How to install a tivo series 2 with a 5.1 home theater system?

[skiguy32]

I have a series 2 tivo that doesn't have any kind of HD ports on it (as far as I know) and I recently purchased a Sony 5.1 home theater system so I could get better sound from my new HD TV I purchased recently. I followed the directions for setting up my system and speakers etc but I can only seem to get 2.1 sound coming from my tivo. Do I need HDMI or componient inputs on my tivo in order to get 5.1 sound or what should I do?

[larrs]

I have a series 2 tivo that doesn't have any kind of HD ports on it (as far as I know) and I recently purchased a Sony 5.1 home theater system so I could get better sound from my new HD TV I purchased recently. I followed the directions for setting up my system and speakers etc but I can only seem to get 2.1 sound coming from my tivo. Do I need HDMI or componient inputs on my tivo in order to get 5.1 sound or what should I do?

You will only get stereo sound from a Series 2. You'll need to activate the "Dolby Pro-Logic" decoding on the Home Theater System to get surround sound.

The S3, TivoHD and Tivo Premier boxes all have HDMI out as well as Optical digital outputs which will give you 5.1 sound. See the link below for the installation instructions for an S2 with an A/V receiver/system.

Series 2 Setup (http://support.tivo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/87/c/105%2C106/r_id/100041)

[ewilts]

I have a series 2 tivo that doesn't have any kind of HD ports on it (as far as I know) and I recently purchased a Sony 5.1 home theater system so I could get better sound from my new HD TV I purchased recently. I followed the directions for setting up my system and speakers etc but I can only seem to get 2.1 sound coming from my tivo. Do I need HDMI or componient inputs on my tivo in order to get 5.1 sound or what should I do?
With a Series 2, you only have analog signals. There are no analog broadcasts with 5.1 audio. You're not getting 2.1 - you're getting 2.0.

You really have 2 choices:
1. Upgrade the Series 2 to one of Series 3, HD, or Premiere
2. Split your cable so one path goes through the TiVo and one goes directly to the TV. Send the output of the TV to the receiver. When you want to watch an HD broadcast with 5.1 sound, bypass the TiVo.

There's nothing you can do to get the Series 2 to output real 5.1 surround sound. You can fake it out using the receiver's controls like larrs suggested - it's actually not that bad.