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How To Watch Arabic Channels In USA, Canada & Australia

David Morelo — Fri, 10 May 2024 22:12:18 +0000

Some options for watching Arabic channels in the United States, Canada, and Australia are suitable for cord-cutters, whose goal it is to get rid of cable and satellite TV and save as much money as possible. Other options are ideal for those who prefer a more traditional satellite TV experience. Regardless of which two groups you belong to, you’ll be able to satisfy your craving for Arabic TV with the help of this article.

Here’s a quick overview of the various options for watching Arabic channels in the USA, Canada, and Australia:

Solution:	Best For:	Hardware Required?
Direct Channel Streaming	Casual viewers	No
VPN Services	Tech-savvy users wanting access to geo-restricted content	No
MySat	Australian viewers, especially in remote areas	Yes (Dish & Receiver)
ArabCast	Viewers wanting flexible, affordable streaming	No
JadooTV	Those interested in South Asian and Arabic content	Optional (Set-Top Box)
Reelplay Arabic IPTV Box	Users wanting an easy-to-use, dedicated solution	Yes (IPTV Box)
DISH Arabic TV	Users preferring traditional satellite TV	Yes (Dish & Receiver)
Sling TV Arabic	Cord-cutters using multiple devices	No
FilmOn	Budget-conscious viewers	No

Use A VPN To Watch Geo-Restricted Arabic Channels

Many Arabic websites that offer content over the internet are geo-restricted outside the Arab world for legal reasons. This means that if you’re living in the USA, Canada, or Australia, you might encounter frustrating “this content is not available in your region” messages.

Fortunately, such geo-restrictions are easy to circumvent using a Virtual Private Network (VPN). A VPN allows you to connect to servers in different countries, making it appear as if you’re browsing from that location. By connecting to a server in an Arab country, you can unlock access to geo-restricted Arabic content.

My favorite VPN services that works great when it comes to unlocking geo-restricted Arabic channels are:

NordVPN: Known for its extensive server network (including servers in the UAE) and top-notch security features. NordVPN offers excellent performance and user-friendly apps for various devices.
ExpressVPN: Renowned for its fast speeds and ability to unblock a wide range of streaming services. ExpressVPN has servers in almost 100 countries, so it should easily unlock any Arabic content.
CyberGhost: User-friendly with specialized streaming servers. CyberGhost operates servers in Egypt, Israel, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and other countries to provide ample options for accessing Arabic channels.

Recommended For: Tech-savvy users who want to access a wider range of Arabic content, including geo-restricted channels and streaming platforms.

MySat

MySat is an affordable satellite TV service that specializes in providing Arabic channels to viewers in Australia. With a wide selection of channels covering news, sports, entertainment, and religious programming, MySat can make it easy for you to stay connected to your cultural roots.

The Arabic package includes MTV, Al Jadeed, LBCI, Rotana, ART, MBC, DMC, and more channels. The starter kit costs just under $70, and it includes the physical satellite TV box and 3 months of TV subscription. After the first 3 months, TV subscription auto-renews at the regular subscription price, which is around $35.

For those living in more remote parts of Australia where high-speed internet might be inconsistent or unavailable, MySat can be an excellent solution. With the satellite service, you can enjoy your favorite Arabic channels without worrying about internet connectivity issues or buffering problems that often plague streaming services in rural areas.

Recommended For: Individuals seeking a satellite TV solution with a good variety of Arabic channels, especially those in remote locations.

ArabCast

With an impressive lineup of over 400 live Arabic channels, ArabCast offers a comprehensive selection of programming, including news, entertainment, sports, and more. One of ArabCast’s key attractions is its user-friendly approach. You can enjoy ArabCast on any device, including smartphones, tablets, and computers, with the added convenience of casting to your TV using Google Chromecast.

ArabCast offers a pay-as-you-go system with a generous trial period, and their subscriptions are among the most affordable in the market ($4.49 for 1 month, $24.99 for 6 months, or $44.99 for 12 months). There’s no long-term commitment required, giving you the freedom to adjust your viewing options as needed.

In addition to impressive content selection, ArabCast provides 24-hour support to assist you with any issues you might encounter, and there are over 15,000 happy customers who are ready to vouch for the service.

Recommended For: Arabic-speaking viewers who want a flexible, affordable streaming service with a wide range of channels and no need for special hardware.

JadooTV

For those who are interested in a broader range of international programming, particularly South Asian and Bollywood content alongside Arabic channels, JadooTV offers a compelling solution.

