IPTV Smarters Pro multi-screen, catch-up and recording explained
IPTV Smarters Pro multi-screen lets you watch several channels at once, catch-up lets you replay programmes you missed and recording, where available, keeps a copy for later. Each one behaves differently, and each one interacts with your plan’s screen limit and your broadband. Here is how they really work.
How IPTV Smarters Pro multi-screen works
Multi-screen is a section on the IPTV Smarters Pro home screen (on TV-style devices it appears as a Multi-Screen tile or icon). It splits the display into a grid of up to four windows. You choose a layout, select an empty window, pick a channel from your live categories, and repeat for the next window. One window has the sound; moving the focus to another window switches the audio to it, and you can expand any window to full screen.
Typical uses:
- Following two live matches or events that run at the same time.
- Keeping a news channel in the corner while watching something else.
- Checking several channels quickly to see which one is showing what you want.
Multi-screen works best on a large TV and a capable device. On an older streaming stick, playing four streams can push the hardware hard, so two windows is a more realistic limit there. It is a live TV feature: films and series play in the normal single-screen player.
Screens, connections and your plan
This is the part that catches people out. Every window in multi-screen is a separate stream from your IPTV service, exactly as if a different device were playing it. Your plan decides how many streams can run at the same time.
| Plan | Length | Screens at once | Multi-screen in practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essential £29 | 3 months | 1 | One window plays; the others stay empty or stop |
| Premium £49 | 12 months | 1 | One window plays; the others stay empty or stop |
| Supreme £79 | 12 months | 2 | Two windows on one TV, or one stream each on two devices |
The screen limit covers everything on your login. If someone is watching on a phone upstairs, that already uses a screen, so multi-screen on the living-room TV has one fewer to work with. When you go over the limit, a stream stops or refuses to start. If two screens are a regular need, the Supreme plan on our IPTV subscription page is the one built for it.
Remember: installing the app on five devices is fine. Playing on more devices at once than your plan allows is not.
Catch-up: replaying the last 7 days
Catch-up lets you go back and watch programmes that have already been shown, without having recorded them. On supported channels, the provider keeps an archive and IPTV Smarters Pro reads it through the EPG. You can go back up to 7 days, depending on the channel.
Catch-up needs three things to line up:
- An Xtream Codes login. M3U playlists often do not carry the information the app needs, which is why our Xtream Codes vs M3U comparison recommends Xtream Codes.
- A channel with an archive. Not every channel supports catch-up; those that do show a catch-up or replay icon.
- A working TV guide. Catch-up is organised by programme, so if the EPG is empty or an hour out, you will struggle to find the right show.
Catch-up streams are on demand, so you can pause, rewind and fast-forward within the programme. Each catch-up stream counts as one screen, just like live TV.
How to watch catch-up step by step
- Refresh first. From the home screen, refresh channels and the EPG so the archive is current.
- Open Catch-up. Select the Catch-up tile on the IPTV Smarters Pro home screen.
- Choose a category and channel. Only channels with an archive are listed or marked.
- Pick the day and programme. Scroll back through the dates to the programme you want.
- Play. Use the player controls to pause, rewind or skip forward.
If programmes appear at the wrong times, adjust the EPG time-shift. The best IPTV Smarters Pro settings article walks through it.
Recording in IPTV Smarters Pro: what to expect
Recording is the feature people ask about most and the one that varies most. Some versions of the app on some devices include a record option while playing live TV, saving the file to the device’s storage. Others do not, and the option can change between app updates. Streaming sticks also have limited free storage, so even where recording is offered, long recordings can fill the device quickly.
For most UK viewers, catch-up does the same job with less hassle: there is nothing to schedule and nothing to store. If scheduled recording matters to you and you use a Firestick or Android TV box, TiviMate Premium is designed around it; see our TiviMate vs IPTV Smarters Pro comparison. Any recording should be for your own personal viewing; you are responsible for complying with UK law and the terms of the relevant rights holders.
Broadband speed for several streams
Multi-screen multiplies the bandwidth you need. Allow about 10 Mbps per screen for HD, 20 Mbps for Full HD and 30 Mbps for 4K:
| Streams | HD | Full HD | 4K |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 Mbps | 20 Mbps | 30 Mbps |
| 2 | 20 Mbps | 40 Mbps | 60 Mbps |
Those figures are for the streams alone, so leave headroom for other people using the internet. A wired Ethernet connection makes the biggest difference for multi-screen. Set-up on a stick is covered in our Firestick installation guide, and the full IPTV Smarters Pro guide explains every section of the app.
Common multi-screen and catch-up problems
- The second window stays black. You have reached your screen limit, or another device on the same login is already playing. Stop the other stream, or move to a plan with two screens.
- All windows stutter together. The connection or the device cannot keep up. Close one window, switch the remaining channels to their HD or Full HD versions, or connect the device by cable.
- A catch-up programme starts at the wrong point. The guide is offset from the archive. Correct the EPG time-shift, refresh the guide and open the programme again.
- Catch-up plays the right channel but the wrong day. Check the date selector before choosing a programme; the list often opens on today, not the day you last viewed.
- No catch-up icon on a channel. That channel does not keep an archive, or the lists need refreshing. Refresh channels and the EPG from the home screen and check again.
If none of these match what you see, our IPTV Smarters Pro troubleshooting fixes cover login, playback and app problems in more depth.
Multi-screen and catch-up FAQ
How many channels can I watch at once in IPTV Smarters Pro?
The multi-screen mode can show up to four channels on one device. Each one is a separate stream, so you can only fill as many windows as your plan allows screens.
Does multi-screen count as more than one connection?
Yes. Every channel playing in a multi-screen window uses one connection. On a one-screen plan only one window will play; a two-screen plan allows two.
How far back does catch-up go?
Up to 7 days on supported channels. Not every channel keeps an archive, and the length can vary by channel, so check the catch-up icon or the Catch-up section.
Why do I not see a Catch-up section?
Catch-up depends on your login and the channel. Log in with Xtream Codes rather than an M3U playlist, refresh the channels and EPG, and look for channels marked with a catch-up icon.
Can IPTV Smarters Pro record programmes?
Recording is not available consistently across devices and app versions. Where your version offers it, recordings are saved to the device’s storage for personal viewing. Catch-up is the more reliable way to watch later.
How much internet speed do I need for multi-screen?
Add up the screens: about 10 Mbps each for HD, 20 Mbps for Full HD and 30 Mbps for 4K. Two Full HD channels need around 40 Mbps, plus whatever else your household is using.