How to Use an Electronic Program Guide (EPG)

What an EPG does

An electronic program guide adds schedule information to a channel list. It can show current and upcoming programs, but it is separate from the video stream itself. A working stream can still play even when the guide is missing or out of date.

Guide coverage and update frequency depend on the data supplied with the service and the features available in the player.

Add only guide details you were given

Some players receive guide data along with a playlist or account login. Others provide a separate EPG field. Use a guide address only if the provider supplies one; do not guess an XMLTV address or reuse a URL from an unrelated service.

After saving the profile, open the player's guide settings and run its refresh or update command. The first update can take longer than later refreshes because the player has to build its schedule list.

Fix missing or mismatched listings

If every listing is blank, confirm that the guide source is saved and run one manual refresh. If only a few channels have no schedule, look for the player's channel-to-guide mapping option and check whether a matching entry exists.

If program times are consistently shifted, review the device and player time-zone settings. Do not change the guide source to solve a local clock setting.

• Refresh the guide after confirming the playlist is current.
• Keep the channel name and any error message handy when asking the provider for help.