Prepare eligible DStv Catch Up downloads

Confirm the title and viewing route first

Use the DStv account associated with the content you intend to watch and find the actual movie or episode in Catch Up. DStv's current overview confirms offline app downloads, with content depending on the package and region.

Do not assume that every item seen in a live channel listing can be saved. DStv's specific download FAQ says supplier agreements determine which Catch Up items offer a download option and which offer streaming only.

The app's availability on a screen is also a separate question from that screen's offline capability. The published walkthrough concerns phones and tablets; it is not an instruction to expect identical download controls in every smart-TV or browser client.

Follow the published phone or tablet workflow

DStv's official walkthrough uses the following sequence. It was published in 2023, so follow current on-screen labels where the interface has changed; current official information still confirms the offline feature.

1. Open the app, sign in and find the required item in Catch Up.
2. Use the item's Download control if it is offered.
3. Choose a download quality, reviewing the displayed storage and data requirement.
4. Open Downloads and check whether the transfer is still in progress or complete.
5. Read the item's expiry before planning to watch it later.

Use a completion check rather than the download count alone

DStv's current streaming overview describes up to 25 offline app items. That limit does not mean that selecting an item has finished transferring it, or that it remains available indefinitely.

Before leaving the connection, confirm the intended episode and its completed status. Compare the quality choice with available storage, especially if several episodes are being prepared. This is a useful planning check even when the title is clearly eligible.

The published walkthrough advises checking individual expiry because availability can differ between items. Use the expiry actually shown for the programme rather than assuming an old generic duration applies to every current title.

Keep PVR Catch Up separate from phone downloads

DStv explains that a decoder's locally stored Catch Up selection is smaller than the app's package library. A connected Explora can also obtain additional titles through its own workflow. Those are distinct from a programme saved on a phone or tablet.

If an item appears on one screen but not another, identify which route you are using before troubleshooting. The useful outcome is the right eligible episode, fully downloaded on the device you will carry, with its current expiry understood.