Since getting rid of cable is such a hot topic, I figured I would leave a review of Hulu Live. Considered leaving this in another thread but it would get buried and couldn't find just one thread that made sense.
Just started the free trial last night, so I don't have long term experience with it. I have used Sling as well and liked the ala-cart style but they didn't have BTN. We also dropped it during the summer because we don't watch as much tv.
We were already using Hulu, so adding Hulu Live just allowed for us to save a bit of money because paying for Hulu Live grants you access to Hulu. We are streaming this through a Roku.
The positives with Hulu Live:
1. Good channel options
-Local channels (Fox, NBC, CBS, and ABC). Living in Mishawaka, they are actually local channels, not Chicago channels.
-Robust sports package for the price (BTN, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN News, FS1, FS2, CBS Sports, Fox Midwest, Fox Indiana, Fox Ohio, NBC Golf, NBCSN, NBC Sports Chicago, Olympic Channel, SEC Network, ). No NFL Network.
-Solid movie/tv show channels (FX, FXX, FXM, SYFY, TBS East/West, TCM East/West, TNT East/West, Freeform, USA). HBO, Cinemax, and maybe one other movie channel are available for additional costs.
-Good lifestyle channels. They do not have Hallmark, which my wife likes. They also do not have Discovery Channel but do have History, Smithsonian, Nat Geo, Nat Geo Wild, HGTV, Lifetime, Oxygen, Food Network, Bravo, fyi, E, Travel and A&E.
-News channels (local channels, Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, Fox Business, and CNBC)
-Some kids channels as well, mostly Disney and Cartoon Network. Not sure if Freeform counts as a kids channel any more.
2. Recording and DVR
I am a Bears fan and they automatically started recording the game. The Cubs game was going on at the same time and they recorded that as well. Not sure how this will work out long term. I might have to delete them. I haven't looked into all of this but you do have the ability to purchase additional storage.
I just turned to the Cubs game right now, which is in the 5th inning and it started from the beginning of the game. I then selected to jump to live tv instead. Pretty nice.
3. Rewind and fastforward
Ability to rewind live tv, including sports.
The negatives with Hulu Live:
1. Guide
The guide is terrible. With Sling I could setup favorites. Hulu doesn't quite have that right now. You can select favorite sports teams and they will record those events but you can't select favorite channels just for the guide.
You have to scroll through every channel, unless it falls under one of the preselected categories of sports, news, kids, movies then you can use those. There is also a recent channels spot so that might be nice.
Also, the guide only shows you the next show. You don't have the ability to see past just the next show.
2. Hulu/Hulu Live navigation
Navigating between Hulu and Hulu Live isn't the greatest. It's easy enough to find Hulu Live but you have to go into the Hulu app and then click into Hulu Live. When you select your favorite channels and sports teams, they are not saved within Hulu Live but instead saved in Hulu. You have to get out of Hulu Live in order to get to your favorites.
EDIT 3. DVR storage
If you are into recording shows, storage is limited unless you buy more. Older shows could automatically be deleted when newer shows are recorded. I won't run into this issue but others might.
Overall:
Hulu still lists Hulu Live in the beta phase and I am sure they will make improvements to a couple of the negatives I mentioned above. I know one negative that I had read about the guide is that you couldn't see the next show but they have corrected that already.
If you already have Hulu, it can make sense to go with Hulu Live because you can save a little bit of money versus going with another option. Also, you can do a 7 -day free trial.
Even with the poor guide, I think Hulu Live is worth taking a look at because of their channel selection, local channels included, combining Hulu with Hulu Live, ability to fast forward and rewind live tv, and storage. However, if Sling had BTN, I would probably go back to Sling.
Just started the free trial last night, so I don't have long term experience with it. I have used Sling as well and liked the ala-cart style but they didn't have BTN. We also dropped it during the summer because we don't watch as much tv.
We were already using Hulu, so adding Hulu Live just allowed for us to save a bit of money because paying for Hulu Live grants you access to Hulu. We are streaming this through a Roku.
The positives with Hulu Live:
1. Good channel options
-Local channels (Fox, NBC, CBS, and ABC). Living in Mishawaka, they are actually local channels, not Chicago channels.
-Robust sports package for the price (BTN, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN News, FS1, FS2, CBS Sports, Fox Midwest, Fox Indiana, Fox Ohio, NBC Golf, NBCSN, NBC Sports Chicago, Olympic Channel, SEC Network, ). No NFL Network.
-Solid movie/tv show channels (FX, FXX, FXM, SYFY, TBS East/West, TCM East/West, TNT East/West, Freeform, USA). HBO, Cinemax, and maybe one other movie channel are available for additional costs.
-Good lifestyle channels. They do not have Hallmark, which my wife likes. They also do not have Discovery Channel but do have History, Smithsonian, Nat Geo, Nat Geo Wild, HGTV, Lifetime, Oxygen, Food Network, Bravo, fyi, E, Travel and A&E.
-News channels (local channels, Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, Fox Business, and CNBC)
-Some kids channels as well, mostly Disney and Cartoon Network. Not sure if Freeform counts as a kids channel any more.
2. Recording and DVR
I am a Bears fan and they automatically started recording the game. The Cubs game was going on at the same time and they recorded that as well. Not sure how this will work out long term. I might have to delete them. I haven't looked into all of this but you do have the ability to purchase additional storage.
I just turned to the Cubs game right now, which is in the 5th inning and it started from the beginning of the game. I then selected to jump to live tv instead. Pretty nice.
3. Rewind and fastforward
Ability to rewind live tv, including sports.
The negatives with Hulu Live:
1. Guide
The guide is terrible. With Sling I could setup favorites. Hulu doesn't quite have that right now. You can select favorite sports teams and they will record those events but you can't select favorite channels just for the guide.
You have to scroll through every channel, unless it falls under one of the preselected categories of sports, news, kids, movies then you can use those. There is also a recent channels spot so that might be nice.
Also, the guide only shows you the next show. You don't have the ability to see past just the next show.
2. Hulu/Hulu Live navigation
Navigating between Hulu and Hulu Live isn't the greatest. It's easy enough to find Hulu Live but you have to go into the Hulu app and then click into Hulu Live. When you select your favorite channels and sports teams, they are not saved within Hulu Live but instead saved in Hulu. You have to get out of Hulu Live in order to get to your favorites.
EDIT 3. DVR storage
If you are into recording shows, storage is limited unless you buy more. Older shows could automatically be deleted when newer shows are recorded. I won't run into this issue but others might.
Overall:
Hulu still lists Hulu Live in the beta phase and I am sure they will make improvements to a couple of the negatives I mentioned above. I know one negative that I had read about the guide is that you couldn't see the next show but they have corrected that already.
If you already have Hulu, it can make sense to go with Hulu Live because you can save a little bit of money versus going with another option. Also, you can do a 7 -day free trial.
Even with the poor guide, I think Hulu Live is worth taking a look at because of their channel selection, local channels included, combining Hulu with Hulu Live, ability to fast forward and rewind live tv, and storage. However, if Sling had BTN, I would probably go back to Sling.
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