Connecting HDTV to HD Cable Box and A/V Receiver

[Mr Peabody]

I'd suggest using HDMI to the TV since it will carry both audio and video. If your receiver is HDMI compatible you may want to go from cable box to your receiver with HDMi and then HDMI to the TV but if the receiver don't allow the signal to pass through then you will have to have your receiver on all the time or run some additional analog connections to TV as suggested above. If you don't care about the video switching from receiver, then run the HDMI from cable box to TV for regular viewing and a digital audio connection from cable box to receiver for surround sound use.

[GMichael]

Either of the two above work great.

I use Mark's method (because my AVR does not have HDMI) HDMI to the display and a optical cable to the AVR. Some say that taking the AVR out of the video link is the best way to go for the very best picture. Doing it this way, I give up a little bit of the ease of use. It does let me watch football while listening to CD's. If you go HDMI to AVR and then HDMI to display then you listen to what you watch. No choice. Switching to cable on the AVR switches both audio and video at the same time.

Your choice. Ease of use vs flexibility. Either way works great.