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Canuck Gal · Joined: 17 Dec 2007 Posts: 16 Location: China

Hi all. I have two questions about movies and television programming on DVD. Firstly, is it possible to buy this type of entertainment in Doha? Secondly, are people allowed to bring their private libraries of DVDs into Qatar?

helenl · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 1202

TV programming - there are free to air English language (and German, and French and Spanish and Italilan) channels. For English - there's about 10 (including a couple that sometimes broadcast in Arabic). You can watch ABC Nightline live every morning if you're so inclined; CNN, BBC world, a couple from Dubai and several MBC stations which I think orginate from Saudi (but I stand to be corrected). Dr. Phil, Oprah, Martha Stewart, some reality shows, etc. - they are usually a year or more "behind".

There are two satellite TV systems available - Orbit and Showtime - which include relatively recent releases of North American programming (maybe only a year or so behind - these are the sitcoms and dramas etc. which can be up to 5 or 6 years old on the free channels); animal planet, National Geographic, a few more news channels (MSNBC for one); TCM; a couple of movie channels showing releases from 2 - 3 years ago; etc.
These are not expensive (about USD40 per month depending on your package)

DVDs are readily available here, they are more expensive (for the most recent releases) than North America. They are also the European type of DVDs - meaning they won't play on a standard North American DVD player. DVD players here are cheap and plentiful and most (check the box) will play North American DVDs.

As for bringing your library, that depends (a) on the titles and (b) on the customs inspector on the day of their arrival - he may or may not choose to confiscate them for inspection and it can take a couple of months to get them back, if ever.

My advice, don't bring your library.

mishmumkin · Joined: 01 Sep 2007 Posts: 929

Imdramayu · Joined: 09 Feb 2007 Posts: 394 Location: South Korea

Across the street from the Philipino Bakery is City Video which had tons of pirated DVD movies. This is near the bus station downtown. I got many from them. Most worked fine.

Hannibal_the_Conquerer · Joined: 16 Jun 2006 Posts: 21 Location: Doha, Qatar

I did the CD carrier thing and it worked fine. I had no problem, and it is usually the pictures on the box that will get you in trouble. I brought over a 100 DVD in a big wallet, and the customs guy looked at them, but didn't gimme any grief. If you have a DVD that has a racy graphic on the front, slide it in behind one of your tamer ones, I reckon you'll have no troubles. They don't have that much time to dedicate to each person coming through, and they tend to have low attention spans, so unless they open up right away to "Sexy Infidel Girls Gone Wild", I think you'll be fine.

I hadn't thought of the putting the CD case sideways, probably would have saved me even having to take them out. Good idea!

mishmumkin · Joined: 01 Sep 2007 Posts: 929

wilberforce · Joined: 27 Dec 2008 Posts: 647

Almost anything goes nowadays. When I first arrived there I had videos confiscated just because of the picture on the cover. Most of them were pretty tame stuff but a bit of booby threw them. Now people bring in anything, nobody checks. Most of the stuff they sell at Falcon Video and Virgin seems to be uncensored. With satellites and cable, you can pretty well watch anything you want.