The Contour Record 6 DVR is an optional service you can add to your Cox Contour TV plan to record and store your favorite shows for an additional $20 a month. While it provides 250 hours of HD storage and allows you to record up to six shows simultaneously, it’s not the cheapest option available.
Cox also offers two other DVR plans, the Record 2 and the Record 24. Like the names suggest, the Record 2 only allows two simultaneous recordings and the Record 24 allows up to an astonishing 24.
All of the Contour Record services also require a Contour Box to work, and while your first one is usually included in your TV plan, additional boxes are $8.50 a month each.
Pros
- Ability to record up to 2—24 shows at once
- 250—1,000 hrs. of HD storage
- Pause and rewind live TV
- Fast-forward recorded shows
- Voice remote
Cons
- Higher prices than competitors
- 2-part fees (one for the service, one for the equipment)
Cox Contour DVR service options
| DVR service | DVR Price | HD storage | Simultaneous recordings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cox Contour Record 2 DVR service | $13.50/mo. | 250 hrs. | 2 | |
| Cox Contour Record 6 DVR service | $20.00/mo. | 250 hrs. | 6 | |
| Cox Contour Record 24 DVR service | $30.00/mo. | 1,000 hrs. | 24 |
Data effective as of post date. Pricing and speeds are subject to change. Not all offers available in all areas.
Cox offers three flavors of Contour Record DVR service: the 2, the 6, and the 24. We think that of the three, the 6 is probably your best bet if you’ve got a household with multiple people sharing one cable plan. Sometimes two simultaneous recordings are just not enough.
We’d love to get 1,000 hours of HD storage, but that $30 monthly price tag is just too steep. Especially if you have to pay extra for equipment.
Also, while it’s not offered as an official plan, new customers will receive 12 free months of Record 1 Starter DVR service, which, going by the name, offers only one DVR stream at a time. That’s not great, but at least it’s free for that first year. Your Cox TV plan will increase about $40 per month after the first year as well, though, so it’s a bummer that your free DVR service will disappear, much like the Avatar, just when you needed it most.
Cox Contour Box options
| DVR service | DVR Price | |
|---|---|---|
| Wireless 4K Contour Box | $8.50/mo. | |
| Wired HD Contour Box | $8.50/mo. |
Your first Wired HD Contour box should come free with your plan, but if you want to upgrade or add an additional box, it’ll cost you $8.50 a month. That’s on top of the fee for one of the Record Service plans listed above.
Cox Contour Record 6 vs. the competition
| Device | DVR Price | HD storage | Simultaneous recordings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cox Contour Record 6 DVR Service | $20.00/mo. | 250 hrs. | 6 |
|
| DISH Hopper 3 Smart HD DVR | $10.00/mo. | 1,000 hrs. | 16 |
View Plans for DISH Read DISH Hopper 3 Review |
| DIRECTV Genie | $15.00/mo. (receiver fee) | 200 hrs. | 5 |
View Plans for DIRECTV Read DIRECTV Genie Review |
| Xfinity X1 | $7.50-$28.50/mo.* | 150-300 hrs.* | 6 |
View Plans for Xfinity Read Xfinity X1 Review |
Data effective as of post date. Pricing and speeds are subject to change. Not all offers available in all areas.
Amazon Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. CableTV.com utilizes paid Amazon links.
*Varies by location and package. Xfinity charges about $8.50 monthly for the box and an additional $10-$20 per month for additional cloud storage.
For those binge-watchers and folks with multiperson households, the Cox Contour Record 6 is an option that makes sense. However, while its storage is hearty and you can fill your library with a ton of shows, some competitors offer more for less.
If you’re looking for the best value, the DISH Hopper 3 offers twice as much HD storage as the Cox Contour Record 6 for a fraction of the price. DISH also offers over twice the amount of simultaneous recordings.
DIRECTV Genie technically comes included with your regular DIRECTV plan cost, but you have to pay $15 a month for “HD, DVR, and Whole-Home Services.” So it’s the kind of free where it’s not free at all, actually. On the bright side, as of 2023, DIRECTV finally comes with a two-year price lock.
The Xfinity X1 box is $8.50 per month, or $7.50 in some locations. It comes with 150 hours of built-in HD storage, but Xfinity also allows you to upgrade your cloud DVR storage with or without the X1 box. These add-ons range from $10 to $20 per month for up to 300 hours of recording. Unfortunately, whether this is a better deal than Cox Contour is largely dependent on your location and package.
Wondering what deals are available in your area? Use our zip code tool below:
For more information about Cox Contour and its competition, check out our guide to 2022’s Best DVRs.
Contour Box with Contour Record 6 DVR specs and features
If premium features are more of a concern than the price of being a Cox customer, then the Record 6 might still be right for you.
Simultaneous recordings
There’s nothing like seeing everyone in a household with a smile on their face. And not having to fight over what to watch can help those grins stretch from ear to ear.
Do you have a big family or a home with multiple residents? The Cox Contour Record 6 can record up to six shows at once—you can kiss DVR battles goodbye.
While that sounds great, do take a minute to ask yourself if you think that much recording is necessary. Some competitors give you nearly the same features without the $20 per month price tag if you don’t need that many recordings.
For instance, the DISH Hopper 3, which is only $10 a month, lets you record 16 programs simultaneously.
