Record TV Programs and Manage Recordings

What You’ll Learn

In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to:

• understand where recordings are stored
• choose a recording storage location
• understand free space estimates
• grant Exact Alarm permission when Android asks for it
• set default preroll and postroll
• start or schedule a recording from the EPG
• edit or cancel planned recordings
• play, delete, or repair recordings when available
• understand recording statuses and provider connection limits

Before You Start

Recordings are local TV recordings. IPTV Buddy stores the recording on the TV device or on a detected storage location available to the TV app.

The TV app needs:

• an active profile
• a recording storage location
• enough free storage
• provider access for the selected stream
• Exact Alarm permission on Android versions that require it
• an active VPN connection if TV VPN Kill Switch is enabled

Tutorial Steps

1. Open Recording Settings

Open Settings > Recordings.

The Recordings settings group contains:

• Default preroll
• Default postroll
• Storage location
• Free space

Exact Alarm is checked when a recording is created or edited. If Android requires the permission and it is missing, IPTV Buddy sends the user to the Android system settings before the recording can be saved.

2. Choose the Storage Location

Open Storage location.

The TV app offers storage locations it can write to, such as:

• Internal storage
• External storage entries when available, shown for example as External 1

The current TV app presents detected writable storage candidates. It does not ask the user to type a file path. If no storage is selected, the app can automatically use the internal recording location when available. If a previously selected storage location is no longer available, the app can switch back to internal storage.

When users select a storage location, the app saves the choice and shows Storage location saved.

3. Check Free Space

The Free space entry shows available recording capacity when the TV app can read it.

The estimate can look like approx. 3 hr 20 min or approx. 3 hr 20 min at 8.0 Mbit/s. It is only an estimate because IPTV streams can use variable bitrate. Actual recording size depends on stream quality, bitrate, duration, and container data.

If the TV cannot determine the storage state, the app can show Unknown. If no storage location is configured, it can show Not configured.

4. Grant Exact Alarm Permission

Scheduled recordings rely on Android alarms so they can start on time.

The app checks Exact Alarm permission before creating recordings from EPG. If permission is missing, recording creation stops, IPTV Buddy opens the Android system settings, and the app shows Please grant permission for exact alarms first.

If the system setting cannot be opened, the app shows Could not open the system setting for Exact Alarm. In that case, users should open Android app settings manually and allow alarms for IPTV Buddy if the TV device exposes that option.

5. Set Default Preroll and Postroll

Default preroll starts a recording before the EPG start time.

Default postroll keeps recording after the EPG end time.

Use preroll and postroll when programs often start early, end late, or when provider EPG times are slightly inaccurate.

The recording setup overlay also lets users choose preroll and postroll for an individual recording. For a program that is already running, the start can be Now and preroll can be effectively irrelevant because the recording starts immediately.

6. Open the EPG Program

Recordings are created from EPG programs.

Go to Live TV, select a favorite group, choose SHOW EPG, and open the program you want to record. You can also open EPG details from the fullscreen Live TV overlay when a current program is available.

The record action is shown only for programs that have not ended yet. Programs that already ended show Already ended and cannot be scheduled from this flow.

7. Start a Recording That Is Already Running

If the selected program is currently live, the EPG detail action can be Start recording.

When the user confirms the recording setup, IPTV Buddy checks:

• recording storage
• Exact Alarm permission
• active profile
• valid program time
• duplicate recordings
• provider connection limits where known

If the checks pass, the app creates a recording entry with status Running and asks the background service to start recording. If the start request succeeds, the app shows Recording started.

8. Schedule a Future Recording

If the selected program starts in the future, the EPG detail action can be Schedule recording.

When the user confirms the recording setup:

• the recording is saved as Planned
• the TV schedules an alarm for the effective start time
• preroll and postroll are included in the effective recording window
• the app shows Recording scheduled

If scheduling fails, the app shows Could not schedule recording.

9. Edit or Cancel an Existing EPG Recording

If a matching recording already exists, the EPG detail action changes depending on status:

• Planned recordings can be edited.
• Starting, Running, Resuming, and Waiting for VPN recordings can be cancelled.

