How to Use Catch-Up TV on Your IPTV Subscription

Catch-up TV is one of the most valuable features in a modern IPTV subscription. It lets you watch content that has already aired — up to 7 days in the past — without needing a recording setup. Think of it as a rewind button for live television. Here is how to use it in your IPTV app.

What Is Catch-Up TV?

When a broadcaster offers catch-up support, their streams are saved on the IPTV server for a set period — typically 3 to 7 days. You can then access any programme from that window and watch it from the beginning, even though it aired live days ago.

This is different from VOD (Video on Demand) which is a separately curated library of films and series. Catch-up TV is specifically the replay of live broadcasts.

Which Channels Support Catch-Up?

Catch-up availability depends on the channel. On IPTV Nords the following types of channels generally support it:

• Major national broadcasters (BBC, ITV, Channel 4, ARD, ZDF, France 2, etc.)
• Premium sports channels (Sky Sports, BT Sport, beIN Sports on selected markets)
• Entertainment channels (TNT, Fox, Comedy Central, etc.)

Smaller regional channels and some international feeds may not support catch-up due to broadcasting rights restrictions.

How to Access Catch-Up in TiviMate

TiviMate integrates catch-up directly into the EPG guide, making it the most seamless experience:

1. Open the EPG guide (press Guide on your remote)
2. Scroll left in the timeline — past programmes appear in a different colour (typically grey or darker)
3. Navigate to a past programme you want to watch
4. Press OK
5. Select Watch from Beginning
6. The catch-up stream begins from the start of that broadcast

How to Access Catch-Up in IPTV Smarters Pro

1. In the channel list find the channel you want
2. Long-press (hold) on the channel name
3. Select Catch Up from the popup menu
4. A calendar view appears showing which dates have available recordings
5. Select a date and then the specific programme or time slot
6. Press play

Catch-Up vs Recording — What Is the Difference?

• Catch-up TV — streams from the IPTV server, no local storage needed, available for 3–7 days from air date, disappears after that window
• Recording — saved to your local device storage, available indefinitely, requires storage space, you control when to delete it

For regular use catch-up is more convenient — no storage management needed. For content you want to keep long-term or events outside the catch-up window, local recording is the better option.

Troubleshooting Catch-Up Issues

• Catch-up option not appearing — make sure you connected via Xtream Codes, not M3U. Catch-up requires Xtream Codes
• Catch-up stream starts and then stops — this can indicate a server-side issue with that specific broadcast. Try a different programme or time slot
• No catch-up available for a channel I know supports it — refresh your playlist and try again. If it persists contact support