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Netflix vs Hulu – Let the Battle Begin!

Posted on April 14, 2012 10:57 am by Streamer


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While either service might not be all things to all people, there are many people who find that a streaming subscription is a great (and extremely affordable) way to enhance their entertainment options.  So which one is right for you . . . Netflix or Hulu?  Let’s take a look at what both services offer first:

  • A legal(!) way to view content online, which will become extremely important once internet providers begin tracking illegal online activity and communicating this with their subscribers beginning this July 2012.  If you ignore their messages, by the way, you will eventually experience serious throttling issues, and possibly cancellation of your service.
  • A safe(!) way to view content that doesn’t involve malware, trojans, and other nefarious bugs being planted on your computer.
  • A very decent selection of movies, and entire seasons’ episodes of practically any TV show you can think of.

What makes them different:


  • Hulu Plus wins hands down when it comes to TV shows, as it has a more expansive television library with more seasons and more episodes of TV shows, especially more recent shows.
  • Netflix’s movie library beats Hulu Plus, and has far more categories/genres available.
  • Netflix has parental controls; Hulu Plus is not appropriate for children without direct parental supervision.  In other words, don’t hand over the remote control to your kids if they can click on the Hulu icon.

So who’s the winner?  It depends on your preferences.  If you are an avid TV watcher, you’ll wan Hulu Plus because they will have the newest episodes of your favorite shows.  But Netflix has far more movie selections.  I’m guessing that Netflix will continue to beef up their TV show selection as well, making them a far more formidable opponent.  And, if Netflix gets serious about parental controls, watch out, Hulu Plus!

If you are serious about cutting the cord, you can make do very nicely with either one of these services (depending on your bent – movies or TV shows) and supplementing with a digital rental service like iTunes, VUDU, or Amazon Instant Video.    Streaming 411 can help you determine which one is available on the device you own (or wish to own).

Source:  http://nyulocal.com/entertainment/2012/03/28/netflix-vs-hulu-plus-the-showdown/

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Amazon Heats Up the Streaming Competition With PS3 App

Posted on April 4, 2012 11:13 am by Streamer
Deutsch: Logo von Amazon.com

Deutsch: Logo von Amazon.com (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

While there are many ways to stream content, most people seem to favor streaming services subscriptions where you pay one low fee every month in order to access the entire streaming library on demand.  In the United States, Netflix and Hulu have dominated as the go-to services.  but Amazon Prime has been flexing its muscles recently, including beefing up its streaming library through a couple of strategic partnerships with Discovery Communications and Viacom.  But their current announcement that it now as an app available on Sony’s Playstation3 signals one thing – Netflix and Hulu, you have some serious competition.

Amazon VP of Video and Music Bill Carr said in an interview yesterday “A lot of our customers have been asking us to make our services available on the PlayStation 3 for a long time.  It’s all about building the best digital video service available.”

For consumers, this makes a things even more interesting with three solid on demand streaming choices.  With a library at over 17,000 titles, it still isn’t as comprehensive as it’s rivals, but the recent moves made by Amazon should signal to the industry that it is playing for keeps.  Additionally, it’s cost is $17 per year cheaper than the alternatives.


Both Hulu and Amazon have one serious disadvantage over Netflix – no parental controls, and content that has parents very concerned about letting their children loose on these sites.  If  it wanted to push ahead as the clear choice, Netflix needs to address it’s limitations in it’s current parental controls.

Additionally, Amazon also offers something that neither Netflix or Hulu do:  the ability to access digital video rentals and purchases (click here to learn more) and purchases.  Hulu’s advantage:  it’s still the clear choice in terms of being able to access the most TV series for multiple seasons.  But Netflix has also been getting chummy with television content copyright holders, because one thing is certain about these services – they are very good for Nielsen ratings (read:  higher advertising revenues).

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Netflix Vs Hulu – Netflix Wins When It Comes to Parental Controls

Posted on March 10, 2012 2:58 pm by Streamer

These days there isn’t a ton of difference between Netflix and Hulu if you are comparing Netflix’s streaming only option.  Both services score well for having a wide selection of television shows, including entire seasons programming.  Both companies are investing in original programming to differentiate themselves and to retain subscribers because of their unique offerings.  Netflix and Hulu are each lacking in newer releases of movies on demand.  And, both services cost $7.99 a month.


Netflix, however, has an edge in two areas.  For starters, if you opt for DVD + streaming, it will cost you more, but you will have a well-rounded service for movies and TV shows.  You will have to deal with the queue, and may have to wait awhile for certain flicks that are in demand with other subscribers via DVD.

Additionally, Hulu has no parental controls, which is certainly an issue for parents, especially of young children.  Netflix has rudimentary parental controls, but parental oversight is still required if certain members of the household wish to watch more mature content.  The folks over at Independent Game Thoughts wrote a very comprehensive review of the Netflix parental controls that we will summarize here:

  • Viewed or rented history cannot be deleted
  • Recently watched list, including mature content, bypasses maturity ratings even if account settings are changed back to PG setting
  • Even if you set up sub-accounts (and set age-appropriate ratings for these accounts) they do not allow for Instant Watch streaming; so if you want your child to be able to stream content, it will be from the same account you stream from
  • It takes up to 8 hours for a parental control setting to take effect

These are fairly serious issues, especially for parents who are concerned about protecting their children’s innocence by restricting the content available to them in an age appropriate manner.  On the other hand, Hulu demands parent oversight no matter what.  A parent can sign up for Netflix and then make the decision to never watch inappropriate content through the account their children access.  This would mean either forgoing your favorite content, or having a 2nd account that only parents and older children can access.


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As mentioned before, both Netflix and Hulu have an inadequate http://www.videostreamingserviceproviders.com/comparison.htm available for instant view.  This is not their fault, but rather a reflection of the entertainment companies who own the copyrights to the hot new releases you wish to see.  Blanket license agreements with streaming services will mean that consumers do not purchase DVDs or view the content from other lucrative channels.  Utilizing a boutique service like Vudu, Amazon Instant Video or iTunes to rent or purchase individual titles can be the answer to round out your entertainment options.