Hulu with Live TV: Does it compare to other services?
By now regular readers of this column have gathered that change is the only constant in streaming TV land.
In fact, while I was out on vacation, another internet company entered the now fiercely competitive arena that is broadcasting live shows online. That company is, of course, Hulu. Before, the company had moderate success selling on-demand-only access to network shows, both current and back-catalog stuff, for about $8 per month.
The new product is called Hulu with Live TV, and it is a direct challenger to cable TV alternatives Sling TV, PlayStation Vue and DirecTV Now.
Here’s one interesting stat that suggests Hulu’s live product will be competitive: In a representative poll conducted by CivicScience, 25 percent of U.S. adults said they are at least somewhat likely to purchase it.
More importantly, should you buy it? To help you decide, I’ve highlighted how Hulu with Live TV performs across five areas: price, channel selection, DVR, device availability and design.
PRICE
Starting at $40 per month, Hulu’s offering is not the cheapest (that would be SlingTV’s $20 plan) or the costliest on the market (DirecTV Now bundles peak at $70). It is, however, the most comprehensive in the content department, especially when you consider the expansive library of on-demand material. That includes in- and off-season shows licensed from network partners, Hulu’s original series and even some movies. All the old Hulu stuff is folded into the new price, making it much easier to stomach.
Where price becomes an issue is if you realize the core offering doesn’t cut it. Need to stream on more than two devices at the same time? That’ll cost you $15 a month. Want to remove commercials from your on-demand material? That plan is four bucks a month more.
CHANNEL SELECTION
A solid, but not outstanding, lineup of live TV channels means real-time access to some popular broadcast and cable networks, notably NBC, FX, Disney, ESPN and FOX Sports.
ABC, CBS and FOX are also represented. However, their shows are only offered on-demand locally, meaning you won’t get access to the networks’ live broadcasts or affiliate programming.
DVR
The good news is that you get a cloud-based DVR for recording your favorite shows. The bad news is that it is limited to 50 hours and you can’t fast-forward through ads. If you want more space and fast-forward functionality, you’ll have to fork over an additional $15 a month.
You can compare that to Sling’s ad-skipping DVR, which comes with 100 hours of storage for $5 a month. Meanwhile, the cloud DVR feature included with all PlayStation Vue bundles also supports fast-forwarding and stores recordings for 30 days after they air.
DEVICE AVAILABILITY
This is where Hulu is clearly lagging behind its streaming live TV rivals. The new Hulu with Live TV app, distinct from the old Hulu app, is currently only available on Android and Apple smartphones and tablets, the fourth generation Apple TV, XBox One and Google’s Chromecast.
That means Amazon and Roku device owners are out of luck for the time being. Not good.
DESIGN
It’s different and I can’t decide if I love it or hate it.
In the pro department are the personalization features. I can appreciate the effort to sort through hours and hours of TV to surface just the good stuff. Plus individual profiles are a good bonus if you have kids in the home and only want them to see the parent-approved stuff. Also, the app is cloaked in color, making for a lovely aesthetic that differs from the black backdrop you’re used to seeing.
But as far as cons go, the navigation is on the wonky side, particularly if you appreciate a traditional TV guide. And, for the life of me, I couldn’t figure out how to use the aforementioned DVR without Googling for help. It’s actually not hard at all—shows designed as favorites are automatically recorded—but nowhere in the app was the process made clear. I call that a design flaw.
Ultimately, Hulu with Live TV is a decent starter kit for the would-be cord-cutter or the cord-never looking for something like, but also not like, cable TV. For those who already enjoy another live streaming TV service, there’s nothing here that warrants a switch.
Of course, you can always test it out yourself, device permitting, with the free one-week trial. And if you want to discuss it and all things streaming TV, join our “SDUT cord-cutters” Facebook group.