Short answer
If you want to watch a programme later, first decide whether you need a cloud recording, a local file or only time-shifted playback. Storage capacity alone tells you nothing about deletion dates or offline use. Also check what happens to saved programmes if you change plans.
Catch up
Check Restart or Replay and its time window.
Keep
Check recording schedules, series detection and deletion dates.
Offline
Check a real download and playback on the target device.
A watchlist or cloud recording is not yet a file available offline.
Four features, four different promises
A recording saves a programme for later, with the service or on a supported local device. Restart begins a programme already in progress from the start. Replay offers a past viewing window when the channel and service allow it. A download puts content on a device for supported offline use.
These terms are not interchangeable. A programme stored in the cloud is not automatically a downloadable video file. A title in a watchlist has not been recorded. A Replay window may expire even if you marked the title earlier.
Describe what you need: “catch up tonight,” “save every new episode,” or “watch without internet while travelling.” That determines the relevant feature.
Read storage limits separately from retention
A service may state storage as a number of programmes, hours or data volume. So 100 programmes cannot be compared directly with 100 hours. Also check whether particular channels have their own retention limits and restrictions.
For Zattoo recordings, the provider lists 100 recordings and generally two years of retention with Ultimate in Germany and AT, subject to content-specific limits. They play online only and cannot be downloaded. Switzerland has different allowances.
Telekom lists 50 or 100 hours of cloud recording, depending on plan, for MagentaTV One. Its current storage help says cloud recordings saved since 3 December 2025 are retained for 90 days; older recordings keep their previous settings. Check the recording date too.
A compact comparison for your decision
Source check date: 23 October 2026. The table covers selected documented limits and is not a complete plan comparison.
| Feature | Zattoo Ultimate DE/AT | MagentaTV cloud | Your own local recording |
|---|---|---|---|
| Storage measure | 100 recordings; add-on may be available | 50 or 100 hours, depending on plan | Device storage in use |
| Retention | Generally two years; check content limits | Generally 90 days for new cloud recordings | Depends on software, format and rights |
| Offline | Recordings cannot be downloaded | Check the exact mobile download route and content | Only if a supported file actually exists |
| Series | Check recording feature for the programme | Check series planning for the plan and device | Check automatic scheduling separately |
| After cancellation | Restoration has conditions: renewed plan on same account within seven days | Check access and switching terms | Device or licence restrictions may remain |
These open checks are deliberate, not yes-promises. A device feature and plan may differ. Check the specific channel before choosing a long-term plan for recordings.
Record series and avoid losing them
Schedule one episode and then check the recording list. For a series feature, also check whether future episodes are detected and how repeats are handled. The waipu.tv recording help describes automatic recording of newly detected series episodes. That is a service feature, not a general player function.
Set a reminder before the displayed deletion date for important recordings. A large storage allowance is of little help if a programme leaves the catalogue first. waipu.tv notes, for example, a 60-day period for ProSiebenSat.1 recordings and deletion after 30 days on the Free plan; recordings are available only with an active package.
Before changing plans, privately list important titles and their deadlines. A screenshot of the list does not save video, but it helps compare your needs with the new service.
What this means for TELOS
TELOS and your content source are separate parts. An EPG displays programme data; that does not create a recording feature or Replay rights. An external cloud recording cannot automatically be used as an M3U source in another player.
The TELOS downloads overview (in German) describes supported offline routes for eligible content you own. On iPhone and iPad, downloads require a suitable Xtream source and the provider proxy turned off; M3U is not a download route there. This feature is not a general way to record every live channel.
On Apple TV, tvOS may remove the cache. Do not treat a cached file there as a promised permanent archive. If a particular film matters on a trip, check the supported mobile route and complete playback before leaving.
Five questions before buying or switching plans
Ask about your exact use:
- Can this specific channel or programme be recorded?
- How is the storage limit calculated and what deletion period applies?
- Does recording on my device support series scheduling?
- Can I only watch online, or can I actually use it offline?
- What happens after cancellation, a plan change or a device change?
Keep the answers with the date. If you need permanent storage, a cloud icon is not enough. Choose an explicitly supported route and follow technical protections and terms of use. This guide does not promise archiving regardless of provider or rights.
Frequently asked questions
Is Restart the same as a recording?
No. Where available, Restart begins a programme in progress from the beginning. It does not automatically save a recording that remains available later.
Can I watch Zattoo recordings offline?
According to Zattoo, recordings play online only; downloading recordings is not available.
Are 100 recordings the same as 100 hours?
No. One counts programmes; the other counts their total duration. Compare these storage measures separately.
Does TELOS automatically record every live channel?
No such feature is promised here. EPG, Catch-up and downloads are different functions and depend on the source and platform.