The flagship product is the Jadoo7 Android 9 Entertainment Hub, a set-top box priced at €199. This device transforms your TV into a smart entertainment center, offering access to apps, video-on-demand content, and TV series.

For those who prefer to use their existing smart TVs or connected devices, JadooTV offers smart TV apps. These apps are available for a wide range of platforms, including Samsung, Sony, Android TV, LG, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Roku devices. The smart TV app service is priced at €6.99 per month or €69.99 for an annual plan.

Lastly, for viewers on the go, JadooTV provides mobile apps for both iOS and Android devices. Priced at €5.99 per month or €59.99 per year (plus VAT), these apps offer access to live TV channels, a vast library of on-demand content, and a large selection of Bollywood movies.

Recommended For: Viewers who have a broad interest in international content, particularly those who enjoy South Asian programming and Bollywood movies alongside Arabic channels.

Reelplay Arabic IPTV Box

The Reelplay Arabic IPTV box is a compact device, measuring just 9cm x 9cm and 1.8cm, that provides access to a vast array of Arabic channels covering news, sports, entertainment, and more.

The box comes with impressive specifications, including a quad-core Cortex A53 processor, 2GB of RAM, and 16GB of internal storage. It supports dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz/5.0GHz) and includes an Ethernet port for stable internet connectivity.

One of its standout features is the unique 7-day reeltime rewind function, which allows viewers to catch up on missed shows at their convenience. If you find the Reelplay Arabic IPTV box to be an attractive solution, then I recommend their special starter pack, which includes the box and 3 months of free Arabic service for new customers.

Recommended For: Arabic-speaking viewers who don’t have a smart TV capable of smoothly running modern streaming apps and are looking for a plug-and-play style solution that’s easy to set up and use.

DISH Arabic TV

DISH TV is one of the most popular providers of satellite TV in the United States, and the company has several packages with Arabic TV channels, including Arabic Elite Pack, Arabic Music Pack, Arabic IQRAA Pack, Arabic Noursat Pack, and Arabic Aghapy TV Pack. This is what’s included in each package.

We recommend Arabic Elite Pack because it includes a wide variety of TV channels, covering dramas, music, news, political updates, religious programming, and more. Arabic Elite Pack costs $34.99 a month with a two-year commitment. DISH TV users can customize their Arabic TV package with extra channels, including Willow Cricket HD, NDTV 24*7, France 24, and others.

New subscribers to DISH TV get professional installation for free, and it doesn’t matter how many TVs you want to connect to your satellite.

Recommended For: Those who are used to the satellite TV experience and are willing to pay a premium price for it.

Sling TV Arabic

Owned by Dish Network, Sling TV is a popular American over-the-top internet television service that you can watch using Roku, Apple TV, Samsung TV, LG TV, Android, iOS, Xbox One, Amazon FireTV, Azulle, Windows, Google Chrome, AndroidTV, Chromecast, and AirTV.

With Sling TV, you can watch over 130 Arabic TV channels broadcasting from 15 Middle Eastern countries. Some of the most popular Arabic TV channels available on Sling TV include MBC, Aljazeera, ART, LBCI, Aljadeed, Rotana, CBC, DMC, and Melody. For more information on the Arabic TV channels offered by Sling TV, read this channel guide. For Lebanese abroad, you’ll even be able to watch MTV Lebanon online.

Sling TV Arabic costs either $25 a month or $150 a year. Regardless of if you choose the monthly or annual subscription, you always get a 7-day free trial that allows you to evaluate the service without forcing you to make a commitment.

Recommended For: Cord-cutters who want to watch Arabic TV on many different devices.

FilmOn

FilmOn is an internet-based television provider with multiple Arabic channels, including Rotana Aflam, Al Jazeera, BBC Arabic TV, Dubai TV, AYAAT, and others. The service costs $19.95 per month or $199 per year (you get two months of free service).

FilmOn launched in 2009 in the United Kingdom and a year later in the United States. At the time of writing, it licenses several hundred channels and nearly 100,000 video-on-demand titles. Being an internet-based television provider, you can watch FilmOn on just about any device.

Recommended For: Budget-minded individuals who are looking for a cost-effective way to watch Arabic TV on the go.

Watch Arabic TV Channels Directly

Some Arabic TV channels, such as Alsumaria or Nessma stream their live TV programming on the internet, so you can simply tune in from any country and start watching.

