new version + hulu update
we started boxee because there was an opportunity in the media center space for a product/company who put the user first, while respecting the rights of content owners. over the past year and a half we’ve listened to users, content owners, investors, working to create that platform.
while we don’t come from an entertainment or cable background, we are learning quickly. it is a complex business. our meetings with Hulu and their content providers reinforced that point. the fact that it’s becoming easy to consume Internet video on a TV brings into question many of the industry’s business models that developed before the web. that’s part of the reason why Hulu asked to be removed from boxee. our meetings over the past week weren’t able to change that. but the people in the industry “get itâ€. they are users. they read the blogs. they talk with users. they are trying to adjust to a new reality, but they need time.
users on the other hand, won’t wait. as we’ve seen over the past few weeks, users will take matters into their own hands to get the content they want.  witnessing this, we’ve decided to enable access to their favorite content using a new built-in RSS reader optimized for video. like IE, Firefox, or Google reader, the RSS reader supports Google Video, Yahoo!, YouTube and feeds from many other websites. while it’s not as attractive or robust as our previous Hulu application, it will additionally support Hulu’s public RSS feeds.
the extended support for RSS is part of a new version of the boxee alpha (no update for Ubuntu, yet). it includes two new features that are still under development:
- App Box – this is a first take at an application “store†that makes it easy for users to install new apps and plugins. there is also native support for 3rd party repositories, so you don’t have to rely on boxee as a gatekeeper for what goes into the official boxee app store. for example, you can add dir.boxeehq.com as a repository to get access to all the boxeehq.com apps.
- auto update – long time in the making and really bad form on our part for not having it from the beginning. but better later than never. no need to check on Twitter or our blog to know that there is a new version. now you’ll be prompted to update boxee whenever there is a new release ready.
this is a bleeding-edge release. not for the faint of heart since it did not go through much testing. we are on track to release a more stable update on March 24th.
if you’re in NYC on the 24th then you should come to the boxee meetup. we will release the new alpha version during the event and share some concrete plans for the beta.
subscribe to blog
@boxee on twitter
join boxee
Excited to try this out!
Will this release include any fix for the broken virtual keyboard with LIRC remotes on Ubuntu, and the M4A/MP3 playback issues?
no Ubuntu version. yet. working on it. sorry
aye, I am anxiously waiting for the Ubuntu version!
hi ben – we found the issue with the audio playback on linux, but we will not be releasing linux probably till the meetup on the 24th. its not stable enough, unfortunately.
Thanks for all the hard work.
What about iPhoto support, it seems not to work with the new iLife or am I missing something?
well, them apple apps are not really open to connect to, you know. this plugin was made by the community, and we know it breaks with different versions. what we saw was fixed by us/community. we probably don’t have your version.
http://www.webolobby.com/2009/03/boxee-has-brought-back-hulu-different.html
I’m just glad to see things are once again moving in a positive direction.
Thanks for all the hard work!
App Box sounds fun. I’m glad you guys have designed it to be open from the start, too. I notice it gets the capitalisation too, so it must be important
Any chance of seeing a post about the new UI changes you guys are planning and some kind of development milestones/roadmap? Been waiting to hear about this stuff for a while. As a UI junkie (and someone outside of the USA, so not terribly interested in Hulu beyond empathy), this is the stuff I’m most interested in for Boxee’s future builds at present.
I’m sorry to go on about it – I know things have gotten busy with the Hulu situation, etc – but I thought the point was to blog about it and discuss the UI changes with the community before actually implementing them.
Something… anything, please? (Can discuss via email if you want)
i should have posted about our coming UI changes long ago.. will do it next week. will talk about the features and as they relate to UI.
we may share some screenshots on the boxee nyc meetup on the 24th
Great news! Appreciate having Hulu content back via RSS.
I’ll have a look at the other features in the new build after I catch up on the Hulu shows I had skipped since Hulu was pulled from the product.
Thanks for the updates and the return of hulu. I find it very odd that hulu would target a specific platform for blocking their content.
Wonderful – Hulu’s back, and with a much, much better browsing interface than before!! (Now if only you could add a one-step pause to stop playback, rather than the two-step play/pause method currently in place.) Thanks, Boxee!
i know. annoying. we’re fixing it.
so now someone just needs to develop a third party app for watching Hulu
sorted.
