Is This Correct? (Audio For Home Theater)

[mrclose]

I'll try to make this short and understandable. 

I just purchased a new 50" smart tv.

From my Verizon set-top box I have an HDMI cable running to the tv.

As anyone with one of these new flat screen, no frame monitors know .. the speakers are in the rear and sound terrible!

On top of that, my tv sits in a cubby hole/alcove where everything sounds like it is sitting inside of a drum!

My question: I have an amp that I want to connect to my family room's speakers.

I know how the speakers will connect but what I'm not sure of is how to get the sound to the amp?

My guess?

Run an optical connector from the verizon set-top box to the amp?

Is that correct?

So the only connection to the tv itself is from the set-top box?
(With the hdmi cable)

The tv will play no part in the sound?

Thank You!

[Elderberry]

It sounds like that would work as long as all the sources that feed your TV go thru your set top box.

[mrclose]

It sounds like that would work as long as all the sources that feed your TV go thru your set top box.

The Verizon cable comes from the wall and connects to the cable box.

From the box, the hdmi cable connects to the tv.
Since there is sound on the tv now, I assume that the cable from Verizon carries the sound with the picture, same as the hdmi to the tv.

I would need to shut down the tv's internal speakers once the amp is up and running though.