Upgrade HD receiver?

The Scientific Atlanta Explorer 4240HDC is not a DVR.  It's just an HD Receiver with Contour and not Rovi.  Why is there a "Additional monthly cost" for a different programming guide?

My SA Explorer has Rovi, but not DVR. I pay Cox around $8/month for the box, so I guess the new box being $8.50 is just a tick up in price for newer equipment.

Neuro...we almost have the same Rovi box:  Explorer 4240HDC vs Explorer 4642HDC.  If you look at your bill, I'd guess it also reads $8.50 as mine.

The Contour box you listed is also $8.50.  However, in the chart, it includes an "Additional monthly cost."  It would provide the same HD channels but no recording feature.  To a moderator:  What is the additional cost?  Why is there an additional cost?

I too have had my Rovi box for years and would like to upgrade the programming guide to Contour.  I don't want to record.  I don't want to talk into my remote.  I don't want to pay more.  I want my same TV package...with Contour...at $8.50.

...and I appreciate you researching the Contour box and providing the URL.  It was something I was meaning to do.

c.ontour is whole new software it's the whole home dvr software which you don't need if you don't want a dvr

So, if you don't want the DVR service, you can't have Contour?  Contour can't be used on just one HD receiver in the house?  I can't get a Contour HD Receiver without pairing it to another Cox box?

not sure we have Tivo's

I agree with Bruce...I just want the new box with the upgraded Contour program guide/listings. I don't want to upgrade to the Contour package, DVR, voice remote, or extra channels, etc. For all the money I pay every month, it'd be nice to have current equipment and programming guide. And according to the page I cited, the new box doesn't require upgrading to Contour...but it's offered as an additional cost. Like Bruce asks, what's the additional cost for? The Rovi guide has always been a clumsy joke.  

the additional cost is the new guide cox has to license it like the Rovi guides it just costs more

Hi Bruce, with Contour 2 you do not have to subscribe to the DVR service.  You will have to upgrade your existing receiver to a Contour HD Non-DVR box in order to receive and utilize the Contour 2 benefits.  If you'd like more information please private message us on Facebook or send a direct message on Twitter, include your complete address and account name.  

Our monthly service rate will change (increase) because the chart clearly reads "Additional monthly cost" for an HD receiver.  It doesn’t read "Possible monthly cost."  Why do you want more money to use a modern program guide?

Why are these questions so surreptitious?  Why do we have to haggle with Sales for an answer?  You inform the public of an additional monthly cost but we have to use private back-channels for confirmation.

I'll assume Cox would happily charge us more for the same TV package on a better programming guide.  However, because we don't want to pay more money for "benefits" we don't need, they'll retaliate by forcing us to use a faulty and obsolete cable box.

Rovi is faulty because its basic controls don't work:
 - The Closed Captioning button on the remote doesn't work.
 - The Auto-tune to HD settings doesn't work.

Cox promised to correct these faults with updates but since I've had Rovi, there have been no updates.

Another fault is HBO.  I subscribe to HBO but Rovi is not compatible with MPEG-4 compression.  Meaning, I pay $15.99 a month but I can't watch 70% of the HBO channels in HD.  I only get 3 HBO channels in HD; however, 1 is Latino, so I can only watch 2.  With Cox, if I want to enjoy HBO on the following channels, I'll have to watch in low definition (480i):

 - HBO Comedy
 - HBO Family
 - HBO Family West
 - HBO Plus
 - HBO Signature
 - HBO West
 - HBO Zone

Rovi is obsolete because its resolution and features.  Its aspect ratio is 4:3 and if I "stretch" the guide to fill my 16:9 screen, it looks like it was written on Silly Putty.  Its pixel resolution is so low, it can't properly render the channel logos.  I can't even identify the logo for the A&E channel.  It's just a mess.

Would you believe Rovi still has a setting for a VCR timer?  A videocassette!  Can a moderator clarify if it's VHS or Betamax because I really want to enjoy all the benefits of my Rovi.