HDCP - What is it?

Maniac618 · 16 Jul 2007 at 14:35

Hi everyone, the latest graphics driver for my card comes with new features for playing HD content back but states a HDCP card is needed and is for the 7 series and 8 series from nvidia, I have a 6800gt.

So what is this HDCP? I can watch .h264 content etc that nvidia says the driver technology is for, yet my card isn't mentioned as being HDCP?

What is HDCP and what's going on? Help please.

J1234 · 16 Jul 2007 at 15:46

High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection. Created by Intel, HDCP is used with HDTV signals over DVI and HDMI connections and on D-Theater D-VHS recordings to prevent unauthorized duplication of copywritten material.

<F0rb> · 16 Jul 2007 at 21:16

Basically you can't watch HD dvd/blu ray over hdmi, in HD.But nothing wrong with vga.

Fr0dders · 16 Jul 2007 at 22:02

Maniac618 said:
Hi everyone, the latest graphics driver for my card comes with new features for playing HD content back but states a HDCP card is needed and is for the 7 series and 8 series from nvidia, I have a 6800gt.

you can play High Def content

you cannot play HDCP content.

theres a difference. Basically any video at a resolution at 1280 x 720 is said to be high definition. Lots of the trailers on apple.com are hi def, but dont come encrypted with HDCP

if you buy a HD DVD or Blu Ray DVD these will ,and you need a DVD drive with HDCP support, a graphics card with HDCP support (which yours does not) and a monitor with HDCP support.

if any of the devices in that chain dont support it, the resolution is knocked back to standard definition.

Maniac618 · 16 Jul 2007 at 22:27

I'm using a DVI to HDMI cable from my PC's card to my Samsung SE32R87BDX's HDMI 2 connection...

I have no problems with .h264 files on my hdd, is that just because the ones I am watching happen to have no protection?

Thanks for the info anyway guys.

Fr0dders · 16 Jul 2007 at 22:42

Maniac618 said:
happen to have no protection?

yup

HDCP and h.264 arent the same thing. HDCP is basically DRM for video. In exactly the same way legal music is available without DRM, legal video is available without DRM ( as well as all the illegal stuff ripped from US broadcast hi def channels

)

its just that at the moment, all Hi Def DVDs will have this encryption.

Maniac618 · 16 Jul 2007 at 23:27

thanks MrLOL

Energize · 16 Jul 2007 at 23:51

MrLOL said:
if any of the devices in that chain dont support it, the resolution is knocked back to standard definition.

The resolution is only knocked down to 960x540 if he is trying to play it over an analogue connection and the movie has the ict enabled, which none do. If he is trying to output protected content over a digital connection without hdcp it won't work at all. I just avoid it all and use vga.

Meatball · 17 Jul 2007 at 15:26

MrLOL said:
you can play High Def content

you cannot play HDCP content.

theres a difference. Basically any video at a resolution at 1280 x 720 is said to be high definition. Lots of the trailers on apple.com are hi def, but dont come encrypted with HDCP

Sorry if I'm wrong but I don't believe the content is encrypted with HDCP, its when the content has a "flag" on the HD player will add HDCP encryption on the digital outputs (HDMI, DVI.) The HD material is encrypted with AACS.

james.miller · 17 Jul 2007 at 15:29

Energize said:
The resolution is only knocked down to 960x540 if he is trying to play it over an analogue connection and the movie has the ict enabled, which none do. If he is trying to output protected content over a digital connection without hdcp it won't work at all. I just avoid it all and use vga.

bingo bongo

Fr0dders · 17 Jul 2007 at 16:48

Meatball said:
Sorry if I'm wrong but I don't believe the content is encrypted with HDCP, its when the content has a "flag" on the HD player will add HDCP encryption on the digital outputs (HDMI, DVI.) The HD material is encrypted with AACS.

yeah thats the slightly more complicated version

HDCP isnt a copy protection technology which the term i used (encryption) might imply.

i was just trying to get the message across without being too technical.

Meatball · 17 Jul 2007 at 16:56

MrLOL said:
yeah thats the slightly more complicated version

HDCP isnt a copy protection technology which the term i used (encryption) might imply.

i was just trying to get the message across without being too technical.

Ahh, I understand

. Sorry if I came across as a know-it all

.