Hulu encrypts its HTML to fend off Boxee . . . again

April 2, 2009 | Terrence Russell | Comments | |

The parry and thrust routine between Hulu and Boxee is still on. Engadget is reporting that Hulu has started encrypting its HTML content to keep non-browser applications (like the ones through Boxee’s media streaming software) from accessing its video library. Meanwhile, Boxee has said that it’s already cooking up a workaround.

For the uninitiated, Hulu originally made waves by launching as a premium video site that let users embed full-length video content virtually anywhere on the web. When Boxee’s media center software hit the scene, it garnered interest by letting users view their favorite online videos (including Hulu content) on TV outside of the browser interface.

This upset Hulu’s content partners (who included broadcasting giants like NBC and Fox), who then asked that their shows be removed from Boxee’s service. The much smaller startup complied (although not without exploring other options), which ultimately brings us where we are today — Hulu pushing its partners’ browser-only agenda, and Boxee deftly trying to adapt.

Boxee was savvy enough to beat Hulu to punch on its encryption with a recent update for Mac users. But, for the time being, Hulu’s video library — which could previously be accessed outside of the browser with a Boxee plugin — is still off limits to Boxee’s PC and Linux users. At least at the time of this posting.

What’s interesting about this situation isn’t necessarily the back and forth, but the subtext. As this battle enters extra innings, it becomes increasingly clear that Hulu is at the whim of its content partners. The company has created a solid and capable environment for monetizing web video, but let’s face it, if there were nothing to watch, none of us would be flocking there. So it shouldn’t be surprising that Hulu continues to side with its content partners in blocking out Boxee users.

The truth is, Hulu’s new encryption efforts make dollars and sense for its content partners. Networks like NBC and Fox might have snagged viewers by partnering with the video portal, but Hulu’s slightly airy ad library hardly compares to the revenue generated from their broadcast cousins. For these networks, as well as their partners, protecting broadcast advertising’s revenue stream will always be a priority. At least while the advertising market continues to stay solvent.

Oh, and there’s a bit of irony at work too. While Hulu and Boxee continue to go toe to toe, multiple ISPs, broadcast networks, Hollywood studios, advertisers, and Visa are all gearing up for the launch of a competiting service/set top box called ZillionTV.

Suffice it to say the Hulu/Boxee/broadcaster fight is far from over.

[photo courtesy of Techization]

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About the Author, Terrence Russell

Terrence writes about online video and digital media licensing for Venture Beat. When he isn't binging on the newest television series to hit the web, Terrence contributes to WIRED Magazine and Wired.com.

  • Boxee isn't cooking up a work around, it already has a workaround. It released XUL support last week to allow Boxee to browse any site on the internet just like it were Firefox. It's already done.

    We had Boxee CEO Avner Ronen on our show last week to talk about their relationship with Hulu. You're right in saying they're always going to be cooking up workarounds, as he said his first priority is to give users access to any video content that's available on the internet, in an interface that works from the couch.

    http://techvi.com/boxeeceo
  • Has it been discussed yet why Hulu doesn't just put the same amount of ads as a regular TV program would have into the Boxee browser? If it can tell where people are watching, why can't it adjust the amount of ads based on that? If it's for the 10ft interface, make it TV amount of ads.

    Potentially the distributors (cablecos) would still be annoyed, but if they had to, a revenue share could be done.
  • nocommercials
    Because nobody would watch it if there were as many commercials as on regular TV? (I personally have used Tivos & VCRs for decades to avoid regular commercials.) I wouldn't download anything via BT, but would possibly watch the minimal ads that people say show up on Hulu for rare things that I miss that won't show up on DVD.
  • I think you are extrapolating your early adopter-ness on to people who haven't even heard of boxee. I'm trying to find a solution for content owners and boxee users. Is it ideal? Prob not, but it depends whose ideal you're looking to solve for.
  • Hulu is still available on Zinc from Zeevee www.zeevee.com/zinc as Zinc is a Firefox extension.
  • Haggie
    Watching the television network execs blindly boss Hulu around is like watching a fish washed up on a beach. I can actually picture them on the floor on their exec suites at 30 Rock flopping around in dazed confusion each time Boxee defeats one of their misguided attempts to focus on delivery of the content instead of the content itself...
  • I've never seen such an inept evil plot to take over the world in my life. People want to watch, people try to watch, and the companies providing the content claim to want people to watch...then they change it up so you can't watch their free content in an unapproved manner.

