My programme guide is empty: why, and how to fill it
The programme guide is not produced by the player: it comes from your provider, in XMLTV format. An empty guide almost always means the source supplies none, or that the XMLTV link was never entered. A guide that is filled but shifted by one or more hours is a time-zone problem, not a data problem.
Where guide data comes from
A player does not invent programmes. It downloads an XMLTV file supplied by the source, then matches it to the channels in your playlist.
Two direct consequences: if the source publishes no XMLTV, no player on earth will show a guide; and if the channel identifiers in the XMLTV and the playlist disagree, some channels will be filled in and others not.
The four causes, by frequency
- The source supplies no guide. By far the most common. With Xtream the guide is usually fetched automatically; with M3U you often need a separate XMLTV link that the provider must give you.
- The guide has not downloaded yet. A full XMLTV file is heavy. After adding a playlist, give the player time to fetch and index it.
- Channel identifiers do not match. The XMLTV and the playlist must name channels the same way. When they diverge the guide is partial — that is a fault of the source.
- Time-zone offset. The guide shows but everything is shifted by one or more hours: the times are expressed in a zone that is not yours.
A shifted guide: what to check
Compare the size of the shift with the gap between your zone and the server’s. A round offset — one, two, three hours — almost always points to the time zone; a few minutes points to the TV’s clock.
First check that the TV’s date, time and zone are right, daylight saving included. If the shift persists it comes from the source: it is up to your provider to fix the times in their XMLTV.
What you can reasonably expect
- A complete, correctly timed guide takes a serious source. It is a good yardstick for judging a provider.
- Catch-up depends on the guide: with no programme data there is no anchor to go back to.
- No player can make up for a missing or wrong XMLTV. Be wary of anyone promising otherwise.
Frequently asked questions
Can the player supply a guide instead?
No. RSKTV Player Pro does not provide, host or index any programme data: it displays what your source gives it.
Why do only some channels have a guide?
Because the XMLTV covers only those, or because channel identifiers do not match between guide and playlist. Both are fixed at the source.
The guide disappears after a few days
An XMLTV covers a limited window, often a few days. The source has to refresh it regularly.
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