How does going all digital help Cox customers?

The main reason is it helps Cox. Thats the elephant in the room I think everyone is aware of.

But it does have some advantages to customers. First, it allows activation and deactivation remotly. So if you go on vacation they can turn it off with a flick of a switch instead of having to send someone out there. Also, since people won't be having cables direct into TVs anymore, it stops some of the ingress (bad signal leaking back into the line) that older TVs can cause. Not only can they cause you problems, but that ingress can cause problems for entire neighborhoods. Last, by encrypting and getting rid of QAM, it frees up bandwidth. Basically more room on the radio dial for Cox to put other stuff on. 

I would like to see Cox offer something like this. Its by the same people that make one of the mini boxes Cox uses, and it screws right onto the cable outlet. Then you just run HDMI from there to your TV. Doesn't even need a power cord, you can run power direct through the coaxial. Not a fan of the quality of Evolution devices, but I am sure other companies make them.

Trying to figure out if these boxes need to be purchase via cox or is there  a box we can purchase outside of cox to own outright?

Can't buy them. Period. Have to rent them through Cox.

lojack223 said:
Trying to figure out if these boxes need to be purchase via cox or is there  a box we can purchase outside of cox to own outright?

It's been stated multiple times: you CANNOT purchase the Cox mini-box. You have to either rent the mini box or purchase a TiVO device and rent a Cable Card from Cox. Either way, you're still renting something.

EAJ99 said:
The FCC should have mandated that subscribers can acquire (own) their equipment. That would promote creative designs from alternate hardware providers. More competition is obviously needed here.

The FCC already does mandate this:

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-1373A1.pdf

Also have a cable TV account elsewhere, served by TWC.  In a truly funny complete coincidence, they recently went all digital as well.  I have the option to buy their box or rent it.  So it is technically feasible.  Kills off a predictable, if small, revenue stream though.

EAJ99: "Just curious if there is any possible justification for forcing everyone to deal with mini boxes. I just don't see any upside (for customers). Why would Cox initiate such an invasive and negative customer experience? PS. I'm writing this while trying to figure out how to wedge a mini box alongside our small, wall-mounted kitchen TV. The power brick is bigger than the box itself and there is no IR extender."

The mini-box has better picture quality than analog, and provides more HD programming than before, even with ClearQAM. IR extenders for the box are reportedly available at Cox Stores.

Tecknowhelp said:

Last, by encrypting and getting rid of QAM, it frees up bandwidth. Basically more room on the radio dial for Cox to put other stuff on.

Every digital channel on Cox is QAM. Cox got rid of ANALOG, not QAM. {But you knew that. }