Is Hulu worth it?

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littleheaven

2130 posts

Uber Geek

#1393240 24-Sep-2015 09:17

dclegg: For reference, we also regularly use Netflix, HBO, and Lightbox, and find that Hulu still has a place in our TV watching ecosystem.

Yes, this is a good way to look at it - as part of a viewing ecosystem. On its own Hulu would not fulfil all my needs. I pair it with Netflix and between the two of them, plus what we get via Freeview channels in NZ, it pretty much covers everything I want to watch. I've got a much bigger range of stuff to pick from at less than half what I was paying for Sky.

Geek girl. Freelance copywriter and editor at Unmistakable.co.nz.

Michaelfjs

70 posts

Master Geek

#1393384 24-Sep-2015 11:51

rokki:
ajobbins: We use it and find it very good. Only annoying thing is the ads - which were interesting at first (Being US ads) but get old fast.

Hi you can now pay extra to get rid of adds on all but seven shows :)

How much extra?

The ads were a deal breaker for me.

jonathan18

7413 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

#1393402 24-Sep-2015 12:06

Michaelfjs:
rokki:
ajobbins: We use it and find it very good. Only annoying thing is the ads - which were interesting at first (Being US ads) but get old fast.

Hi you can now pay extra to get rid of adds on all but seven shows :)

How much extra?

The ads were a deal breaker for me.

Answered in an earlier post in this thread, to quote:

Netflix NZ$12.99
Hulu (Ad Free) approx NZ$20.00 (US$11.99)
Showtime (Hulu Add-on) approx NZ$15.00 (US$8.99)
Amazon Prime approx NZ$14.00 (US$99.00 per year)
Unblock US approx NZ$ 7.00 (US$49.90 per year)
TOTAL approx NZ$68.99

Jordan2004

24 posts

Geek

#1404632 12-Oct-2015 20:48

If you didn't want to pay for Hulu, you can always just use TVNZ OnDemand. Their Express From The US selection is pretty much the same day as the US.

You can also get rid of the ads by using a sneaky Ad Blocker :). Ad Blockers don't work on Hulu, you end up getting a blank screen and having to wait the same amount of time as if there were ads.

richierich1968

92 posts

Master Geek

#1404853 13-Oct-2015 10:57

Paul1977:
freitasm: You want Hulu Plus to have access to current and previous seasons. I think it's worth it for us, complementing Netflix and Amazon Instant Video well.

I'll try Amazon Prime Instant Video too.

I wish there was one service that offered everything!

Netflix NZ$12.99
Hulu (Ad Free) approx NZ$20.00 (US$11.99)
Showtime (Hulu Add-on) approx NZ$15.00 (US$8.99)
Amazon Prime approx NZ$14.00 (US$99.00 per year)
Unblock US approx NZ$ 7.00 (US$49.90 per year)
TOTAL approx NZ$68.99

It all adds up :(

I'll definitely keep Netflix, and I'll guess I'll just thrash the others for the trial period and see.

I have Netflix, HuluPlus and Showtime (thru a family member's cable subscription rather than the Hulu add-on) and I love it. Keeps the wife happy and quiet for hours :). She will sit there and get so engrossed that she'll watch most of a season of The Good Wife, The Last Ship, Grey's Anatomy, SVU, Blood Bloods, etc before she even knows it. We're also watching all of the new fall season shows such as Quantico, Blindspot, Minority Report before they get here and all in glorious HD!

I also have Amazon Prime - mostly for the free shipping on Amazon products - but I find it bloody frustrating as hell for watching shows. There are soooo many of them that you have to pay extra to view (mostly around USD$1.99 per episode), and since I am already paying Amazon USD$99 per year they can go and sod off. I refuse to pay.

I am using the standard Hulu plan (USD$7.99) as the ads don't worry me and most of the breaks are reasonably short. Some of them are fascinating to watch also :). If I didn't have access to my family's Showtime sub I would definitely add it to my Hulu as there are so many good shows on Showtime (Homeland, Ray Donovan and Californication - I'm talkin' bout y'all!!). My brother-in-law has added it to his Hulu and now his wife doesn't ever move from the couch, so he loves it LOL.

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