Recording IPTV lets you watch Canadian sports, shows, and news on your own schedule. There are three main approaches depending on your device: TiviMate's built-in recorder on Firestick, dedicated DVR apps on Android TV, or software recording on PC.
Before recording: check if catch-up TV covers your needs — Apollo Group TV includes 7-day catch-up replay on most channels, which means you can replay any missed program without recording anything locally.
Catch-Up TV vs IPTV Recording — Which Do You Need?
Catch-Up TV (Included Free)
- ✓ No storage required
- ✓ Replay last 7 days on demand
- ✓ Works instantly — no setup
- ✓ Available on most Apollo channels
- ✓ Access via TiviMate EPG long-press
Local Recording (TiviMate Premium)
- ✓ Requires USB storage
- ✓ Keep recordings permanently
- ✓ Schedule future recordings via EPG
- ✓ Record multiple programs
- ✓ Works even after catch-up window expires
Method 1: Record IPTV with TiviMate (Firestick / Android TV)
RecommendedTiviMate Premium's built-in recorder is the easiest way to record IPTV on Firestick and Android TV. The Premium upgrade costs CA$5.49/year — a small price for full DVR functionality.
Setup: Connect USB Storage
- 1Purchase a USB drive (32 GB minimum recommended) and a Micro-USB OTG adapter.
- 2Connect the USB drive to your Firestick or Android TV box via the OTG adapter.
- 3When prompted by the device, select 'Use as portable storage'.
- 4In TiviMate, go to Settings → Recording and set the storage path to your USB drive.
Instant Recording (Record Now)
- 1While watching a channel in TiviMate, press the Menu button on your remote.
- 2Select 'Record' from the options menu.
- 3Recording begins immediately and saves to your USB drive.
- 4Press Menu again and select 'Stop Recording' to end.
Scheduled Recording (via EPG)
- 1Open TiviMate and navigate to the EPG (TV Guide) tab.
- 2Find the program you want to record — scroll forward in time using the guide.
- 3Long-press the program title on the EPG.
- 4Select 'Record' or 'Schedule Recording' from the popup menu.
- 5TiviMate will automatically start and stop the recording at the program's broadcast time.
💡 Pro Tip: Add a 5-minute buffer before and after — set in TiviMate → Settings → Recording → Start/End margin.
Method 2: Use Catch-Up TV (No Storage Needed)
Apollo Group TV includes catch-up TV on most channels — replay any program from the last 7 days instantly. No recording, no storage, no setup. Just open TiviMate and long-press any past program in the EPG.
- 1Open TiviMate and navigate to the TV Guide (EPG) tab.
- 2Scroll backwards in time on the EPG to find a past program.
- 3Long-press the past program entry.
- 4Select 'Watch' or 'Catch-Up' from the menu.
- 5The program streams from Apollo Group TV's servers instantly.
Catch-up availability varies by channel. CBC, CTV, TSN, Sportsnet, and most major Canadian channels support 7-day catch-up.
Method 3: Record IPTV on PC with VLC
- 1Install VLC Media Player (free) on your Windows or Mac computer.
- 2In VLC, go to Media → Open Network Stream.
- 3Paste your Apollo Group TV M3U URL or individual channel stream URL.
- 4Click Play — the channel starts streaming.
- 5To record: go to View → Advanced Controls to show the toolbar with the Record button.
- 6Click the red Record button to start recording. Click again to stop.
- 7Your recording is saved to the Videos folder in MKV format.
For scheduled PC recording, use OBS Studio with an RTSP stream source, or Emby/Plex Server with DVR capabilities and your M3U playlist.
How Much Storage Do You Need for IPTV Recording?
| Content | Duration | HD Storage | 4K Storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| NHL Hockey Game | 2.5 hrs | ~6 GB | ~15 GB |
| CFL Football Game | 3 hrs | ~7 GB | ~18 GB |
| Movie (HD) | 2 hrs | ~4.5 GB | ~12 GB |
| TV Series Episode | 45 min | ~1.7 GB | ~4.5 GB |
| News Broadcast | 1 hr | ~2.5 GB | ~6 GB |
Estimated figures. Actual file size depends on bitrate and channel quality.
Frequently Asked Questions — Recording IPTV
Can I record IPTV on a Firestick?
Yes, you can record IPTV on a Firestick using TiviMate Premium (CA$5.49/year). You'll need a USB drive connected via a micro-USB OTG adapter. TiviMate lets you schedule recordings directly from the EPG TV guide — just long-press any program and select Record.
Does TiviMate support IPTV recording?
Yes. TiviMate Premium includes a built-in recording feature. Connect a USB storage device to your Firestick or Android TV box, configure the recording path in TiviMate settings, and you can record any live channel directly from the EPG. Scheduled and instant recording are both supported.
What is catch-up TV and is it different from recording?
Catch-up TV is a server-side feature that lets you replay the last 7 days of programming without needing to record anything locally. Apollo Group TV includes catch-up on most Canadian and international channels. Recording saves content to local storage; catch-up streams it from the server on demand.
Can I record IPTV on a PC or laptop?
Yes. On Windows, you can record IPTV using VLC Media Player (Record button during playback), OBS Studio, or dedicated DVR software. For scheduled recording on PC, Emby Server or Plex DVR with an M3U source can automate recordings based on the EPG schedule.
Do I need a subscription to record IPTV?
You need an active IPTV subscription (like Apollo Group TV) to have channels to record. For recording functionality, TiviMate requires its Premium upgrade at CA$5.49/year. Catch-up TV (replay without recording) is included in Apollo Group TV subscriptions at no extra cost.
How much storage do I need to record IPTV?
HD IPTV recordings use approximately 2–3 GB per hour. For a single sports event (2–3 hours), you need 4–9 GB. A 32 GB USB drive is enough for 10–16 hours of HD content. For regular recording, a 128 GB drive connected to your Android TV box or PC is recommended.
Want a full whole-home DVR setup for IPTV? See our IPTV DVR system guide. Or learn how to get the most from TiviMate.
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