I have a Yamaha HTR-5790 A/V receiver (no HDMI inputs) & a 58" Plasma TV (3 HDMI inputs). My HD satellite receiver has HDMI out. Xbox 360 has HDMI out. Currently, I'm running satellite & Xbox (DVD, CD included) via HDMI to my TV, which has only 1 optical out. I'm using it to go from TV 2 receiver. Having all digital audio going to 1 in on my receiver is not ideal. Is there a better way to hook these up without getting a receiver w/ HDMI in's...yet? i want audio to go to the various in's, not just 1.
so, to make sure i understand, run the hdmi cables to the tv but digital audio from every component to the receiver. makes complete sense. but what happens to the audio running through the hdmi's into the tv? i realize i won't hear it if i don't run audio out from the tv to the receiver unless i utilize the tv's internal speaker, correct? not sure why i'd use the tv's speaker but i bet there would be some usefullness to it in some situation(s).
The TV will still get the audio signal on its HDMI input. You will be able to turn the volume up or down in the TV's speakers as you see fit. Meanwhile, the receiver will be independently getting audio from the digital outputs (optical or coax) of your satellite receiver and xbox.
In your situation, the only thing the TV's optical output is good for is passing DD 5.1 sound from the local channels to your audio receiver, and even then only if you are using the TV's internal tuner to receive them.