Can not get Apple TV 2 to output 5.1 Dolby audio

Thanks for everyones input and feedback. So far I have been very frustrated by setting up my sharp aquos tv/(2hdmi outputs) my apple 2 tv (HDMI 2 to TV ); my comcast cable box (HDMI 1 from cable box to TV) and my Bose 2 speaker stereo set (Optical sound wire from Bose box to Apple 2 TV)
Basically after lots of back and forth --- (wasted day) I have it all working after reading everyone's posts BUT it seems I had to choose between the Apple 2 TV getting the Bose speaker input via optical audio from the Apple 2 TV to the Bose speaker box - The other way meant that ONLY my TV/Cable got the Bose speaker sound.
Is there such a thing as an optical sound wire switch? (versus and an HDMI switch?)
I have tried an extra optical sound from the tv output switch to the cable box but that doesnt seem to make the TV work with only the Bose speakers
I have gone into the the tv's settings for every possible combination/ speakers on/off/ variable etc and nothing seems to work.
Do I have to settle for ONLY the Apple 2 TV to get the Bose stereo sound???
Any clues; suggestions; insights are appreciated.
Thank you

what HD content have you tested it with?
is this self converted content? if so then you would need 2 audio tracks.

1st track - AAC Stereo/Dolby PLII
2nd track - AC3 Pass-thru

OK well not all HD content in the itunes store has a DD5.1 audio track.
can you check in the itunes store if the content from there that you tested actually had a DD5.1 track?

the HD trailers don't have a 5.1 audio track that's for sure, and neither do the previews.

It works for me connected via hdmi to my av amp. I was also able to use handbrake to encode a dvd using apple tv preset and I was able to stream it over my wifi and got 5.1. I have seen some people have more issues with the optical out than the hdmi. I have also seen reports of playing a movie from the itunes store that has 5.1, "they say it under the name of the movie if it does have surround or not. Most trailers don't.
But for me my first test with the atv2 was to rent an hd movie with 5.1 "iron man 2"and it just worked I did not have to do anything to get 5.1 my amp just switched to 5.1 automatically.

I have had 5.1 content begin OK then after pause have not been able to get 5.1 to restart.

I had a appletv 1st gen and plugged a 2d gen into the same to slinks and hdmi

I was ticked because library titles I have that played 5.1 on my receiver both through the tv and on the toslink straight to the receiver weren't getting 5.1

The Appletv is plugged by hdmi tot the tv and the tv passes toslink audio to the receiver
Alternatively, the appletv has a direct toslink to the receiver.

Niether was getting 5.1 on titles I got 5.1 on the 1st gen (like my ripped copy of tron from my own DVD)

Well, I managed to fix it by going to Settings> Audio > Dolby Digital and turning it to ON.

The default setting is AUTO. Well, the only think auto about it is 2 channel stereo. It's a deceptive setting. Turn that setting to ON and it forces 5.1 when the movie has a 5.1 track

Worked for me. I hope it does for you too because it's frustrating as he'll that apple would make such a basic option so oblique and turned off.

I'll try this because I've been wrestling with the exact same problem since I bought Apple TV 2 last week. A friend of mine has 1st gen and it worked fine on exactly the same cables and hardware so clearly all is not well with the "improved" little black box!! It is really frustrating that such a basic issue is causing so many people (including myself) so many issues.

It works perfect for me. It was on "AUTO" and the output was stereo. When I turned it to ON, voilá... 5.1

Thanks...

I tried with "The Expendables (HD)" and "Karate Kid (SD)", works fine with both.

Hi Shane,

If the TV can handle HDMI, why use the optical? Just connect with HDMI which is superior and try the changes suggested above, although auto works fine for both created and purchased content. maybe rest the ATV2 if you haven't. Also as mentioned above...... try testing with HD content that you know has 5.1 sound....... not all iTunes Store HD does.

Are you saying to hook the ATV directly to the Receiver via HDMI instead of hooking the ATV directly to the TV via HDMI and using an Optical Audio for the Receiver in order to achieve Surround Sound? I'll have roll my sleeves up and spin my receiver around to see what's available back there...

TheOneAndOnly BiGMaC wrote:
Hi Shane,

If the TV can handle HDMI, why use the optical? Just connect with HDMI which is superior and try the changes suggested above, although auto works fine for both created and purchased content. maybe rest the ATV2 if you haven't.

Many people use optical to output to their processors/receivers, especially those of us with older but adequate kit, that does not have HDMI - so HDMI to TV, optical to receiver.

If you mean connect to receiver via HDMI, and receiver has HDMI then yes that's a logical thing to do.

Not sure why HDMI should be superior to optical for the same digital audio signal, though with coaxial/toslink audio there were proponents for each type that preferred one over the other.

This worked. It'd be nice if someone could mark this issue as resolved.

eh. it's my lot in life seemingly to never get the answer stars on these boards. 🙂

This works. However, I noticed that when I don't want to use surround sound and turn off my receiver there is no audio through the TV speakers. Had to turn the setting back to AUTO. Connections setup as follows:

ATV2 -> HDTV via HDMI
ATV2 -> Receiver via Optical

You'd think that the AUTO setting would detect whether to playback to HDTV speakers or HT speakers automatically. Anyone else have this same problem or am I missing something?