The last answer is best for your situation at this time. So DVD player to plasma. Be sure to not get too long a length for your HDMI connect. Anything over 15 feet degrades video quality as a stand alone cable at this time for HDMI cabling.
Then COAX digital ( or optical) audio out from DVD player to your receiver. The use of HDMI ( high definition multimedia interface) allows HDCP to be passed along with both the video and audio signal for copywrite protection purposes allowing and requiring data handshakes to occur along a signal path; any disruption/interference means no picture signal and no sound and probably an equipment player shutdown in the future. HD-DVD makers want to ensure no copying of their high def DVDs etc in the future.
The final HDMI plug type, not yet decided, will likely be different than current. Audio codec will be called DTS-HD at this point and no currernt receievrs can decode it fully...yet. The point- possibly new equipment in the future that doesnt yet exist so might not want to sink a whole lot of cash in to stuff unless money isn't an issue.
Then COAX digital ( or optical) audio out from DVD player to your receiver. The use of HDMI ( high definition multimedia interface) allows HDCP to be passed along with both the video and audio signal for copywrite protection purposes allowing and requiring data handshakes to occur along a signal path; any disruption/interference means no picture signal and no sound and probably an equipment player shutdown in the future. HD-DVD makers want to ensure no copying of their high def DVDs etc in the future.
The final HDMI plug type, not yet decided, will likely be different than current. Audio codec will be called DTS-HD at this point and no currernt receievrs can decode it fully...yet. The point- possibly new equipment in the future that doesnt yet exist so might not want to sink a whole lot of cash in to stuff unless money isn't an issue.