Cox Contour Cable Box: Everything You Need to Know

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A Boy in Denim Jacket Holding a Plastic Cable Box
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The Cox Contour cable box is a great option for those looking to upgrade their TV experience. It's available in multiple models, including the Contour Stream Player, which is a small device that connects to your TV via HDMI.

One of the key features of the Cox Contour cable box is its ability to stream live TV and on-demand content to any device with an internet connection. This means you can watch your favorite shows on your TV, tablet, or smartphone.

The Contour cable box also offers a range of customization options, including the ability to set up multiple user profiles and parental controls. This is especially useful for families with kids, who may want to restrict access to certain channels or shows.

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Equipment and Installation

To get Cox Contour up and running, you'll need a HD Receiver, which costs about $10 a month. This is Cox's cable box, so you can use their service.

Credit: youtube.com, Setting up your Cox Contour 2 TV box

You'll also need to consider adding TV to other rooms, which can be done with a mini box. These streaming TV boxes cost $2.99 a month each and can be installed yourself.

Installation options include doing it yourself for a one-time charge of $20 or hiring a professional for $75. However, these prices are cheaper if you bundle with other services.

The Contour whole house DVR system requires professional installation due to its use of coaxial cabling for network communication.

You might like: Cox Cable Tv Plans

Packages and Pricing

Cox Contour TV offers four tiers of service, with the Contour TV Starter plan starting at $61/month and including 75+ local networks and top broadcast networks.

The Contour TV Preferred plan is a step up, offering 140+ local and cable TV channels for $115/month. This plan includes popular cable channels like ESPN, HGTV, and USA.

You can also opt for the Contour TV Ultimate plan, which provides 250+ local and cable TV channels for $146/month. This plan includes an extensive lineup with premium networks like NFL Network, Disney Junior, and HBO Max.

For another approach, see: Cox Cable Contour 2

Credit: youtube.com, How to set up your Cox Wireless 4K Contour Stream Player

If you're looking for a more basic plan, the Contour TV Starter plan is a good option. However, keep in mind that it has a higher price after the first 12 months, at $87.49/month.

Here's a breakdown of the Contour TV plans:

Additionally, you can add premium channels and add-on packs to your Cox Contour TV plan for an additional fee. The prices for these add-ons vary, but you can bundle all four premium channels together for just $20/month with the Contour TV Preferred plan.

It's worth noting that Cox Contour TV has a broadcast fee, regional sports fee, and Cox early termination fees, which can add up to your monthly bill.

A different take: Cox Cable Contour

Features and Channels

The Contour TV box offers a comprehensive channel lineup that includes many popular networks like ABC, AMC, Animal Planet, and ESPN. However, it's worth noting that the channel count is inflated by including radio and music channels.

Take a look at this: Fox News on Cox Cable Channel

Credit: youtube.com, How to Navigate Contour TV

You can expect to find most major stations and local networks, but you'll need to check the Contour website to see what's available in your area.

The Contour TV box also comes with some great features, including a cleaner and more functional guide, voice remote control, and the ability to search for shows and recorded programs using voice commands.

Here's a list of some of the features you can expect from the Contour TV box:

  • Cleaner and more functional guide
  • Voice remote control
  • Search for shows and recorded programs using voice commands
  • Record shows and browse the channel guide up to 7 days ahead

If you have a TiVo or other compatible TV receiver, you can use the Contour TV box without buying Cox's equipment, but you'll need to buy a Cable Card for $3 to make things compatible and avoid a DVR fee.

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Features

Cox's Contour system is a game-changer for TV lovers. You can watch all your cable content on any device with the Contour App, and even switch shows from your device to your TV.

The Contour DVR is a powerful tool for recording shows and browsing the channel guide. You can set it to record shows up to 7 days ahead, and browse the guide to find what's on.

Person Holding White and Brown Box
Credit: pexels.com, Person Holding White and Brown Box

If you have a TiVo or other compatible TV receiver, you can use a Cable Card for $3 to make things compatible with Cox's equipment, avoiding a DVR fee. This is a cost-effective option for those who already have a compatible receiver.

The Contour DVR has a lot of features, but some are only available with Cox's internet. This includes setting parental controls, watching live channels, and some video on demand features.

Here are the DVR options available with Contour TV:

The Contour Record 6 has greater storage capacity and can record more hours, and also gives you recommendations based on your watching and rating habits.

Channel

The Contour TV Channel lineup is a long list of channels, including popular ones like ABC, CBS, and NBC. The channel count is inflated by including radio and music channels, but you'll still find most of the popular ones like ESPN, TNT, and USA Network.

For another approach, see: Premium Cable Channels

TV on Wall
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Some channels are only available as add-ons, so you'll need to visit the page to see what's available in your area. You'll have to check the local channel selection to see what's available in your area.

The Contour TV Channel lineup includes over 100 channels, but many of them are not available in every area. Some channels, like the History channel, are available but with major caveats.

