Catch up on your favourite SBS programs and watch hundreds of great movies for free with SBS On Demand.
Catch up on your favourite SBS programs and watch hundreds of great movies for free with SBS On Demand.SBS On Demand quick facts
What is SBS On Demand? A video streaming service for watching a wide range of movies and TV shows from SBS's catalogue.
Where can I watch SBS On Demand? SBS On Demand is available on most mobile devices, smart TVs, set-top boxes and computers.
Does SBS On Demand cost anything? No, but you'll have to sign up for a free SBS account before you can watch anything.
SBS, the Special Broadcasting Service, is an Australian public broadcasting network that was founded in 1978. SBS is one of Australia’s five main free-to-air TV networks and its purpose is “to provide multilingual and multicultural radio and television services that inform, educate and entertain all Australians and, in doing so, reflect Australia's multicultural society”.
SBS Online is the network’s online portal and plays host to SBS On Demand, a video streaming service. This service allows Australians to watch more of their favourite SBS programs anytime and without having to pay a fee. Users can browse through thousands of TV series, documentaries, movies, news and sport programs and watch them whenever they wish.
Streaming
SBS On Demand offers a free video streaming service to people all over Australia. Streaming provides a special technique for transferring multimedia data, allowing it to be sent in a steady uninterrupted stream. This means that users can watch videos from a provider in real time, as opposed to downloading a video file to their computer for later viewing.
SBS On Demand offers thousands of programs for viewing. Some of the programs available through SBS on Demand include:
- Documentaries
- Comedy series
- Drama series
- Cooking shows
- News programs
- Sports highlights
- Movies
The best part about SBS On Demand’s video streaming service is that it is entirely free. There are no subscription costs and there is no need to fork out any money at all to utilise the service, plus you can use it whenever you want. There’s also no limit to how many times you can view a program, but keep in mind that shows and films will expire after they have been featured on the website for a certain period of time. Videos expire because SBS only has the rights from each production company to offer programs for a limited period.
To watch a video, all you have to do is click on it and it will start playing. You can search for a particular program, or browse through categories such as Programs, Film or News & Sport. You can view programs that have been recently added or that may be expiring soon, while you can also search for shows in your favourite genre, for example, the arts or comedy.
Signing up to an SBS On Demand account
To stream SBS On Demand, users must create a free account using their personal email address. SBS On Demand's new account system allows you to queue your streams and subscribe to upcoming TV shows. It also allows you to pick up where you left off when you sign into another device, much like Netflix or Stan.
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Compatible devices
SBS On Demand is available on a wide range of devices, allowing you to watch your favourite shows in your preferred format. Compatible devices include:
- Phones and tablets. You can watch SBS On Demand on Apple devices running iOS 9.3.5 and above and Android phones and tablets running Android 4.4 and above.
- Personal computers. SBS On Demand is available on all PCs.
- Internet-enabled TVs. Watch on select models of Samsung TVs and Blu-ray players, LG TVs, Panasonic TVs, Hisense TVs, TCL TVs and HbbTV-enabled TVs and devices.
- Gaming consoles. You can view your favourite SBS programs on Xbox 360 and Xbox One.
- Set-top boxes. You can also access SBS On Demand through Telstra TV and Fetch set-top boxes.
Frequently asked questions
Q: How can I save a video to watch later?
To do this you will need to access your playlist, which can be done on any device that allows you to watch SBS On Demand. You can add a video to your playlist by clicking the ‘+ Add to playlist’ button in the description dropdown for each video. Once you see a green tick appear, the video has been successfully added to your playlist.
Q: How do I know which devices are compatible with SBS On Demand?
A: See a full list above under the ‘Compatible Devices’ heading.
Q: Is SBS On Demand available outside Australia?
A: No. Rights agreements mean that SBS On Demand can only be accessed from within Australia.
Q: How can I find the program I want?
A: You can search for a particular program by typing its name into the search box at the top of your screen. If it doesn’t show up in results, the program may have expired or SBS may not have the rights to screen it through its On Demand service.
Q: How long are programs available for?
