Hard Light Productions Forums

Off-Topic Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: Sandwich on March 02, 2007, 01:05:00 pm

Title: HDCP
Post by: Sandwich on March 02, 2007, 01:05:00 pm
I've a question for this collection of grey matter we call "HLPers". First, some background. I have a Dell 2405FPW 24" widescreen LCD monitor. It's beautiful for watching videos. The main difference between it and it's newer sibling, the 2407, is that the 2407 supports HDCP, which the 2405 doesn't.

Now, on to my question. What would be needed in order to view HDCP protected content on my monitor, assuming that all other components (GFX card, OS, etc) fully support HDCP? Would it be a hardware modification? Some sort of hack akin to the CSS DVD region protection scheme hack? What is HDCP, exactly?
Title: Re: HDCP
Post by: Polpolion on March 02, 2007, 01:51:40 pm
Don't bother getting the 2407, it's only two numbers bigger.
Title: Re: HDCP
Post by: DragonClaw on March 02, 2007, 03:23:43 pm
While I personally have no knowledge of the subject, I'm getting the impression from the wiki that systems that use HDCP will give you DVD quality output if your hardware isn't "licensed" with it. I certainly don't think it'd be worth the effort to get around the protection really, especially if you're considering buying a new monitor.
Title: Re: HDCP
Post by: Sandwich on March 02, 2007, 04:14:49 pm
No, no, no, I'm not thinking of buying a new monitor at all. I'm basically just wondering if the HDCP protection is hardware or software. According to the 4th paragraph on this page (http://www.anandtech.com/displays/showdoc.aspx?i=2940&p=8), it seems that requiring an HDCP-compliant monitor to play HDCP content is optional, depending on if there's a "Image Constraint Token"...?
Quote
The good news is that so far none of the HDCP videos that we've seen are enabling the Image Constraint Token, so for now you should be able to get full quality video whether you have an HDCP LCD, non-HDCP LCD, or even an older analog display. The only thing that appears to be required right now for viewing HDCP content on a computer is a graphics card that supports HDCP. Hopefully, that doesn't change, and given that the encryption algorithms have already been cracked for both Blu-ray and HD-DVD it seems that further locking down content will primarily hurt legitimate users.
Title: Re: HDCP
Post by: Thor on March 02, 2007, 06:45:22 pm
from what i understand, all the components must be hdcp to work.  I'm sure soon enough someone will break it and it won't matter anymore, but technically and legally speaking, all parts must be hdcp compliant or your just screwed
Title: Re: HDCP
Post by: vyper on March 03, 2007, 05:11:59 am
Which must be anti-trust in some way...
Title: Re: HDCP
Post by: Taristin on March 03, 2007, 12:20:58 pm
Quote from: Thor on March 02, 2007, 06:45:22 pm
from what i understand, all the components must be hdcp to work.  I'm sure soon enough someone will break it and it won't matter anymore, but technically and legally speaking, all parts must be hdcp compliant or your just screwed

Basically. Every part of your system's path from the DVD to the monitor must have HDCP. So the drive, the board, the vid card, and the monitor, otherwise quality is degraded.

Its what we call bull****.
Title: Re: HDCP
Post by: Kosh on March 03, 2007, 11:28:08 pm
If the image contraint token isn't enabled to begin with, then no problem.

If they lock it down any further it will just push ligitimate users to go more illigitimate.
Title: Re: HDCP
Post by: Sandwich on March 04, 2007, 02:57:15 am
Ok, so what IS that token? HW or SW?
Title: Re: HDCP
Post by: Descenterace on March 05, 2007, 12:23:56 am
Data. IIRC it's part of the content.