Here's a list of some of the channels included in the Contour TV Channel lineup:

  • ABC
  • AMC
  • Animal Planet
  • BET
  • C-SPAN
  • C-SPAN 2
  • C-SPAN 3
  • Cartoon Network
  • CBS
  • CNN
  • Comedy Central
  • Cozi
  • CQ
  • Discovery Channel
  • Disney Channel
  • E!
  • EVINE Live
  • Food Network
  • FOX
  • FOX News Channel
  • FX
  • Galavision
  • GSN
  • HISTORY
  • HLN
  • HSN
  • ION
  • Jewelry TV
  • LAFF
  • Lifetime
  • MeTV
  • Movies!
  • MSNBC
  • National Geographic
  • NBC
  • Nickelodeon
  • PBS
  • Pop
  • QVC
  • STARZ Encore Espanol
  • SyFy
  • TBN
  • TCM
  • Telemundo
  • The Weather Channel
  • TNT
  • truTV
  • TV Land
  • Unimas
  • Univision
  • USA Network
  • WGN America

Netflix Integration

Netflix Integration is a great feature to have, especially if you're a fan of the popular streaming service. Cox Contour users can now search for Netflix content alongside local and live programming using voice commands or the X1 remote.

To access Netflix content, you'll need to link an existing Netflix account to your Contour system. This integration allows you to search for Netflix titles alongside other content stored on your DVR.

The integration works by combining Netflix content with the Contour programming database, giving you a single search menu that includes everything from local shows to Netflix originals.

Consider reading: Cox Cable and Netflix

Alternative Options

Credit: youtube.com, If I Cut the Cable TV Cord in 2025, I'd Do This!

If you're looking for alternatives to the Cox Contour box, you're in luck. Cox offers CableCARD as an option for new customers, which allows you to add cable TV to your existing device.

This requires a device compatible with the CableCard, such as a TiVO, DVR, or CableCard-ready TV set. The monthly fee for CableCARD is $4 to $6, depending on your location.

Alternative Options

If you're looking for an alternative to the Cox Contour Box, you're not out of options. Cox offers a CableCARD option for new customers, which allows you to add cable TV to your plan for a monthly fee of $4 to $6, depending on your location.

You'll need a device that's compatible with the CableCard, such as a TiVO, DVR, or CableCard-ready TV set, to take advantage of this option.

Quirks

The Contour system has its quirks, and it's essential to be aware of them before deciding whether to opt for this alternative. One quirk is that the last channel button doesn't take you immediately to the previous channel, but instead brings up a menu of the last nine programs watched.

A Person Handing Out a Brown Box and Envelopes to a Person
Credit: pexels.com, A Person Handing Out a Brown Box and Envelopes to a Person

If you're a night owl, you might find the Contour receiver's reboot at 3:00 AM every night to be a minor irritation. This is likely to be a problem for users who work nights or have unusual viewing schedules.

The system automatically updates firmware and software, which can be a good thing, but it can also be annoying to wait for the update to install and reboot. I've had this happen to me, and it's not fun.

If you're planning to install a multi-room Cox Contour system, consider asking the installer to include the HD receivers with integral tuners. This can save you money on additional installation fees in the future.

Here are some potential issues to be aware of with the Contour system:

  • The last channel button brings up a menu of the last nine programs watched instead of taking you to the previous channel.
  • The Contour receiver reboots itself at 3:00 AM every night.
  • The system can get stuck during firmware updates, requiring a 45-minute wait for the problem to resolve itself.
  • Simultaneous recording on the Cox Record 6 DVR may have an annoying problem (no solution provided).

Comparison and Review

The Cox Contour 2 Receivers are a game-changer for cable TV enthusiasts. They're compact, with the Cisco 9865HDC being 13 inches by 9 inches in size, and a height of 2.25 inches.

Credit: youtube.com, Cox Cable Contour Receiver box

One of the standout features of the Contour Record 6 HD-DVR is its storage capacity - it can store up to a thousand hours of SD video or 340 hours of HD video. This is due to its 2 Terabyte hard disk.

The back panel of the Cox 9865HDC is where you'll find the various connections, including an Ethernet port, USB ports, RCA out, and HDMI out. However, it's worth noting that the Ethernet and USB ports are inactive.

The Pace XiD HD Receivers are smaller than previous Cox systems, measuring about 5.5” x 3.5“ and just over an inch tall. They allow for seamless communication between TVs in your house via MoCA.

Here's a breakdown of the connections on the Pace XiD HD Receivers:

  • Cable In
  • Cable Out
  • HDMI In (Inactive)
  • HDMI Out
  • Power In

With the Contour system, you can schedule recordings, view recorded content, and even pause a recording in one room and resume watching in another. This feature is pretty cool, and it's something I'm excited to explore further.

Conclusion

Credit: youtube.com, Cox Advanced TV - How To Reboot Your Cable Box

The Contour Record 6 DVR system is a top-notch choice for Cox Cable television service subscribers. It's the best system I've used, even with a few minor technical issues. Overall, it's a great upgrade if you can get a deal on Contour pricing.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I fix my Cox Contour box?

Restart your Cox Contour box by unplugging the power cord and HDMI cable, waiting 10 minutes, and then plugging them back in

What is the newest Cox cable box?

The Xumo Stream Box is the latest Cox cable box, offering a flexible entertainment solution that pairs with Cox Internet. It provides a new way for customers to access their favorite content.

Wm Kling

Lead Writer

Wm Kling is a seasoned writer with a passion for technology and innovation. With a strong background in software development, Wm brings a unique perspective to his writing, making complex topics accessible to a wide range of readers. Wm's expertise spans the realm of Visual Studio web development, where he has written in-depth articles and guides to help developers navigate the latest tools and technologies.

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