VCR DOES NOT WORK WITH NEW CABLE BOX

If you can get some of the stations without the box (often the case
for those who subscribe to digital cable or movie channels), then one setup is to split the raw cable and feed the box and the TV, then have the box feed the VCR and hook up the VCR composite video and line level audio outputs to the TV.
The VCR tuner would always be set to the VHF frequency your cable box RF output is on, usually ch. 2, 3 or 4.
This setup allows PIP to work, with the TV tuner limited to
unscrambled analog stations, and it also allows you to tape anything
coming through the box, while watching unscrambled analog stations on the TV.
However, it requires the VCR to be on and the TV set to the
external video input to simply watch what is coming through the cable box.
There are other ways to set this up with more flexibility using
splitters and A/B switches, or you can look for a special switch box
that handles the job.

The above assumes your TV has composite video and line level audio
inputs.

The only way to have full flexibility to watch any scrambled or
unscrambled station at the same time as taping a scrambled station is to have 2 cable boxes. The only way to have your VCR control the
cable box and record different programs by switching the box by itself is to have a VCR with a cable box controller, also known as a cable "mouse".

Hope this helps