The
PlayStation 3 has kept access to
Hulu even without
PlayOn or other workaround while others were blocked -- with the exception of
its own remote friendly desktop software -- thanks to its browser's Flash support, but this morning multiple users have reported the above message indicating "Unfortunately, this video is not available on your platform. We apologize for any inconvenience." Some odd glitch related to the recent 2.80 firmware update or other temporary problem, or is this the latest platform to
get the Boxee treatment when trying to bring streaming video to TV screens? We've reached out to Hulu for an explanation but so far, haven't heard a response. Interestingly, the Hulu TOS was just updated as of June 26, and although we haven't found any PS3-specific passages, changing a browser's user-string to match the console reveals it is definitely being specifically blocked.
[Thanks Sev, and to Tyler from
FormatWarCentral.com for the picture]
posted Jun 27th 2009 6:59AM
PS3 limitation?
More likely Microsoft threw them a big pile of cash to block it. That seems to be Microsofts plan these days, fix everythign with bribes and corruption.
I didn't even have to scroll to see a Microsoft related comment -.-
@ClarkyAC
Big screen you have there..
Mark you need to learn fanboy comments are the worst. Getting a frigging life. People prefer xbox in the current generation. Sony need to pull their finger and produce something thats worth it.
@ Mark
Funny how Sony actually stops some Sony movies from streaming on 360 via Netflix, yet Microsoft literally has no way to block these videos on PS3.
The Microsoft Bribary comment was more dead on. How does something work one day and not the next. Its some motivation behind the scenes and not a limitation. Its not like the boys at Redmond are above that (Ask Netscape). Microsoft thinks they own the internet and the computing world. Doesn't matter to me as a PS3 owner, but these shenanigans do suck.
I am anti-Microsoft....So that makes me Pro Apple, Pro Linux, Pro-Sony....or pro-anything against a company with no business ethics.
@Jayleigh and Mark:
Like jOefro said, how does Sony get away with blocking their movies from streaming on Netflix on Xbox 360, while Microsoft gets blamed for blocking Hulu streaming, something over which they have no control? Where is your company's ethics now D-bag?
http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/18/sony-pictures-celebrates-nxe-eve-by-blocking-xbox-360-netflix/
PS: Its "bribery" with an 'E'
Guys it's not Microsoft that did this. It's the television networks.
Anyone who is pro-consumer should be anti-Sony (rootkit, proprietary hardware, actually OWNING UP to charging more for stuff "because [they] can," the list goes on).
My wife bought us a PS3 just as a blu-ray player; we had the intention of never buying any games (and only renting BDs) for it, which was fine with me since that meant Sony actually LOST money on me. (When we discovered Hulu, even better! So much for that now.)
Incidentally, I had to change my mind about PS3 games when Guitar Hero: Metallica came out. |m|
Microsoft?!?!
More likely it's the same people who tried to block Hulu access through Boxee: the companies with content hosted in Hulu. Clearly, they don't want viewer to be able to watch Hulu content on their big screen TVs. They'd probably much prefer you to watch that content through your cable subscriptions, where they make *alot* more money off ads.
Definitely not a limitation, as I was watching the videos just fine. @Smart People Play Tuba - Sony Closed? What about the PS3's ability to install Ubuntu or Yellow Dog right from the XMB with no hack. What other console do you know has a "Install OS" option???
I guess Sony are so ethical that they would never bribe anyone $500M to stop making HD-DVDs and move to Blu-Ray...
@mark
people like you are the dumbest and most blinded fanboy sheep i have ever seen in my life.
how the hell would it even be possible for microsoft to ever have any influence over the fact that hulu doesnt work with sony's playstation after a sony firmware update???
microsoft is not a content provider of the network and has absolutely 0 partnerships with hulu.
if you had any idea of how the internet worked you would realize there are only 2 possible reasons for this update bricking the ability to use the ps3 browser for hulu
hulu checks the browser id, and purposely blocks it at the will of the content providers (fox nbc etc)
sony changed some hard coded workaround to allow the ps3s browser to be identified as legally playable during the firmware update, breaking functionality (whether at the will of content providers or by accident)
Remeber HULU is owned by NBC/Universal, FOX, and now Disney (ABC,ESPN). They will block these alternative methods of getting to HULU until these services pay to play. The Ads on the site are not generating that much revenue in relation to the gobs of ads they can put on the regular broadcast. It is still an experiment for these content producers.
No doubt MS/Sony have been negotiating to put this service on Xbox Live/PSN but I bet they are not saying... "Gee we want you to put HULU on our system from free."
hulu's management are assholes, just put the whole site and their IP's in your blocklists is my advise, you'll only get better from it
Well, if Hulu won't like my PS3....
*hits the torrents and downloads the movies I want and stream it to my PS3*
Aaaaahhh....
