I picked up a new Sony 46W5100 I am planning to mount on the wall in our lower level. I will also have a HD Cable Box, HD dvd player, BluRay Player or PS3 and an Onkyo TX-SR605 Receiver that will be on a stand a couple of feet from the TV. Does it make sense to only run one HDMI cable thru the wall to go between the TV and the stand? I was thinking I could run everything on the shelf into the receiver and then a single HDMI cable out of the receiver to the TV?

Should work.

Would work but the only drawback I foresee is if you don't want to have to turn on the 605 every time you want to watch something.

a-ok with on/off with each viewing, we are currently doing that.

It would work, but your cutting into the wall anyway. Why don't you run a 2nd or 3rd HDMI and maybe component as well. I mean the cost would be minimum and easy to make changes later on.

Should I consider an ethernet connection for the Sony 46W5100? Havent got the TV yet but believe it may have the sony widgits internet option- not quite sure how that runs.

Honestly I don't know what that gets you. However any doubt at all, than I'd run it. If you don't use it right away, but decide to do so later, you will really thank yourself.

Thanks everyone for the help so far. Well I guess I will just keep fingers crossed the 46W set actually shows up with my name on it at my BestBuy this week and then go from there! I may be back with questions down the road

Sounds like a positive to me.

Frankly, if you are running a simple run straight up in the wall, it takes seconds to run another line if you own duct tape.

But this is what the ethernet can get you:
Needs a DLNA PC, though.

Looking around on monoprice for wall plates I ran across these low voltage pass thru ones that looked like an Interesting option wall plate link

Seems like an easier way to run a couple of hdmi cables, ethernet cable and maybe a coax or component cable thru the wall. Just seems would need to measure the length needed from the receiever shelf to the wall/up the wall/back out of the wall to the tv. I guess I would only be worried about the amount of possible easy movement of the cables.

Any thoughts on this option vs say standard hdmi or coax wall plates?

Just run them through, don't bother with plates with connectors. They're overrated, and behind a flat panel they are just plain annoying.

I have been considering that more, I guess I just worry about the wire having movement the whole way from the receiver to the tv vs having plates for multiple wires to connect between= shortened cables along the run that have movement, espically those in the wall.