If you’re fine with watching Arabic TV in a web browser and can live without extra features, this method of watching Arabic TV channels in the United States, Canada, and Australia is certainly worth trying, especially considering that it doesn’t cost anything at all.

Recommended For: Casual viewers who don’t often watch Arabic TV.

Also Read: PayPal In Lebanon: Everything You Need To Know

Bonus: If you’re into watching Arabic movies (especially those good old classics), then you can also check out Cinemoz, the fastest growing premium video on demand platform in the Arab World.

The post How To Watch Arabic Channels In USA, Canada & Australia appeared first on Tech Magazine.

How Edge Computing Helps Streaming Services Streamline Their Content Delivery

ManageEngine — Wed, 06 Sep 2023 07:00:12 +0000

Video streaming services have seen steady growth over the last decade or so. Similar to how cable and satellite TV replaced radio and theaters as the primary mode of audiovisual entertainment, the advent of streaming services has completely changed the way we consume such entertainment and is in the process of rendering traditional TV media obsolete. When it comes to the advantages of streaming services, remember the three Cs: choice, control, and convenience. This is where video streaming services have an edge over cable and satellite TV.

While these services have always been hugely popular, the lockdowns of the early 2020s catalyzed an even bigger surge in their popularity. However, this sudden influx of users worldwide also shone a spotlight on the vulnerabilities of this technology, mostly as a result of its reliance on a cloud service model. The overwhelming demand created by millions stuck in their homes led to issues such as frequent buffering, reduced quality, and sometimes even server outages, and this was only a few weeks into lockdown.

The problem is, the cloud service model has some fundamental flaws that make it unsuited to deal with the rising demands of the streaming market. The large distances between users and data centers paired with the heightened workload due to an ever-increasing number of streaming requests means this model is no longer viable for streaming. There’s only so much you can do, and beyond a certain point, you’re just beating a dead horse. So, it’s time for a switch because the future of streaming lies in edge computing.

By creating a network of distributed edge servers close to the users in a particular area, streaming services can ensure that they are bridging the gap to their users while also creating reliable streaming channels that have plenty of bandwidth to provide disruption-free service.

Advantages Of Edge Computing For Media Streaming

Increased Speed And Reduced Latency

Edge computing enables streaming services to set up dedicated edge servers for a particular city or locality. By placing these servers close to the user and caching popular content locally, thanks to the storage capabilities of the edge, streaming services can greatly reduce latency-induced buffering and increase the speed at which content is delivered to the user.

We’re talking about a server that is set up with the sole purpose of taking requests from a specific area as opposed to a centralized cloud server taking requests from around the world. Combine this with the reduced physical distance between the server and user, along with the content caching capabilities of the edge, and you have a seamless channel that supports faster content delivery with significantly reduced lag or buffering.

Enhanced Quality And Reliability

Since edge servers deal with reduced traffic and distance, streaming services can ensure that the content being sent to the user is consistently high quality.

Edge servers also spread out the workload, preventing the central server from getting overwhelmed by requests. This also means there is no central point of failure. If one edge server malfunctions, the rest of the network continues to function as intended.

Improved Scalability

Edge computing architecture naturally lends itself to horizontal scaling. You can set up more edge servers to deal with increasing demand, and since these edge servers are not overly complex or pricey to set up, you can also keep costs in check. This is in stark contrast to central servers, where you’re forced to scale vertically as the costs of setting up a brand new central server are exorbitant.

Better Response Times For Cloud Gaming

Yes, video game streaming is a thing, too. It works pretty similarly to video streaming but with an added layer of complexity. Video games are inherently interactive by design, and streaming services must ensure that these interactions are seamless and instant. This doesn’t work in the case of a centralized cloud server. The only way video game streaming (aka cloud gaming) will work is when the games are being run at the edge.

Cloud gaming works by hosting or running games on extremely powerful servers; the gameplay is streamed to the user’s device and their inputs are sent back to the server. Cloud gaming enables users to run extremely demanding and resource-intensive games remotely, which would otherwise not be possible due to local hardware limitations.

By hosting games close to the users at the edge, cloud gaming service providers can ensure quick and smooth response times. And if cloud gaming catches on, we’re looking at tech that will not just change the future of gaming but interactive media as a whole.

Closing Thoughts

Recent advancements in media streaming have completely changed the way we consume entertainment. From the elimination of local storage to the cost-effectiveness of having access to vast content libraries for a small subscription fee, this tech has also made entertainment incredibly convenient. The rising demand for streaming has necessitated sweeping changes to its infrastructure and, well, nothing does the job as well as the edge. Let’s see where it goes from here.