@Smart People Play Tuba:
Check out the PS3 specs versus the XBox 360 and then come back here and tell us which one has more proprietary tech. The PS3 is probably the most open gaming console in history. Try to do some homework before you comment.
And rootkits have nothing to do with PS3 and the SCE division. Besides, when did that rootkit fiasco occur? Yeah, three years ago. Get over with it already.
"Charging more money because they can". What? Were you born yesterday? Sony's a business. Apple charges more money because they can. Microsoft does the same. Ditto with BMW. Some people find it's worth the price; others don't. End of story. Sony (and any other business) didn't price their products based on how much they love or hate people -- it's based on market and economic research.
"Incidentally, I had to change my mind about PS3 games when Guitar Hero: Metallica came out." I guess with that, you can throw your second paragraph out the window. Looks like Sony had the last laugh with you. LOL.
Christ, some of you people are stupid. Microsoft bribed them? Wow.
Maybe Toyota bribed GM to file for bankruptcy too. It makes perfect sense.
Has anyone told Alec Baldwin yet? I'm sure he'd want us to get Hulu so he can eat our brains.
@Mark
However, I somehow suspect you had no problem with Sony bribes in the Bluray vs HDDVD war.
Not that I care either way, I feel like bluray medium won't live long. Anyone see that Red Ray stuff? I know it's not meant for home use, but its amazing how technology just grows by leaps and bounds.
@mark
ok, I love Sony products (I have a ps2, ps3, Sony HDTV, Sony home theater system, and sony car stereo), but what you said makes absolutley no sence. More likely it was the tv studios, though it wouldn't surprise me if it was Sony themselves so that you have have to buy that content from the playstation store instead of watching for free on hulu.
ugh... seriously whats so damn special about sony that it causes this amount of blind following. they're up there with all other corporations when it comes to business ethics.
the reason hulu was disabled on ps3 has more to do with advertising revenue. television advertising nets much higher revenue compared to net advertising. these networks even tho they own hulu still prefer if viewers watch that show on television. theres a difference between a game console and a computer, generally ps3 are played on a a television, rather than people watching theses shows on hulu they want viewers to turn off the console and watch it on that very same television where they would make far higher revenue though television advertising.
also what the hell does ms gain by blocking hulu on ps3 mark? ya they'd pay millions to cause grief to current owners? sony never used hulu as a method for promoting their console heck they dont even use the browser as a selling point on the ps3.
I don't recall ever seeing anything to suggest that Sony bribed anyone in the Blu-Ray vs HD DVD "war".. Seems there were always be sore losers.
Next they will be claiming Sony bribed game studios to write crappy looking game for Xbox, rather than admitting the obvious.
Meh, Hulu on PS3 was already pretty terrible. Low framerate on 360p, and just about impossible to watch on 480p.
Yeah, but it was free. All I ever watched on it was Colbert Report. Now I have to use my laptop.
JERKS!
it was perfect on PlayOn
Laptop with DVI connection to HD FTW
Yes, because the Flash is not hardware accelerated. But that is a stupid way to watch web video like Hulu on the PS3.
I use the HIGHLY-RECOMMENDED TVersity streamer App. It will dynamically convert and stream any media from PC to the PS3, including local/network video and internet video like Hulu. It's frickin' amazing...
Hulu on PS3 was bad but at least you cloud watch something on it unlike now. THIS IS BS!!!
BS? This is SPARTA!
"cloud watch something on it"
Right on that Mike.
PS3 owners get RickRoll'd?
XD
At work the other day, myself and a couple other guys used a singing telegram to Rick Roll another guy at work. Greatest. Thing. Ever.
I just got rick roll'd at the dollar store! does it ever end? lol
same thing recently happened on my cellphone
Right, I previously could load videos using Skyfire on my WinMo phone, but now it displays the same message.
*&%! Hollywood
not sure if its related, however I'm experiencing similar issue with Tversity on my Xbox360.
I'd like to hear from the haiku guy!
+1
Yup -- same issue with my PS3. I wonder when they will block computers with video out??
Uh, so all computers ever made?
Hulu ? What's Hulu ?
PS: when do we get access to Hulu here in Europe ? Either we don't see US series at all or have to wait for 2-3 years to show up on our screens in INCREDIBLE standard def quality.
(getting sick of this unfortunately this service can not be watched in your region warning)
You're getting sick of it?? Imagine how those of us in Canada feel. I'm not even 200km north of US yet I get the same stupid message. Effing red tape! :(
Why would you expect to have access to Hulu outside of the US? Seriously - it's content from US television stations supported by advertisements from US companies. I'm not saying that there shouldn't be European content on there, but I wouldn't expect to see that programming for free in the States.
