HDCP, how important is it?

Loko · 19 Mar 2008 at 13:57

Quick question for you gurus...

I have a pretty good rig for running my games well on my Sammy SM226BW at native resolution (great monitor BTW). I've been considering jumping over to the 24" world and have been researching monitors for a while. Unfortunately I can't seem to find one that ticks most of the boxes for me. Curse LCD technology and their compromises!! :rolleyes:

I staggered across Hazro monitors and quite like the look of their range. They only do S-IPS panels which falls into my requirements (PVA is good for me too). I was trying to avoid a TN panel. Hazro currently don't support HDCP on their 24" monitor, I've spoken to them and they are changing the AD cards to incorporate this but expect it to be July time before it's done.

I didn't really want to wait that long. Also, I don't really plan to hook up anything other than my PC to the monitor. Not a consoles man myself nor will I hook up an external HD player. My question was, if I get a BlueRay drive for the pc, will I be able to playback movies at 1080 without the monitor being HDCP compatible? Would it restrain me from displaying anything through the pc?

Once I get the monitor I just need a new rig to run at 1920x1200!

mdjmcnally · 19 Mar 2008 at 16:30

HDCP is only important if going to be playing content protected movies on your PC.

I think with XP won't be a problem and you can download software off the net that strips the content protection anyway for playback on non HDCP hardware with Vista.

Loko · 19 Mar 2008 at 17:59

Thanks for your reply. I was under the impression that all BluRay movies were protected though?

Do people have experience with this software then?

addylad · 21 Mar 2008 at 18:59

AFAIK, it's there but not 'activated' yet.

Bry · 21 Mar 2008 at 19:42

and its been cracked already so at a guess it wont be too important

Tombo · 22 Mar 2008 at 02:29

You won't be able to use the PS3 on it with HDMI if you ever get one.

Psypher5 · 22 Mar 2008 at 17:52

Tombo said:
You won't be able to use the PS3 on it with HDMI if you ever get one.

hdfury

Tombo · 23 Mar 2008 at 04:15

I know but it's still true.

Phil99 · 23 Mar 2008 at 11:11

addylad said:
AFAIK, it's there but not 'activated' yet.

It's the analogue downscaling that hasn't been activated yet, BluRay/HD-DVD requires HDCP if displayed over a digital connection.

Participant · 23 Mar 2008 at 11:30

Phil99 said:
It's the analogue downscaling that hasn't been activated yet, BluRay/HD-DVD requires HDCP if displayed over a digital connection.

Not according to AnyDVD / AnyDVD HD. In my similar thread in this section, concensus is that it's generally better to go for a cheaper monitor without HDCP (for which you pay more tax effectively) and get AnyDVD, which will allow HDCP protected blu-ray movies on DVI to a non-HDCP screen, and even with a non-HDCP GPU.

Phil99 · 23 Mar 2008 at 11:40

Well, there is that but if you get the software legitimately it's going to cost an extra €79.

It does have other advantages like stripping region protection and other stuff (release 6.4.0 is particularly interesting for BluRay), though.

Participant · 23 Mar 2008 at 12:06

Phil99 said:
Well, there is that but if you get the software legitimately it's going to cost an extra €79.

It does have other advantages like stripping region protection and other stuff (release 6.4.0 is particularly interesting for BluRay), though.

Also, spread that out over the next three non-HDCP monitors you buy and that doesn't seem so much I think.

Loko · 23 Mar 2008 at 19:11

I was just keen to get hold of a S-IPS panel on 24". Hazro aren't going to incorporate HDCP for a few months yet and unfortunately the NEC 24" isn't available in the uk.

Combat squirrel · 23 Mar 2008 at 19:21

Iv already ran into problems with this, using the OCUK 24" value monitor to my xbox 360 at 1080p, iv got a dvd that came with tomb raider anniversary game, it just says 'secure hdmi link not found' or something like that, I guess I need a HDCP monitor :S