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Hulu 101 – What is Hulu?

Hulu is the new Netflix. As an ad-supported streaming device, it offers its users the chance to catch up on their favorite TV shows, recent movie releases, and brand new TV shows that are exclusive to Hulu, as part of the Hulu Originals.

With connection to the internet, Hulu subscribers can gain access to their favorite shows from popular channels such as ABC, CW, Fox and NBC. As part of the Hulu experience, the subscribers can gain access to brand new episodes of their shows just one day after they have aired, which is something unique to Hulu. Some competitor streaming services do not provide all of the seasons of each show and delete the shows from their service whenever they like, which can be quite frustrating – this is something that you can avoid with Hulu, as they have the most TV content out of all the streaming services, with back catalogues of shows that you can watch to your heart’s content.

Hulu 101 – How to use Hulu

Once you have subscribed to Hulu, with either the limited advertisements package or the free-from advertisements package, you can access the service through many different devices. As it is an internet connection based service, you can view your favorite movies and TV shows through multiple devices, such as your game console, smart TV, laptop, smartphone or tablet.

Once you go onto the Hulu website, you will be offered a free one-week trial to see if the service meets your need. You are able to choose from two different packages; one that has limited adverts and is therefore cheaper, and one that has no adverts and is therefore more expensive. Each subscription is on a per month basis. Once you have begun your free trial, your subscription will automatically become a paid subscription, so remember that if you do not wish to continue to that stage, you will have to cancel your subscription on the last day of the free week trial.

When your subscription is set up, you will have a login and password. Next you will need a device to play it on. As mentioned above, you can use your laptop or computer by simply using an internet connection and visiting the Hulu website, where you can watch shows and movies straight on the browser. Alternatively, you can use an internet-enabled device, but make sure that it supports the Hulu app. There, you can login with your details and begin to stream your favorite TV shows and movies.

Video On How To Use Hulu.com

Hulu 101 – Pros & Cons

Pros

· Hulu provides the service to watch the shows you missed just last night through many of the most popular American channels – something that no other streaming service provides.

· Hulu subscriptions offer more content than most other streaming services, with thousands of episodes available at any time.

· Benefit from improved visuals with your subscription, as content is streamed in 720p HD.

· Easy use and navigation, even when using the app on your smartphone.

· You can watch several Hulu Original TV shows that are not available anywhere else.

Cons

· Commercials can somewhat ruin the experience, especially if you are used to commercial free streaming sites such as Netflix or Now TV.

· Sports or news channels are not available through the service.

· There are less movies to browse from in comparison to major competitors.

· Some content is web-only, meaning it cannot be played through other devices.

Hulu 101 – Summary

As a joint venture between many large media networks, Hulu has the power to accomplish great things in the video streaming service industry. With the addition of the Hulu Originals, this service has some originality that other competitors do not have, however it has been argued that the general quality of the Hulu Original shows does not compare to Netflix Original shows.

The main benefit of using Hulu is the quick and reliable TV show service – no other streaming service allows you to catch up on your favorite shows just one day after they have originally aired. As well as their extensive collection of TV shows and episodes, you know that there is always going to be something to watch. If you are a TV lover, then Hulu may be the best service for you.

Vudu.com 101 – Movie and TV Show Streaming Service

Vudu is a web page/app that allows its users to access and watch thousands of television shows and movies for a small fee. The quickly rising entrant in the online TV market initially started as a set-top box manufacturer. It was later acquired by Walmart back in 2010 and has established itself as the best place to rent TV shows and movies online. One of the best things about Vudu is the selection. It has a vast selection of titles (at least for rent) that you won’t find somewhere else.

How To Use It

The first step requires you to sign up for Vudu, which is best done on a real computer. Once you have created an account the Vudu website/app allows you to connect to as many as eight devices using the one account. It gives an option to use your smart phone or tablet (Android or Apple), various web browsers on your computer, and both Microsoft and Sony gaming consoles.

Apart from the more regular options, Vudu works with various Blu-ray players, TiVo DVR boxes, and smart TVs to offer content. The particular options include Sony home Entertainment Systems, LG, Samsung, TiVo (Roamio plus, Premiere), Over-the-Air DVRs such as channel master. 

When you order an episode it streams using your broadband connection. Instead of being downloaded to your device. However, the service features an incredible rating system that is based on a 5-star system. With every selection made, the app allows you to see how the VUDU community rated it. However, Vudu 101 doesn’t recommend any series based on your previous reviews. 

Vudu’s Rental Terms

Like with most streaming services that employ pay-per-view style, Vudu offers its users the option to either purchase or rent a variety of television shows and movies. They have all the latest releases of TV shows and movies to select from. Once you have created your account you’ll be able to purchase or rent movies and TV show as you like. You will find them under the “My Vudu” section that is positioned under the “TV and Movies” tab on the web page. 

Once rented, you can watch a TV show or a movie for an unlimited number of times in a 24 hour window. There is also a huge collection of films that are available as 3-day rentals. If you a purchase a movie or a TV show you have the right to watch it as many times as you wish, forever. However, some of the movies can only purchased or only rented. Most streaming movies or programs can be viewed in standard definition, high definition, or in HDX format. The latter offers the best streaming picture quality for any streaming service. 

