Hulu Explains Decision to Block PS3 Owners
If you recall, some time ago it was made clear that the popular internet website, Hulu, was no longer working on PS3 web browsers. PS3 owners were infuriated, but Hulu refused to give a proper answer at the time. But finally, we have an official response from the company on how this decision came about.
G4TV received a response from a customer service representative, explaining that the reason Hulu is now blocking from the PS3 is because legal issues between Hulu and owners of the video content provided on their website.
“Everything we do is with an eye toward achieving our long-term goal of maximizing the content you can access as conveniently as possible in a way that ‘works’ for the content owner. In the short-term that may require us to make some tough decisions, but we only do so when we believe it improves our long-term prospects to build a more enduring, legal solution to that same problem.”
Despite their response, Hulu still hasn’t come clean on exactly why the PS3 is being blocked, as its viewers net Hulu the same amount of revenue as PC owners. But it’s still better than nothing. Stay tuned on PSLSfor more information as the situation develops.
[Source]
19 Responses to “Hulu Explains Decision to Block PS3 Owners”
I don’t use Hulu, but they sure go a round about way of answering nothing and just admitting they won’t let you use it on your PS3.
Anyone who has a PS3 and uses Hulu knows the most convenient way to use Hulu would’ve been through the PS3.
NIce…..a completely BS answer.
Sounds like a lawyer wrote up that statement and put it in a customer service booklet.
all they need to say is that they came out of the closet and ill understand
im not sure how they work or how they make money..
Well according to home media magazine analysts are saying that revenue generated by streamning sources like hulu are not as profitable as expected. The main reason why news corp. Aka fox created hulu was to combat piracy of their tv and movie content. It is in their best interest to allow streaming of their content.
“Everything we do is with an eye toward achieving our long-term goal of maximizing the content you can access as conveniently as possible in a way that ‘works’ for the content owner. In the short-term that may require us to make some tough decisions, but we only do so when we believe it improves our long-term prospects to build a more enduring, legal solution to that same problem.”
Umm, what?
Meh… I can’t say this is really surprising. It’s pretty hypocritical in a sense, but without really getting in to it, Hulu was probably payed off my one entity or another…
PSPISO.com pretty much solved that problem, though. Even if you don’t have a PSP, you can still download MP4′s and transfer them to your PS3′s hard drive, providing you have enough free space.
5/5
I will no longer laugh at any Hulu commercials because I know they truly are trying to eat my brain…that’s obviously what they did to whoever wrote that statement.
@ Devon Simpson
Thanks.. i was under the impression they charge or have an option to subscribe monthly besides a free subscription. If that was the case, maybe they just see the PS3 as a toy for kids with no interest in streaming videos with a monthly subscription added on. Which equals free streaming..
They mostly get ad revenue… Which stays the same as long as the content and ads are being viewed.
The PS3 can’t skip the ads, and it’s harder to do the navigation loophole to skip the ads on a PS3 than a PC.
I don’t see how it makes any difference if a PS3 or a PC or an Android Phone is using Hulu. All they are going to do is make people use services like Play On which subvert the advertisements (I think) thus decreasing revenue.
Dumb move Hulu… Watching content via my PS3 was one of the few uses I had for Hulu. The Hulu Desktop (and only reason why I feel they might have pulled the plug on Hulu PS3 compatibility) is nice and all but.. what will I use it for? I don’t care to watch t.v. When I do I watch it on… t..v.
Now if you’ll excuse me I’m going to watch my torrented episodes of the first season of the Drew Carey Show that I own and bought brand new for 6 dollars on DVD, on my PS3…
hulu blows. everytime ive wanted to see something hulu hasnt had it.
@MakaiOokami
“I don’t see how it makes any difference if a PS3 or a PC or an Android Phone is using Hulu.”
I doesn’t make a difference, but content providers are scared of anything associated with connecting the internet to a TV.
The hulu desktop is fine because they figure that people will watch on their monitor/laptop. The moment something looks like it’s setup to be connected to a living room TV, they believe it’s a threat to their business model.
This is plain from Hulu’s reaction to Boxee (an alpha media box solution for mac, linux, appletv and windows). Hulu was quite friendly and supportive of Boxee and it started gaining a lot of attention for it’s clean interface and access to tons of online content. Then someone from the tv studios read about it and was scared to death by the thought of people cancelling their cable subscriptions. Since then there’s been a constant war between hulu and boxee, with hulu locking down every aspect of their service. Boxee has it a lot easier than the ps3 since they can adjust their app as the hurdles come.
Content providers don’t want you watching hulu in your living room. They want you to change the input of your television to your cable box or antenna and fast forward past their ads. They don’t care if you actually watch them, they just want to be able to tell those that advertise on television broadcasts that X millions of people viewed the show they sponsored. They’d rather you skipped the broadcast ads instead of actually watching the hulu ads, because hulu in the living room threatens their business model.
no offense, but the majority of TV shows blow
who cares if I can’t watch some tatooed fluzy take a dump in a jacuzzi ?
or some idiot go fishing?
word…
@solidcake
“no offense, but the majority of TV shows blow
who cares if I can’t watch some tatooed fluzy take a dump in a jacuzzi ?
or some idiot go fishing?
word…”
I agree. Most tv blows.
Most games blow, most music blows, most movies blow, most books blow… and on and on.
I don’t have cable or even an antenna as a result of this. I do, however, like to support the few shows that are quality. I’ll often buy them off itunes, buy the dvd, etc. but I do like to watch the occasional show that I think has potential via something like hulu. It’s silly for them to block viewers like this.
I don’t think that the content providers wanted Hulu to show 4 free on the PS3 content that they want u to purchase on the PSN, which the profit for. Instead of letting PS3 owners buypass the any cost at all and letting it for free just for putting you with a few commierials. They want PC users because more likely to just down pirated copies. And by the way Hulu doesn’t on PlayOn now either.
@ kholinar
Preach on !!!!! good point..
@ @solidcake
you have odd taste in Television.
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