Modern TV sound options very poor!

[Reece]

I recently purchased a new Samsung 50" wide tv, I have the following units that plug into it:
DVD player
Blu-ray player (I can use this for DVD's but prefer to use the old player - less wear n tear)
HD HDD recorder.
Each of the audio outs goes to the surround sound system only this is fiddly switching between the various units and have run out of spare inputs since I have a CD player and turntable plugged into it to be able to use the HDD recorder. Another problem is the fact that the sound on the Blu-ray player sometimes seems to lose half it's sound effects, I then have to switch back to the TV sound to finish the movie!! This only happens on some movies.
Now I noticed on the back of the TV an optical audio out for surround sound, so I thought that all I will need to do is plug this into the sound processor that way it wouldn't matter what unit I used it would come out here, problem solved!! Think again!! what comes out is TV only, if I listen to a Blu-ray etc that still comes out the TV!! What a load of crap!!
What a lousy design!!
I suppose I could use the headphones but that probably wouldn't have surround sound!! plus you would have to keep plugging and unplugging the cable.
Any ideas welcome.