Starting on April 13, 2022, Hulu with Live TV will be adding an unlimited DVR feature. All active subscriptions will get this expanded DVR feature automatically and at no additional cost.
YouTube TV and Unlimited DVR
YouTube TV is a subscription streaming service that lets you access live television via the internet. The standard monthly subscription price is $64.99, and that gives you access to more than 85 channels. Note that the exact channel lineup does vary based on zip code. With each subscription, you also get six user accounts, which gives the entire family access but through their own personal YouTube account. YouTube TV is not the only such streaming service provider, but a feature that has distinguished it up until now is unlimited DVR. DVR stands for digital video recorder. YouTube DVR is a cloud-based service as opposed to an electronic device, and it lets you record as much as you want, which is something that other providers have not offered.
Hulu With Live TV Adding Unlimited DVR
In order to better rival YouTube TV, Hulu with Live TV is becoming the second TV streaming provider to offer unlimited DVR as a base feature included in the standard subscription price, which is $69.99 a month. This feature will go live for all customers starting on April 13. Hulu with Live TV did previously include a DVR feature, but it was not unlimited and did not have as many features as the new one will.
Previous Hulu With Live TV Offering
As mentioned, Hulu with Live TV has included a DVR feature, and that feature has, in fact, been available since the service launched. However, the Cloud DVR that is currently provided is limited to just 50 hours and does not include some features that most people expect, such as fast forwarding. Hulu does offer Enhanced Cloud DVR. This extends your capacity up to 200 hours. It also adds features like fast forwarding. On the downside, it costs $10 a month. That brings the total cost of Hulu with Live TV to $79.99, which most consumers felt was too much for the service provided. If you are currently an Enhanced Cloud DVR subscriber, you will only be paying $69.99 starting in April and going forward.
Hulu Unlimited DVR Capabilities
You are no longer limited to 50 and 200 hours and can now save as much content as you like. You also get features like fast forwarding include at no additional cost. You still have access to the same management tools you did, but these have been updated to reflect the lack of limits. There is one potential downside to the change. Previously, you were allowed to save content for any length of time as long as your account remained active and in good standing. With unlimited cloud DVR comes a nine-month limit. Some people save content that they want to have permanent access to, but that is no longer possible.
Hulu With Live TV vs. YouTube TV
Hulu With Live ruffled some feathers when it increased its price from $64.99 to $69.99, and that is with ads on non-TV content. If you want no ads on non-TV content, the price is $75.99. That price includes more than 75 channels and unlimited DVR for one screen at a time and Disney Plus and ESPN Plus. If you want unlimited screens, that requires the Unlimited Screens Add-on, which costs $9.99 and results in a total monthly cost of either $79.98 or $85.98.
YouTube continues to cost $64.99. It provides more than 85 channels, but most people probably will not care about the channel differences between YouTube and Hulu. That price includes unlimited DVR with a nine-month limit on content but up to three screens at a time. So, it really comes down to how many screens you need and how much you like Disney Plus and ESPN. Even then, we can still see subscribing to YouTube TV and Disney Plus separately as a better option for many households.
