Replacing the Panoramic WiFi Router/Modem issues

I've had Cox Gigablast for a couple months (brand new customer) and I knew eventually I would replace the Panoramic Modem (Technicolor CGM4141).

Just a quick insert here too... I tried putting the Panoramic unit into Bridge mode and it sort of limped along.  I called Cox support and they told me under no circumstances do they support the Bridge mode on the device, so I turned that off and waited for my shipments.

I also have 4 TV's connected with Cox.  When the installer came out, he gave me options to go with for the box at each TV.  I figured he knew best and let him install the Cloud Based DVR with 3 other identical boxes.  I also have a phone line through Cox.

Anyway, about a week ago I called Cox and went over what I wanted to purchase and if it was compatible with their network (I had already checked it out on the hardware compatibility list: https://www.cox.com/residential/support/cox-certified-cable-modems.html).  Anyway, after a short discussion, they said it was good to go, so I placed an order for a Netgear CM1000 Docsis 3.1 Modem and a Nighthawk(R) X4S R7800 Router.

The router came in (the modem was being shipped cross country and still isn't here) and I had already added a "Telephone Modem" to the mix (got the Telephone Modem from the Cox store at no cost).  I then took a closer look at the Telephone Modem and noticed it was a Docsis 3.1 Modem with an Ethernet port.  So I disconnected the Panoramic unit and connected the telephone and the ethernet port to the Wan port on the Nighthawk.

I then called Cox support and they activated the telephone and I told them to move the internet from the now disconnected Panoramic unit to the Telephone Modem for a few days.

They switched the services over, but my TV signal disappeared.  The tech went round and round trying things (and having me unplug, disconnect, unsplit, resplit, etc) and finally transferred me to a "higher?" level tech.  That tech immediately knew that my TV boxes relied on the Panoramic modem to pull IP addresses and essentially "work".  He said I could go with the "Contour 2" boxes/DVR and that had no reliance on any other hardware.

Went down and exchanged my 4 boxes for 1 six way DVR and 3 boxes/clients.  Hooked everything up, seemed ok.  The series I had set up on the Cloud DVR even "seemed" to come over to the wired DVR.

So now I'm using the Arris Telephone Modem to connect my Nighthawk and am getting close to 1gig speeds (960), getting good coverage and a strong WiFi signal.

Now back to the DVR, things are showing as scheduled but not recording.  Recording live programs and getting hit or miss on whether they are playable.

So I figure I'll delete the whole schedule and add back a few programs.

First night, 2 programs are recording at the same time, the 3 clients are hooked up and I get the message that I can't change the channel unless I want to stop a recording.

The 6 way DVR become a 3 way DVR because of the 3 clients I have hooked up to other TV's.  That seems like some bad info/advertising.  Would have been easy enough to mention that when switching equipment.

Anyway, I know I should probably cut the cable, but we just aren't ready too.  I'm stuck in a Cox only area.

The only options I have are adding a 6 way DVR for $25 a month to get more "tuners" for recording or to downgrade from Contour 2 to Contour 1 which I guess has less graphics and more text?

At this point, I wish I hadn't gone the way of my own Modem and Router to end up in this situation.

Maybe someone reading this will save themselves some time or energy.

Not sure what direction I'm going... as I don't want to spend any more money per month (the idea was to save the $11 a month and get my own equipment).