QUOTE (Ezio Auditore @ Dec 9, 2016 -> 09:15 AM)
If your TV and stereo both use HDMI ARC, and you are using a new enough HDMI cable (if it's less than, say, 5 years old, it will be) then your HDMI signal is bi-directional.
Your TV does, that was easy enough to google, but I don't know if your receiver does. Look at your HDMI ports, see if they say "ARC" next to them.
edit: I didn't notice you already said your receiver is old, my bad. So you probably already know this, lol
I'm at work now so can't check the receiver but I bought it in 2006/2007 so I'm guessing it's not ARC compatible.