Blog · Page 7 of 24
Player Guides & Troubleshooting
Practical, experience-tested walkthroughs for fixing common playback problems and getting more out of your playlists.
- Guides·7 min
Roku's Ad-Heavy Home Screen in 2026: What You Can Actually Do
Roku is testing autoplay video ads before you even reach the home screen. Which settings genuinely reduce it, which do nothing, and the honest options if you want your launcher back.
- Guides·8 min
Your Smart TV Is Watching You: How to Turn Off ACR in 2026
ACR samples what is on your screen and matches it against a database, including HDMI inputs. Texas sued five brands over it. Here are the exact menu paths to switch it off on Samsung, LG, Roku, Google TV and Fire TV.
- Comparisons·8 min·
VLC Alternative for Android and Android TV (2026)
VLC on Android works, but it was designed mouse-first and it shows on a remote. What to look for in an Android or Android TV replacement, and the one setting to try before you switch at all.
- Comparisons·8 min·
VLC Alternative for Mac and Apple TV (2026)
VLC on macOS still feels like a port, and on Apple TV the situation is different again. What actually improves when you switch, what doesn't, and the Apple-specific things worth checking first.
- Education·8 min
What an XMLTV EPG File Actually Looks Like (With Examples)
Open an XMLTV guide file and it stops being mysterious. Here is a real example decoded tag by tag, why your guide is empty even though the file loaded, and how to check a source before you trust it.
- Education·6 min
What Does EPG Mean? A Plain-English Answer (2026)
EPG stands for Electronic Program Guide — the on-screen schedule showing what's on now and next. Here's what the acronym means, what the EPG button on your remote does, and why yours might be empty.