Entertainment Center: TVs, Stereos, VCRs and DVDs - Newbie compoent hook-up question

I am fairly new to home theater stuff, so I need some advise. I am hooking up a home theater system, and don't know what is supposed to go where. I wonder if someone can point me in the right direction, or show me where I can find a diagram, or something. My components are as follows......

Toshiba 32" TV with all available plugins on back
RCA A/V Receiver
Cable TV box
Sony Hi-Fi Stereo VCR
Phillips DVD Player
3 Sony front channel speakers (right, left, center)
PS2 Game system

Thanks

Here's how I'd do it ...

-- Connect the DVD player to the TV using either S-Video or Component cables (if the TV is so equipped). Component is better than S, which is better than composite (RCA). Only the newest TVs have component, but most have S.
-- Connect the cable to the VCR input. Connect the VCR's cable output to the TV's cable input. A better alternative is to use a splitter and connect the cables from the splitter to the TV and VCR.
-- Connect the video and audio I/O's from the VCR to the appropriate I/O's on the back of the receiver.
-- Connect the DVD's audio to the appropriate input on the receiver. Usually this is a digital cable.
-- Connect the TV's audio outputs to the appropriate input on the receiver. Most TVs have "Variable" audio outputs or a menu feature that turns off the TV's internal speakers.

If the receiver has "aux" or "video game" video and audio inputs, this is the place to plug in the PS2. If not, plug it into the TV's composite A/V inputs (usually Video2).

The speakers connect to the appropriate left, center and right outputs on the back of the receiver. Make sure you connect them properly. Most "lamp cord" style speaker wires are identified either by being color coded or by one of the pair of wires having a ridge. Make sure the color coding is consistent, I.E. red terminal to red/ridged wire to red terminal, black to black.

If you have another pair of speakers lying around, you can connect them to the "rear L" and "rear R" terminals. (Don't use powered speakers designed for computers.)

It's not as difficult as it seems. Break it down into one connection at a time.

Good luck!

Thanks for the advice Rick. Here's the problem, the way you said to do it doesn't seem to be utilizing the cable box at all. Don't I need to be using the cable box to utilize all the nifty on-screen program giudes, and stuff that the cable gives you? Does anyone else have a diagram perhaps that would utilize all of the components I listed? Thanks

"Cable" in my previous post would be the output of the cable box, and assumes that the wire is RG-6 or RG-59 (standard cable wire). Your TV would then be tuned to whatever output channel the cable box (and/or VCR) is assigned to.

If you have digital cable, you have to use the box. If you don't have digital cable, you should be able to connect the incoming cable wire directly to the TV/VCR.

Also, most Operators Manuals for A/V receivers have diagrams in the back showing various options of hooking up components.