    Maybe it really is an evil plot?
  • echeola
    This is so stupid. Doesn't the business model make more sense if the more people that watch the money they make.

    Maybe they lose money for every viewer so they want to stop people from watching.

    These content guys are going to get dragged kicking and screaming into the future.
  • > For the time being, this means that Hulu’s video library — which could previosuly [sic]
    > be accessed outside of the browser with a Boxee plugin — is now offlimits [sic].
    > At least, at the time of this posting.

    Not true: Boxee "cooked up" a workaround last week -- even before Hulu started the latest salvo. Boxee's release from last week not only got around Hulu's previous blocking attempt but also this most recent encrypted HTML attempt as well. How? Because Boxee now embeds an actual XUL browser engine inside of its software, effectively rendering Hulu unable to distinguish between someone using Firefox and someone using Boxee on their living room television. The beauty, of course, is that the end-user experience when watching Hulu content via Boxee today isn't markedly different than before Hulu started this whole kerfuffle. In other words, Hulu's attempts to prevent its content from being displayed on Boxee has (so far) been utterly futile.

    In addition to several grammatical/spelling errors, this article misses several critical details. That's unfortunate, because the author otherwise makes a number of accurate insights.
  • TerrenceRussell
    Hey Justin,

    Thanks for the feedback! I'll update the post to correct the spelling foibles. But, the core of the story is technically correct. Though Boxee made XUL changes ahead of Hulu, it only did that for *Mac* users. Granted, that's the majority of Boxee's users base, but not all of it (I'm a PC/Linux user).

    I can see how there'd be some confusion though, so I'll update the post to make the distinction clear.
  • I'm not sure I agree with the "technically correct" part: the workaround was already present and demonstrated -- it's just a matter of making those same changes in the Linux/PC versions. That said, the corrections are most welcome.

    It's amazing how short-sighted the content industry can be. It's as if they don't realize that they are competing with their own same exact content that is freely available from other sources. The key to their survival is making it so easy to get it straight from them (e.g., Hulu, etc.) that it's not worth getting it from other sources.
  • Brandon
    Why don't they get that they are helping reduce dependence on BitTorrent.

    I don't have cable and downloaded everything commercial free. Ever since hulu came out I haven't downloaded anything that's availible on hulu - LITERALLY! I wish they had more HD... It's only a few Discovery Channel programs I get with BT. Other sites that do offer some programs have poor quality - and I'd download those too.

    Get the message! Choose no money via BT or make us happy to watch some short commercials! One more thing, I still watch on my HD TV. My computer is hooked up to it and it looks great on that desktop in fullscreen. I can't even tell it's not cable!
  • Andy
    Umm, I don't think Boxee started using XULRunner (Mozilla/Firefox/...) to get around Hulu blocking them. For awhile now, they have been working on a new API to allow content providers more freedom in presenting their content. This new API uses XULRunner to accomplish this (http://blog.boxee.tv/2009/03/24/rocking-with-pa...). Being able to easily access Hulu is a side effect of this.
  • I've read that link already, and it seems pretty clear to me that Boxee decided to change their browser engine primarily to do exactly that: prevent content sources (be they Hulu or anybody else) from discriminating against Boxee users. In a separate paragraph, a new API is described that allows developers to write apps using XML and Python. From the post you linked to, it's not at all clear that those two things are tied together.
  • I also prefer Zinc to Boxee. Looks great on my HDTV.

    PCTVCables.com
  • I don't know but for sure Boxee is 90 % of Zink I think!
  • Because nobody would watch it if there were as many commercials as on regular TV? (I personally have used Tivos & VCRs for decades to avoid regular commercials.) I wouldn't download anything via BT, but would possibly watch the minimal ads that people say show up on Hulu for rare things that I miss that won't show up on DVD.
  • Thanks for the feedback! I'll update the post to correct the spelling foibles. But, the core of the story is technically correct. Though Boxee made XUL changes ahead of Hulu, it only did that for *Mac* users. Granted, that's the majority of Boxee's users base, but not all of it (I'm a PC/Linux user).