# Tivo and free Hulu



## ajwees41 (May 7, 2006)

is there any more info on using the free version of Hulu on a Tivo Premieres?


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## Chris Gerhard (Apr 27, 2002)

I see no way that can ever work, when I try to access Hulu with a streaming box such as Google TV, I get a message to the effect the service requires use of a PC. The Hulu programming is licensed for access by a traditional PC only. Hulu Plus is a service designed to be used with PC like appliances. Nothing is forever so maybe contracts can be changed but this isn't something I would expect will ever happen. 

Accessing Hulu with a PC and sharing by use of a DLNA server would be one way that limitation can be overcome but that still requires using a PC so the benefit isn't much. I haven't seen any speculation that TiVo Premiere may be updated to work as a DLNA client and don't expect that ever either but it is more likely than Hulu becoming available to the various streaming boxes directly.


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## atmuscarella (Oct 11, 2005)

ajwees41 said:


> is there any more info on using the free version of Hulu on a Tivo Premieres?


The "free" version of Hulu is not available directly on any device designed to be connected to a TV. Or to put it another way the "free" version of Hulu is only available on a computer. This is do to licensing restrictions imposed by the content owners. Not much Hulu can do about this and absolutely nothing TiVo can do about it.

There is a work around somewhere around that involves using PlayOn and something else (pyTiVo?). Maybe someone can point you at the thread that talks about it.

Ok - I think I found it, start here, it is the same principle as getting Amazon Prime Streaming talked about here:

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=9031589#post9031589​
Good Luck,


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## ajwees41 (May 7, 2006)

surprised that youtube is available and free that's why I asked about Hulu.


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## dianebrat (Jul 6, 2002)

ajwees41 said:


> surprised that youtube is available and free that's why I asked about Hulu.


It's more "how they got there" as opposed to "where they are" Hulu's history as being created and backed by Network television providers has far more draconian rules on how you can watch their content vs. youtube and their "open and free contributions" model.

Granted things have changed over time, but the core items they started with do make a difference here.


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## rainwater (Sep 21, 2004)

ajwees41 said:


> surprised that youtube is available and free that's why I asked about Hulu.


Youtube has restrictions in place for set top boxes so certain content isn't available. Basically, it means authors are able to block their youtube videos from playing on TiVos, xbox, etc if they wish. So there isn't any problem for them to provide an app on all the devices they want too.


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## Wingershute (Oct 22, 2010)

atmuscarella said:


> The "free" version of Hulu is not available directly on any device designed to be connected to a TV. Or to put it another way the "free" version of Hulu is only available on a computer. This is do to licensing restrictions imposed by the content owners. Not much Hulu can do about this and absolutely nothing TiVo can do about it.
> 
> There is a work around somewhere around that involves using PlayOn and something else (pyTiVo?). Maybe someone can point you at the thread that talks about it.
> 
> ...


I use Playon with GoogleTV to stream Hulu and all other kinds of content to my television. Works pretty well but GoogleTV runs very slowly and constantly crashes.


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## Chris Gerhard (Apr 27, 2002)

Wingershute said:


> I use Playon with GoogleTV to stream Hulu and all other kinds of content to my television. Works pretty well but GoogleTV runs very slowly and constantly crashes.


Google TV rarely crashes for me. There are things to do, clear cache, clear storage, keep only a limited number of apps installed and other steps that prevent that. I can make mine work without issues like this but I see this kind of comment often so it is clear it is easy to put Google TV in a state where it won't work well. I use Google TV with PlayOn/PlayLater for standard definition streaming from sites that block direct Google TV access, primarily Hulu and network sites, and it does work well enough with some limitations, like little or no trick play functions.


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## poppagene (Dec 29, 2001)

As others have mentioned, you can watch the standard version of hulu if you both have playon running on your computer and install the version of pytivo that enables tivo to transfer and watch content delivered through playon. The advantage of this over the google tv is that the shows delivered by pytivo can be stored on your tivo and all of tivos trick play functions are in use such as pause, rewind fast forward, 30 second skip, etc.


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## Chris Gerhard (Apr 27, 2002)

poppagene said:


> As others have mentioned, you can watch the standard version of hulu if you both have playon running on your computer and install the version of pytivo that enables tivo to transfer and watch content delivered through playon. The advantage of this over the google tv is that the shows delivered by pytivo can be stored on your tivo and all of tivos trick play functions are in use such as pause, rewind fast forward, 30 second skip, etc.


Where do I find this version of pyTiVo?


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## atmuscarella (Oct 11, 2005)

Chris Gerhard said:


> Where do I find this version of pyTiVo?


Check the link in my previous post.


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## poppagene (Dec 29, 2001)

Chris Gerhard said:


> Where do I find this version of pyTiVo?


http://pytivo.sourceforge.net/forum/pytivo-for-jython-windows-installer-t1610.html


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## tootal2 (Oct 14, 2005)

I think it has to be hulu plus. Also hulu is going to want its users to verify they have cable I just use hulu on my computer since hulu has a lot more shows on a computer then a device.



ajwees41 said:


> is there any more info on using the free version of Hulu on a Tivo Premieres?


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## dlfl (Jul 6, 2006)

Chris Gerhard said:


> Where do I find this version of pyTiVo?





poppagene said:


> http://pytivo.sourceforge.net/forum/pytivo-for-jython-windows-installer-t1610.html


That link is for a jython java-based installer for pyTivo that uses a rather old version of W McBrine's pyTivo. You can also make the PlayOn pyTivo plugin code work by adding it to an existing (more recent version) of pyTiVo. See my two posts in that same pyTiVo forum thread here:
http://pytivo.sourceforge.net/forum/pytivo-for-jython-windows-installer-t1610.html#13612.
It's totally python when done that way and you can use whatever version of pyTivo you wish. In either case the plugin code is courtesy of jkasyan to whom we owe thanks. I had to install the django python package to get this to work -- which is easy and free.


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## SnakeEyes (Dec 26, 2000)

I'm in the process of find a way to watch free hulu on tivo. Is pytivo and playon still the way to go? I have a Mac, anyone know of Mac options since playon is not available on mac (besides parallels)


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## ajwees41 (May 7, 2006)

RayL said:


> I never knew hulu had a free version


it's ad supported


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## scandia101 (Oct 20, 2007)

ajwees41 said:


> it's ad supported


So is hulu+


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## atmuscarella (Oct 11, 2005)

RayL said:


> I never knew hulu had a free version


The "free" version is technically only available on computers (hulu.com). Hulu+ (the paid version) is available via an app on streaming devices and phones/tablets and has content not available via the free version. There also is some content that is only available via a computer (not available via an app on a streaming device or phone/tablet). Of course Hulu+ is also available via a computer and when you access it that way (hulu.com) you have access to all the content.


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

RayL said:


> I never knew hulu had a free version


It lived on my Sony machines until replaced by Hulu+. That was a few years ago.


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