How Much Does Vudu Cost?

As mentioned earlier, subscribers have the option to purchase or rent most of the available titles. Rentals are apparently cheaper than buying especially if it’s the first time you will be watching the movie or TV show. The average fee charged on rentals on Vudu range between $2.98 and $5.99. The prices will obviously fluctuate depending on sales and the quality of picture opted for. 

When purchasing films ensure you check out the “Deals” tab because there are always various sales going on for single movies, bundles and even collections. 

Help and Support

Support is relatively in-depth. The website lacks a live chat, but it provides its subscribers with an email form in case you have any concerns that have not been addressed in the FAQs or community forums.

Pros 

-Vudu offers best quality video streaming

-Vast selection of new TV shows and movies

-It is widely available

Cons

-Best quality video costs extra 

-Payments are made separately for every TV show and movie

Summary

Vudu is a pay-per-episode service and has a user-friendly interface. It has a vast library of streaming movies and TV shows with many episodes available within a few days after they air. Their picture quality is the best of any streaming service provider. However, you will pay separately for any movie or TV show you stream and will also need to pay extra to view them in the best video quality. 

As the company grows, Vudu users will start to see apps on every smart device. I hope that in the near future, the company will add a more personalized experience based on the viewer’s taste.

Vudu Introduction Video

Netflix 101 will teach you everything you need to know about the program. At that point you will be able to decide whether you enjoy the service or if you think the service is not for you. The first question you may be asking yourself is “What is Netflix?” Quite simply, Netflix is a streaming service that offers TV shows, movies, documentaries, and unique content in the form of videos. A person signs up for a monthly fee of $8.99 or $7.99 if they you were a member before 2014. From that point the member pays the fee each month for constantly new updates on all the previously mentioned programming.

Learning Your Viewing Habits

One of the absolutely great things about Netflix is that it learns your favorite shows and then recommends shows that are similar to those. You are given the option of rating every show by giving it a star rating between one and five, but in order for you to get recommendations you do not have to rate your shows. For example you could love watching the TV show “family guy.” The system would see this and create its own category that would be something along the lines of “because you watched family guy” or “TV shows that you might like.” This is great because it allows you to find movies that you actually enjoy. What is even better is that it makes sure you are not wasting time sifting through shows and movies that do not match your interests.

Many Movie and Show Choices

Netflix has virtually ever type of movie and show. There are shows that are in black and white, and then there are the shows that were just in theaters. This allows Netflix to appeal to everyone. If you are young or old Netflix will not disappoint you. This is also very helpful if you are trying to pick a movie with people of various age groups. Everyone gets to find something that appeals to them, which prevents feelings of anger and frustration.

Price and Accessibility

The yearly price for Netflix is roughly $108 dollars. That is extremely fair considering the fact you pay nearly 10% of that every time you go see a movie in the theater or order something from pay-per view. If you went to see 10 movies in 12 months then you would be spending the equivalent of your entire yearly Netflix bill. On Netflix you watch unlimited shows for $108 dollars. That means you could watch 1,000 movies, 1,000 TV shows, and 1,000 documentaries in a year and only pay $108 dollars. What makes this even better is the fact that Netflix has apps that are on smart TV’s, iPhone’s, and computers. This means you can watch Netflix anywhere you desire. All you do is download the app, sign in, and start watching your show.

Have to Have Internet Connection

This is the really frustrating part about Netflix. Because it is a streaming service you have to rely on the internet to watch your shows. There is no way to download the shows you want to watch in advance. If you are stuck in a place that does not offer WiFi then Netflix is useless. What is even more frustrating is having bad WiFi or internet access. When you have bad connection because of bad WiFi or bad internet two things can happen. The first is the quality of the show you are trying to watch decreases, which leaves you looking at something in 240-480 resolution when it should be 1080p (HD). The other situation is the buffering and stopping of your show. This is very frustrating because you can be at the climax of your show and then have the show stop to buffer.

Content Changes

This is the statement you make when your content all of a sudden disappears, which causes you to be unable to watch the show that was on the program recently. Every time new content is put on Netflix some of the old content is removed. This can be extremely frustrating because all of a sudden a show that was on Netflix for months could be removed. For example your favorite movie is “Titanic.” You watch this show for months and then one day you log in and do not see it anymore. That would be because the new content was put in the system and it superseded that movie.

Summary

At this point you have been taken through Netflix 101. You know the positive aspects of Netflix and the negative aspects of Netflix. Some people love the service and choose to pay the money each month, while others hate the service and would never pay the money for the service. In the end it all boils down to personal preference. Will you pay the monthly fee, watch tons of free shows, be willing to lose some shows every once in a while, be okay with buffering, and be okay with not being able to watch Netflix at certain points? That is the question you need to ask yourself. Of course if you have a good internet connection than most of the bad things will disappear. For example i have a 250MB high speed internet service and have no issues at all.