How to connect HDTV to Stereo surround sound?

First off, there is no such thing as "Stereo Surround Sound". Stereo is 2 channles, while surround sound starts at 6 channels (5.1). Secondly, the people who work at Sear, Radio Shack, and Best Buy all think that home theater in a box systems a good. This means they know little about audio. To answer your question, there is a way to convert the digital (optical) signal to an analog signal, but it's not the cheapest item in the world. http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Audio-Analog-Converter/dp/B0013LWK3A This gadget will convert your optical or coax digital signal into stereo, analog audio. Now you will simply need an RCA to 3.5mm adapter cable like this one: http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&q=rca+to+3.5mm&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=11787265485154466184&ei=nw5GTI27AoWclgftoLzsAw&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=image&resnum=3&ved=0CEQQ8gIwAg# Presto, you have your connection.