This service was maybe a little of a surprise to me. I knew about it, I was aware of it, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to subscribe to it. I loaded up the app on my Roku and subscribed to a trial using my Roku account to pay for the subscription, should I let the trail expire without me cancelling my account. Hulu is an online streaming platform with content for a wide variety of channels in America including ABC, NBC, Comedy Central and Fox. Hulu will also offer the inclusion of other services such as Showtime (HBO Light), and also offers a ad-free subscription.
Content: 4 stars.
This is where Hulu differs from some of the other online streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu adds new episodes of current shows from the US as they air. Every day new content is added, and old content expires, individual episodes seem to last around 4 weeks, meaning you can still binge on 3 or 4 episodes at once of a weekly show. While it doesn’t include a lot of “first run” content from CBS, there is some “archive” content, like a library or Netflix. Hulu have been experimenting with Hulu exclusives, either content developed for Hulu, or foreign content being syndicated into America exclusively online. Hulu also includes quite a few movies, although I’d place it a long way behind Netflix. The option of adding more services such as Showtime also bolster the content.
Video quality: 4 stars.
The video quality is good, almost surprisingly good. Rubbish in = rubbish out applies here, not all shows look amazing, but watching something like Agents of SHIELD the quality is very good.
Audio quality: 4 stars.
Never had any issues with the audio quality, and I did managed to get 5.1 out of my Roku
Device Support: 4 stars.
There is a Hulu app for most platforms, Android (which supports Chromecast), Apple TV, and Roku.
User Experience: 4 stars.
The apps remember where you are up to in a series or individual episodes. Logging into the app your most recent shows and episodes are shown. Hulu have a queue feature, where notifications are sent when new episodes are available. This used to include an RSS feed which could then be linked into IFTTT and Pushover, but that feature has been turned off, now it emails you, or includes a notification on the website.
Overall Value: High.
At only $7.99(USD) per month Hulu does represent great value, as one of the best ways to get access to currently airing TV shows. While it doesn’t include content from some of the more ‘boutique’ cable channels such as HBO or AMC the breadth of content is still huge. The option of ad-free for a few more dollars is appealing, but the novelty of American ads almost make them worth watching.