Business and Finance

Top Websites for Watching TV and Movies Online in Malaysia

By Leaping Post

Posted on November 2, 2013

QVIVO - 720

The way we access and consume television programs and movies have changed a lot in the past ten years, thanks to the rapid advancement of technology and the Internet. Watching TV online and viewing movies on our various mobile devices (smartphones, laptops, and tablets) have become the norm over the past decade. This trend shows no sign of slowing down. All you need is a decent Internet connection, and you’ll be ready to begin accessing your favourite media in no time at all.

Some of the sites I mention here are based in the US and will only serve US based customers. In these cases, you can download the free Hola Unblocker web app from Google Chome Store to access the regionally-restricted websites. (Note: accessing region locked content is a grey area in terms of morality and legality, so take that into consideration)

Here are some great online sources to access TV series, movies, sports programmes, and news programmes in Malaysia.

Update (February 2014): Some people have reported issues accessing Netflix in Malaysia with Hola Unblocker. If you also encounter a problem, another option to consider is a service called “Unblock-Us“. This is not a VPN; it’s actually a DNS unblocker service. This means this service is much easier to set-up and should be a faster connection, but it also doesn’t provide the secured connection like a VPN. Unblock-Us is free for the first week and then you need to pay US$ 4.99 (RM 16.50) per month, if you still want to use it.

It should take you less than five minutes to set-up the service. You also don’t even need to enter credit card details for the one-week free trial. Note that since the connection isn’t secure, we recommend that you only enable the service when visiting the region locked video websites. Then disable the service for your regular web browsing.

You can visit Unblock-Us and see the set-up guide here.

Online TV

Online TV show providers are generally split into two categories: network sites and TV aggregator sites. These websites are usually free, and allow viewers to watch their favourite television series on demand and without any hiccups.

Network Sites

The television network websites for most popular American TV series tend to feature full-length episodes of their shows online. Below are links to a number of websites. As mentioned previously, Malaysian audiences will need Hola Unblocker to gain access to these videos. Ads are included but you can watch all these TV shows for free in Malaysia.

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ABC – ABC features the latest episodes of the network’s popular shows. This includes Grey’s Anatomy, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, and Modern Family, among others. The only downside is that episodes tend to expire and viewers will only be able to watch recently aired episodes.
FOX – On the Fox website you’ll get to watch full episodes of award winning shows like The Simpsons and MasterChef. As with ABC, only a few of the most recent full-length episodes are available, and they will be taken down after a certain time period.
NBC – NBC features current episodes of legendary shows like Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show: Jay Leno, and Days of our Lives.
CBS – CBS offers a wide selection of full episodes from great TV series past and present. Present shows are often limited to recently aired episodes and only select seasons of older shows tend to be available.
National Geographic – National Geographic offers full episodes of documentaries catering to a broad range of interests.

TV Aggregator Websites

These sites offer a large variety TV series.

Netflix – Technically, Netflix isn’t available in Malaysia. However, using Hola Unblocker you can access Netflix in Malaysia. Also, when we tested the service, we were able to sign-up for an account using a Malaysian credit card. You will need to pay USD$7.99 monthly to access Netflix’s library of television shows. Use Netflix if you want to catch high-quality episodes of your favourite shows, old or new—you can indulge in one season or several! Check out some of the most popular TV shows available on Netflix here.
Hulu – Like Netflix, Hulu also isn’t exactly available in Malaysia. However, using Hola Unblocker you can access Hulu in Malaysia. Hulu is great for catching up with current episodes of popular series. Hulu offers both a free and paid option for watching shows. Similar with Netflix, we were able top purchase a premium Hulu account using a Malaysian credit card.
Couchtuner & Cucirca – These two sites offer free streaming of tons of TV shows, with entire seasons ready for watching. You can choose from many channels to watch videos. No sign-up is required, just try not to click on any pop-ups or ads.
YouTube – YouTube has an insane amount of video. It’s typically more associated with amateur video; however, you can also find many video clips, movies, and shows too

Online Movies

Here are some sites where you can watch your favourite movies online. Again, Hola Unblocker is required if you want to access Hulu or Netflix in Malaysia.

Hulu – Hulu offers an assortment of free, complete movies for normal members. Comedies, documentaries, and other genres come with ads, but are free to view for those wishing to avoid payment. If you’d like to access all the movies on Hulu, you will need to pay for the Hulu Plus membership.
Netflix – As mentioned above, using Netflix requires a fixed monthly payment. However, you will be able to watch as many movies at any time. They feature a whole range of movies, from dated classics to recent blockbusters.
iTunes – Apple’s online media hub store features a wide selection of HD movies for Malaysian customers. You have the option to either buy a HD copy for $USD 19.99 (~RM 60), or rent a movie for $USD 4.99 (RM 15) . While rather expensive for Malaysia, the plus side is that you will get to keep a HD copy of the movie for offline or mobile viewing.

Online Sports

Watching full-length sports matches online is more difficult to navigate than watching TV or movies, but it isn’t impossible. You just have to be willing to spend some money —plus Hola Unblocker won’t be required. Here are a few paid sources where you can watch good quality sports programmes:

NBA – Paid membership gives users access to quality video streaming of NBA matches. A League Pass membership costs $USD159.99 ( ~RM 520), while the monthly membership will set you back $USD5.99 (~ RM 20).
NFL – Watching American football in Malaysia is simple with the NFL website. Choose your package, pay, and then stream the desired match during game time.
MLB – The MLB site allows you to watch baseball matches in Malaysia in HD. Never miss your favorite team’s game again!
Astro On-The-Go – Astro’s mobile viewing package allows you to to stay in touch with live sports matches. Watch football, golf, and more!

Online News

Watching news online is a great way to keep up to date with events both local and global. Check these sites to watch streaming news segments or live coverage:

CCTV – CCTV China’s news service offers live streaming on the web for free.
CNN – CNN offers selected videos of worldwide news for free.
Al Jazeera – Offers worldwide news live and on demand, without any payment.
BBC – This British based news channel offer streaming international news for free as well.
FOX News – Fox news also offers free live streaming of their news channel.
ABC News – Live news streaming from the American Broadcasting Company
ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) – Australian news website that offers live streaming 24/7.

All of the above sites are great to watch TV shows, movies, sports, or news online in Malaysia. Bookmark this page so you can refer to it later. Additionally, if you’re looking for proper gadgets for watching shows online, you should consider getting Apple TV in Malaysia, Astro B.Yond and/or Emagine TV.

Photo Credit: QVIVO Video Player

  
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