The 3rd party App for HULU is being developed its called the XBMC HULU plugin but as soon it works on XBMC\Boxee\Plex HULU goes and breaks it again .
http://xbmc.org/forum/showthread.php?t=45888
For anyone trying this out wanting to use the “App Box” feature, try putting in my plugin repository, “http://dir.thejakemarsh.com” – you’ll get my plugin “TV Library” when you do, over 1500 TV Shows to watch all free
– more info about it here: http://thejakemarsh.com/1808/
what?.. so I Need new apple tv hack to put back boxee.. I installed the new update from apple since I didn’t like boxee without hulu…
Thank you. IMO the RSS feed is better than the old Hulu interface, that is if you’re into recent episodes of the top 10 or 20 shows.
excited to head home and try this. woohoo!
I’m downloading this now, great to hear – it’s unfortunate these companies haven’t figured out how to model for this future market, but someday very soon it’ll be my generation leading those bulky companies. Hopefully that’ll be the death of this fear of technology.
Well NONE of the hulu rss feeds are working they say temporarily unavailable. If you try to choose the video alphabetically by choosing a letter in the hulu feed app on the right side it does not work. Also he links at the top of the reader ie the screen shot links dont seem to work either.
I’m experiencing the same issues (ATV).
Hulu Broke MymediaPlayer last week now they are breaking HULU RSS feed player
Selecting a name from the comprehensive list, either by scrolling or jumping using the alphabet on the right brings up a full-screen splash photo for the show, but no episodes….
BUT
Using Search to find a series name (”chuck” or “heroes”), but not episode name, brings up a screen full of cartouches of the episodes! AND THEY PLAY.
Hiya
This is great news – and just added quite a few of the apps from the App Box – it’s just not fast enough! hehe (joke, it’s super fast and soooo muich better than editing XML files, well done!)
I tried dir.boxeehq.com and received a not authorised, then feed loading failed … is this a problem at your end or (I suspect) at boxeehq’s end? [I know they've JUST moved hosting so it may be related to that!]
Looking forward to a list of what’s in the new release and a roadmap as well – come on, you knew the second you posted, the floodgates of comments were opened!
Marky_UK
why is Netflix and ABC missing from the ATV version of Boxee. I set it up on my Mac raced to install it on my ATV, but was disappointed not to see them there. What gives?
good work you are the best
I love boxee
How about mythtv backend connectivity? I still get no love on my ‘Buntu box between myth and boxee….
Hello!
Very Interesting post! Thank you for such interesting resource!
PS: Sorry for my bad english, I’v just started to learn this language
See you!
Your, Raiul Baztepo
Hi !!!! ^_^
My name is Piter Kokoniz. Just want to tell, that I like your blog very much!
And want to ask you: what was the reasson for you to start this blog?
Sorry for my bad english:)
Thank you:)
Your Piter Kokoniz, from Latvia
[...] a statement, posted on the Boxee blog, the developers explain: “We started Boxee because there was an opportunity in the media [...]
[...] Reading? Boxee have released an updated version of their eponymous media center software, but the much hoped-for Hulu [...]
[...] Más información: Blog de Boxee [...]
[...] 6, 2009 · No Comments Boxee has Hulu back, sort of, through Hulu’s RSS feeds. The key point, from Boxee’s blog: while we don’t come from [...]
[...] has reinstated the premium content service — albeit it in a not-quite-as-elegant manner. Via Boxee blog post: we’ve decided to enable access to their favorite content using a new built-in RSS reader [...]
[...] 24th. Otherwise, tell us what else is new, and voice any support problems or tips, in the comments. new version + hulu update [Boxee [...]
[...] 24th. Otherwise, tell us what else is new, and voice any support problems or tips, in the comments. new version + hulu update [Boxee [...]
[...] is a new version of Boxee out today with some really great new features in my [...]
[...] Before we get you all excited, we’ll quote boxee’s ending of its announcement before anything else: “This is a bleeding edge release, not for the faint of heart since it didn’t go through much testing.” If you’re the brave type, you’re going to want to install the latest version of boxee this instance, as it not only brings back Hulu (in a sense), but it also throws in a boxee application market (App Box) and a much-needed Auto Update feature that will inform you automatically of future builds. So, you’re hungry for more on that Hulu bit, right? This version of the application brings along a built-in RSS reader optimized for video, and obviously, it fully supports Hulu’s public RSS feeds. Needless to say, we’re loving the direction this little app is going, so make sure you give it a go and report back with any praises or complaints.Source [...]
[...] of online video on Macs, PCs, and devices like the Apple TV that connect directly to user TVs, released a “bleeding-edge” software update that enables users to watch videos through a built-in RSS feed [...]
[...] macht das ein in Boxee integrierter RSS-Reader, für Videoinhalte optimiert ist. Boxee selbst gibt aber zu, dass Nutzung von Hulu über RSS ängst nicht so praktisch sei wie früher. Autor: Datum: [...]
