What is an EPG URL? It points your IPTV app to programme schedule data, including programme names and times. Your app matches that information with channels in its listings.
For your living-room TV, bedroom screen, or phone, the guide works when the app and setup support it. Zarvo TV includes EPG support for households setting up their screens.
How does an EPG URL work?
EPG means electronic programme guide, and an EPG URL points your app to schedule data. The app retrieves programme names, descriptions, and start and end times from that guide source.
The app then uses identifiers to match guide entries with channels in its listings. When identifiers line up, you can see the right programme details beside each channel. The guide can show what is scheduled next, but it does not carry the channel stream itself.
Think of the EPG as a schedule your app reads, not a video feed. Your app requests the schedule data from the address and displays it in its guide view. This helps you check what is on now or coming up without opening channels one by one.
Quick tip: If your app asks for a guide source, enter it in the field labelled EPG or TV guide, not the channel playlist field.
How is an EPG URL different from a playlist or login?
An EPG URL supplies programme schedules, while a playlist URL supplies channel entries and stream addresses. Xtream Codes credentials are a login method, not an EPG URL.
| Detail | What it provides |
|---|---|
| EPG URL | Programme schedule information for the guide. |
| Playlist URL | Channel entries and the addresses used to load streams. |
| Xtream Codes credentials | Account access through a login method. |
These details serve different purposes, even when your app asks for them during the same setup. A provider may send guide details separately or configure them alongside a playlist.
Adding a guide address does not add channels or replace your account access. You still need the playlist or login details required to load your channel list.
If a setup message includes several fields, copy each value into the app field with the matching label. Keep the values separate rather than combining them, so the app can use each detail for its intended purpose.
Which EPG setup option works across your screens?
Choose the guide option your apps support across the screens you use. An included guide is simpler to manage, while a separate provider-supplied address gives you a distinct setting to track.
If your app or account setup already includes a guide, you may not need to enter a separate address. This can suit a living-room TV where you want fewer settings to manage. A separate address can be useful when an app lets you choose a guide source independently.
Check that the source suits your preferred language and regional listings. Also confirm that each app supports the same setup option, since your bedroom TV and kids’ tablet may use different apps. You may need to choose an included guide on one screen and manage a separate address on another.
Think of each screen as its own setup rather than assuming one choice will fit every app. Pick the approach that matches how your household watches and the settings available on each device.
Quick tip: Write down which screens use a separate guide address. That record helps you identify where an update is needed later.
How do you add and refresh an EPG URL?
Open your IPTV app’s playlist, account, or guide settings and locate the EPG or TV guide field. Enter the supplied address exactly as provided, save it, and refresh the guide if listings do not appear.
- Open the settings area for your playlist, account, or TV guide. Choose the field labelled EPG or TV guide.
- Copy the supplied address into that field. Keep the full address intact, including any punctuation, then save the setting.
- Open the app’s refresh, update guide, or similar command if listings are still absent after saving. Let the app complete the update before checking the guide again.
- Set up the address on another screen if its app does not share settings with your first device. Repeat the same save and refresh steps there.
Keep the supplied address in a private household note so you can copy it accurately when configuring another device. Store it somewhere household members can access when needed, but avoid leaving account details visible on a shared screen. If the app uses different labels, look for its guide settings rather than changing unrelated playback options.
Why is EPG data missing or showing the wrong listings?
Missing or incorrect guide data usually points to an address, channel match, time-zone, or source issue. Check one likely cause at a time so you do not change settings for the whole list unnecessarily.
If the app cannot load any guide data, check whether the address is mistyped or incomplete. A single missing character can prevent the app from reaching the guide source.
If only certain channels have blank or incorrect listings, the channel name and its guide entry may have different identifiers. The app may then show no match or attach another channel’s schedule.
When programmes appear consistently earlier or later than expected, check the app’s time-zone setting. The guide times may be correct for another region, while the app displays them using a different local time.
If schedules remain old after a refresh, the guide source may have changed or stopped updating. In that case, repeated changes to your app’s other settings are unlikely to bring current listings back.
Quick tip: Compare one channel’s name and programme time with the source details before changing settings for the whole list. This can help you tell a channel mismatch from a broader time-zone or guide-source problem.
New to Zarvo TV? See the setup guide, compare plans and prices, or check the channel list.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does EPG stand for?
EPG stands for electronic programme guide. It is the on-screen schedule that shows programme names, descriptions, and start and end times. Your IPTV app uses guide data to display this information alongside channel listings. The exact layout depends on the app you use.
Can I open an EPG URL in a browser?
Sometimes, but an EPG URL is usually intended for an IPTV app rather than direct viewing as a normal webpage. What appears in a browser depends on the address format and server response; it may show raw guide data or an error. For setup, enter it in your app’s EPG or TV guide field.
Can an EPG work without an internet connection?
An EPG generally needs an internet connection to download or refresh programme schedules. If your app has already loaded guide information, some entries may remain visible temporarily while offline, depending on the app and its stored data. New schedule updates cannot arrive until the app reconnects.
Does an EPG URL include catch-up or recording links?
No. An EPG URL supplies programme schedule information, such as titles and times; it does not automatically provide catch-up playback or recording links. Those features depend on the service, app, and account setup. Treat the guide as schedule data, and use separate playback or recording controls if your app provides them.
Can I edit programme names shown in the guide?
Usually, you cannot change the provider’s original programme data through the EPG URL itself. Some IPTV apps may offer local guide editing or channel matching, but options differ by app. If names are wrong, check the channel match and guide source first; changing a local label may not correct the underlying schedule.
Set Up the Guide Your Screens Need
Enter the EPG URL in your app’s guide settings, save it, and refresh the listings if programme information does not appear. If the schedule looks wrong, check the address, channel match, time zone, and guide source one at a time.
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