IPTV EPG (Electronic Program Guide): The Complete Setup Guide

This guide comes from the team at Fireview TV — trusted by viewers worldwide for 19,700+ live channels and 170,000+ movies and shows in crisp 4K.

The EPG (Electronic Programme Guide) is what turns an IPTV channel list into a real TV experience. Instead of a wall of channel logos, you see what’s playing now, what’s next, and the schedule for the next 7 days. Without it, IPTV feels stripped-down. This guide explains how it works and how to set it up properly in the most common apps.

What is the EPG?#

EPG data describes the schedule for each channel: show titles, descriptions, categories, start and end times, sometimes IMDb ratings. Modern IPTV apps display this in a familiar TV-guide grid — channels down the left, time across the top.

EPG data comes from one of two places:

• Bundled with your subscription — Xtream Codes services include EPG automatically.
• A separate XMLTV URL — for M3U-only setups, you point your app at a separate URL that returns EPG data in the XMLTV format.

How to set up EPG in TiviMate#

TiviMate has the best EPG handling in the IPTV ecosystem. If you’re using Xtream Codes:

1. 1Open TiviMate → Settings → Playlists.
2. 2Select your playlist → EPG.
3. 3Toggle Use EPG from provider on.
4. 4Wait 30-60 seconds for the EPG to load — you’ll see a progress bar.

If you’re using M3U:

1. 1Get the XMLTV URL from your IPTV provider (usually in the welcome email).
2. 2In TiviMate → Settings → Playlists → your playlist → EPG.
3. 3Add the XMLTV URL.
4. 4Set the refresh interval to every 12 hours.

How to set up EPG in IPTV Smarters Pro#

1. 1Open IPTV Smarters Pro.
2. 2Go to Settings → EPG.
3. 3For Xtream Codes: toggle Get EPG from playlist.
4. 4For M3U: enter your XMLTV URL in the EPG URL field.
5. 5Click Reload EPG.

How to set up EPG in IBO Player#

IBO Player handles EPG through the web portal:

1. 1On a computer, visit iboplayer.com/devices.
2. 2Log in with the email you used to activate.
3. 3Edit your device → enter the XMLTV URL alongside your M3U URL.
4. 4On the TV, restart IBO Player. EPG appears automatically.

Fixing common EPG problems#

EPG is completely empty

• Check that your provider actually offers EPG — some basic plans don’t.
• For M3U: confirm the XMLTV URL is correctly entered and starts with http or https.
• Force a refresh from app settings.

EPG times are wrong (off by hours)

• Set the correct timezone in your IPTV app (Settings → Time zone).
• Make sure your device’s timezone is correct first.
• Some XMLTV feeds use UTC and expect the app to convert — set "UTC offset" in TiviMate Settings.

EPG shows wrong programmes

• Channel IDs in the M3U don’t match the XMLTV channel IDs — contact your provider; they need to align them.
• In TiviMate, you can manually re-map channels: long-press a channel → EPG → pick the correct EPG channel.

EPG only loads partially

• XMLTV file is too large for the app to fully parse — switch to a smaller "essentials" XMLTV if your provider offers one.
• Clear the app cache, then reload.

EPG-related features worth knowing#

• Now / Next — when you tune a channel, a small overlay shows what’s playing now and next.
• Schedule a reminder — TiviMate Premium can pop up a notification before a show starts.
• Catch-up — apps use EPG data to know what aired when, so you can rewind past programmes.
• DVR recordings — schedule recordings from the EPG grid directly.

Frequently asked questions#

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