Cox Cable DVR Not Recording? – Here’s How to Fix

Wondering why your Cox cable DVR not recording? Well, stay with us to find out!

The Cox Contour DVR is an excellent way to record your favorite TV shows for later viewing and manage them in various ways.

However, sometimes, the DVR stops recording the shows even when it’s scheduled to do so, and users have no idea why this is happening. Fear not.

When the Cox DVR is not recording, check and free up some storage space for the new recordings and then power cycle the device. In case the problem continues, you will need to go to the web Cox portal check for any outages, and reset your equipment.

Let’s unwrap some essentials!

How to Record with Cox DVR Correctly!

There are a lot of settings and flexibility with the Cox Contour DVR.

So, learning your way around the menus for series recordings is fundamental.

There are many options that might represent a conflict when not set correctly, so it’s important how it’s done the correct way.

How to Schedule Recordings?

1. Navigate to the show you would like to record.
2. Press the “REC” button on your Cox remote.
3. Press the down arrow to select Record Series.
4. Change and select the series recording settings:

Episodes	Select whether only to record the first run or all show episodes.
Channel	Record only from the currently selected or displayed channel.
Time	Preset a specific time of airing or record only when a show is on.
Keep	Select to save all recordings or up to the 15 most recent recordings.
Save Until	Save recordings until they are watched or until more space is required.
Start	Select when the recording starts, 10 minutes late or 30 minutes early.
End	Select when the recordings stop, 3 hours late or 10 minutes early.

Note: Keep an eye on the double-check mark, which indicates the episodes scheduled for recording for easier orientation.

Where are My Cox Recordings?

To watch or delete your Cox Contour DVR recordings, press the “Contour” button on your Cox remote, and from the menu, select “Saved.”

This will reveal all recordings, and you can manage them by deleting or watching them or exploring the additional features and settings.

Note: According to the “Keep” and “Save Until” options, your old recordings might be deleted.

Why is My Cox Cable DVR Not Recording?

Tip: Follow the steps consecutively!

1. Free Up Some Cox DVR Space!

The main reason why Cox Contour DVR would suddenly stop recording correctly scheduled TV shows is due to unavailable storage.

There are these two settings, “Keep” and “Save Until,” which might prevent scheduled recordings from being captured.

For instance, when the Cox Contour DVR storage capacity is full, but you’ve set it to “save all recordings” and “until watched,” future schedules will not be captured.

So, one way to fix this issue would be to manually delete some recordings to free up storage or adjust the settings.

How to Check Cox DVR Storage?

1. First, press the DVR LIST remote button!
2. Press the yellow triangle “A” remote button.
3. Scroll down to see the “Disk Info” section.

Note: The remaining disc space should appear as a graph!

How to Delete Cox DVR Recordings?

1. Press the “Contour” button on the remote.
2. Then, go to “Saved” and press “OK” to enter.
3. Use the Up/Down arrows to find a recording.
4. Press the “D” button and then “Delete Now.”
5. Then, confirm by pressing the “OK” button.
6. Repeat for several recordings to free up space.

Tip: In the Series Recording options, as a “Keep” option, set up the latest 15 recordings to always have access to the latest aired series.

2. Soft-Reset the Cox Contour DVR

Sometimes the reason why Cox DVR won’t record the scheduled recordings is due to a bug with the system.

One of the quickest ways to refresh all services and solve the recording bug is to soft reset your Cox Contour DVR.

Simply power off and unplug your DVR from the power outlet!

This process does not erase any of your recordings and will not interfere with the settings on your DVR, but it will help by restarting everything.

Keep your Cox Contour DVR unplugged for at least 60 seconds for a complete power circulation, and then check whether your DVR records.

Tip: Unplug both ends of the power cable from the outlet and the back of the DVR!

3. Reset Your Setup from the Web!

Sometimes you can easily overcome system bugs by resetting your Contour connection through the web, which might resolve most of your recording problems.

This is an easy method and only requires a secondary device, such as an internet-enabled smartphone or a laptop.

Here’s how to reset your Cox Contour DVR and connection through the web:

1. Connect your device to the internet and open a web browser.
2. Then go to Cox.com/reset and sign into your user account.
3. Under the “My Equipment,” discover the Cox Contour DVR.
4. Click on “Troubleshoot” and then “Reset My Connection.”
5. The guide will change to a loading bar that you must wait for.

Note: The process might take up to 15 minutes, during which you won’t have reception, and your pre-scheduled recordings will not be captured.

4. Resolve a DVR Settings Conflict

In some cases, the reason why your Cox DVR won’t record is due to a logic conflict in the recording settings.

This is why you must inspect the scheduled recording settings and verify that everything aligns with the settings and your expectations.

• Your recordings might be missing because they were deleted because of insufficient space, which you can regulate from the “Keep” and “Save Until” options.
• The recordings might not work because the show’s channel airing is not included in the schedule under the “Channel” option.
• Capturing only during a specific airtime might prevent your DVR from capturing shows when they are on, which can be regulated from the “Time” option.

Note: We recommend capturing a single episode to see whether this works!

5. Switch to Another Power Source!

Even if rarely, the reason why your Cox Contour DVR is not capturing scheduled recordings is due to power outages.

When your Cox DVR restarts during a session, the current recording might be corrupted or entirely missing.

Sometimes, power fluctuations are responsible for such issues, and the best way to identify one is to test the power outlet using a lamp.

Another quick tip is to relocate your Cox Contour TV box to a proven outlet and always use a direct connection (no strips, dividers, or outlet plugs).

Note: Also inspect the power cable and adapter of the Cox Contour TV box!

6. Check for Contour Service Outage

Well, sometimes, when a TV show couldn’t air properly due to a service outage, you wouldn’t be able to find a recording because there wasn’t one.

In that regard, it’s good to know if there is an ongoing outage on Contour’s end by signing into your account and checking your network!

On the “My Equipment” page, there is “Network Status.”

If you’re seeing “Service Interrupted,” it means that some shows if not all, are currently not airing, meaning that any scheduled recordings will not work.

Outages typically don’t last too long, so with patience, the issue would be gone in a matter of hours…

Cox Cable DVR Not Recording Multiple Shows?

If you want to record multiple channels simultaneously, you might have to upgrade your DVR plan to be able to do so.

Some plans have limitations and restrictions that you might not be aware of, so it’s best to familiarize yourself if the DVR is not recording as per your expectations.

The Cox Contour DVR provides a few options to match every need under four categories:

• Starter DVR – can only record one show at a time and stores only 50 hours.
• Essential DVR – can record two shows simultaneously and store for 250 hours.
• Preferred DVR – can record six shows simultaneously and stores 250 hours.
• Ultimate DVR – can record 24 shows simultaneously and store 1000 hours.

So, if you’re with the Starter DVR, you can only record one show at a time, meaning that any shows airing simultaneously can’t be recorded. 

Quick Recap:

Hence, whenever the Cox cable DVR not recording, free up some space on your machine and perform a “soft reset,” also known as a power cycle.

In addition, you should check for Contour outages from the Cox web portal and, eventually, reset your Cox equipment.

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