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Smart EPG: TV Guide, Reminders and Catch-Up

Stream Master's TV guide for iPhone, iPad and Apple TV: now and next, an EPG grid, reminders and catch-up, free, from Xtream or XMLTV guide data.

Stream Master shows a TV guide for your live channels on iPhone, iPad and Apple TV. It covers now and next, a browsable grid, program reminders and, on channels your provider archives, catch-up. All of it is free, and the guide comes from your Xtream Codes provider or, for M3U playlists, from an XMLTV guide.

What you can do with it

  • See now and next while you watch. The player’s top bar shows the channel’s current and next program. A schedule sheet lists what follows, with reminder bells.
  • Browse the EPG grid (iPhone and iPad). The grid has a channel column and a timeline for today and tomorrow, scrolled to the current time. The live program is highlighted, and channels without guide data show No Information.
  • Set reminders. A bell icon appears only on programs that haven’t started yet. Tap it to set or remove a reminder (Reminder Set / Reminder Removed). The notification fires at the program’s start time, not before. Upcoming Reminders appear on Home on iPhone, iPad and Apple TV. See EPG Reminders for more.
  • Replay past programs (catch-up). On Xtream playlists, past programs your provider archives play from the start, on iPhone, iPad and Apple TV.
  • Use the TV Guide on Apple TV. It covers today and the next two days in a 3-hour window, with an All Channels view of every live channel in the playlist.
  • Get a guide for M3U playlists. If your M3U playlist includes a guide address (its url-tvg header), Stream Master uses it automatically. On iPhone and iPad you can also add or replace the XMLTV URL yourself. Gzipped XMLTV files work, channels are matched by tvg-id and then by name, and the guide refreshes every 12 hours.

How to use it

On iPhone and iPad

  1. Open the Playlists tab, tap + and choose Xtream Login (Playlist Title, Xtream Username, Xtream Password, Xtream Portal URL) or Link m3u (Playlist Title, Playlist URL). An M3U link that contains Xtream credentials (a get.php?username=... or /user/pass/ style link) is converted to an Xtream playlist automatically.
  2. Wait while the app checks the connection, verifies your credentials and loads your channels. You’ll then see counts for Live TV, Movies and Series, plus your account status and expiry date.
  3. For an M3U playlist, tap the playlist card’s menu (…) in the Playlists tab, choose Edit Playlist and check the EPG URL (XMLTV) field. Leave it empty to use the playlist’s own guide, or paste the XMLTV URL your provider gives you. If the playlist has no guide address, the app tells you.
  4. Go to Live TV, open a category and tap the grid button in the toolbar. The list button switches back.
  5. Tap the bell on an upcoming program to set a reminder. If notifications are off, the app asks you to enable them in iOS Settings.
  6. For catch-up on an Xtream playlist, look for past programs with a light-green background and a green rewind icon. Tap one to watch it from the start; the player shows the program name with a rewind symbol. Tap the channel logo to watch live instead.

The catch-up guide for iPhone and iPad covers this in more detail.

On Apple TV

  1. In the Playlists tab, add your playlist with Link m3u or Xtream Login.
  2. Open a Live TV category and choose TV Guide. Use Now, the earlier/later buttons and the day buttons to move around, or All Channels to see every live channel.
  3. For catch-up on an Xtream playlist, select a past program to play it from the archive, or long-press a channel to list its whole archive. Channels with an archive start their timeline 90 minutes earlier.
  4. During catch-up you’ll see a catch-up badge and the program’s progress. Press left or right to seek. Click while the controls are up to open the options panel with Start Over, Back to Live and the archive list. Up or Down leaves catch-up for the next channel’s live stream.

Limits and requirements

  • Devices: iPhone and iPad on iOS 16 or later, and Apple TV on tvOS 18.5 or later.
  • Guide source: You need an Xtream Codes playlist, or an M3U playlist with an XMLTV guide. A custom XMLTV URL can only be entered on iPhone and iPad; Apple TV uses the playlist’s own guide address.
  • Guide content: The guide only shows what your provider’s guide contains. Stream Master never invents programs.
  • Catch-up: Xtream playlists only, and only on channels your provider archives. A program outside the provider’s archive window plays live instead, without an error message.
  • Free or Pro: The guide, reminders and catch-up are free on all three devices. The free version allows 1 playlist and up to 5 favorites, and shows ads on iPhone and iPad. Pro adds unlimited playlists and favorites, removes ads, and unlocks recording, downloads, Multi-View, AirPlay, Chromecast and iCloud Sync. One purchase covers iPhone, iPad and Apple TV.
  • Content: Stream Master doesn’t provide channels or subscriptions. You need a playlist or login from a legal IPTV provider you subscribe to.

When it is not available

  • M3U playlists with no guide: If the playlist has no guide address and you haven’t added an XMLTV URL, there’s no guide data to show.
  • Catch-up on M3U playlists: Catch-up needs an Xtream playlist, even if your M3U has an XMLTV guide.
  • Channels your provider doesn’t archive: No green rewind icon, so no catch-up.
  • The player’s schedule sheet on iPhone and iPad: It shows the schedule and reminder bells but no catch-up. Use the EPG grid for that.
  • Programs that have already started: They have no bell, so you can’t set a reminder for them.

New to playlist types? What is an M3U Playlist? explains the difference. If the guide looks empty, IPTV Not Working? covers common causes.

Try it

The TV guide, reminders and catch-up are all in the free version. Download Stream Master on the App Store.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the TV guide free, or do I need Pro?

The guide, the EPG grid, reminders and catch-up are all free on iPhone, iPad and Apple TV. Pro adds things like unlimited playlists, recording, downloads and casting, and removes ads on iPhone and iPad.

Does the guide work with an M3U playlist?

Yes, if the playlist has an XMLTV guide: Stream Master uses the playlist's own guide address automatically, and on iPhone and iPad you can add or replace it under Edit Playlist > EPG URL (XMLTV). An M3U playlist with no guide address shows no guide data.

Can I watch catch-up on Apple TV?

Yes, for free on Xtream playlists, on channels your provider archives. In the TV Guide, select a past program or long-press a channel to see its archive. The player's options panel offers Start Over and Back to Live.

How far ahead does the guide go?

The iPhone and iPad grid shows today and tomorrow, and the Apple TV TV Guide covers today and the next two days. Either way, you only see what your provider's guide includes.