How to Watch Hulu on PlayStation 3

The Hulu Plus application for the PlayStation 3 (PS3) enables you to use your Hulu Plus subscription directly from your PS3, ensuring that you never miss an episode of your favorite television show. Setting up and using the service can prove difficult for new users, as it requires additional steps compared to the PC browser-based version and a different control scheme.

Before you can begin watching Hulu on the PS3, you'll need to download and install the Hulu Plus application; while the app is a free download, you will need a Hulu Plus subscription to use it. After booting the PS3, log into your PlayStation Network (PSN) account, navigate to the Games tab on the PS3 main menu and select PlayStation Store. To quickly find the application, use the Search feature: Select "Search" from the store's main menu, enter "Hulu Plus" and then select the app from the list of search results. After loading the Hulu Plus app page, select "Download" and follow the on-screen prompts to download and install the Hulu Plus app. Depending on your Internet connection, the time to download can vary; however, the app is a small size and shouldn't take long to download regardless of your connection speed.

After the download is complete, the Hulu Plus app is found under the TV/Video Services heading on the PS3's main menu. Launch the Hulu Plus application, select "Log In" and use the on-screen keyboard to enter the email address and password you used to sign up with Hulu Plus. If this is your first time using Hulu Plus on the PS3, you will need to enter the displayed device activation code shown on your television at the following Hulu website on your PC:

http://hulu.com/activate

Enter the code into your PC into click "Activate." Within about 30 seconds, your account will be active on the PS3. Activation is a one-time process; in the future, launching the Hulu Plus application on the PS3 will take you directly to the service.

Controls for Hulu Plus vary depending on whether you're browsing for a title or watching a video. During browsing, Up, Down, Left and Right move the cursor in the corresponding directions. The X button selects the currently highlighted option and the Circle button returns to a previous screen. During playback, Up and Down show and hide the player options, as does the Square button. Left and Right rewind or fast-forward through the video respectively, while the X buton toggles Play and Pause and the Circle buton closes the video, returning you to the application.

When video playback is choppy or unresponsive, there are a few methods you can use to fix the problem. Start by running an Internet connection test on your PlayStation 3 by selecting "Settings," then "Network Settings" and "Internet Connection Test." The results should indicate whether your connection can handle the stream: Hulu suggests a 1.5 Mbps connection for standard definition and a 3 Mbps connection for high-definition videos. If your PlayStation 3 meets these requirements but Hulu Plus playback is still choppy, shut down your PS3 and disconnect your modem and router's power for about 60 seconds. After plugging everything back in, retry Hulu Plus to see if the playback improves. If choppy playback continues, disconnect any other devices connected to the Internet and verify that bandwidth intensive processes, such as downloading files on your PS3 or PC, are not occurring. As a last ditch effort, deleting and re-installing the Hulu Plus app may solve your issues. If you are still experiencing problems, contact Sony technical support, as there may be some other issue with your PS3, or your Internet Service Provider.