A: This varies depending on the rights agreement in place for each program. Some shows, for example RocKwiz and Go Back To Where You Came From, are available indefinitely. Others may be available for seven days, 14 days or even 30 days. Movies are available for one year and new titles are regularly added.
Q: Is unmetered viewing available?
A: No, SBS does not have any deals in place with internet service providers to offer unmetered viewing. Watching programs on SBS On Demand will count towards your monthly download limit.
Q: How much data will I use when I watch a video?
A: SBS provides the following guide for average data usage per hour at different video qualities:
- Low quality: up to 100MB
- Medium quality: up to 250MB
- High quality: up to 500MB
- Very High quality: up to 700MB
- Max quality: up to 1.2GB
Check with your ISP to confirm what your monthly download limit is.
Q: How fast does my internet connection need to be?
A: SBS recommends an internet connection speed of 1.5 Mbps or above to use SBS On Demand.
Q: Which web browsers does SBS On Demand support?
A: You’ll need to use Firefox 3.5 or above, Internet Explorer 8 or above, Google Chrome or Safari.
Q: How can I enable closed captions on my video?
A: Once the advertisement at the start of your video has finished, click the ‘CC’ icon in the video’s control panel. At the time of writing, closed captions were only available through the SBS On Demand website and not through any of the SBS On Demand apps.
Q: Can I watch SBS On Demand on my Samsung Smart TV?
A: Yes you can. If you’re experiencing any problems with video playback, you may need to update the software to the latest version.
Q: What are the minimum technical requirements for using the SBS On Demand app on an Apple device?
A: To watch SBS on Demand through an iPhone, iPad or other Apple device, you need to be running iOS 9.3.5 or later.
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Could you please tell me how do I get SBS on Demand through a Fetch box, just bought one, as I am technologically challenged with all this new technology.
Hi Paul,
Thank you for getting in touch with finder.
To watch SBS on Demand, please go Menu, then TV , catch up then select SBS ON DEMAND.
I hope this helps.
Thank you and have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Jeni
I want to stream SBS on my iPad. How?
Hi Barry,
Thanks for getting in touch with finder. I hope all is well with you. :)
You can stream SBS on your iPad by downloading the SBS On Demand app. Once you have the app on your iPad, log into your account and start watching SBS.
I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach us out again.
Have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Joshua
Hi
Can I send a link to a friend in the USA so that they can watch an episode of Great British Train Journey with Michael Portillo?
Warm regards,
Graeme
Hi Graeme,
Thank you for getting in touch with finder.
Yes, you may do so however you friend in the US must sign up with SBS on Demand page online.
I hope this helps.
Please feel free to reach out to us if you have any other enquiries.
Thank you and have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Jeni
I am trying to log in. It’s been a while. I’m told I already have an account. Need to reset my PW. When I received my email with the link it wouldn’t click. So I google searched found it. I got as far as adding my new PW only to have an error. It suggested a PW so I went with that. Still can not log in. Can not log in through my FaceBook or Google accounts. So I did the contact form and surprise another error . It’s very frustrating to say the least when I just want to do the right thing and stream where I’m allowed. What on earth is happening I am using Chrome on my PC. Why is this soooo hard.
Hi Helen,
Thanks for leaving a question on finder.
It looks like you have exhausted all possible troubleshooting steps to resolve your issue. I suggest you contact SBS directly instead. Hope this gets fixed ASAP.
Please send me a message if you need anything else. :)
Cheers,
Joel
SBS on demand most definitely DOES NOT have season 1 of The Handmaid’s Tale. I’ve just signed up to the website hoping that it would show me more once signed up, but no, it is not on there. Only season 2. How to unsubscribe?
Hello Claire,
Thank you for your comment.
We apologize for the confusion. Upon checking, at midnight of 30 June, the first season of The Handmaid’s Tale left SBS On Demand. Hence, the said series is no longer available for streaming on SBS on demand. To opt out or delete your personal information from SBS on demand, you may contact them directly.
Should you wish to have real-time answers to your questions, try our chat box on the lower right corner of our page.
Regards,
Jhezelyn
I was logged on to sbs now I cant log on as it says I have to provide number and when it displays all done I will be ok How and where do I input this information I have entered my facebook id on my Ipad and it came back online How do I get back onto my tv with sbs on demand
Hi Gary,
Thank you for your inquiry.
