Over the weekend, Hulu.com started blocking Playstation 3 owners from accessing content, as reported by Engadget (the PS3's operating system includes a web browser). When a PS3 user tries to view a video they get a black screen with the message "Unfortunately, this video is not available on your platform. We apologize for any inconvenience."
(If you're a Firefox user you can test this yourself. Install the Useragent Switcher Add-on and set your useragent string to "Mozilla/5.0 (PLAYSTATION 3; 2.00)" and then try to access a video at Hulu.com.)
Hulu.com has yet to comment on this change of policy (their Terms of Service was updated on June 26th) but we can speculate. There is an on-going battle between Hulu and Boxee, with Boxee trying to offer Hulu content through its interface, and Hulu trying to prevent this from happening. Presumably this is because Boxee is ideally used with Apple TV or a computer hooked up to a television. The Hulu/Boxee combo brings network television shows to the TV in your living room. The Playstation 3 browser, coupled with Hulu, does the same thing. It isn't too much of a reach to imagine network execs and cable TV providers being very nervous about that idea, and they could be pressuring Hulu to block this kind of access. (Of course that same computer hooked up to the TV could just use its web browser to do the same thing.)
A more interesting theory is that Microsoft paid off Hulu to block the PS3. Rumors of Hulu coming to the Xbox 360 have been circulating ever since Netflix 'Watch Now' arrived on the console. If in fact Microsoft was in negotiations with Hulu to offer the service through their hardware, it isn't hard to imagine one condition of the deal (sweetened with a big sack of shiny gold coins) being that Playstation 3 owners be blocked. (But then, see above re: nervous network execs.)
No matter what the truth is, once again the consumer loses out. Is it too much to ask for transparency when changes like this are made? Wouldn't it be refreshing if Hulu made clear why it is suddenly cutting off some users of its service?
Stranded PS3 owners, check out PlayOn as an alternate method of getting Hulu content on you PS3. I haven't personally tried it yet, but I hear good things about it. You will need a PC to run Playon on, though.
Sign up for ITworld's Daily newsletter
Follow ITworld on Twitter @IT_world
jfruh
Apple syncing patent can't come soon enough
pasmith
New Twitter features borrow from 3rd party clients
Esther Schindler
Open Source Changes the Software Acquisition Process
mikelgan
How to set up continuous podcast play on the new iTunes
David Strom
Five important Windows 7 mobility features
sjvn
Guard your Wi-Fi for your own sake
Sandra Henry-Stocker
Grepping on Whole Words
Sidekick: The Good News & the Bad News
Either way you look at it Microsoft Data Center management did not follow standards or best practices in this failure. In which case it makes me wonder more about the outsourcing of corporate data much less personal data.
- mburton325
Join the conversation here
Quick, practical advice for IT pros. Made fresh daily.
Want to cash in on your IT savvy? Send your tip to tips@itworld.com. If we post it, we'll send you a $25 Amazon e-gift card.
PlayOn
PlayOn works perfectly with Hulu despite their recent policy changes. Check it out...discrimination
I'm checking this when i get home. This mounts to discrimination, and if MS is part of this it'll be just another nail in the coffin for their reputation. Could be as bad as Comcast blocking traffic for certain customers - and they got caught!HULU is STUPID!
Whatever! People are always going to find a way around their attempts to control what OS people can use. Try YellowDog Linux on your PS3, try PlayOn. (PlayOn has a $20.00 discount until June 30 for a total of $19.99 - Coincidence?) I still can't imagine what HULU is thinking. Who cares if it is on our TV via Xbox, PS3, AppleTV, a laptop with an ugly connection cable???? We don't want to sit at a desk or watch it on our laps, we want it on our big screens, our plasmas, our LCD's. We still have to watch the brief but acceptable commercials.You're missing the boat! If you make it too hard people will go back to ripping the networks off by finding torrents!