The document has no <tv> root element
The XML parsed, but its root is not <tv>, so it is not an XMLTV guide.
What it means
An XMLTV guide has a single <tv> root containing <channel> and <programme> elements. This document has something else.
Why it matters
It is not a guide, so no client can read it. Most often the URL returned an error document from the origin, which is valid XML and therefore parses cleanly while containing nothing useful.
How to fix it
- Open the URL and check the root element.
- If the guide is gzipped, make sure it was actually decompressed — a gzip stream parsed as text produces confusing errors.
- Check the URL points at the guide file rather than a directory or an API wrapper.
Check your own stream
The free EPG checker runs this check on every analysis and links each finding straight back here.
Open the EPG checker →Frequently asked questions
- What does "The document has no <tv> root element" mean?
- An XMLTV guide has a single <tv> root containing <channel> and <programme> elements. This document has something else.
- Why does it matter?
- It is not a guide, so no client can read it. Most often the URL returned an error document from the origin, which is valid XML and therefore parses cleanly while containing nothing useful.
- How do I fix it?
- 1. Open the URL and check the root element. 2. If the guide is gzipped, make sure it was actually decompressed — a gzip stream parsed as text produces confusing errors. 3. Check the URL points at the guide file rather than a directory or an API wrapper.
- How can I detect this automatically?
- Paste your XMLTV programme guides URL into StreamTest's free EPG checker. It runs this check on every analysis, flags the finding, and links straight back to this page — no sign-up required.
Related Programme guides checks
- XMLTV timestamps have no UTC offsetTimestamps without an explicit offset are ambiguous, and are the usual cause of a guide that appears shifted by whole hours.
- XMLTV guide has holes in a channel scheduleConsecutive programmes do not join up, leaving blank stretches in the guide.
- XMLTV guide does not extend far enough aheadThe guide runs out within hours, so viewers lose programme information partway through the day.
- The guide is not well-formed XMLThe document could not be parsed as XML, so nothing else could be checked.
- Guide declares no channelsWithout <channel> elements there is nothing for a playlist to match against.
- Guide contains no programmesChannels are declared but there is no schedule, so viewers see an empty guide.