I heard a rumour that apparently it's coming to the UK in September, but it'll be so stripped down and have so much content missing that it'll be a complete joke.
While in the US you can watch all sorts of brand new stuff we've never heard of, we'll end up with a mish-mash of random CSI:New York (the worst CSI of all, it's terrible but at least we are being shown the latest series right now in the UK) episodes dating from 2003 and two episodes of Family Guy which you've already seen. The Xbox Live Video Marketplace is the same - why do the US get a BBC America channel with Torchwood, Dr Who, Life on Mars etc. but we don't get any TV shows at all let alone BBC shows shown here well before they end up in the US? It's a disgrace that the BBC can't even provide their own shows to UK licence-fee payers but happily send them to the US for free.
For the same reason that we can't watch any broadcasts made in the UK until some USA broadcaster license and broadcasts it here.
The PS3 doesn't serve ads very reliably. No money, no dice.
I always see the ads on Hulu... don't know what you talkin bout willis.
Hulu doesn't get it. They are just sending more people to bittorrent. Nice ad revenue there.
The folks running Hulu have stated that the studios get most of their money from television advertising and cable fees. They know putting Hulu on the living room TV is a big threat to that revenue, since Hulu ads bring in nowhere near that amount of money. So they are trying to keep the service OFF the living room television. They know relatively few people are going to download a bittorrent file, copy it to DVD and watch it in the living room, so there's no real threat there.
I don't know about you, but I can stream tv shows that I download to my xbox 360.
Well I can't right now because I just sent it in for repairs for the second time this year.
@Goodman ....and the music industry used to make a lot of money on CDs. Holding on to the old business model too long generally doesn't work out too well.
"copy it to DVD and watch it in the living room, so there's no real threat there."
Burning downloaded DVD's is so yesterday. Popcorn hour, Revo or other HTPC running XBMC is the new shit. Like like Marilyn Manson said.
Hulu gets it just fine. What dicks like you don't get is that you either support the best online TV on the internet or you don't get any at all.
If this is your excuse to go to torrents then you're too stupid to have the service to begin with. For $10 you can buy a cable that will hook a laptop into a TV and you can watch Hulu with no effort at all. Or better yet build a HTPC.
Go cry your river somewhere else because Hulu is free now but in a year when cable companies band together and their plans take effect you won't get online video anywhere for free.
And Hulu on a PS3 was so poor it wasn't even worth having.
@arkweld - I don't think I said anywhere that I would torrent files, so you are jumping to conclusions. Even if I don't torrent, others will, just like people went to file sharing to pirate music when the MP3 rose to prominance a few years ago before the labels finally figured out they needed to make their content for sale in non-annoying formats (without DRM) in easy to use and find locations. The historical precedence of locking up content with no way to legitimately get it easily online is easy to see, yet the content providers behind TV want to repeat music's mistakes.
As for cables locking down content online, good luck to them. That would drive even more people to pirate than what Hulu is doing, again reducing revenue for content providers.
The answer is for content providers to have their content online in easy to get locations displayable anywhere the consumer wants to consume with a minimally annoying revenue source tied to the media. Whether that's ads as are already on Hulu, payment for the content directly, or subscription services like Netflix, they need to evolve to the market to protect their future revenue instead of trying to put their head in the sand and try to stay with outdated revenue models.
If I'm crying, you are just spouting myopic screeds.
Hulu? What's Hulu?
By the time they make it available to us Australians, our internet filter will probably block it. I think I can hear a referendum to change the country's name to "China II" coming.
I prefer "Criminal Island" when referring to non-native Aussies in Aussieland. Oh I also call it Aussieland I guess.
*slow clap*
Those of you who think this is a Microsoft play -- you're idiots. If Microsoft is going to "bribe" ANYONE to do ANYTHING they'd bribe them to make it Silverlight only. Your conspiracy is out.
The day Silverlight is required is the day I'll believe Microsoft is behind this. Until then, Hulu simply has an agreement with broadcasters that the content cannot be directly shown on a TV.
That's it. It's contractual, and advertisers love contracts. This is why during Judge Judy you see nothing but adds for legal services and during Days of Our Lives it's prescription meds.
Advertisers simply have not been able to assess the demographic data of Hulu viewers on TVs. Hulu is supported by advertisers (just like broadcast TV) Advertisers do not want to throw money at an unknown demo.
I'd much rather pay Hulu a monthly fee than DIrecTV or a cable company.
I'd rather they take all of the content on Hulu and make it available on Netflix.
i haven't used hulu in awhile on my ps3.
When it comes to Hulu, I have my own TOS; "I just don't bother using their site/services." Ever since they decided to block XBMC, I decided to block them completely. As far as I know, they went the way of the dodo.
Probably in response to Joost's PS3 designed page.
Get a 360 while you still can
I heard a couple of people talking about this 360 thing here in Europe. What is it? Is it like a Playstation?