You can try to reinstall SBS app on your TV if it has that option then try to log in with your account again. You may also do ‘refresh content’ from your TV settings. Since SBS app is working fine on your iPad, you’ll need to do some basic troubleshooting on your TV if you can’t log in from there.
I suggest contacting your TV’s manufacturer technical support to provide you assistance.
Best regards,
Rench
Have I got to have an app on my iPad to access sbs on demand
Hi Sunny,
Thank you for your inquiry.
1. Phones and tablets. You can watch SBS On Demand on iOS devices and iPod Touch, Android phones and tablets, Samsung Mobile, Kindle Fire devices, and Windows Phone 7 and 8 devices.
2. Personal computers. SBS On Demand is available on all PCs.
3. Internet-enabled TVs. Watch on Samsung TVs and Blu-ray players, LG TVs, Panasonic TVs, Hisense TVs, TCL TVs and HbbTV-enabled TVs and devices.
4. Gaming consoles. You can view your favourite SBS programs on Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3 and Playstation 4.
5. Set-top boxes. You can also access SBS On Demand through Telstra T-box set-top boxes, FetchTV set-top boxes and Humax set-top boxes.
I hope this information has helped.
Cheers,
Harold
Hi thank you so much for replying – How do I update the latest software for SBS On Demand – I was under the impression that I already had the latest update as my TV is only 2 yrs old. The Samsung Smart TV is also in our bedroom (smaller version) and nothing is wrong with SBS On Demand????
Hi Janet,
Thank you for your comment.
If On Demand videos aren’t loading, there may be an issue with your network connection or device. Updating to the latest version is one of the troubleshooting steps. If you are unable to update it, try deleting and reinstalling the SBS On Demand app. You may also:
– Restart your network connection (including unplugging your modem from its power source for at least two minutes)
– Try connecting your smart TV directly to your modem. If this works, there’s likely an issue with the router itself
– Restart your network connection
– Make sure you’re not using a custom DNS or VPN
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Jhezelyn
We have a
Samsung Smart TV and have been happily watching shows and movies via SBS on demand – about 1 week ago the picture size dramatically increased and is so large will nit fit on screen – this only happens with SBS on Demand and not on TV I view or any normal channels – how can I fix the picture size?
Hi Janet,
Thanks for reaching out.
If you’re experiencing any problems with video playback, you may need to update the software to the latest version. You may read further on here.
Cheers,
Joanne
I used to watch sbs on demand now i find that account is required.
as i understand sbs is founded by australian taxpayers that means me i don’t want to have an account with sbs don’t want give sbs any of my details to me that means i am getting nothing for my money, how the hell does sbs get away with this, isn’t there some minister elected to protect my interest and my privacy, tell me sbs what the hell are you doing
Hi Djed,
Thanks for your inquiry.
ou now need to sign in to access SBS On Demand — it’s free, quick and easy. This login can be used across all of your favourite SBS apps and devices and will help us to build a more personalised viewing experience for you — connecting you to more of what you love and giving you access to exclusive and fast-tracked premium series and movies as soon as they’re available.
Once you’re logged in, you’ll be able to manage your favourites, which lets you queue and subscribe to your favourite shows and over the coming months, you’ll be able to search programs by language, country, or category and resume playback from where you left off across multiple devices.
Hope this information helped.
Cheers,
Arnold
Hi Arnold,
thank you for quick reply,
as i understand it, sbs is free to air broadcaster and that is exactly my point i would like it to be just that – free to air.
I am of the opinion that sbs was never meant to become “nanny state benevolent institution” who for the price of my personal details is willing to enhance my viewing experience.
Hello djed,
Thank you for your question.
We understand that you have concerns about your information. Please take note that this is finder.com.au., and we don’t represent SBS on Demand.
SBS collect your details to get a clearer picture of the type of viewership their clients have, which will help them design or create the shows, responsive to your interests. Also, this is to provide relevant advertising to you.
Terms of Use and Privacy Policy is published on their webpage vis-a-vis with what they do with customers’ data.
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Jonathan