Is the Cox Contour app good?
Cox’s Contour app lands on the good side of mobile viewing apps. This solid extension of your Cox TV subscription allows you to turn your phone or tablet into a portable television with TV shows, movies, sports, news, and more at your fingertips. Your digits should be wiggling with excitement.
The app has a thorough menu for easy maneuvering. It also lets you filter content to do things like find out which movies are available for download or offer closed captioning (or both). Parental controls are a security bonus.
Sure, nothing is perfect, and that holds true with the Contour app. The cons, though, are few. You might frown at not being able to access all your channels via the app, but you aren’t lost in a television desert with no shows in sight—the content that is available is still abundant.
We think the Cox Contour TV app makes mobile TV watching easy and comprehensive. You can’t see our thumbs, but they’re in the up position.
Cox Contour TV app pros and cons
Pros
- On-the-go viewing of 150+ channels, numerous on-demand titles, and DVR recordings
- Offline viewing
- Unlimited streams for registered users
- Parental and data-usage controls
Cons
- Not all channels available for on-the-go viewing
- Not all channels allow downloading
- No casting without Google Chromecast
- No availability on Roku, Apple TV, or Amazon Fire TV devices
Cox Contour content at a glance
Cox TV package | Local channels | Cox On Demand | DVR recordings | Downloading/offline viewing | Unlimited streams | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Home |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
On the go | More than 130+ TV GO channels, depending on your Cox TV plan | ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, Univision, and Telemundo | Most titles |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
Cox Contour app vs. competition
App | Channels | On-demand titles | At-home streams | Details |
---|---|---|---|---|
Cox Contour App | 150+ | 150,000+ | Unlimited | |
Xfinity Stream App | 250+ | “Thousands” | 5 at home, 3 on the go |
Read Xfinity Stream review |
DISH Anywhere App | 150+ | 50,000+ | 5 |
View app Read DISH Anywhere review |
While Cox Contour’s massive on-demand library and unlimited streams make it seem like the superior streaming app, customer reviews disagree. While all three apps have reviews of spotty reliability, Cox Contour has a larger percentage of negative reviews than the competition.
Additionally, Xfinity Stream and DISH Anywhere both have one big perk that Cox Contour doesn’t—casting. Xfinity Stream can cast with Google Chromecast, and DISH Anywhere can cast with Chromecast and Roku devices, but you’ll have to switch to Cox’s desktop website if you want to cast with Cox.
What can you do with the Cox Contour app?
You can watch live TV channels on the Cox Contour app based on the Cox TV package you pay for. Stick around—we’ll get into the details.
Watch TV at home using the Cox Contour app
More than one person in a house means that it can be hard to pick a show or movie to watch. With this app, you don’t have to fight over who can watch what they want. As long as everyone at home uses the same Wi-Fi, an unlimited number of people with the login can dig into the included on-demand titles, live TV, and DVR recordings.
The TV heart wants what it wants—and now it can get it. With the Contour app, each individual—including you—can retreat to a comfy destination to view anything their TV heart desires.
Watch TV on the go with the Cox Contour app
Log on to the app with your Cox username and password and enjoy a slightly limited version of your subscription, meaning some channels aren’t available via the mobile app.
That shouldn’t be too much of a bummer with so much content offered, and you can use the app to catch up on the recordings stored (piling up) on your DVR.
Offline viewing with Cox Contour app
The Cox Contour app does allow you to download content. While that sounds dreamy, it’s slightly nightmarish too. Currently, you can download recorded content only from STARZ®, Paramount + with SHOWTIME®, or any content you’ve purchased that is stored on your home set-top box.
This means that your content becomes limited when you’re watching without Wi-Fi. While it’s not the end of the world, you do need to plan your downloads in advance. Suppose you’re traveling—if you’re not prepared, you might end up getting tempted to purchase Wi-Fi to watch a show or movie that’s calling your name.
Extra costs are often part of the cable and streaming TV landscapes. Check out Hidden Costs of Cox Cable to get an idea of where you could find yourself dropping an extra dime or two.
Filter content with Cox Contour
We’ve all done it: spent so much time searching for something to watch that we could have viewed an entire movie or binged most of a TV series. The Contour app helps you take a faster route to get your eyes on a viewing prize.
While you can’t filter by genre—which would be awesome—the filter option allows you to search for the following criteria:
- Available out of home
- High definition (HD)
- Video description
- Closed captioning (CC)
- Secondary audio (SAP)
Manage parental controls with Cox Contour
Even if they’re not trying to, kids could stumble into some inappropriate content while using the app. Before that happens, you can set the Contour app’s parental controls to put some distance between the young ones and content you deem unseemly.
With the app, you can restrict content based on movie and TV ratings, networks and channels, and titles. Just login and create a PIN to manage this feature and you can maintain parental peace of mind.
How to use the Cox Contour app
First, you have to get a subscription to one of Cox’s TV plans. Here’s what you need to get started adding the app:
- A Cox TV plan
- Cox internet connection
- A qualified mobile device that supports the Contour app
Supported devices
Brand | Device(s) | Operating system (OS) |
---|---|---|
Apple | iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch | iOS 10.3 or higher |
Android | Watch on any phone or tablet with a supported operating system |
Android OS 4.4 or higher Fire OS 4.0.3 or higher |
PC/Mac |
Go to watchtv.cox.com and use one of the following browsers: IE 11 Chrome Firefox Safari 10.0 or higher *AirPlay is NOT supported |
Windows 7 Windows 8 Mac OS X 10.7 or higher |
Final take on the Cox Contour app
If you’re a Cox TV subscriber, the Cox Contour app is a great perk that comes with no extra cost. With it, you can enjoy your subscription from any location.
With just a login and password, the members of your household can enjoy their favorite programs and discover new ones on the go or in the home. That’s right—the reality TV fanatic and the superheroes-only fan no longer have to go to battle. The choice is in the hands of the individual user.
Cox Contour app FAQ
Is there a Contour app for Apple TV, Roku, or Amazon Fire TV?
The Contour app is not available right now on these streaming devices. You can, however, download and use channel-specific apps like ESPN and Max (formerly HBO Max).
How much is the Cox Contour app per month?
The Cox Contour app is free to Cox Communication’s TV subscribers. There is no fee to purchase the app, and no monthly charges will be applied.
Can I cast content from the Cox Contour app to my TV?
You can’t currently cast from the Cox Contour App to your TV. If you log in to Cox’s desktop website, watchtv.cox.com, you can cast to a larger screen.
Is the Contour app hard to set up?
Just download the Cox Contour TV app from the Apple App Store, or the Google Play Store. Once you’ve done that, tap “Get Started” and log in with your Cox username and password. From there, you’ll use the main menu to find everything you need.
What is the Cox Contour Stream Player?
The Cox Contour Stream Player is a streaming TV device from Cox. You can rent it for $5 a month with your Cox internet plan.