The app detects duplicates by profile, program start/end time, and stream or EPG channel identity. If an identical active/planned recording already exists, IPTV Buddy blocks a duplicate recording.

10. Understand Recording Statuses

Use these explanations:

• Planned: saved and waiting for its start time.
• Starting: the TV is preparing the recording.
• Running: the recording is active.
• Resuming: the app is retrying after an interruption.
• Waiting for VPN: TV VPN Kill Switch is enabled and the TV has no active VPN connection.
• Completed: the recording finished.
• Cancelled: the recording was cancelled.
• Failed: the recording could not be completed.

The Recordings category sorts recordings by relevant date and update time, so recent and active entries stay easy to find.

11. Manage Recordings

Open the Recordings category and select a recording.

The actions you see depend on the recording state. Planned recordings can usually be edited or cancelled. Running recordings can often be played or cancelled. Finished recordings can be played, deleted, or repaired when IPTV Buddy has enough data to repair them.

If Show EPG is available, use it to return to the programme information behind the recording.

If no playback action can be used, the app shows This recording is not playable yet.

12. Watch a Running Recording

A running recording can be playable only when IPTV Buddy has a usable recording runtime playback URL or enough recorded data.

When playback is available, Play recording opens recording playback. While a running recording is being played, channel zapping and source switching are disabled so the recording session is not disturbed.

Seeking is limited to the part that is already available.

13. Repair a Failed Recording

For some failed recordings, the app can offer Repair failed recording.

Repair creates a corrected recording output when the source file is available and the repair operation can read it. The app can show Repair in progress, Repair 40%, Recording repaired, or Could not repair recording depending on the result.

If repair is already running, the app shows Repair is already running.

14. Understand Recording Limits

Recording can fail or be blocked when:

• no active profile is selected
• no storage location is configured
• the selected program already ended
• an identical active/planned recording already exists
• Exact Alarm permission is missing
• provider connection limit could not be determined
• maximum simultaneous recordings are reached
• provider credentials are missing or invalid
• TV VPN Kill Switch is active and VPN is disconnected

For providers with limited connections, planned recording windows are checked against existing active or planned recordings. IPTV Buddy avoids scheduling more overlapping recordings than the provider connection limit allows when that limit is known.

Troubleshooting

IPTV Buddy Asks for a Storage Location

Open Settings > Recordings > Storage location and choose Internal storage or an available external storage entry.

Free Space Shows Unknown

The TV could not read the free-space state for the selected storage location. Check whether the storage is still connected and writable.

Recording Cannot Be Scheduled Because the Connection Limit Is Unknown

The app could not reliably determine the provider connection limit. Check provider credentials and subscription state, then try again.

Recording Is Waiting for VPN

TV VPN Kill Switch is enabled and the TV has no active VPN connection. Connect VPN on the TV. The recording can continue or retry when VPN becomes active again.

A Recording Is Not Playable Yet

Running recordings may need enough recorded data or a runtime playback URL. Failed, cancelled, or incomplete recordings may not have a playable file.

FAQ

Where Are Recordings Saved?

Recordings are saved locally on the TV device or on a detected writable storage location selected under Settings > Recordings > Storage location.

Can I Record to External Storage?

Yes, when the TV device exposes a writable external storage location to IPTV Buddy. The app lists detected candidates such as Internal storage and External 1.

Why Is Free Space Only an Estimate?

IPTV streams can use variable bitrate. IPTV Buddy estimates capacity based on available storage and bitrate assumptions, but the actual recording size depends on the stream.

Why Do I Need Exact Alarm Permission?

Android can require explicit permission for apps that schedule exact alarms. IPTV Buddy needs this for scheduled recordings to start at the intended time.

Can I Watch a Recording While It Is Still Running?

Sometimes. A running recording is playable only when the app has enough available recorded data or a runtime playback URL.

Why Is a Recording Waiting for VPN?

TV VPN Kill Switch is enabled and the TV has no active VPN connection. IPTV Buddy waits instead of recording through an unprotected network.