Hulu is a great service offered for United States residents that allows easy access to free videos, TV shows and even movies. It’s an online viewing platform supported by adds or by premium subscriptions. It’s like paying for Cable, but online, while having a tuned-down free version as well. Hulu is in many ways similar to Netflix or other such services, and these platforms have been gaining popularity in recent years.
However, what do you do if you are a non-US citizen? Trying to access Hulu from different IPs than American ones won’t really work, as I’m sure most of you have tested. There are ways around this, and people most commonly use proxy servers to mask their original IPs and enjoy the benefits of services such as Hulu. This isn’t an ideal solution however, as proxy servers are usually unreliable, greatly influence internet connection speeds (in the negative sense, obviously) and are quite a hassle to set up and use. So what other alternatives are there?
Well, there are a bunch of online websites and downloadable apps that can convert Hulu videos and content into files you can view from your PC or mobile device. Basically, think along the lines of Youtube to .mp3, but for videos. Using these apps or websites, you can easily download and convert online content to .avi or to .mp4 format. Even downloading and storing HD videos is a possibility, all you really need is a decent download speed and hard-drive space. The advantages? Well, you basically get television free. Downloading Hulu videos and storing them isn’t illegal, it just might be considered unethical by some. Then again, Hulu pretty much forces you to live in the United States if you want to access its content, so ultimately, this is a means to an end.
Ideally, you want to get a subscription (if you can, go for it) for Hulu and enjoy quality TV for low costs. But hey, if you want free, you have the option. Hulu provides great entertainment visually, and has shows for all tastes and expectations. Most apps to convert video content are free to download and don’t cost a dime. Some have limitations (like 20 videos converted max), others don’t. Regardless, if you’re on a budget and are looking for cheap (or free) entertainment, definitely take a look at what Hulu offers.