Contour TV App
Available on Android, Amazon, and iOS devices, the Contour TV app lets you watch live TV and Cox On Demand on your phone or tablet.
You can manage, set, and download your DVR recordings with this app. You can also watch your recorded content.
Think of it as a mobile companion to your DVR—you can watch and manage content from any location.
Storage
While you get up to 250 hours of HD video and 1,000 hours of SD storage space with the Cox Contour Record 6 DVR for $20 a month, this is another time when Cox isn’t in the lead with the best deal. The DISH Hopper 3 comes in at $15 per month and gives you 500 HD storage hours.
Multiroom viewing
Picture this: It’s late at night, and you’re cozy on the couch in front of the TV. You want to watch a whole movie, but stretching out on your mattress starts to sound good. No problem. Pause the show, grab your phone or tablet, climb in bed, pull up your movie on the Contour app, and pick up right where you left off.
The Contour app allows multiple people in a household to watch whatever they like at any time. If you’re planning to watch from additional TVs in the home, here’s another chance for Cox to add a fee. Additional Contour DVR receivers are $10 a month. We’d recommend using the app instead. You’ll find similar charges with other providers, but some are a bit cheaper. For instance, an extra DVR box for the DISH Hopper 3 costs $7 a month.
Pro tip: Your internet speed helps determine how many users can be active online at one time. With Cox’s highest speed internet option, Go Super Fast, an unlimited number of users can enjoy Contour TV simultaneously. Cox offers additional internet plans to bundle with your TV service that are ideal for two to nine users.
Parental controls
Your kids might pull a fast one and try sneaking out of bed to watch TV. With parental controls, you can choose days or times to lock the TV so they can’t access inappropriate content. Using a PIN you create, the power is literally in your hands.
TV and movie recommendations
As TV fans, we all know what it’s like to fall into the what-to-watch rabbit hole. Fortunately, you can search for a specific title or a genre, and the Contour Guide will recommend similar shows and movies you might enjoy.
Voice control remote
The Contour Box Voice Remote will let you boss your TV around to your heart’s content without wasting time typing. One button push controls voice activation. It’s sensitive to sound; you don’t have to shout for it to hear you—unless you’re having a party, then you may need to speak up.
If you are using your fingers to flip between shows and don’t want to start at square one every time, press the Last button to bring up the nine shows and movies you’ve watched most recently. It’s one nice part of the Cox package that doesn’t come with an additional fee.
Final take
The Cox Contour Box with Cox Contour Record 6 DVR is more spendy (and wordy) than Xfinity’s X1 and DIRECTV’s Genie, and your simultaneous recordings are limited to six. The DISH Hopper 3 wins overall on price, storage, and the number of shows you can record at the same time.
If you’re stuck on Cox as a TV service provider, the Cox Contour Record 6 DVR is a decent addition to your plan. Examine the Cox Contour TV packages and plans to see which one offers the channel lineup you like best.
Cox Contour FAQ
What is Contour from Cox Communications?
Contour is the name of the digital cable TV service offered by Cox Communications. Contour Record 6, 12, and 14 are the names of the DVR options available with your TV service.
How do I get Cox Contour on my TV?
To enjoy Cox Contour, you need a Cox TV subscription. Cox offers four different TV packages, each with different prices and channel lineups. That’s an important browse, as you might want a lineup that is plump with sports channels while others might want all the channels for kids they can get.
Check out Cox Contour TV packages and plans to find one that meets your needs.
Is Netflix free with Cox Contour?
You can access Netflix through your Contour subscription, but it’s not free. Once you’re set up with your Contour TV package, you can hit the Contour button on your remote and head to the Apps section.
Open the app and log in to your Netflix account to begin streaming. You can check out our Netflix review for pricing if you haven’t already taken that plunge.
How much is Cox Contour?
Cox offers four Contour TV packages, each with a different price.
- Contour TV Starter ($61.00/mo., 75+ channels)
- Contour TV Preferred ($115.00/mo., 140+ channels)
- Contour TV Preferred Plus ($146.00/mo., 170+ channels)
- Contour TV Ultimate ($152.00/mo., 250+ channels)
Data effective as of post date. Pricing and speeds are subject to change. Not all offers available in all areas.
Is the Record 6 DVR easy to use?
In a word, very. Like any new plan or package, it takes a minute to get used to, but then it’s like a comfortable old sweater—it doesn’t keep you warm, though.
Press the record button to capture a show, and the guide will take you through prompts to set the parameters of your recording. You also can fast-forward through recorded content—so if you’re not a fan of those tiny movies known as commercials, this should add some joy.
Is Record 6 the only Cox Contour DVR option?
No, if recording six shows at once isn’t your top priority for a DVR, Cox also offers the Contour Record 2 DVR, calling it its “essential” DVR service. It has a little less HD storage—200 hours—and comes with a smaller price tag of $13.50 per month.
If you want to maximize your recording opportunity, there’s the Contour Record 24, which is the one Cox calls its “ultimate” DVR service. Its 1,000 hours of storage and ability to simultaneously record 24 programs are matched with the equally big price tag of $30 per month.
How do I know if Cox is in my region?
Enter your zip code below to find out if Cox is in your neighborhood.
Methodology
At CableTV.com, we’ve spent hundreds of hours testing and researching the Cox Contour Record 6 and its competitors to make sure you have the most accurate, honest information available. For more information on our experts’ review process and testing practices, head over to our “How We Rank” page.
