Easy Audio Out question

[gigabyte1024]

I've never owned an audio receiver before, but I have two general ideas about how the sound is transmitted:
1- the device (cable box for example) is connected to the receiver and then the video is transmitted from the receiver to the TV, this is HDMI pass-through.
2- the device is connected to the TV and the TV transmits the sound to the receiver usually via an optical audio cable

Are these two scenarios correct?
I'm trying for the 2nd option with a Samsung UN55B8000 and potentially this:
http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs...&productId=8198552921665793556#specifications

I've already bought the TV and I want to make sure my understanding is correct before I purchase the receiver.

 

[Demon10000]

There is a third option, and the one that most people try to get --

Instead of HDMI passthrough, the receiver actually processes the audio and only transmits the video portion to the TV. So instead of having two cables out of your cable box, you've only got one.


[cable box]---(hdmi)--[receiver]--(hdmi)--[TV]

Instead of

[cable box]--(hdmi)--[TV]
[cable box]--(fiber)--[Receiver]

 

[CrimandEvil]

You want a receiver that decodes all of your audio, you don't want it to just pass it along. Otherwise there's no point in having a receiver at all.