[...] pessoal do Boxee anunciou hoje um update para o seu produto homônimo que deixará os usuários do Hulu nos Estados Unidos muito contentes: [...]
[...] that are available as public feeds. The is a kind of a kluge but it will do for now. Boxee also announced appbox which like appstore for [...]
[...] a new alpha update for Mac OS X 10.4 and 10.5 users and Apple TV users. This update, which the boxee team classifies as bleeding-edge (which means, if you don’t want to deal with any potential bugs, [...]
[...] a blog post today, Avner Ronen announced a new Boxee update. In characterizing the issues with Hulu, he said [...]
[...] a new alpha update for Mac OS X 10.4 and 10.5 users and Apple TV users. This update, which the boxee team classifies as bleeding-edge (which means, if you don’t want to deal with any potential bugs, [...]
[...] update on Boxee and Hulu http://blog.boxee.tv/2009/03/06/new-version-hulu-update/ 3 hrs [...]
[...] Boxee sidestepped those concerns and announced that it was releasing a new version of its program with a built-in RSS feed reader optimized for video. That will allow its generally sophisticated [...]
[...] have released an updated version of their eponymous media center software, but the much hoped-for Hulu [...]
[...] edge release that contains and RSS reader that will allow you to watch Hulu again. From the Boxee blog here [...]
[...] 24th. Otherwise, tell us what else is new, and voice any support problems or tips, in the comments. new version + hulu update [Boxee [...]
[...] it’s not really the same: Boxee has brought back Hulu by extending its support for RSS feeds, and is pulling the video content in that [...]
[...] Boxee sidestepped those concerns and announced that it was releasing a new version of its program with a built-in RSS feed reader optimized for video. That will allow its generally sophisticated [...]
[...] a new alpha update for Mac OS X 10.4 and 10.5 users and Apple TV users. This update, which the boxee team classifies as bleeding-edge (which means, if you don’t want to deal with any potential bugs, [...]
[...] along with putting a big hurt on boxee as I see Hulu as the Holy Grail of internet tv. Well today boxee released a new version that is running off RSS feeds. While hulu could block it, I think it would be a bad idea. I [...]
[...] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments [...]
[...] large set of RSS feeds, and extended support for RSS in Boxee’s new alpha version, as discussed by the Boxee folks here. As Silicon Alley Insider [...]
[...] have released an updated version of their eponymous media center software, but the much hoped-for Hulu [...]
[...] shut down content access via Boxee, citing a request by its media providers. Early Friday, Boxee released a new build that gave users access again, by using the RSS feeds of Hulu. _____________ Source: [...]
[...] shut down content access via Boxee, citing a request by its media providers. Early Friday, Boxee released a new build that gave users access again, by using the RSS feeds of Hulu. as we’ve seen over the [...]
[...] shut down content access via Boxee, citing a request by its media providers. Early Friday, Boxee released a new build that gave users access again, by using the RSS feeds of Hulu. as we’ve seen over the [...]
[...] 24th. Otherwise, tell us what else is new, and voice any support problems or tips, in the comments. new version + hulu update [Boxee [...]
[...] it’s not really the same: Boxee has brought back Hulu by extending its support for RSS feeds, and is pulling the video content in that way. “Like IE, Firefox, or Google Reader, the [...]
[...] Friday morning, Boxee announced a workaround to the Hulu issue. By introducing a new built-in RSS reader optimized for video, Boxee at a stroke [...]
[...] update on Boxee and Hulu http://blog.boxee.tv/2009/03/06/new-version-hulu-update/ [...]
[...] couple days ago, boxee announced that Hulu would return via RSS feeds. Soon after that announcement, Hulu proceeded to block access [...]
[...] 1:44 a.m. on Friday, March 6, Boxee released a “bleeding-edge” software update that enabled users to watch exclusive full-length video from NBC [...]
[...] shut down content access via Boxee, citing a request by its media providers. Early Friday, Boxee released a new build that gave users access again, by using the RSS feeds of Hulu. as we’ve seen over the [...]
[...] We’re showing up in the App Box now. Grab the latest release of Boxee, go to App Box and click on [...]
[...] a new alpha update for Mac OS X 10.4 and 10.5 users and Apple TV users. This update, which the boxee team classifies as bleeding-edge (which means, if you don’t want to deal with any potential bugs, [...]
[...] networks than they do from the internet streams), but that hasn’t stopped them from pushing forward. The latest example? Boxee Remote for [...]
[...] networks than they do from the internet streams), but that hasn’t stopped them from pushing forward. The latest example? Boxee Remote for [...]