What are EPG and XMLTV?
EPG (Electronic Program Guide) is the electronic schedule that shows what is on now and next for each channel. XMLTV is a widely used XML format for this data.
How does the guide work?
The player combines two sets of data: the channel list and an XMLTV file. Matching is done through the channel's identifier. In M3U lists this identifier is usually the tvg-id tag (What is M3U?). When the identifiers match, program names and start and end times appear under the channel.
What is inside an XMLTV file?
- Channel definitions: an identifier and a display name.
- Program entries: channel identifier, start and end time, title and description.
Why can a guide be empty or shifted?
- Identifier mismatch: if the
tvg-idin the list differs from the channel identifier in the XMLTV, no programs show. - Time zone: if the guide was produced in a different time zone, programs shift.
- Stale data: if the XMLTV file is not updated regularly, no future programs remain.
The source of these problems is usually the party supplying the guide data. The smart EPG engine in the Windows version of Emileyt IPTV Player filters broken or incomplete guide data and tries to repair it automatically.
In Emileyt IPTV Player
An XMLTV-based program guide shows each channel's daily schedule. All features