With so many shows airing on TV, it’s hard to keep up with all of your favorites. Each network has its own website, but going between websites to watch every show is annoying. This is where companies like Hulu and Netflix come in.
Hulu is an online website with two features: on the computer for free and Hulu Plus on any phone, tablet, TV or computer for $7.99 a month. For those of us who are all about the free things, including me, the feature is a great one. There are dozens of free shows, movie trailers, movies, games, short films, and documentaries.
Starting on the homepage you can search for the available shows, movies, etc. The choices pop up, pick your show, and another screen pops up with the episode or movie playing. Either begin with ads, starting at 30 seconds and increasing to a minute and half. Hulu gives the choice to make the screen full, closed captions, view mode, face match, adjust the volume, a ten second rewind, and the overall quality.
The “up next” feature gives choices based on what you’re currently watching. Sometimes there is an option to watch a preview or take a quiz, so that during the show there are no ads. Ads can be tweeted or searched to learn more about the company or product; Hulu appears only on Twitter, but they do have pages on Facebook, just not as advertised on their website.
Another option with Hulu is Hulu Plus, where you pay $7.99 a month for more shows, but still limited ads – depending on how recent the show aired. There is no contract, meaning you can cancel at anytime, but before taking on the first month, there is a trial period of one week. During the one week you try every feature for free, and then the billing begins, unless before the end of the trial you cancel.
Hulu Plus can be used on iPads, phones, gaming consoles, TVs and computers. It also provides customers special videos from Miramax, Criterion, Univision, WWE and other exclusive series. Shows include the entire season, and not only for a short time like with Hulu.com. The features are only available in the United States.
On the other hand, Netflix is all about watching movies and TV shows on your TV through connecting your computer to a TV or gaming console such as a Wii. Netflix does cost $7.99 a month with the cancel anytime option as well, but the free trial period is a month, not just a week.
All you have to do is fill in your first and last name, email address and make a password. You can even login in with Facebook to do less typing. Even though Netflix is primarily advertised for the TV, there is the Netflix app for your iPad or iPhone.
Many of the features between Hulu and Netflix are similar, but Netflix has no ads and provides DVD by mail. The DVD is like a rental mailed to your house; you pick the movie you want on the computer, but the only catch is the extra cost for $7.99 more or an extra $2 on top of that for BluRay discs. Besides the DVDs, during a movie or episode you are able to raise the volume with normal TV controls, go back or forward, and pause the show until you are able to return. The feature works over extended periods of time.
Both Hulu and Netflix have their best features, Hulu.com being free and Netflix with no ads. Comparing Hulu Plus and Netflix there is a clear winner of Netflix, with the no ads and access on any device as well. Netflix does have a drawback though: you have to wait around a year for current TV shows to be added, while Hulu is within days.
