How do I hook up my stereo to my HDTV?

Ok I give. How do I hook up my HDTV to my home theater?

• Here's the problem: I purchased a new 42" RCA LCD HDTV that has three spaces for HDMI. I had recently bought a lower end RCA DVD/Home Theater system. It is the RTD315W model. I have tried to hook it up to be able to play the audio from the cable through the surround sound. I have having fits! I can get the DVD player to play a dvd with the surround sound, but I cant make it play the cable (digital or analog channels) through the surround. Its making me nutso! I purchased a HDMI cable and plugged it in to the back of the TV and to the back of the DVD. Its no use. Does this mean that I need to purchase an actual separate Receiver to plug in a separate DVD player, Wii, stereo, etc. in order to use my lovely speakers? Somebody rescue me pahhhhleeeeze!!!!

• Answer:

  I would have to assume your system does not send audio to the surround speakers unless it has a surround source. The DVD works because the HDMI cable provides the surround source. How does the surround sound get from the cable box? If sound from the cable box gets to the Receiver by standard RCA (red and white typically) cables, that is not a surround source. That is left and right (front speakers) only so nothing will go to the surround speakers. I believe you would need to have a digital source from the cable box (usually a single RCA or fiber optic cable) to the receiver. Hope this helps.