I would just connect your video sources to the TV and the sound for the devices to the Receiver. List the inputs your TV has. Is your TV HD? Is your satteliee box HD capable? Start there...
Ok since you are not responding I will do my best to help you based on the info you have provided. Connect the Sattelite Box directly to the tv using s-video. S-Video is the best output that you have on the sattelite box. S-video separates the signal where the a/v yellow video connector is what is called composite and sends the all of the video signal on one wire. The sat box will either have an orange connector called Digital Coax out for sound (rca type connector.)or an optical output for sound or both. If it does have either of these then use one of them. You may get 5.1 output from this for stations that have this and you may not. You will most likely get Dolby Pro-Logic so it does not really matter if you use this or standard red and white for audio from the sat box to the receiver. Where the DVD is concerned connect that to the tv using the HDMI output onthe dvd to the HDMI in on the TV, you want this because you cannot get any better than this. It is an uncpmpressed digital signal. Just don't expect sound to come from the surround system when you do. You will have to connect the DVD player to the receiver using the optical out or digital coax out (rca type connector -orange) be sure to use one of these or will not get 5.1 output be it Dolby Digital or DTS. You will need to set the DVD player to bitstream in the audio setup and the video output to progressive or you are wasting your time. You will save a a lot of money on cables doing it this way. YOu do not have enough devices to need to switch everything from the receiver. You would still have to use the input selector on the TV and the input selector on the Receiver if you did so buying extra cables to use the receiver to switch devices would be a complete waste of money.
let me know if you have any questions when you setup. You probably will and really should have some questions when you actually start doing this. I just cannot cove every base without knowing more about what you know.
Another question. What would be the disadvantage to connecting the DVD to the AVR using HDMI/digital coax and running optical and HDMI to the TV? Which leads me to another question, do I need an audio cable to the AVR from the DVD or will HDMI suffice?
also remember that if and when you attach the digtal coax (orange rca type connecter) that you make sure to use the corresponding digital coax in on the receiver. This too will be color coded orange.
The HDMI connection to the tv provides the audi/video to the TV nothing else. The sound will go directly from the dvd player to the receiver using digital coax (orange) or optical. The only reason you would connect the HDMI cable to the receiver would be if you needed to use the receiver as a switch between devices (dvd or satt in your application) but as I said this is not needed in your setup. If you did go thru the receiver with the HDMI it would do the same thing as connecting the HDMI directly to the TV. Hope this is what you are asking. Also you wuld have to spend another $100 on an hdmi cable because if you the receiver to switch you would need 2 HDMI cables.
Yes you wil need either a Digital Coax (orange) cable or an optical cable. The number of and the type will depend on what you have on the sat box or the dvd player.
My reply is above your last post...