What an EPG shows
- Channels, as rows
- Programs, as blocks along a timeline, with title, start and end time
- Details for each program: synopsis, episode, rating, artwork
- A marker for the current time
- Actions: watch now, start from the beginning, set a reminder, record
Where the data comes from
The guide is only as good as its schedule data. For a channel you program yourself, the schedule comes from your playout system. For third-party channels it arrives as a feed from the broadcaster or a guide-data supplier, commonly in an XML format such as XMLTV.
The data must match what is on air. A guide that says one thing while the channel shows another is worse than no guide.
EPG features tied to the stream
When the guide is linked to recordings of the stream, it becomes a way to navigate time: restart a program already in progress, scroll back to watch something from earlier in the day, or record a future program. These depend on the rights you hold as well as on the technology.
On different screens
The full grid suits a television and a remote control. On a phone, a simpler now-and-next list per channel works better. Channels distributed through third-party services must also supply their guide data in the format each service requires.
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