FAQ: XFINITY on Campus

Boston University is deploying Comcast’s IPTV service for on-campus residential students. XFINITY On Campus™ is an IP video service available on the Boston University campus.

With XFINITY On Campus™ you can stream the same live broadcast and cable channels that Comcast already provides to subscribers, plus watch the best selection of current shows and hit movies with XFINITY On Demand™. Now you can enjoy live sports, TV shows and movies, plus thousands of XFINITY On Demand™ choices anytime, anywhere on campus!

You can enjoy XFINITY On Campus™ on Windows PCs; Macs; iPhones, iPads, Apple TVs, and 4th generation or later iPod Touches; Android devices; and many Smart TVs.

1. Make sure you’re on campus and your device is connected to the Boston University wired or wireless network.
2. Using a browser, visit https://xfinityoncampus.com and search for Boston University in the search box.
3. When prompted, enter your BU login name and password.
4. Once you have authenticated, you can begin using the XFINTY On Campus™ player immediately by clicking Watch Now.

You can download the XFINTY On Campus™ app for iOS/iPadOS/Apple TV, Android, or your Roku device. The Xfinity Stream app is also available on Smart TVs from Samsung and LG that were released since 2018.

Once you have installed the app, follow the sign-in steps from the section above to begin enjoying live TV and XFINITY On Demand™.

You may use up to three different devices with XFINITY On Campus™, but can only stream video to one device at a time.  Devices (up to the limit of three per user) will register automatically as each phone, tablet or computer is used to access the player. You can manage your devices from the player’s Settings/Devices menu.

If you exceed three devices, existing devices will be removed automatically on a “first in, first out” basis. For example, using a fourth device will deactivate the first device registered, etc. Using the menu provides additional control over which devices you’d like to remove.

XFINITY On Campus requires you to be on campus and connected directly to the Boston University wired or wireless network. Third-party networks found on campus or the use of VPN will not allow you to watch XFINITY On Campus™. There are of subset of channels called to-go channels that can be viewed while off campus.

You can subscribe to Premium content such as HBO, Showtime and Sports Entertainment pack channels like CBS College Sports on a monthly basis.

• Confirm that you are on-campus and connected to the Boston University wired or wireless network.
• Close, then reopen the XFINITY On Campus video player and retry.
• If the video will still not play:
  • Try playing another video or a different episode from the same network or programmer.
  • Still not playing? Try a different channel or program entirely to confirm operation of the app.

There are many reasons why you might see video buffering, most of which are specific to your computer, browser or network capacity. The video streams provided allow for a variety of bitrates (i.e., levels of quality) to ensure that your device receives the best quality signal.

The video player also dynamically adjusts your stream upwards or downwards based on a number of factors, including network capacity, CPU and memory utilization, graphics card capabilities, etc., so that you’re getting the ‘optimal’ video quality based on your computer’s specific capabilities.

Buffering typically is related to network constraints. You can check your connection speed by using a speed test, such as https://fast.com/. Results may vary, but healthy connections will typically show minimal fluctuation in sustained download speeds during the test.

To ensure best results for your stream, prior to viewing:

• If using a wireless internet connection, ensure you have very good signal reception and that there are no other internet applications utilizing your internet connection
• Ensure you have the latest browser versions installed on your computer or device
• If you have any problems after trying these tips, try restarting your computer or device and attempt viewing again.

• Check that the volume is not muted and that your speaker volume is at an adequate level.
• The top bar of the on-screen options displays the volume of the program.
  • The gray dot represents your current volume. You may adjust the volume by sliding the gray dot to the desired volume.
  • You may also mute the sound by clicking the speaker without lines to the left of the bar, or maximize the sound by clicking the speaker with the lines to the right of the bar.

XFINTY On Campus™ gives you access to a wealth of HD programming. You’ll find that channels or video assets are typically listed as HD or SD quality in the guide or with XFINITY On Demand™. Our video player uses adaptive bit rate streams to deliver the highest quality video given the bandwidth available once you have made your selection.

The XFINITY On Campus app allows you to search On Demand programs by name and to sort TV shows and movies by category. All live TV channels are listed in the Guide, which includes shows currently playing and what’s coming up.

Once a program starts, you will have access to a variety of on-screen options. The options will disappear if you do not click or tap on the screen. If you would like the options to reappear, simply click or tap the screen.

The bottom bar of the on-screen options displays your progress in video-on-demand (VOD) programs. The total time is displayed on the right. Your current place in the program is represented by the gray dot, with the time elapsed displayed above. You may move forwards and backwards in VOD programs by sliding the gray dot with your mouse. You may also pause VOD programs at any time by clicking the pause button.