Can audio signal be routed thru HDTV then to receiver instead of straight to receiver

[Smokey]

i mostly just connect my laptop, xbox, iphone, blue-ray player.... dvdplayer..

Are any those inputs to TV will be analog (RCA/1/8 headphono jack output)?

If they are, then I don't think the sound will be routed thru TV's digital out. The only way it would work is if your TV have analog audio output.