How to Set Up EPG for IPTV: Electronic Programme Guide in TiviMate

The Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) is what turns a bare channel list into a proper TV guide experience. Without it, IPTV is just a list of names with no context. With it, you can see what is on now, what is coming up, and plan recordings in advance.

This guide covers how to set up EPG in TiviMate and how to fix it when it does not load.

What EPG is and why it matters

EPG is schedule data — it tells your IPTV app what programme is currently airing on each channel and what is coming up next, typically 7–14 days ahead. It also enables:

• Now/Next display — see current and upcoming programmes without leaving a channel
• Recording scheduling — set a recording for a specific programme by name
• Search by programme — find what time a specific show airs across channels
• Time-shifting — catch up on programmes that started a few minutes ago

Without EPG, your IPTV app is functional but much less convenient to use day-to-day.

What you need before you start

• TiviMate installed on a Fire TV, Android TV, or Android device (see the setup guide if not yet installed)
• Your IPTV subscription active with an M3U URL or Xtream Codes login
• The EPG URL provided by your IPTV service (IPTVBROS provides this in your welcome email)

Setting up EPG during initial TiviMate setup

If you are setting up TiviMate for the first time, EPG can be added alongside the playlist:

1. Open TiviMate and go through the initial Add Playlist wizard
2. When prompted, enter your M3U URL or Xtream Codes credentials
3. On the next screen, TiviMate asks for an EPG/XMLTV URL — paste the URL from your provider here
4. Tap Next and let TiviMate load the playlist and EPG data simultaneously

When using Xtream Codes login, TiviMate can often pull EPG data directly from the server without a separate URL — check the option labelled Use Xtream Codes EPG during setup.

Adding EPG to an existing TiviMate setup

If you already have TiviMate set up but EPG is not showing:

1. Open TiviMate and go to Settings (gear icon)
2. Tap Playlists and select your current playlist
3. Find the EPG Source field
4. Enter your XMLTV/EPG URL (from your IPTVBROS welcome email or dashboard)
5. Tap Update Now to force an immediate EPG load
6. Return to the channel list — guide data should appear within a few minutes

For more on EPG sources and URLs, see the EPG guide.

Fixing EPG not loading

Problem: EPG shows but some channels have no guide data

This is usually a channel name mismatch. The EPG data maps to channels by name, and if the provider’s channel name does not exactly match the EPG source’s channel name, that channel gets no guide data.

Solution: In TiviMate, long-press a channel with no EPG → select Edit → tap the EPG Channel field → search for the matching channel in the EPG database and assign it manually.

Problem: EPG is completely blank

1. Go to Settings > EPG in TiviMate
2. Check that the EPG URL is entered correctly — no extra spaces, correct URL format
3. Tap Update EPG Now
4. If still blank, try removing the EPG URL, saving, then re-entering it and saving again
5. Restart TiviMate completely (force close from the Android app switcher)

Problem: EPG loaded but shows wrong times

Go to Settings > EPG > Time Offset and adjust by your UTC offset. This corrects EPG data from providers in different time zones from yours.

Problem: EPG data is outdated

TiviMate updates EPG automatically, but you can force a refresh:

1. Go to Settings > EPG
2. Tap Clear EPG Data
3. Tap Update EPG Now
4. Wait 2–5 minutes for fresh data to load

EPG update frequency

TiviMate refreshes EPG data on a schedule you can configure:

• Go to Settings > EPG > Update Interval
• Options range from every 4 hours to once daily
• For most users, every 12 hours is a good balance between fresh data and bandwidth use

Using the EPG guide in TiviMate

Once EPG is loaded:

• Press the Guide button (or the dedicated EPG key on your remote) to open the full 7-day grid guide
• Scroll left/right to see upcoming programmes
• Press OK on any future programme to set a recording reminder
• The Now/Next overlay appears at the bottom of the screen when you switch channels

A working EPG guide makes IPTV feel like a proper TV service rather than just a streaming app. Once it is configured correctly, it runs in the background with no further maintenance required.

See also: Firestick Setup Guide · EPG Guide · Free Trial

See also: Best IPTV Service · Free Trial · Pricing