DVR (Cloud DVR)
Our encoder-backed cloud DVR records linear channels to origin storage and exposes them as on-demand assets. Jobs are visible in real time with auto-refresh so operations always see the backlog.
Time-shift
Record linear channels and replay any time.
Auto-refresh
Live job queue visibility for operations.
Edge replay
Recordings synced to CDN for low-latency playback.
Unified catalogue
Recorded content exposed alongside VOD.
How cloud recording works
Cloud DVR records linear channels to origin storage as they play out and exposes the result as on-demand assets, so start-over, catch-up and scheduled recording all come from the same mechanism. Recording jobs are visible in the CMS with an auto-refreshing queue, because the backlog is what tells operations whether recording is actually keeping up with playout.
There is an important legal distinction between a shared copy - one recording served to every subscriber - and a unique copy per user. Which one is permissible depends on your jurisdiction and your content agreements, and it changes storage cost by orders of magnitude. It is a decision to take before the platform is built, not after.
Storage, retention and cost
Retention drives storage cost more than anything else. A rolling seven-day catch-up window across a modest lineup is comfortable; open-ended per-user recording across dozens of channels is not, and usually needs quota per subscription tier to stay predictable.
Recordings are stored as the same segmented, encrypted output as VOD, so they inherit the existing CDN and DRM setup instead of needing a second delivery path. Expiry is automatic once the retention window passes.
What viewers actually get
From the viewer side the features are start-over (jump to the beginning of the programme currently airing), catch-up (play something that aired in the last few days), pause live, and scheduled series recording. All four are the same recorded copy presented differently in the UI.
The EPG is what makes them usable: without accurate programme boundaries there is nothing to start over to, which is why guide data quality tends to be the limiting factor on DVR features rather than storage.
Frequently asked questions
- How far back can viewers go?
- The retention window is a configuration choice, commonly two to seven days for catch-up. Longer windows and per-user recording quotas are supported and mainly a storage-cost decision.
- Does DVR need separate CDN and DRM setup?
- No. Recordings are packaged like VOD assets and reuse the same delivery and content-protection path.
- What is the difference between start-over and catch-up?
- Start-over restarts the programme that is airing right now; catch-up plays a programme that already finished, within the retention window. Both are served from the same recording.