An EPG (electronic program guide) is the on-screen schedule for channel-based viewing - the grid of channels and time slots a viewer browses on linear TV and FAST services. It is what makes "what's on?" answerable when there is no catalog to search, and it is the primary navigation surface for lean-back viewing.
Behind the UI, the EPG is a data pipeline: schedule metadata (often standardized formats) describing each programme's start, duration, title, and rating, kept in sync with the actual playout. Accurate EPG data drives not just navigation but reminders, catch-up, restart-from-start, and ad planning, so schedule drift between the guide and the stream is a real operational problem.
The handbook · 7 volumes
Fora Soft Video Engineering Handbook
An EPG is the main way viewers find anything on a linear or FAST service, so schedule errors there cost viewing time directly. Our seven-volume handbook covers the whole video stack; for EPG-driven channels start with Volume 2 on live delivery and HLS and DASH packaging, then Volume 3 on players and streaming economics and Volume 1 on encoding. Written by Nikolay Sapunov, CEO at Fora Soft.
Building an EPG for your linear or FAST channels that stays in sync with playout?
We will review your channel setup and send an EPG and playout architecture with data sources, update flow and an effort estimate. 250+ video products shipped since 2005.
