TV/MEDIA: When is Hulu Plus NOT Hulu Plus?

It's an age old question...okay, not really, but it is a question worth asking BEFORE you buy that newly-marked-down-last-chance-previous-model-Internet-connected TV, Roku box, iPad, or [insert Hulu enabled device here].

Let me begin by stating clearly that I love Hulu. Not only do I love it, it's helped me reduce my monthly cable bill down to squat. Hulu and Netflix account for 90% of our household television/media consumption. I say this by way of disclaimer and to create a context for the rest of this diatribe.

Hulu Plus sucks. There, I said it. Now, let me clarify. I have a laptop connected to our TV through which we access Hulu Plus and the experience is great. However, try Hulu Plus on any other device (Internet connected TV, iPad, Roku, etc.) and if you want anything beyond the basic prime-time blather, the experience is less than thrilling.

For example, on the Roku I did a search for the Charlie Brown Christmas Special on Hulu. Lo and Behold, they had it--but in small print was written the sad tale of most Hulu Plus content: "Web Only". This is true of the iPad, and any other Internet connected, Hulu-supported device that is not a computer. Now, I have a laptop connected to the TV, so this was not a problem for me. The web is easily accessible and we enjoyed watching the classic Christmas special about neurotic children and their maniacal dog.

So this begs the question why does Hulu care if I watch Charlie and the gang on my iPad vs. my Roku vs. my laptop? Well, it's not really Hulu that's at fault here, it's the networks and content owners. See most of them don't believe that we're smart enough to actually hook a computer up to the television, so they're happy to let us have access to TV content on our computers where we will begin to suffer neck and back pain which forces us to migrate to the couch and PAY for the same content through other channels (I can almost see them rubbing their money grubbing hands together in glee). But I have to ask, does Fox Business really gain anything by making the John Stossel program unavailable to me via Hulu on my iPad while it's available to me on my laptop? I use both as they rest on a table next to my easy chair and the laptop screen is much larger (in fact it's technically larger than my TV based on the distance each lies away from my face). Are they really gaining anything by just making me frustrated?

So, Hulu, thank you for making all this great content available via Hulu Plus. I'll keep watching on the TV via my old laptop and have unlimited access to all your content. But the Roku box has been returned, and I won't spend any extra money for the currently defunct Google TV or any other Internet connected TV since it doesn't actually deliver the full Hulu experience. And to you evil content providers who refuse to let me watch what I want via Hulu on my iPad, have a crummy New Year and I hope your content collects dust. Guess that dust must be worth more to you than some extra ad revenue (can you really be this stupid?). Just remember, those of us with a little knowledge will always thwart your attempts to limit our access. And guess what? We already have.

- Hutch

P.S. Oh, and Netflix, thank you for giving us everything, everywhere regardless of the device. It is greatly appreciated. Have a Happy New Year.