For the brand-new cord cutters and streamers out there, getting your services and hardware up and running can get a little tricky. So we’re putting together a few guides to help walk you through the process. We recently covered how to watch Sling TV on Roku, Fire TV, and Apple TV devices, and for this one, we’re turning our attention to Hulu with Live TV.
Hulu with Live TV in a Nutshell
In essence, Hulu with Live TV is the service’s well-known streaming catalog bundled with, well, live TV service. You get a cloud-based DVR for up to 50 hours of recording time, plus a number of sports, news, and entertainment channels. If you’re looking for more information, you can check out our review here.
It’s important to note that Hulu divides its app support into those current and “Classic” Hulu apps. The older, Classic app is typically still supported on aging devices and still provides access to Hulu’s streaming library, but you can access live TV or most of the premium add-ons. So for this guide, we’re going to focus on the current app.
Watching Hulu with Live TV on Roku Devices
You can watch Hulu Live TV on newer Roku models that support the latest version of Hulu. You’ll also need a Hulu Live TV subscription to watch as well. For slightly older devices, you’ll need to update your firmware to version 8.1 or higher first. You can do that by heading to Settings, selecting System and then click on System update. Hulu says the following models are supported once they’ve been updated to newer firmware versions:
- Roku Ultra
- Roku Premiere and Premiere+
- Roku Express and Express+
- Roku 3 and 4
- Roku 2 (model 4210)
- Roku Streaming Stick (model 3500 or later)
- Roku TV
- 4k Roku TV
If you’re wondering what Roku model you have, head to Settings, select System and then pick About. From there, you should see a list of system details, including your model number.
If you’ve got a supported device and you don’t already have the Hulu app installed, you can search for it directly under the Search menu by using your remote’s four-way directional buttons to enter “Hulu.” You can also head to the Streaming Channels section from the main menu and you should be able to find Hulu in a few of the categories, like Premium Channels or Cable Alternatives.
Watching Hulu with Live TV on Fire TV
Hulu’s current app supports all Fire TV and TV Stick models, so you should be good to go regardless of device type. Amazon’s Fire Tablets can also run the latest app, so you can catch up on live TV throughout the house. Finding and installing the app is as simple as heading to the search menu (the magnifying glass along the top) and using your voice or control device to enter “Hulu.” It should appear among the search results and you should be able to download and install it from there.
At that point, you’ll just need to enter your login details and you should be set to stream.
Watching Hulu with Live TV on Apple TV
Like Sling TV, Hulu’s support for Apple’s streaming devices extends to 4th-generation models and newer, covering new models purchased from the 2015-2016 era to today. The older 2nd- and 3rd-gen models can still make do with the classic app. As far as installing the app, you can head to the App Store on your Apple TV and search for Hulu. It’s worth noting that fairly recent iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touch models also support the current app, meaning you can stream from more places than your living room.
Once it’s installed, just enter your credentials and get to streaming!
That’s really all there is to it! If you’ve confirmed your streaming device supports Hulu with Live TV, you’ve basically done the hardest part. And if you’re a veteran cord cutter or streamer, we’d love to hear from you. Feel free to help out recent streamers by leaving your top Hulu with Live TV tips in the comments section below.
Check out everything about Hulu plans, pricing, and channels here.
Did you know we have a YouTube Channel? Every week we have a live Cord Cutting Q&A, and weekly Cord Cutting recap shows exclusively on our YouTube Channel!
Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for more news, tips, and reviews. Need cord cutting tech support? Join our Cord Cutting Tech Support Facebook Group for help.