An M3U player for Windows, with a real TV guide

What an M3U playlist is

An M3U playlist is a list of channels, each with a name, a group, usually a logo, and the address its stream plays from. Most providers send it as a link, which keeps the list current by itself. Some send a file ending in .m3u or .m3u8.

A general media player opens that list as a long column of names with no guide. An IPTV player turns it into TV you can browse.

Open it in Theia

1. Get Theia, free, from the Microsoft Store or the download page.
2. Paste the playlist link in setup and click Check link. For a file on your PC, click Browse, or open the file with Theia from File Explorer.
3. Click Add source. Theia shows what it found before anything is saved. Start watching appears as soon as the channels are in, while the guide and search finish loading.

A link with get.php or player_api.php in it, plus a username and password, is an Xtream login. Theia signs in with it instead, so movies, series and catch-up come along. More in Xtream Codes on Windows.

Every step, and what to do if a check fails, is in Getting started.

Add the TV guide (EPG)

The guide, or EPG, usually comes as an XMLTV file. Many playlists name theirs, and Theia loads it without asking. If your provider sent a separate guide link:

1. Choose Use a guide link in the Guide step of setup. Later, click Set up the guide on the source in Settings > Sources.
2. Paste the address. Plain and gzipped XMLTV both work.
3. Click Load guide.

Theia matches the guide to your channels and tells you how many found a match. Review matches lets you pick one for a channel that has none, and a match you set stays through every refresh. If programs start early or late, Guide time offset moves them back into line. More in The guide and live TV.

Built for big playlists

• The picture plays above the guide, so you can browse tonight’s lineup without losing what’s on.
• Search forgives typos. One box covers your channels and the guide, and it finds a channel even when the provider named it “US| SPRTS XTRA FHD”. How search works.
• Tens of thousands of channels stay quick. Search keeps pace as you type, and channels start fast.
• Streams fix themselves. When one drops, Theia holds the last picture and brings it back. When one lags, Theia moves to a better stream of the same channel on its own.

Free, with Premium when you want more

Watching, the guide, search and favorites are free, with up to 2 sources and no ads. Premium adds multiview, recording, your own channel order and groups, unlimited sources and sync across your devices.

Premium is $1.99 a month, $19.99 a year or $34.99 once. Free and Premium