Stan Streaming Service: Australian Hands On

If you haven’t met Stan yet, all you need to know is that it’s an streaming video on demand (SVOD) service built by Aussies, for Aussies. The people at StreamCo noticed we were using a lot of Netflix via US-based VPN services, and supplementing that with a hell of a lot of pirated content. After a bit of research, the StreamCo people figured out that a cheap service with lots of content for Aussies would go down well. Set to launch next year, Stan will cost around $10 per month and carry exclusive content from the likes of Sony Pictures (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul), as well as content from MGM Studios. More partners will be announced ahead of the launch, which is expected in the next few months. [...] As far as the quality of the stream is concerned, Stan looks amazing. Wherever possible, the content acquired has been HD. Full 1080p HD, that is. Not fake 720p HD that looks blocky on your TV. Stan will also have 5.1 surround sound support. [...] You’ll only need a 2Mbps stream to get access to SD content on Stan, and 4Mbps and above for HD content, we’re told. [...] 2015 is going to be a massive year for SVOD, with Netflix launching, Stan launching, Quickflix ramping up a SVOD service and Foxtel trying to leverage its content deals to keep up. If you like streaming, you’re going to have a great year as a consumer. - Luke Hopewell,Gizmodo Australia [via/web:http://streaming-tv.us]