Guide · Updated October 9, 2026 · 4 min read
What is an M3U list, Xtream Codes and the EPG (XMLTV)
Setting up an IPTV player always brings up the same acronyms. Here is what each one means, how they differ and what to ask your provider for.
What an IPTV list is
An IPTV list is an index: it holds each channel's name, its logo, its category and the address it streams from. It contains no video. The content comes from your provider's servers, and the player (like AIDO TV) simply reads the list and plays what it points to.
That is why a neutral player includes no channels: without a list that you provide, it has nothing to play. Lists come in two forms: M3U or Xtream.
M3U and M3U8
M3U is a simple text file that lists channels one after another. Your provider gives you an address (URL) the player downloads it from. It looks like this (with made-up addresses):
#EXTM3U #EXTINF:-1 tvg-id="channel1" tvg-logo="https://example.example/logo.png" group-title="News",Channel One https://server.example/live/1.m3u8 #EXTINF:-1 tvg-id="channel2" group-title="Sports",Channel Two https://server.example/live/2.m3u8
Each channel takes two lines: one with its details (name, category, logo, guide identifier) and one with the streaming address. M3U8 is the same idea using UTF-8 encoding, which keeps accents and special characters intact; in practice players treat both the same way.
Do not mix them up: the .m3u8 extension is also used for HLS video streams. They are different things: the channel list and a channel's stream share an extension, but only the first is what you give AIDO TV.
The address of an M3U list usually includes your username and password. Treat it like a password: do not publish or share it.
Xtream Codes
Xtream Codes is a management system many providers use. Instead of one long address, it gives you three details: the server URL (usually with a port), your username and your password. With those, the player asks the server directly and gets the channels by category, films and series, the programme guide and your account status.
In AIDO TV, an Xtream account also shows your subscription's expiry date, and you do not have to paste a guide address: it uses the server's own.
M3U versus Xtream
| M3U | Xtream | |
|---|---|---|
| What you enter | One address (URL) | Server URL, username and password |
| Films and series | Depend on how the provider organises the list; AIDO TV groups them by category and name | Their own sections offered by the server |
| Guide (EPG) | The one you enter in "EPG URL"; if you leave it empty, the one the list itself declares, if it does | The server's, if your provider offers one |
| Account status | No | Yes: status and expiry |
| Handier if… | Your provider only gives you an address | Your provider gives you a username, password and server |
If your provider offers both, Xtream is usually handier: no long addresses to copy and the guide comes along on its own. If you only have an address, use M3U: it works just as well.
What the EPG (programme guide) and XMLTV are
The EPG (Electronic Programme Guide) is the guide that tells you what is on each channel now and next. It is not inside the list: it is a separate file in XMLTV format (an .xml file, sometimes compressed as .xml.gz) holding each channel's programmes, their times and, sometimes, a synopsis.
The guide and the list are linked through a channel identifier (in M3U, the tvg-id field). If the list's identifier does not match the guide's, that channel shows no guide even though it plays fine.
- With M3U: enter the guide address in "EPG URL (optional)". If you leave it empty, AIDO TV uses the one the list declares in its header, if it does.
- With Xtream: the guide is taken from the server, if your provider offers one.
- The first time, a large guide can take a while to process. After that it is stored on the device: it opens instantly, works offline and refreshes on its own.
Common mistakes
- Pasting a web page address (the one for your provider's customer area) instead of the list address.
- Copying the address incompletely or with spaces at the start or end.
- Picking the wrong type: entering Xtream details as if they were an M3U URL, or the other way round.
- Mixing up the server and the list address: with Xtream, the "Server URL" is just the server, not a list.
And where does the content come from?
From your provider. AIDO TV is a neutral player: it does not include, host, sell or recommend channels, films or lists, and you are responsible for having the right to watch what you add. You can read the content notice.
Already know what you have? Move on to how to add your list to AIDO TV.