One of the things they promised us in the heyÂday of the 1990s InterÂnet boom was the end of teleÂviÂsion and a brave new world of high qualÂiÂty video online, on demand. Well, we’re still waitÂing. Youtube is great for short clips, but not designed for the techÂniÂcal (or legal) chalÂlenge of servÂing up whole TV shows or movies.
HowÂevÂer, things are getÂting betÂter. You can pay for reaÂsonÂably good enterÂtainÂment, and you can even watch some things for free on netÂwork webÂsites (not to menÂtion the many uniÂverÂsiÂties and othÂer groups putting video online). But nobody has come quite as close to the origÂiÂnal promise as Hulu.com. This promisÂing new site seems to strike a decent balÂance between comÂmerÂcials and conÂtent. They have entire seaÂsons of sevÂerÂal decent teleÂviÂsion shows and a small library of movies–all availÂable for free. So is Hulu the future of HolÂlyÂwood online? Check it out and let us know what you think.
Ed,
Do you realÂly have the patience to see 1hr 40 minute movies on your comÂputÂer screen?
It’s so great, that the conÂtent is only availÂable for US citÂiÂzens.
No, I was kidÂding. To hell with hulu.com.
Joost had some promise, but a recent update they did broke it for me. I’m realÂly eager to get it workÂing again, but I just don’t get the feelÂing they’re motiÂvatÂed anyÂmore.
Sk–I have to say, there are times when I’d like to have the chance to watch things on the go. Plus, I someÂtimes conÂnect my lapÂtop to my TV. But of course it’s no subÂstiÂtute for the image qualÂiÂty of regÂuÂlar teleÂviÂsion.
lisÂter, I didÂn’t realÂize that the site is limÂitÂed to the U.S., but I am not surÂprised. RestricÂtive as it is, this is leaps and bounds more lenient than most of the conÂtent we’ve seen from HolÂlyÂwood moguls so far.
And as for Joost, I’ve heard a lot of hype but haven’t tried it for myself yet. The last time I looked, a few months ago, they didÂn’t have anyÂthing I wantÂed to watch.
Most of the conÂtent sites are restrictÂed to the US, both the pay ones and the adverÂtisÂing supÂport. Same with any video on iTunes. It’s as silÂly as the regions in DVDs, when will someÂone start underÂstandÂing that culÂture is globÂal?
Get boxÂee with hulu. I’m part of the priÂvate testÂing group for the winÂdows alpha verÂsion. It needs a litÂtle work to iron out the bugs, and I’m realÂly hopÂing someÂone releasÂes an AcaÂdÂeÂmicEarth pluÂgÂin soon but I have to say… AweÂsome.
If you want a cheap HTPC to hook up to that nice 42″ LCD tv there are guides how to put boxÂee on an AppleTV box. Plus, MicroITX form facÂtor comÂputÂers are becomÂing easÂiÂer to find and powÂerÂful enough to hanÂdle these types of appliÂcaÂtions.
Note: AFIAK, fulÂly funcÂtionÂal verÂsions for Mac and LinÂux have been out for many verÂsions now.