If you have long been awaiting an Apple-based television subscription service, well, this may be the closest we get for a while. Apple added support for Hulu Plus to its Apple TV set-top box.

To start watching Hulu Plus shows instantly, find "Hulu Plus" on the Apple TV home screen. If you are a Hulu Plus subscriber, enter your username and password to start streaming content.

If you do not have a Hulu Plus account, you can sign-up two ways:

1. Go to www.huluplus.com/appletv and register online. Launch Hulu Plus on your Apple TV, log in with your new credentials and start streaming.

2. Create a Hulu Plus account directly through Apple TV by using your existing iTunes account and following the sign up instructions on the screen. If you sign up for Hulu Plus through Apple TV, you will be emailed instructions on how to complete your registration so you can use Hulu Plus on all other supported devices. After your free 1-week trial ends, your iTunes Account will be charged $7.99 per month as a recurring transaction.

For those of you who are new to the service, Hulu Plus is an online video subscription that streams current and classic TV programming on demand from top broadcast networks ABC, NBC, FOX, The CW and Univision. Hulu Plus subscribers can watch on any enabled devices for $7.99/month with advertising. For many popular shows on the service, Hulu Plus offers every episode of the current season. Hulu Plus subscribers also have access to back seasons and full runs of TV?s shows, including many that were not available online before, in HD whenever possible.

Unfortunately, Hulu Plus debuts on Apple TV with restrictions, as the service remains beholden to the licensing agreements from the content providers, which prevent a number of shows from being viewed on the Apple TV or any place other than in a Web browser.