If it were me, I wouldnt add another HDTV link just for the convinence of using the receiver remote. You risk losing picture quality. I connect my HDTV with a DVI cable coming directly from the STB.

Receiverwise, i'd go for one of the base model Denon or Onkyo that supports at least 5.1, especially if you intend to use a powered sub to handle the lows. My thinking on that is they're budget speakers, so dont go crazy on the receiver. But I havent actually a/b'ed lower vs higher end receivers, so take that with a grain of salt.