xslf2164
08-11-2008, 01:09 PM
I have an older Series2 Tivo. Right now, anything that is played on the Tivo (recorded or live TV) has problems with audio - it is full of static and high pitched squealing. Live TV is worse (can't hear the regular sound at all, just static), but recorded programs are almost as bad (if you turn it way up, you can hear some regular sound through the static). It was working fine, and then suddenly it didn't (I used it the day before the problem appeared, and it was fine). The problem is NOT intermittent. I have 3 Tivos, the other 2 work fine.
I've gone through all the troubleshooting I can think of (detailed below), and when I called Tivo Technical Support, they agreed that nothing more could be done. Their diagnosis is a problem with the sound card. They recommended sending the Tivo to them, paying a fee, and receiving a refurbished Tivo to replace it. After some discussion, the tech service rep admitted that the sound card could be replaced, but not by them (the warranty is expired, so it wouldn't be affected). Has anyone had experience with this? My husband is a computer geek and has done this on PCs, but we've never opened a Tivo before. The tech service rep also mentioned Best Buy and Circuit City as possibilities for doing the repair.
Current Setup: Stock Tivo Series 2, composite cable input from a Comcast digital cable box in Seattle, composite output to a Toshiba LCD HD TV. The TV outputs sound to a receiver. The Tivo is connected to my wireless network.
Troubleshooting Steps (all failed to eliminate problem unless otherwise commented): Swapped cables, verified the Tivo has latest software upgrade, tried simple RF connection and using Output 2 on back of Tivo, tried different input port on TV, hooked cable box directly up to TV (eliminated problem, which means the Tivo is the source), rebooted Tivo, checked Tivo settings, transferred recorded programs to another Tivo (eliminated problem, so the recordings themselves are fine). The TV plays programs from my Tivo HD Series 3 and DVDs just fine, so it's not the TV, the receiver, or the speakers. That's all I can think of...I may have tried more, but just don't remember all the details...
I've gone through all the troubleshooting I can think of (detailed below), and when I called Tivo Technical Support, they agreed that nothing more could be done. Their diagnosis is a problem with the sound card. They recommended sending the Tivo to them, paying a fee, and receiving a refurbished Tivo to replace it. After some discussion, the tech service rep admitted that the sound card could be replaced, but not by them (the warranty is expired, so it wouldn't be affected). Has anyone had experience with this? My husband is a computer geek and has done this on PCs, but we've never opened a Tivo before. The tech service rep also mentioned Best Buy and Circuit City as possibilities for doing the repair.
Current Setup: Stock Tivo Series 2, composite cable input from a Comcast digital cable box in Seattle, composite output to a Toshiba LCD HD TV. The TV outputs sound to a receiver. The Tivo is connected to my wireless network.
Troubleshooting Steps (all failed to eliminate problem unless otherwise commented): Swapped cables, verified the Tivo has latest software upgrade, tried simple RF connection and using Output 2 on back of Tivo, tried different input port on TV, hooked cable box directly up to TV (eliminated problem, which means the Tivo is the source), rebooted Tivo, checked Tivo settings, transferred recorded programs to another Tivo (eliminated problem, so the recordings themselves are fine). The TV plays programs from my Tivo HD Series 3 and DVDs just fine, so it's not the TV, the receiver, or the speakers. That's all I can think of...I may have tried more, but just don't remember all the details...