Confirm whether channels play without the guide
Open a channel that says No information in the guide and try watching it. Repeat with a second channel from another category. If both play but neither has programme details, start with the EPG checks below. Changing video settings is unlikely to address missing listings, because those listings come from a separate source of data.
If the channel list itself is missing, or every stream also fails, the problem is broader than an empty guide. Check whether the playlist loads and whether your provider credentials are accepted. Follow the playlist link troubleshooting steps if the app cannot load your M3U playlist at all.
Notice the pattern before changing anything. A completely blank guide, a few empty channels and listings that stop at a particular hour point to different checks. Note two affected channel names and the date and time you expected to see. That gives you a repeatable check after each change.
Check how your playlist receives EPG data
With Xtream Codes, the server URL, username and password connect the playlist to the provider's guide as well as its content. You normally do not need to invent a separate XMLTV address. If live channels load but listings do not, ask whether the guide is available for that same account. Our Xtream Codes setup guide explains which details belong together.
With a regular M3U or M3U8 playlist, stream addresses and programme listings are separate. The playlist can load channels successfully while an absent, incorrect or outdated EPG link leaves the guide empty. You can add an EPG link alongside the playlist; the M3U playlist guide explains that setup.
In OSM PLAYER, an M3U link containing get.php?username=…&password=… is recognised and stored as Xtream Codes, bringing films, series and the guide. Other M3U files are read directly by the app. Check which kind you added rather than assuming every link described as M3U needs the same guide configuration.
Add or correct an XMLTV link for M3U
Use the EPG address supplied for your playlist by a provider whose content you have the right to watch. Do not substitute a similarly named guide or guess a URL from the stream address. You need a source that both contains the relevant programmes and uses identifiers matching your channels.
Copy the complete link, including any credentials or other text after a question mark. Remove accidental spaces at either end, but do not alter the address itself. Treat guide links containing account details as passwords: do not post them in public screenshots or troubleshooting discussions.
If you see an HTTP error, record it exactly. A 401 indicates an authentication problem; 403 means access is refused; 404 indicates the resource was not found or its existence is concealed. A 503 points to temporary server unavailability. These are source-access problems, not evidence that channel identifiers fail to match.
- 1
Open your device playlist
Scan the app's QR code, or open Manage your playlist and sign in with the MAC address and six-digit device key shown on the start screen or in Settings.
- 2
Check the EPG address
Open the relevant playlist and add or correct its optional EPG link. Use the exact address your provider supplied for that playlist.
- 3
Test and save changes
Press Test connection, then save. A successful connection test alone does not establish that the source contains current programmes matching your channels.
Save changes and press Refresh
After saving the playlist, return to the app on your viewing device and press Refresh. Saving changes on your phone is not the final step: the app needs to pick up the updated playlist details. Once the refresh finishes, open the guide and check the same channels and time period you noted earlier.
Look for actual programme titles in the current and next slots, not just channel names or logos. A guide source can contain channel descriptions without programme entries. Likewise, a successful download can return an error page or data that is not usable XMLTV. Reaching the address and getting useful listings are different checks.
If nothing changes, avoid repeatedly saving the same address. First confirm you edited the playlist on the correct device, especially if you use several devices or playlists. If Xtream credentials are rejected as well, follow the Xtream login troubleshooting steps before investigating individual guide entries.
Check channel matching and gaps in the source
Channel names on screen are labels, not proof of a match. In a typical M3U and XMLTV pairing, the playlist's tvg-id corresponds to a channel identifier in the XMLTV file, and programme entries refer to that identifier. Two entries can display the same name yet use different identifiers, leaving the guide unable to associate the programmes with the stream.
If you are comfortable inspecting the files privately, compare an affected channel's tvg-id with the guide's channel identifier and programme references. Otherwise, ask your provider to check them. Renaming the channel on screen is not a reliable repair. Request a matching playlist-and-guide pair rather than trying unrelated guide sources.
Dates matter too. An XMLTV source may download correctly but contain only yesterday's programmes or stop before the period you are viewing. If a few hours are blank between populated entries, the source may have schedule gaps. Ask whether programme entries actually exist for those channels during those hours.
If programme titles appear but are consistently several hours early or late, treat that as a timing problem rather than a completely missing guide. Check your device's date, time and time zone, then ask your provider to verify the timestamps and time-zone offsets in the source. XMLTV timestamps without a time-zone offset are interpreted as UTC.
What to ask your provider when entries stay empty
You can correct a copied link, use the right account, save the configuration and refresh your device. You cannot create missing programme entries or repair the provider's guide server from the player. OSM PLAYER is a media player only: it does not sell, host or include channels, films, series or playlists, and it does not supply the provider's listings.
Send a short report that separates playback from guide behaviour. Say whether channels play, whether the entire guide is empty or only certain entries, and what happened after Refresh. Share credentials only through an appropriate private support channel, not in a public post. Ask the provider to verify these specific points:
Once your provider confirms the guide is reachable, current and matched to your playlist, refresh and check the same channels again. If those checks pass but entries remain empty, contact player support with your device type, affected channels, time period and any exact error shown.
- Is this the correct EPG source for my playlist and account?
- Does it contain programme entries for these channels today and over the next few days?
- Do the playlist identifiers match the XMLTV channel and programme references?
- Are the blank hours missing from the source, or are its timestamps shifted?
- If the source returns an error, when will access be restored?
Published 9 Nov 2026
