Catch-up lets you replay a programme after it has aired by picking it in the programme guide; timeshift lets you pause or rewind a channel that's live now. Both only work on channels where the provider records the stream, and your app has to support them. Channels with catch-up are usually marked with an icon in the guide.
How IPTV catch-up works
The provider keeps a rolling archive of selected channels for a limited number of days. When you choose a past programme in the EPG, your app asks the server for that time window and plays it like on-demand video — with pause, rewind and fast-forward.
How to use catch-up in popular apps
| App | How to open catch-up |
|---|---|
| TiviMate | In the TV guide, scroll left into the past and select a programme (catch-up is a Premium feature) |
| IPTV Smarters | Open a channel's catch-up / "TV archive" option, then pick a date and programme |
| Smart TV apps (IBO, SET IPTV) | Look for an archive or catch-up option in the channel menu; support varies |
| MAG boxes | Through the portal's TV archive, where enabled |
Exact menu names change between app versions.
How to use timeshift
In apps that support it, pause a live channel and resume a few minutes later, or rewind to the start of the current programme. On channels without catch-up, timeshift may be limited to what your device has buffered.
Why catch-up isn't available on every channel
- The provider doesn't archive that channel. Archiving uses storage and bandwidth, so it's often limited to popular channels.
- The programme is outside the archive window.
- No guide data for that channel — catch-up relies on the EPG to know when programmes start. See what an EPG is.
Catch-up vs VOD vs recording
| Catch-up | VOD | Recording | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Source | Channel archive | Provider's library | Your device or cloud storage |
| Time limit | A few days | While in the library | While you keep it |
| Choose | From the guide | From Movies/Series | Schedule in advance |
See IPTV VOD for on-demand libraries and how to record IPTV for recordings.
Tips
- Check catch-up on your key channels during a free trial.
- Set your time zone correctly so catch-up starts at the right minute.
- If catch-up plays the wrong programme, adjust the EPG time offset.
Start with the IPTV setup guide if you haven't installed an app yet.
