What Is Hulu Plus?
Hulu is a video service on the Internet that lets you legally watch thousands of movies and TV shows. Many videos are available for free thanks to commercial advertisements that air a couple of times per video, but for TV shows still airing that have higher licensing fees, the Hulu Plus subscription service was created to help offset the cost. For $7.99 per month, you can watch new episodes of hit TV shows within days of their first airing on TV. Hulu Plus also lets you watch videos in 720P high-definition, while free Hulu is only standard def. Find more info on Hulu Plus.
Hulu Plus on Xbox 360 Requirements
Your Hulu Plus sub applies to both your PC and Xbox 360 and other devices, so you can watch it anywhere. It also, obviously, requires broadband Internet. Depending on the speed of your connection, the video quality will be better or worse.
Commercials During Videos on Hulu Plus
Despite being a premium service you have to pay extra for, Hulu Plus still has a couple of unskippable commercials during each video. Licensing these videos, particularly for TV shows currently airing, costs a lot of money and the commercials and Hulu Plus subscriptions help pay for it. Think of it this way, though, you pay a lot more for cable or satellite TV, still ,have to watch commercials, but can’t choose which shows air when. With Hulu Plus you pay a lot less and have a lot more freedom.
Why Is “Show X” Available on PC, but Not On Xbox 360?
Not all of the videos featured on Hulu Plus on PC are available on Xbox 360 or other devices. It all has to do with licensing. Simply put, some shows were licensed only for PC but not other devices. There are still thousands of episodes available across hundreds of shows, though, and more are being added all of the time.
How to Add Videos to Your Queue?
You can browse the library of Hulu shows either on your PC at Hulu.com or through the Hulu Plus App on the Xbox 360 dashboard. You can add shows to your queue and quickly and easily access them. On the Xbox 360, you can sort videos by genre, TV network, studio, and much more, which makes finding videos pretty easily. Once you choose a show, you can sort through seasons and individual episodes to find exactly what you want. It uses the same tab system as the current Xbox 360 dashboard (and Netflix app) and is fast, clean, and easy to use.
Is It Worth It?
Definitely give it a try with the free trial offer, but most people should be satisfied. Videos loaded fast and the video quality is pretty great with a 7Mb/s connection. It is also fast and easy to browse through all of the shows and movies and add them to your queue on Xbox 360. All in all, Hulu Plus is looking like a great addition to the Xbox 360.
