Comments on: Hulu is not working at the moment

By: Aaron W.

Aaron W. — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 04:42:01 +0000

Is this still an issue? I have been using both Plex and Boxee to stream hulu and netflix for a few weeks now and the category TV SHOWS under Hulu is showing 0 items all of the sudden. I reinstalled the hulu plugin to be sure but it is still not working.

By: Alexis

Alexis — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 05:09:34 +0000

@luminary Fixed. This has been driving me crazy as well (and I am the one who implemented it).

By: BrandonG777

BrandonG777 — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 00:48:35 +0000

Already sent some hate mail. I say just let them boycott themselves. Easier just to BitTorrent and Usenet stuff anyway.

By: luminary

luminary — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 07:40:11 +0000

A small usability request (misplaced, I know): Please don’t expand the FAQ at the top of the page on mouseover. It’s very annoying to have to move around it just to get the cursor from nav bar to content. Surely, a click to expand it isn’t too much trouble. Or at the very least, a short delay before expanding.

By: elan

elan — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 05:31:08 +0000

Thanks very much for the thoughtful and well-written comments.

We have Hulu working again locally (it was a silly bug on our part), and we’ll release a new version shortly.

By: jayman978

jayman978 — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 04:09:55 +0000

This has little to do with the content providers or the advertisers not wanting to their content or ads to play in Plex. The content providers, advertisers and Hulu still get paid when a show is viewed in Plex. It has to do with the Cable Companies putting pressure on the content providers because the cable companies realize that they are a dying business. If all of us can get all the shows we love for free, in HD over the internet supported with Ads then the cable companies are the ones left out of the party. So basically the Cable Companies must be threatening either the networks or the studios with increased fees. The thing that needs to change before we all can move on is the Neilsen rating system. A show is deemed a success based on the viewer share they get from the Neilsen rating system which is only based on TV viewership. Until they figure out a way to include online viewing in this number the content providers will continue to remain hostage to the cable companies.

By: Colin

Colin — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 03:54:22 +0000

I think what’s needed here is for a concerted (and polite) campaign to educate the content providers. And let’s be clear that it is the content providers that are pulling the strings. In order to keep access to the content, sites like Hulu have to keep the providers happy. And if that means cutting off the media centers, then that’s what they’re going to do. If the providers even get a hint that Hulu isn’t putting forth a good faith effort to block it, then they’re going to take action. All the competing media centers need to work together, maybe even set up a site to educate the content providers and sell the idea to them (or serve as a gathering point for people who are going to sell them on the idea). Maybe even do their jobs and figure out for them how to turn us into an advantage (hey, I’d be happy if I could tell them what sort of ads I want to see, and maybe even provide feedback on the ads, because, quite frankly, some of the ads on Hulu don’t even look like they’re trying).

By: Hurricane Len

Hurricane Len — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 03:08:49 +0000

This is the kind of media idiocy that truly amazes me. Of all the HULU tools to target or disable, they’re going to block one that allows people to watch HULU on their TVs with all the ADs and overlays intact and un-skippable. Isn’t that what their Advertisers pay them for – getting their ADs in front of as many eyes as possible? WTF?

Are they even aware of the user experience with HULU on PLEX? Do they realize it doesn’t rip the FLV but basically puts a chunk of web-page on the viewers TV? This one blows my mind – you’d think they would want this sort of product getting out their content. Can they not quantify the views or something? What is the problem here, seriously. Ugh.

By: lilyandsadie

lilyandsadie — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 01:51:53 +0000

I was just going to comment about how Hulu wasn’t working on Plex just after I heard that Hulu was blocking Boxee as well.

I agree that there’s a lot more content out there other than Hulu. Besides, those ads are killing me.

By: Ron P

Ron P — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 01:26:26 +0000

I wouldn’t broadly characterize all of Hulu that way, it just seems like sour grapes.