.99 As it stands currently, no.

 

[patsu]

Gizmodo has an impression on Hulu Plus:
http://gizmodo.com/5575719/hulu-plus-on-iphone-and-ipad-impressions-eff-off-cable

I have dropped off from cable and DirectTV for 5 years now. Gotten sick and tired of re-runs. My friends are slowly following suit over the years.

We get all our video fix from YouTube, NetFlix, and other channels (NPR, ABC, HGTV) now on iPad. This include foreign news and specialized video content. ^_^

PS3 runs a close second because it is the only guy connected to the big screen TV (Over-the-air broadcast, PSN video, Blu-ray & DVD from public libraries and personal collection)

Basically my TV content bill runs $10 a month usually (Only NetFlix). The rest are free, with occasional rentals from PSN/iTunes, Blu-ray purchases and cinema outings.

The only missing channel for her (on iPad) is Fox. Hulu Plus completes the picture. Not sure if my wife will subscribe. I'll leave it up to her since I seldom watch TV.

 

[BRiT]

I could live off of Netflix and Usenet if it wasn't for live sporting events, but ESPN on XBL may have that covered. It depends on what they have available. I'd love if they expand to offer some local sporting networks on XBL such as the Big10 Network, VS, and the occasional UFC events.

I also think Hulu will start skimping on their 'free' content as an incentive to drive people to pay $10 a month for ad-supported content.

 

[patsu]

I believe ESPN is available on iPad but we didn't download the app. The channels will be there for popular devices over time.

We don't watch sports on TV actively. Prefer to play 'em and go to the stadium instead. \^o^/ (Giants game in PacBell Park tomorrow !)

 

[RobertR1]

I'd love to get rid of Comcast. God damn I would! but I need the following:

FOX. NBC. ABC. CBS. BBC. HBO. ESPN. SPEEDTV. in HD

The other hundereds of channels are of no damn use to me.

 

[Arwin]

The new movie edit but particularly the facebook and picasa integrations into the PS3s photo app are really sweet by the way. Very nice!

 

[AzBat]

I haven't paid for Cable TV for 10 years now. First lived off OTA, now just Hulu & Netflix. Anytime I wanted to watch sports that I couldn't get at home, I would go to my dad's house (Superbowl, BCS, etc). Now with ESPN3 coming to 360 for free, I won't have to make that trip as often.

BTW, the $10/month is for all your devices. Not per device. So there is some value in the package. All HD & complete seasons worth of shows is nice too. But if I watch the show within a week of it coming out, then I don't need it. HD would be nice, but I've done well without it too.

Not enough content if you ask me. Only way I would pay for it is if the free version was no longer available. I can stomach the ads, been doing it for 30+ years. LOL

Netflix now has an opportunity here to kick their ass. Maybe Hulu will get taught a lesson.

Tommy McClain

 

[patsu]

BTW, the $10/month is for all your devices. Not per device. So there is some value in the package. All HD & complete seasons worth of shows is nice too. But if I watch the show within a week of it coming out, then I don't need it. HD would be nice, but I've done well without it too.

Cool ! Then IMHO, the $10 subscription fee is fair. They will add more content over time. We don't have enough time to watch everything anyway.

If you have an iPad or iPhone, the added capability is mobile TV. Then when you're back at home, you can watch it on the big screen.

 

[AzBat]

Cool ! Then IMHO, the $10 subscription fee is fair.

I still disagree though. It is still injecting ads into the content. This past week Hulu went from 1 30-second ad per commercial break to 2 30-second ads per commercial break. I used to get about 4 or 5 commercial breaks. So I'm now getting about 5 minutes worth of ads now.

I will always compare my Netflix subscription $9/month fee to Hulu's Plus subscription $10/month fee. And right now I get a much better value with Netflix. It would need to at least go to "no commercials" for me to consider Hulu Plus. Netflix set the bar.

Tommy McClain

 

[patsu]

NetFlix's streaming library is different from Hulu's. If you watch cable or DirectTV, you pay for subscription and they still stream you ads anyway.

I am not too concerned over ads at this point. The video distribution business has rather thin margin. I'd let them have this revenue stream in the short run. The larger population will want the ads removed or subscription fees lowered. At which point, hopefully, they already have a comfortable revenue to grow. I'd file it as "growing pain".

Btw, does Hulu Plus have a download model ? It should lessen their infrastructural load.

 

[AzBat]

NetFlix's streaming library is different from Hulu's. If you watch cable or DirectTV, you pay for subscription and they still stream you ads anyway.

For some of the content I watch there is TV shows that show up on Netflix at the same time as Hulu. I prefer it on Netflix. BTW, I don't pay for cable TV or satellite. The only ads I get are on Hulu and with PlayOn I can watch Hulu for free. There's no big incentive to pay for Hulu Plus as I don't use any of the other devices either.

Btw, does Hulu Plus have a download model ? It should lessen their infrastructural load.

They haven't discussed it, so I doubt it.

Tommy McClain

 

[patsu]

For some of the content I watch there is TV shows that show up on Netflix at the same time as Hulu. I prefer it on Netflix. BTW, I don't pay for cable TV or satellite. The only ads I get are on Hulu and with PlayOn I can watch Hulu for free. There's no big incentive to pay for Hulu Plus as I don't use any of the other devices either.

Yeah I forgot about PlayOn. I didn't feel that they can control Hulu's business direction. Eventually, Hulu will want to go to the devices themselves. Hulu Plus is this first step.