Hulu has stood alongside Netflix as one of the most prominent subscription video-streaming services and a driving force behind cord cutters ditching pay TV for online viewing. Now Hulu is offering its own take on live TV with a new service similar to Sling TV.
The simply named Hulu with Live TV provides access to 50 different live TV channels, with cloud-based DVR, for $39.99 per month. The service includes ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC broadcast networks (local affiliates are available on some markets), along with Cartoon Network, CNN, ESPN, FX, TBS, USA, and other cable networks. Subscribers also get access to Hulu's on-demand programming, equivalent to the $7.99 Hulu subscription. This includes commercials for on-demand television, though the subscription can be upgraded to remove the commercials for another $4.
If available in the subscriber's market, Hulu with Live TV can follow MLB, MLS, NBA, NCAA, NFL, and NHL sports games and record them as they're played. This aspect of the service tracks what games are played on live TV available through Hulu and is separate from sports-specific subscription services like MLB.tv.
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The $39.99 service supports streaming for two devices and 50 hours of cloud-based DVR, though add-on packages can expand both features. The Enhanced Cloud DVR package expands storage to 200 hours, and the Unlimited Streams package lets users access the service on as many simultaneous streams as they want within their home and three outside the home. Both are $14.99 each per month or $19.99 per month for both. Showtime can also be added for another $8.99.
The live TV service is currently in beta, but available to all customers who want to subscribe. Users can watch Hulu with Live TV on Android and iOS smartphones and tablets, along with the fourth-generation Apple TV and the Xbox One. Support for Amazon Fire TV, Roku, and Samsung Smart TVs are planned for the future.
As a beta service, Hulu with Live TV is still a work in progress, but since it's available to consumers for a subscription fee, PCMag will examine it as consumer product. Stay tuned for an in-depth look at Hulu with Live TV soon.