Our first mistake was thinking that Hulu was any different from other sites that rely on The Content Machine. As long as the underlying media companies are stuck in la-la land, sites like Hulu will continue to degrade until they're no different from previous, restrictive sites. At that point another will pop up in its place and everyone will flock to it, only to have the cycle repeat.
The companies that produce this content are stuck in the past, and I keep faith that eventually (maybe when I have children and they're grown) they'll realize that people will only avoid illegal media so long as it's easier to get the same content legally.
But when you take the Youtube approach you lose 180M a year.
This company has to have the weirdest business model ever. Have tons of stuff that people want to see yet make it inconvenient enough to use that most people will not use it.
There is still one website that you can watch tv-show on your ps3..............Tv-links.cc
it works
There's one called alluc.org that I use but I haven't tried it on a PS3.
Can you download torrents through the PS3's web browser?
Hey, they don't want you to watch their shows, so don't watch 'em. Eventually, they'll go away.
Try something called PLAYON from mediamall. It will work just fine with HULU and the PS3 (or just about any other device!)
Is this new? I watched most of the spring season (24, prison break, etc) on Hula on my PS3. I haven't updated my PS3 recently. Is this something an update blocks
Hulu sucks on my PS3 anyways.
I've been using PlayOn to watch Hulu and about a dozen other streaming sites on my PS3 for a while now. It works just fine. I could never stand watching videos through the PS3's kludgy web browser. With PlayOn everything streams perfectly and I can access just about any streaming site I want directly from the XMB. The newest version even lets you stream local content.
I went to Hulu for the first time last night from my PS3 and got the same message. My PS3 doesn't have the 2.80 firmware so its definitely being blocked on their end. What a shame.
Now PS3 owners know how everyone everywhere outside the United States feels.
We want to melt your brain into quivering goo. That is unless you use PS3, Boxee....
this isnt new...i tried hulu on my ps3 a few weeks ago and it diddnt work, same error. Unfortunately the PS3 browser/flash sucks. It cant even play HD youtube vids.
I want to be there with you guys claiming it's Microsoft's fault with their deal to include Hulu content right there in the UI, but...
....you guys sure it isn't Sony trying to get more people to pay for the same content that's on their PSN Store that appears on Hulu?
What's next Hulu? Detecting the viewport size on your player so you can block me if I'm watching it on too many pixels? You know, I might have a PC hooked up to my TV. Or I might just have a decently-size monitor. Either way, you better keep an eye on that. I'm sure I'm screwing you out of millions by actually watching your shows.
Hulu performance on the PS3 was horrible. I imagine it's equivalent to a PC from about 6 years ago. We're not really missing out. It's way easier to hook a pc up to the TV. That being said, I'm confused as to why Hulu would ever want to limit their customer base considering their revenue stream requires views!
Time to change that user agent. Eventually we will all be running IE6 again, as far as every server on the web is concerned...
Yeah, I seriously doubt this is Micro$oft's doing. Yes they are a big sleazy company that screws it's user base all the time, (maybe the worst even) but so do a lot of other companies these days include Apple. Just look at how they've applied Micro$soft's screw the consumer model to their user base lately...
Sony is FAR from innocent here too. They are a close second to Micro$oft is screwing customers, so there is plenty of blame to go around.
My best guess (and it is only a guess) is that this is like the whole RIAA thing where they fight it tooth and nail, while their ship sinks due to not getting that the paradigm has shifted.
.mkv please
This is not because of the 2.80 update, i delayed updating to it to see if this was the problem, but i get the same message when trying to play hulu, the change is on Hulu's end
This is due to the fact a homebrew for pc/mac called open remote play came out and Sony did something with certain types of video streams to render the Homebrew app somewhat useless. I'm sure Hulu and their "Domination of the Planet" robots will remedy this in no time, as for open remote play, maybe the Hulu fix will shed light for them. Here's hoping both come around to their once greatness.
Breaking News?
How's the afterlife coming along, MJ?
BTW, I love PlayOn. One piece of software that I actually didn't mind paying for ;-)
Comment was meant for Michael Jackson's Ghost.
Its just business. I love how MS is blamed when Sony did the same to kill HD-DVD. Business is business. Cry your liberal ass out of here. Its a foot race to the finish line and you're not getting a bike to ride on.
Um, Toshiba trie to do the same thing to bluray. Both companies were passing out money
fuck your ethics in the business world. Its survival of the fittest.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
I have a PS3 and I still just plugged my laptop in through HDMI to watch Hulu.
PIrate all this shit off the internet until media companies stop trying to lock/block their products to certain devices. We can complain til the cows come home. The only thing they understand is bottom line. I have no desire to see net neutrality busted up via a backdoor method from the media conglomerates.