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IPTV Setup· 6 min read

The XMLTV Feed Format, Explained in Plain Terms

What each field in an XMLTV guide actually does, and which ones your player cares about.

Mia Lindqvist

Mia Lindqvist

Hardware Reviewer · Aug 30, 2026

The XMLTV Feed Format, Explained in Plain Terms

The shape of the file

An XMLTV document is a list of channels followed by a list of programmes. That is genuinely all it is.

Channel IDs

The channel ID is the join key between your playlist and your guide. If it does not match exactly, you get an empty guide.

Timezones

Every timestamp carries an offset. A guide that is consistently a few hours out is an offset problem, not a provider problem.

Mia Lindqvist

Written by

Mia Lindqvist

Mia benchmarks streaming hardware for thermals, decode quality and long-term reliability.

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