How the EPG guide works in Jetpack IPTV
The EPG turns a flat playlist into a TV guide with now, next and catch-up. Here is where the data comes from, what it needs from your playlist, and how to fix the two problems that cause most guide errors.
The EPG in Jetpack IPTV turns a flat list of channels into a TV guide. Channels run down the left, time runs across the top, and every programme sits in the grid between them. You can see what is on now, what is on next, and what is on tonight without stopping playback.
This post covers where that data comes from, what it needs from your playlist, and how to fix the two problems behind most guide errors.
Where guide data comes from
An IPTV playlist and a TV guide are two different files. Most guide problems start here.
| File | What it carries | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Playlist | Channel names and stream URLs | M3U / M3U8 |
| Guide | Programme titles, descriptions, start and end times | XMLTV |
Your provider publishes both. Jetpack matches them by channel ID. When the IDs line up, the grid fills in. When they do not, you get channels with no programmes next to them.
What you get in the grid
- Now and next. The guide opens on the current time, so the live column is the first thing you see. Each block shows how far through the programme is.
- Programme detail. Select any block to read its description. Useful when the channel name tells you nothing.
- Favourites. Star the channels you actually watch and filter the grid to those. Fifteen channels is a different experience from eight hundred.
- Reminders. Set one from the guide and get a notification before the programme starts.
- Catch-up. If your provider supports it, scroll left and play programmes that already aired. Catch-up and scheduled recordings require Boost.
Fixing the two common problems
The guide is empty, or empty for some channels. The XMLTV feed is missing, or its channel IDs do not match the playlist. Check with your provider that guide data is included and pointed at the same IDs.
Everything is shifted by a fixed number of hours. The feed publishes in a different time zone than your device. The tell is consistency. A uniform offset across every channel is a time zone issue. Errors that vary per channel are bad data in the feed.
Set up favourites once and the guide stops being a wall of channels. That is the difference between browsing channels and browsing television.
Frequently asked questions
- Why is my EPG guide empty in Jetpack IPTV?
- An empty guide almost always means the playlist is not supplying guide data. An M3U playlist carries channel URLs, not schedules. The schedule comes from a separate XMLTV feed that your provider publishes, so if that feed is missing or the channel IDs do not match, the grid has nothing to show.
- Why is every programme in my guide shifted by a few hours?
- A consistent offset across every channel means the XMLTV feed publishes times in a different time zone than the one your device is set to. A fixed shift points at the time zone. Random or per-channel errors point at bad data in the feed itself.
- Do I need Boost to use the EPG guide?
- No. The guide, now and next, favourites and reminders all work without Boost. Catch-up playback and scheduled recordings require Boost.
- Can I watch a programme that already aired?
- Yes, if your provider supports catch-up. Scroll left in the guide to programmes that have already aired and play them from there. Catch-up requires Boost and a provider that publishes catch-up data.