This is silly. It's ok to watch it on your computer but not on your tv. Why not have both or not at all? Just added a bunch of tv titles to my favorites and can't watch them unless I watch them on my computer.

I can't recall Netflix having this problem.

Blame the TV network, they refuse rights if it can be played on a mobile/tv device. So it'd be the not at all route.

I can still watch any of their shows on tv(run an HDMI line from laptop to tv) ,but that ties up the computer plus it overheats. If I get another computer then it would be manageable.

Yup but the inconvenient for many people so they don't mind that as much.

What's even stupider is stuff being on the free version of Hulu that's not available on Hulu+, regardless of whether it's on your tv or pc...

What's on free Hulu that's not on Hulu+?

I could be wrong on this. I can't see anything at the moment but I would swear I've encountered it before.

From Hulu's website

Does Netflix have the same agreement or does it differ because it seems that everything is available too every device?

It's different, Netflix also doesn't add current run episodes.

In some regions, it does.

Does the right's holder pay Hulu or vice-a-versa when dealing with streaming tv content?

Hulu has to pay the studios and networks that produce the content for use on their site. They are basically a hub for all the content they acquire.

Wouldn't the networks rather you watch their programs on their network rather than watching it on a DVR or HuluPlus? Doesn't that take away from the ratings?

I know unless its sports,I hardly watch any tv live. Can't sit and watch 20 minutes worth of commericals per one hour show.

The networks will have their hands full going forward trying to compete against streaming and basically competing against themselves.

Hulu has commercial as well. In fact, they'll spam you with the same commercials endlessly it seems. So the networks still make money that way. DVR & online viewing are somewhat factored into total ratings (as good as they can be anyways). Some shows will even boast torrent grabs.

Networks are not really competing against themselves because they found ways to make money still. TV ratings is not as important as revenue the show brings in versus the cost to produce it. They don't care if the money comes in from Blu sales, their own website traffic, or Hulu; they just want the money in.

Some of Hulu's commericals are only 18 seconds long. Normally an hour show only takes 55 minutes to watch.

Yup. They tried banning DVRs when they first came out, the same way they tried to ban Video Cassettes back in the day. Hulu is just their way of slightly accepting that people have moved on from watching live TV, and they at least make some money this way - especially considering Hulu is owned by NBC, ABC and Fox - but at least they get revenue from it.

Since if they opted to make the content unavailable, piracy would simply take over and they'd get no revenue at all.

The Ad Revenue from online streaming like Hulu is nickels and dimes compared to TV.

Nice break-down of Hulu's numbers: http://www.reelseo.com/hulu-cpm-2013/

Wouldn't a Chromecast be an easy way to get this content from your computer to your TV?

Can Hulu detect if you have your PC hooked to your tv via Hdmi?

Nope. I've got one hooked up that way now.

Just to let you know the newest android app version of Hulu offers the free Hulu now without having to subscribe unfortunately it's not available on ios so you still have to subscribe to hulu plus.