Quick HT set-up question

[Eric Z]

Hey, everyone-

I might be buying an HDTV sometime soon and want to be sure I'm prepared with setting it up with the rest of my components if I decide to take the plunge.

One of the HDTVs I'm looking at is the Sony Bravia LCD 40" 2010 and it only has one HDMI. My neighbor has this same TV and I'm very impressed. I will have a DVD player and HD cable box/DVR that need to be connected. My receiver is a Yamaha 657/5860 and doesn't have HDMI. I'm thinking I shouldn't use any HDMI because I won't be able to connect it through my receiver, right? I obviously want to be sure everything can play through my 5.1 HT set-up.

If I'm right in my assumption above, would I just use component cables and optical/coax from the cable box and DVD to the receiver and then have a set of component and optical/coax from the receiver to the TV?

For whatever reason, I always get confused with setting these things up- even though I've done my 2 HT set-ups numerous times.

Thanks in advance.
Eric

[musicman1999]

The only reason for running video cables to the reciever is to have only one set of cables to the tv.If this is not an issue with you,many of us prefer to hook up our sources direct to the display,you need less cable and every time the signal goes through a switch there will be some degradation of signal.

bill

[Eric Z]

Starting to make sense. Thanks.

So, I can just run component from my HD cable box to my TV and then run the audio (coax/optical) from the cable box to the receiver to the TV. Then I can utilize the HDMI (or component if I choose that) from the DVD player to the TV. I would still have to run audio through my receiver even if I use HDMI since it's not going through my receiver, right? Especially since I want to be sure I have 5.1.

Am I on the right track?

Thanks again.
Eric

[musicman1999]

Thats right,although you can run audio from your cable box to the reciever by digital and audio from your cable box to your tv direct that way your reciever does not need to be on to watch cable.That would be from the stereo analog output on your cable box as your display does not need digital.

bill

[Eric Z]

Thanks, Bill! It's definitely getting clearer and clearer now.

Let's make sure I have this right:

*Component cables or HDMI from cable box to TV for video
*Component or HDMI from DVD to TV for video
*Optical/coax from cable to receiver for audio
*Optical/coax from DVD to receiver for audio
*Optical/coax from receiver to TV for audio
*Standard analog red/white connection from cable and/or dvd straight to TV so I always don't need the receiver on to watch TV.

I better have it now :)

Thanks.
Eric

[musicman1999]

Everything except optical/coax to tv,you don't need that one.
Anytime,man

bill

[Eric Z]

Duh! Makes sense. Thanks! Now it's just time to spend the $$$ on the HDTV.

[musicman1999]

Once you are hooked the spending of money never ends.Have fun.

bill