How to record IPTV: DVR and catch-up explained
“Can you record IPTV like with the old set-top box?” The answer is yes, but there are two different mechanisms that get mixed up constantly, and picking the wrong one explains most of the frustration.
The difference in one sentence
Catch-up recovers what has already aired from your provider's server and takes up nothing on your device. DVR recording saves the programme as a file of your own, and works even if the provider offers no catch-up.
Catch-up: the provider's time machine
Catch-up (or “TV on demand”) is a feature of the server, not of your player. The provider keeps the last few days of certain channels and lets you play them on demand.
In practice it works like this: you open the EPG guide, go back to a programme that has already aired and play it as if it were on-demand video.
- Takes no space on your device.
- Available from any device using your same account.
- Needs a properly configured EPG guide: without a schedule there is nothing to go back to. Our EPG checker tells you whether yours is complete.
- The typical window is 2 to 7 days, and the provider decides it.
Catch-up is not on every channel
It is enabled channel by channel from the provider's panel. Usually only part of the catalogue has it, and it is not even advertised. If a channel does not offer it, no player setting will fix it: the only alternative is to record.
DVR recording: the file is yours
Recording saves the channel's stream to your storage while it airs. It is independent of the provider: if you can watch the channel, you can record it.
There are two ways to use it:
- Instant recording: you press record while watching something and it is saved from that moment.
- Scheduled recording: you pick a programme in the guide and the player records it on its own at the right time, even if you are not there.
How much space you need
| Quality | Per hour (approx.) | A 2-hour movie |
|---|---|---|
| SD | 1 – 1.5 GB | ~2.5 GB |
| HD (720p / 1080p) | 3 – 5 GB | ~8 GB |
| 4K (2160p) | 10 GB or more | ~20 GB |
These numbers explain why recording to a Fire TV Stick's internal storage is a bad idea: with 8 GB in total and the system taking a good chunk, not even two hours of HD fit. To record regularly, use an external USB stick or drive.
Where to store recordings
- Windows PC: the most convenient. Plenty of space and direct access to the files.
- Android TV / Android box: USB stick or drive. Format as exFAT if you will record files over 4 GB — FAT32 cannot hold them.
- Fire TV Stick: external USB via an OTG adapter. Internal storage fills up immediately.
- Phone or tablet: fine for short recordings, but keep an eye on space.
Why recordings fail (and how to avoid it)
“I scheduled a recording and it never happened”
The cause is almost always that the device went to sleep. For a scheduled recording the device must be on and the app active at that time. On Android TV, disable automatic sleep during the hours you plan to record.
“The recording stops after a few minutes”
This is usually the provider's simultaneous connection limit. Recording one channel while watching another counts as two sessions. If your account allows only one, the second knocks the first out. We cover it in more detail in the buffering and freezes guide.
“The file exists but will not play”
Almost always storage ran out mid-recording, leaving the file incomplete. It can also be the file system: if your USB drive is FAT32 and the recording exceeds 4 GB, it is truncated right there. Format as exFAT.
“It records, but looks worse than live”
Recording saves exactly the stream the provider sends, without re-encoding. If it looks worse, what happened is that the player dropped quality during the broadcast because of an unstable network. Improving the connection also improves the recording.
Which option to use in each case
| Situation | Best option |
|---|---|
| I missed a programme last night | Catch-up (if the channel has it) |
| I want to keep something forever | DVR recording |
| I will be offline (trip, flight) | DVR recording |
| I want to watch it on another device | Catch-up |
| The channel has no catch-up | Scheduled recording |
| I have little free space | Catch-up |
A word about rights
Recording content for strictly personal use is allowed in many jurisdictions, but redistributing those recordings is allowed in none. And the starting point remains the same: you need the right to access the source you are recording. Our Spanish-language article on the legality of IPTV goes into it.
Recording and catch-up included, at no extra cost
Kraid IPTV includes instant and scheduled recording straight from the guide, plus catch-up whenever your provider allows it. No subscription: 4.99 € once, on up to 3 devices.
Download Kraid IPTV freeLegal notice: Kraid IPTV is a generic media player. It does not include, sell or link to any content, channel or playlist. Users are responsible for the sources they add and for holding the rights needed to watch them. Learn more.