The post How Edge Computing Helps Streaming Services Streamline Their Content Delivery appeared first on Tech Magazine.

Best Video Streaming Services In The Middle East

David Morelo — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 16:44:55 +0000

Are you tired of scrolling through a never-ending list of video streaming options with lackluster regional content or nonexistent availability in your location? Look no further because we’ve done the legwork for you and rounded up the best video streaming services in the Middle East. With them, you’ll be able to say goodbye to malware-ridden illegal streaming sites and hello to endless hours of quality entertainment.

#1- Netflix

Number of subscribers in the MENA region: 7.5 million

With its more than 200 million global subscribers and worldwide availability, it’s no surprise that Netflix is the most popular video streaming service in MENA. When it launched in 2007, it single-handedly disrupted the stale movie rental industry by offering a much more convenient alternative powered by the internet.

Today, Netflix offers a wide variety of content to its MENA subscribers, including movies, TV shows, documentaries, and original programming that you won’t wind anywhere else, such as Wednesday, BoJack Horseman, The Queen’s Gambit, The Crown, The Umbrella Academy, Stranger Things, or The Witcher.

The least expensive Netflix plan costs AED 29 in the United Arab Emirates, and it lets you watch on up to one screen at a time. To consume content on more screens simultaneously, and enjoy better video quality, you can upgrade to two more expensive plans (AED 39 for two screens and AED 56 for four screens).

#2- Starzplay Arabia

Number of subscribers in the MENA region: 2.1 million

Owned by Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation, Starzplay Arabia is the second most popular video streaming service in the Middle East. The service has a strong focus on Arabic content and offers a wide selection of Arabic films and TV shows, such as Shams Al Shita and Ikhtifaa, but there’s also no shortage of Western movies and TV shows.

Sports fans can enjoy exclusive access to all 380 matches of the Italian league, Serie A, live with Arabic and English commentary, watch live cricket matches, and enjoy many more major international sports events. Starzplay Arabia costs AED 40 a month.

#3- Amazon Prime Video

Number of subscribers in the MENA region: 2 million

Amazon’s video streaming service is gaining a lot of popularity in the MENA region, and it’s easy to see why. The service is offered as part of Amazon Prime, a paid subscription service that includes Amazon Prime Video, a subscription video-on-demand over-the-top streaming and rental service, as well as free shipping, exclusive shopping deals, and free video games, among other things.

It costs AED 140 a year or AED 16 a month to become a Prime member, and around 2 million people in the MENA region have already decided to sign up. Prime members can watch original shows like The Grand Tour, The Expanse, Homecoming, or The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and there’s plenty of third-party content as well.

#4- Disney+

Number of subscribers in the MENA region: 1.1 million

Disney+ launched in Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, UAE, and Yemen only last year, and it already has more than 1 million subscribers. The service provides access to an extensive library of classic Disney films, beloved movies from Pixar and Marvel, the entire Star Wars saga, educational programming from National Geographic, and more.

In the United Arab Emirates, Disney+ costs AED 29.99 a month or AED 298.99 a year. All subscribers can watch on up to four devices at the same time and download an unlimited number of TV shows or movies on up to 10 devices. Robust parental controls are available to help parents ensure their kids can see only age-appropriate content.

#5- MBC Shahid

Number of subscribers in the MENA region: 1 million

Shahid is a streaming service run by Saudi media conglomerate MBC Group. The service focuses on Arabic content, offering plenty of Arabic movies and TV shows to keep you entertained for a long time, including Confession, Stiletto, Fareed, Heera, and Brando El Sharq.

There are three paid subscription plans you can choose from: VIP (EUR 7.99), VIP | Sports (EUR 12.99), and Ultimate (EUR 15.49). All three plans include Shahid Originals, exclusive series and movie premieres, live TV channels, and Roshn Saudi League, but only the Ultimate plan adds live events, concerts, and more from Riyadh and Jeddah Season.

Conclusion

So there you have it — the best video streaming services in the Middle East. From Netflix’s American hit shows to Starz Play’s Arabic dramas to Disney+’s family-friendly content and much more, the world of subscription video-on-demand services in the Middle East and North Africa region has something for everyone. But don’t just take our word for it; give these streaming services a try to see which of them can satisfy your viewing needs and desires the best. Happy streaming!

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