Has anyone wired a home theater system? I'm trying to figure this out over the next week or so...

Should I run the Cable/DVR Box right to the VCR/DVD Box and run that into the receiver then run the video out into the TV?

How should I wire this and what can give the best quality (s video, opitcal audio, composite video, etc.)? Please not we don't have HD cable yet so no HDMI option.