What is EPG, and why does everyone talk about it when they talk about IPTV? EPG stands for electronic programme guide: the grid on your screen that shows what is on now, what is on next and what is coming up later. Together with catch-up, it turns a long list of channels into something you can actually use.
What is EPG on IPTV?
On an aerial or satellite TV, the programme guide arrives with the broadcast signal. On IPTV it arrives separately. Your player app downloads the channel list from one address and the guide data from another, then matches the two up, so each channel shows its programmes with titles, times and often a short description.
Most player apps show the guide in two ways:
- A grid, with channels down the side and time along the top, like a newspaper TV page.
- A now-and-next line under each channel in the list, so you can see at a glance what is on without opening the full grid.
A good guide is the difference between scrolling through hundreds of channels and finding the match in two clicks.
How the guide data works
Guide data is usually provided as a file in a standard format that lists, for each channel, the programmes with their start and end times. The player matches the guide to your channels using an identifier for each channel. When that identifier is missing or different, a channel shows “no information” even though the rest of the guide works.
Guide data is typically refreshed once or several times a day and covers a few days ahead. Your player app has a setting for how often it updates the guide; once a day is usually enough.
Time zones and the programme guide
Guide times are stored in a standard time and converted by your app to the time zone of your device. That is why the guide shows the right times when everything is set correctly, and the wrong times when something is off.
If programmes appear an hour early or late, check three things in this order:
- the time zone and clock on the device itself;
- the time zone setting in the player app, if it has one;
- any “time offset” or “time shift” setting for the guide, which should normally be zero.
This matters especially for the Irish abroad. Live channels play at Irish time, but your guide should show programmes in your local time, so you can see at a glance that the evening news from home is on at 4 pm in New York or 6 am in Sydney. Our Irish expat TV guide has a table for the main cities.
What is catch-up?
Catch-up lets you watch programmes that have already been broadcast, for a limited time afterwards. On channels that support it, the programme guide extends backwards: you scroll to yesterday evening, select a programme and it plays from the start.
How far back you can go depends on the service and on the channel. Some channels keep a few hours, others a few days, and some have no catch-up at all. Ask your provider which channels support it before you rely on it for a particular programme.
Catch-up, recording and on-demand compared
| Catch-up | Recording | On demand | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Recent broadcasts kept by the service for a limited time | A programme you saved yourself | A library of films and series to start at any time |
| Where it is stored | With the service | On your device or account, if supported | With the service |
| How long it lasts | Hours to days, depending on the channel | Until you delete it or run out of space | As long as the title stays in the library |
| Best for | Missing something last night | Keeping something for later | Evenings when nothing live appeals |
With Irish IPTV, the on-demand library of 93,000+ films and series is included in every plan, alongside 23,000+ live channels.
Why the programme guide is empty
An empty or partly empty guide is one of the most common questions we hear. The usual causes are simple:
- It has not loaded yet. The first download can take a minute or two. Leave the app open, then refresh the guide in its settings.
- The guide address is missing. With some apps and login types, the guide is a separate address that has to be added in the settings. Ask your provider for it.
- Channels are not matched. If most channels show programmes but a few do not, the identifiers for those channels do not match. That needs fixing on the provider’s side, so report the channel names.
- The guide is out of date. If yesterday’s programmes still show, the automatic update is switched off or failing. Refresh it manually and check the update setting.
- The device’s date is wrong. A wrong date makes the app look for the guide in the wrong place in time.
Getting the most out of the guide
- Set reminders. Many apps let you mark a programme in the guide and remind you when it starts.
- Use favourites in the guide. Showing only your favourite channels in the grid turns a huge guide into a short, readable one.
- Search the guide. Some apps search programme titles, not just channel names, which is the quickest way to find a match.
- Keep the guide period short. Downloading only two or three days ahead makes the app faster on older devices.
EPG terms you will come across
- EPG
- Electronic programme guide: the on-screen schedule of what is on now, next and later.
- Guide address or guide link
- The web address from which a player app downloads the programme data, when it is not included in your login.
- Time offset
- A setting that moves the whole guide forwards or backwards by a number of hours. It should normally stay at zero.
- Now and next
- The short line under a channel name that shows the current and the following programme.
- Catch-up or archive
- Programmes kept by the service for a limited time after broadcast, played from the guide.
- Recording
- A programme saved on your own device or account, where the app and device support it.
Programme guide tips for viewers abroad
If you watch Irish channels from another country, set the device to your local time zone and leave the guide offset at zero. The guide then shows every programme in your own time, so you can plan around the evening news or a big match without doing the sums yourself. If you travel, check the device clock after you land: a phone or laptop usually adjusts itself, but a TV box may not.
EPG and catch-up in your setup
Whether you get a full guide and catch-up depends on three parts working together: the service, the player app and your device. When you choose an app, check that it supports a programme guide and, if you want it, catch-up. Our guide on how to set up IPTV explains the setup for each device, and our article on IPTV on smart TVs shows where these settings sit on a TV.
Questions about the guide in your app? Send us the app name and a photo of the screen on WhatsApp and we will help you sort it out.
Ask about my programme guide (opens WhatsApp)
Published on 1 November 2026.
