Well-formed XML has valid basic markup, but that does not guarantee a useful XMLTV guide. The document can still contain mismatched channel references, old dates, missing titles or an unexpected structure. Separate syntax validation from schedule accuracy and from the reader’s supported XMLTV features.
Check the document’s role
A generic XML response is not automatically XMLTV. An API error can be valid XML too. Look for the expected guide structure and relevant channel/programme records rather than relying only on a successful XML parse.
Validate relationships
Programme channel references need meaningful channel associations. A file can have perfect nesting while every programme points to an identifier absent from the lineup. That problem is semantic rather than a missing closing tag.
Compare a real airing
After structural checks, verify one current programme on the correct station edition. That end-to-end check connects the data to the household’s actual browsing experience. Do not label a guide correct merely because a parser accepted it.
A practical sequence
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An example to work through
A syntactically valid guide containing only last month’s programmes is still unsuitable for today’s grid. Parsing success and useful current content are different tests.
Questions about this topic
Does an XML validator prove schedule accuracy?
No. It checks structure, not the broadcaster’s current programme.
Can valid XML contain no useful guide entries?
Yes. It may be an error document or an empty dataset.
