Can I Rewind IPTV? (Replay the Action)
You are watching a
football match. A goal is scored! But wait… was it offside? You want to see it again. On a traditional DVR,
you just hit the rewind button. But on IPTV, it is not always that simple. Rewinding a live stream requires
specific technology that not all apps or providers have. In this guide, we will explain the difference between
“rewinding live TV” and “watching a replay”, and how to get this feature working on your device. For the best
playback controls, we recommend using IPTV Smarters PRO.
Back it up.
The “Buffer” Method
Most IPTV apps allow
you to rewind, but only as far back as you have been watching.
If you tuned into the
channel 10 minutes ago, your device has temporarily saved those 10 minutes in its memory (buffer). You can
rewind anywhere within that 10-minute window. But you cannot rewind 30 minutes back to before you started
watching.
Pro Tip
If you change the channel, the buffer is cleared. You lose
the ability to rewind the previous channel instantly.
The “Catch-Up”
Method
If you want to rewind
further back (e.g., to the start of the program), you need to use the Catch-Up feature.
Instead of rewinding
the live stream, you exit to the EPG, find the show that is currently playing, and select “Play from Start” (if
your provider supports it). This switches you from the live feed to a recorded version stored on the server.
Start over.
Hardware
Limitations
Rewinding requires
memory (RAM) and storage.
Cheap devices like
older Fire Sticks often struggle with this. When you hit rewind, the app might freeze or crash because the
device runs out of memory. High-end devices like the Nvidia Shield handle rewinding much smoother.
Power matters.
Best Apps for
Rewinding
If rewinding is
important to you, use an app designed for it:
- TiviMate: Has the best player controls. You can set how many seconds
to skip back (e.g., 10s, 30s, 1min). - Smarters Pro: Good basic controls, works well on most channels.
- VLC Player: Excellent for playing recorded files, but less
convenient for live TV.
Customize your skip buttons.
Conclusion
Rewinding live IPTV is
possible, but it works differently than cable. You are limited by your device’s memory and your provider’s
features. For the best experience, use a powerful device and a provider that supports “Catch-Up” or “Restart”.
Take control of the action with Smarters Pro.
Replay the goal.