Can not Control "New" DVR....

I am a fairly new customer of Cox.  Originally I did order a DVR and I have three cable boxes.  They are the newer ones that have the Contour Capability.

I decided to go ahead and get a DVR but I really don't need to record six shows at once so, after speaking with sales person, I went for the 2 at a time version.  Well they did not tell me that it is NOT a whole house DVR.. which is a separate issue and that it operates on an older software program.

My problem is that when i try to que up a recorded show I select on the remote:

DVR LIST  

then scroll to the recorded show I want and  hit

SELECT  (Big blue button in the center)

Then another window opens which give me the option to PLAY, ERASE, KEEP LONGER... etc

The default is PLAY so I hit SELECT

The screen then goes to window where the status bar is shown at the bottom and some sound  for about a second and then GRAY Screen and nothing!

The tech guy DID NOT replace the remote when he put the DVR in.  I still have the CABLE BOX remote.  Could that be the problem or do I need my fourth visit by COX in four months?