Having written a few tech fixes for the Xfinity brand, we have become pretty familiar with them in recent times. Overall, our experience with them has been relatively positive so far. Generally, they are quite reliable and user friendly supplier, and the customer does actually get quite a lot from them when they sign up.
In terms of the cable box, there’s a huge amount of options when it comes to streaming channels – enough to match the needs of pretty much any household. Whether you get your entertainment quota by watching films, documentaries, or series, they seem to have everything you could possibly need in one place.
However, we are acutely aware that you wouldn’t be here reading this if everything simply worked as it should all of the time. Unfortunately, one of the main flaws that comes with the territory of any device such as this is that every now and then, they simply can’t perform.
Generally though, most of the issues you will have will be the fault of one common symptom – connectivity issues. When you are experiencing these, there are any number of ways in which this will manifest itself.
On occasion, you may receive a partial service. Other times, you won’t be able to get any service at all. In either case, it can totally ruin your streaming experience. So, you will no doubt want to get it fixed as soon as possible.
Having spent some time looking into the PST error and what it means, we are confident that we have managed to get to the bottom of it. In the guide below, we will try our best to explain what the problem is and how to fix it.
What is the PST Error?.. why Xfinity Box Says PST?..
You will have no doubt noticed that when you are trying to access certain channels, you are instead getting a screen pop up on your smart TV that simply says PST instead. Unfortunately, trying to pin down one reason that could be behind this is an incredibly tough ask as there are just too many things that could be the cause.
However, the error is mostly caused when there is something amiss with your cables and connections, if there are damaged wires, issues with the signal, or a sub-standard connection to the net. It is also quite possible that there may be a service outage in your area.
Whatever the cause, we have put together this troubleshooting guide to help you get to the bottom of it. In fact, even if the reason remains totally unknown, this guide may well help you out anyway! So, with that, let’s get into it!
Troubleshooting the PST Error on Xfinity
Though the Xfinity digital cable box has excellent reviews and is generally quite reliable, it is important to note that these things do happen, regardless of what company you have opted to go with. As such, we would still rate Xfinity quite highly, even if it does end up picking up some frustrating habits sometimes.
Of all of these, interruptions to your streaming is definitely the most frustrating of these things, especially when you can’t pin down the reason why it is happening in the first place. However, rest assured that it is very rarely that the problem is caused by a hardware fault with the box itself.
Luckily, with brands like these, they have started adding error codes which better help us to understand exactly what is happening when it all goes wrong. So, as a result of that, we were able to put together a more focused guide than we would otherwise have been able to. And, without further ado, here it is!
- Check for Service Outages
To kick things off, we need to first make sure that the problem is actually on your side and that a service outage isn’t to blame. Checking for service outages is generally really easy as Xfinity tend to post notices on their website to prevent thousands of people calling their hotlines at once.
If there isn’t anything there about an outage, you could call to double check if you so wish. But at this point, it is much more likely that a service outage is not to blame. So, now that we know that the problem is on your end of things, let’s get to diagnosing it.
- Check your Cables and Connections
Quite often when issues like these arise, it is often the most simple of factors that can cause it. A loose connection can cause havoc with your service if left unchecked, and it is really easy for this to happen. So, for this fix, all we need to do is to take out every cable and then plug it back in again, making sure that each connection is as tight as humanly possible.
While you are here, it is also a good idea to check the cables themselves for any signs of wear and tear. Basically, what you should be looking for is any frayed cables or exposed innards. Naturally, any cable that looks like this is unlikely to be able to transmit the signal you need to run your Xfinity box.
So, if you notice anything like this, the only thing to do is to instantly replace that cable. After you have done all of this, have a quick check to see if there is any difference. If not, it is time to move onto the next step.
- Try Restarting the Xfinity Box
If the issue wasn’t caused by the cables and connections, the next logical step is to try giving the box a little reboot. Though this may sound way too simple and basic to ever work, you would be surprised at how often it gets results.
Restarting is a great way to clear out any bugs that may have accumulated over time and started to hamper the performance of the box.
So, to get it done, here is what you need to do. First things first, you will need to unplug the power cord from the supply. The, all you need to do is wait for at least a minute before plugging it back in again. After you have done this, have a quick check to see has this fixed the problem. If not, it is time to move on to the next step.
- Remove any Splitters:
If you are currently using a splitter, the next logical step is to see whether that could be causing the problem. Simply take it out of the equation for a while and then check to see what happens.
The reason for this is that splitters can really impact your upload speeds negatively. If this turns out to be the cause of the problem, you know what you need to do in future.
The Last Word
Unfortunately, these are the only fixes that we could find for this problem that could be done from the comfort of your own home.
At this point, if nothing is working yet, the only logical course of action that remains is to get in touch with customer service. They have an excellent record for customer service and should send out a technician to have a look within a reasonable timeframe.