Two features separate a proper IPTV service from a raw list of streams: the EPG (the on-screen TV guide) and catch-up (watching a programme after it aired). This guide explains what each one does, how to switch them on, and what to check before you subscribe to any provider.
What EPG means
EPG stands for Electronic Programme Guide. It is the grid you open on the remote that shows every channel down one side and the schedule across the top: what is playing now, what follows, and what starts at nine tonight. A good EPG shows programme titles and descriptions, adjusts to your own time zone, and covers several days ahead. Without it, 20,000 channels are just numbers — you would have to flick through them to discover a match had started.
What catch-up means
Catch-up (sometimes called archive or time-shift) records channels on the server side, so you can play a programme that already finished. Typically the last few days are available. In practice this is the feature people use most: the match kicked off at 3 am your time, or you got home an hour late — instead of reading the result, you start the broadcast from the beginning as if it were live.
Why these matter more than channel count
Any seller can claim a huge channel list; far fewer maintain a working guide and a real archive, because both cost money to run every single day. That is exactly why they are a good proxy for whether a provider is serious. When you compare services, weigh a complete EPG and reliable catch-up above a bigger number on the sales page — and see our guide to choosing a reliable IPTV service.
How to enable EPG and catch-up
- Open your player (TiviMate, IPTV Smarters or XCIPTV).
- Log in with the Xtream Codes details we send — this pulls the guide automatically, unlike a plain M3U link.
- In settings, set the correct time zone and let the EPG finish downloading.
- Open a channel, press the guide button, then hold on a finished programme to play it from catch-up.
The setup guide shows this per app and per device.
When the guide is empty or the times look wrong
Three causes cover almost every case. The player is still downloading the guide — give it a few minutes on first login. The time zone is wrong, which shifts every programme by an hour or more; correct it in the app settings, not on the TV. Or you logged in with a plain M3U URL instead of Xtream Codes, which often omits EPG data entirely — re-add the account using the Xtream option and the guide appears.
What to check before you subscribe
During your free trial, do three things: open the guide and confirm it is populated several days ahead; play one programme from catch-up to prove the archive works; and check the times match your clock. A provider that passes those three checks is running real infrastructure. You can also browse the channel list first to confirm your channels exist at all.
How much does it cost?
EPG and catch-up are included, not an add-on. Plans start at around €11.99 with no contract — see the plans and prices. Best Vision has run since 2020 with more than 8,000 customers, and logins arrive within minutes.
Get started
Message us on WhatsApp for a free trial and test the guide and the archive on your own device before paying anything.
Frequently asked questions
What does EPG mean in IPTV?
Electronic Programme Guide — the on-screen TV schedule showing what is on now, next and over the coming days.
How far back does catch-up go?
Typically the last few days on the main channels, so you can replay a match or programme you missed.
Why is my EPG empty?
Usually the guide is still downloading, the time zone is wrong, or you logged in with a plain M3U link instead of Xtream Codes.
Do all devices support catch-up?
Yes, on players that support it — TiviMate, IPTV Smarters and XCIPTV all do.
Is there a free trial?
Yes — request a free trial on WhatsApp and verify both features yourself.
Further reading: Electronic programme guide on Wikipedia.
Catch-up vs recording — what is the difference?
People often mix these up. Catch-up happens on the provider’s servers: the channel is archived for everyone, so you simply scroll back in the guide and press play, using no storage of your own. Recording happens on your device: you tell the player to capture a programme, and the file lives on your box or a USB drive. Catch-up is the more useful of the two for most people because it needs no planning — you did not have to know in advance that you would miss the match. Recording is worth having when you want to keep something permanently, and it is one of the features that separates the paid tier of TiviMate from the free players.
Time zones, the most common complaint
Nearly every “the guide is wrong” message turns out to be a time-zone setting. IPTV guides are delivered in a reference time and shifted to yours by the player, so if the offset is wrong every programme appears an hour or two out. Fix it inside the player settings, not on the television — changing the TV clock does nothing, because the app applies its own offset. Once corrected, the whole grid snaps into place and catch-up boundaries line up correctly too. For viewers in Morocco and Europe watching matches broadcast from the Gulf or the Americas, getting this right is the difference between catching a kick-off and missing the first half.
