How can I set up my home theater so that I can listen through all the speakers and not the TV?

You need to route all of the audio signals through the home theatre (HT) receiver. I strongly recommend reading all of the manuals for any equipment you are planning to use, particularly the sections on how to connect the components together. Components, such as a VCR, a DVD player, a tape recorder, and a CD player, all provide audio outputs that need to be connected to the HT receiver. - Stereo VCR: connect the left and right line level audio outputs to the VCR audio inputs on the receiver. All audio leads with RCA connectors are colour-coded: red = right channel (always) and white = left channel (usually). Composite video is yellow. The receiver may also provide outputs that you can connect to the line inputs on the VCR. This can be useful if you want to tape something using the receiver to switch the audio and video signals. - Mono VCR: same as for the stereo VCR, but you need to take the single line level audio output and, with a Y-connector or similar signal splitter, run it into both the left and right audio inputs on the receiver. - DVD player: most DVD players support two-channel audio line outputs, as well as a digital audio output using coaxial wire and/or a Toslink optical connector. I would recommend you use one of the digital outputs and run it to the DVD digital input on the receiver. The digital output may have to be enabled in the DVD player. It may also need to be enabled at the receiver end. You will need to read the HT receiver and DVD player manuals for information on this. - Other audio equipment: if you have other audio equipment, such as a tape recorder or a turntable, these must be connected to the corresponding inputs on the receiver. One note: all of the analog audio inputs are line level inputs, except for the phono input, if your receiver has one. Any analog audio source component can be connected to any audio input, since they are all the same electrically. The labels are merely a convenience for the user. However, if you have a turntable, you must use the phono input. The output of the turntable's cartridge is different from the other source components and needs extra amplification, as well as frequency response shaping. If you use a turntable, but do not have a phono input on the receiver, you will need to purchase a separate phono preamplifier. These range in price from about $25 to $25,000 - there is a wide choice. - Television. the television's audio signal will come from one of two sources: an external tuner (e.g., digital cable unit, satellite receiver) or directly from an antenna or over cable and use the television's tuner to select stations. If an external tuner is used, it is connected to the receiver just the same as any other audio source. If, however, you are using the tuner in the television to select channels, you will need to take a line level audio output from the television and route it into the appropriate input on the receiver. In either case, you should turn the television's volume as low as possible, so you do not hear any background hiss through the speakers built into the television. (I find the hiss audible and annoying.) The first step for all of these is to read the user manuals for all of the components in the system. Even if you just read the section on how to connect everything together - often half of the manual in length - it will help. Plan the connections in advance and work out how many audio (and video) cables you need and what type is needed for each connection (e.g., analog audio, digital coax, or digital Toslink optical). Puchase the cables you need, but don't get them from dollar stores. I usually allow about $30 a set for inexpensive cables. Connect each component at a time, checking the setup as you go. I would advise testing the audio connections between the receiver and the speakers first, using the built-in tuner as a signal source. I would then connect any external tuners and/or VCR(s), and, finally, the DVD player. One final note. If you television has more than one video input and you are using the non-interlaced / progressive scan component video output from the DVD player, connect it directly to one of the television's component video inputs. The video signal from the receiver will normally connect to the composite video or s-video input. Some HT receivers lack sufficient video bandwidth to properly handle high-definition video signals, so connecting such sources directly to the television is preferred. This can also apply to the video output from a high-definition external tuner.