I'm guessing its moreso the fact that there are certain people who have said that they are working on a plugin, from Paul Yanez, to TheMediaMall, to Hulu themselves- and none are very good at actually expressing a timeline as to when we can see such a plugin. So its just the waiting game... with every once in a while, someone bumping the thread to ask why nothing has happened...

I couldn't agree more.  I can't wait to get HULU up and running because it will actually make me consider getting rid of my cable company, which I can't wait to do!  I would think people would be all over this.  Actually, while we're at it, I can't understand why there isn't a Sirius radio plug-in.  I am hoping it is just because the merger has thrown everything up in the air and everyone wants to wait until we have a Sirius/XM combined online streaming situation.

Even though I hate my current STB solution with all of its flaws (ie. lack of HD, etc.), I don't get too caught up in all of the discussion regarding tuners, STBs, etc. because I feel it is the past.  I see Hulu as something that will circumvent all of this discussion and is the way of the future, internet TV.  Tuners, no HD, STBs, etc. will all be a thing of the past provided you have a decent internet connection.  oh well.

jsous:

I couldn't agree more.  I can't wait to get HULU up and running because it will actually make me consider getting rid of my cable company, which I can't wait to do!....

Oh, well, not so fast

That's why they are scheming to cap your usage at something like 5GB per month, and why they don't upgrade the pipelines, so they can grab a slice of your entertainment $$$.

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/is_a_5gb_bandwidth_cap_enough

                  

I just contacted MediaMall about a PlayOn Media Center Plugin and they said, "Yes, it is on the list!  Should be by end of year..."

http://www.themediamall.com/playon

I just noticed this article, and I am wondering if a Hulu plug-in might now be possible through IMDB.  As far as I’m aware content from IMDB is easily accessed from within MC.  Therefore it would seem at least theoretically possible that this development would allow for a Hulu (plus other sites) plug-in.  Thoughts? 

http://lifehacker.com/5050607/imdb-incorporates-full+length-tv-shows

http://www.imdb.com/features/video/

lifterus:

Am I the only one who's disturbed at what appears to be a total lack of interest in watching Hulu on a regular TV set?  Call me crazy, but one would think this thread would have multiple daily postings.  Is the problem just that too many people are unaware of Hulu?  Hulu is the kind of thing that could allow people to cancel their cable TV subscription.

Speaking for myself, I was always under the impression that Hulu was a subscription service.  Now that I know it is a free, ad-supported service I am wondering why no integration with VMC exists.  Perhaps I was the only ignorant sheep out there, or maybe most media center users are like me and haven't recognized the potential.

Still waiting, the prevailing theme of a VMCE user.

FYI. Just for the hell of it (I know many already have) I emailed Hulu for a status update on VMC plug in. I received the following response:


"Thanks ******. We're glad you wrote.

As for an MCE plug-in, it's something we've investigated a lot, along with other opportunities to connect to the TV. We can't promise anything on this front, but know it's on our screen, and we know people want Hulu on their TVs via gaming consoles, MCE plugins, and many other solutions.

Hulu on the TV is a huge shift for the industry, and we need to do it carefully as our content and advertising partners have strict standards for how that experience should be. And of course, we'll want the user experience to be first-rate.

Cheers,

Eugene"


This is definitely the work of the networks and content providers that are preventing this. They want to control every aspect of how you view the media and are not allowing companies like Hulu to branch out into other areas.

jsous:

This is definitely the work of the networks and content providers that are preventing this. They want to control every aspect of how you view the media and are not allowing companies like Hulu to branch out into other areas.

They own the content.  I dare anyone on this site or Engadget to please create some content of their own let alone give it away with no standards at how a profit will be made.  Making profits is the name of the game in the content business, PC business, OS business, software business, mobile device business, etc. etc. and that profit is what gives these companies incentive to create the content in the first place.  Some would rather repeat on a daily basis that  the companies that want some control in this digital age are all just evil villains.  Everyone seems to be happy that all this content is out there and we have reached a great level of content but now they want to tell these companies to go away and give us free reign with said content.  It's becoming a ridiculous social disease in this world....Q

---

HP m8430f
Vista 64-Bit
Q6600 2.4GHZ Quad 1066 FSB
5000GB+ Storage
4GB DDR2
ViXS Pure-TV-U 48B0 Tuner
VisionTek HD 650 Tuner
Hauppauge HVR 1250 ClearQam
GeForce 8500GT
WRT300N Router
DMA2100(1 wired, 1 wireless)
DMA2200(wired)
XBOX 360(wired)

You cannot misunderstand what people are saying. NO ONE (including myself) thinks or desires the content to be free. I'm an ardent capitalist (I also work in the private equity fund world, so believe me, the need to make a profit and protect IP is well known to me).

Technology is progessing much faster than the content providers' dated and archaic business models. We saw the same thing with the music industry. They first tried to shut down P2P. Then they tried law suits against individuals, then they tried very strict DRM, now they are reversing the trend and issuing DRM free tracks. They cannot make up their minds because many of the people making these decisions are uninformed and lack an understanding of technological trends and potential. They are reactionary instead of visionary. I would argue there is MUCH more profit potential on the internet than on traditional distribution channels. Look at Google/Amazon/Netflix and then tell me that the content providers can't devise a way to create revenue streams from online advertising through internet video. Common. The profit potential is massive, much larger than their old model.

All of this is a moot point because the purpose of my post was relating to using a VMC interface, not changing a business model or profit motives. What does the interface have to do with the business model? For instance, if they are offering ad supported internet video on the website and Vista sidebar gadgets, why not a VMC interface? I think the shock expressed in this forum over lack of support is because people don't see a distinction from the content owners' perspective as to which interface the media is viewed (provided they have a revenue stream).

Kinda of have Hulu in  Media Center

I subscribed to the individual show's rss feed on Hulu in IE.

Open rss feed with  Vista RSS Reader for MCE.

When its opens the page it will automatically play the video. 

You can log into Hulu and default shows to 480p under your profile.

Issue is I can not find a way to default video to full screen.  Also no pause/FF/Rewind control.

I want a remote control solution.

My understanding is that PlayOn doesn't work directly as a media center plugin, but can work in extenders when running the software.  Is that right?

I also understand that on the extenders, particularly the HP MediaSmart Connect (x280n) the pause, ff, rewind functionality does not currently work, but I am told it will.

Some discussion has been made about the Hulu video quality, or lack there of.  Won't it be possible to set the quality settings to the 720p for some of the higher quality shows on Hulu within PlayOn or is there no quality settings available?

I'd be curious to see anyone elses feedback who has used it on an extender, particularly an HP MediaSmart Connect one!

alton987:

Kinda of have Hulu in  Media Center

I subscribed to the individual show's rss feed on Hulu in IE.

Open rss feed with  Vista RSS Reader for MCE.

When its opens the page it will automatically play the video. 

You can log into Hulu and default shows to 480p under your profile.

Issue is I can not find a way to default video to full screen.  Also no pause/FF/Rewind control.

I want a remote control solution.

Thanks for the tip on the RSS reader - that actually works pretty good!  For full-screen, you can hit "F" and for pause/play, you can hit "space", but unfortunately, the video itself has to be selected - and I can't figure out a way to make that happen without using the mouse.  Hmm.....

Edit: It works!  I have no use for my number keys, so I reprogrammed them to be

1=Left mouse click

2=Space

3=F

0=ESC

Up and down arrow provide volume support when NOT in full screen.  When in full screen, you can't control volume (I can't).  I have to disable hardware acceleration for it to work, too, but that's a flash problem.

-Dan

Hulu needs to add a option to your profile that will make the videos default to full screen.