Hookup confusion w/ a digital input receiver

[videobruce]

I have a Onkyo 604 receiver (my first 'digital input' receiver) and I'm confused about just which way to go.

My components are (in order of importance);
DLP Microdisplay w/ HDMI & optical outs,
HD DVR w/ HDMI & optical outs,
DVD player w/ HDMI & optical outs,
CD changer w/optical & analog outs,
FTA satellite receiver w/ optical & analog outs,
S-VHS recorder, analog only,

I would perfer to run everything (except CD changer) into the TV and then into the receiver and let the TV do the switching. One prtoblem is this receiver does have two HDMI in's and a out which I will need if I am going to hook the DVD player up using the HDMI instead of component.

Question; Does the optical & HDMI outs of the TV carry ALL audio signals including analog from all sources or do I have to use both a digital and analog connections?

Thanks in advance.

 

[j_garcia]

The TV isn't the best choice to use as the switching point, it would be the other way around with the receiver as the central point in the system which it is designed to be. I do believe the optical out from the TV is intended to relay signals from the HDMI connections, but wouldn't it make more sense to send the two HDMI connections to the receiver and have only one cable going to the TV? The one drawback with that is that you have to have the receiver on to pass the signal through, so anything being switched through the receiver means the HT must be on to watch it. For me, cable box goes to direct to the TV and DVD goes through the receiver only since there is never a time when I watch DVDs without the HT, but I rarely watch TV with it on.

 

[videobruce]

The TV isn't the best choice to use as the switching point

Why is this? Video is the more important of the two since it has the much higher bandwidth. Audio isn't even close. Passing video through an audio device can only degrade the signal (if there is a problem). Seems far more sense to let the TV do the work.