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Zoom · Dec 8, 2013, 07:03 PM

iTunes had a killer deal on Harry Potter a while back... I bought all 8 movies in HD for $10! It was unreal.

However, now I'm stuck. I have two Apple TVs for watching iTunes in my living room and bedroom - perfect for this. But my home theater in the basement is a little older and it's component-based (as opposed to HDMI). So there is no component output on Apple TV (and I don't believe a component-to-HDMI box will work with HDCP and DRM'd content, right?).

So.... how can I watch these movies on my home theater in HD with surround sound?? Honestly, what I really want to do is strip the DRM, but apparently this is not easy to do. Requiem is gone and there's another app that costs $40-50 that I've heard is really crappy... plus, why should I have to spend that much to watch movies I own? (Yes, I realize how the business model works, but I still don't think it should work that way.)

Anyone have an idea, short of upgrading my entire basement system to handle HDMI and getting a third ATV?

Shaddim · Dec 8, 2013, 07:52 PM

*psst* Look here...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/161150228041?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p398 4.m1423.l2649

subego · Dec 8, 2013, 08:09 PM

Google "HD fury".

ShortcutToMoncton · Dec 9, 2013, 09:10 AM

What about a Roku 2 running Plex? I do not have iTunes movies, but that might be a cheap solution to allow you to watch all your iTunes movies and music as well as Netflix/etc., and it has component video. I'm not sure how DRM video content works with Plex, but Google should help - I might be able to try buying a movie and checking it out on my Roku, but it will not be hooked up for another week or two.

Zoom · Dec 9, 2013, 11:23 AM

@Shaddim... where? I don't see a link.

HD Fury is $250 - that much I've figured out. I could get a new AV receiver and AppleTV for not much more than that (might be a refurb). I'm actually starting to lean that way... I'm not going to be in this house more than another year or two, so I might just upgrade my stuff to handle HDMI with some cheap equipment (used/refurb). All I really need is a receiver, an ATV, and a long HDMI cable. I should be able to do that for $300.

But I'd still like to liberate the movies from Apple-land. I'm an Apple person - I have tons of Apple stuff - but damn it, I should be able to watch a movie that I purchased on any device.

Plex doesn't work with iTunes DRM'd stuff, as far as I know. My basement system is set up for XBMC actually - I have all my movies on a central file server and use XBMC at every TV. I have AppleTV's at 2 out of 3 TVs, but not in the basement, as I've explained. I actually own two Roku's as well, and I've tried Plex - it's not bad (but it's not as good as XBMC, IMO).

This is so frustrating... I'm sick of having to own multiple boxes to just watch stuff. I have Roku for Amazon Prime video (because Apple TV doesn't support that), NetFlix is supported on almost every box I own, and I have Apple TV for iTunes stuff and for XBMC (I hacked them, which I wish I didn't have to do). And then I have a satellite box because there are no good turn-key DVR systems. I haven't tried Myth in a long time, but I hear it's still clunky. SageTV is gone. What else is there, really? This is all because of freakin' DRM or walled gardens, and I'm sick of it.

Zoom · Dec 9, 2013, 12:39 PM

Nevermind... I got the message, Shaddim, thanks!

So... as I said earlier, I didn't think it was feasible to convert HDMI to component because HDCP (the protocol that restricts devices for DRM purposes) won't terminate properly with a converter box. Am I wrong?

andi*pandi · Dec 9, 2013, 12:43 PM

would handbrake work to convert the files?

Zoom · Dec 9, 2013, 12:57 PM

No, not DRM'd files. Unless there's some de-DRM plugin for Handbrake that I'm not aware of. If not for DRM, I could play them with XBMC without modification.

Shaddim · Dec 9, 2013, 04:49 PM

Originally Posted by Zoom

Nevermind... I got the message, Shaddim, thanks!

So... as I said earlier, I didn't think it was feasible to convert HDMI to component because HDCP (the protocol that restricts devices for DRM purposes) won't terminate properly with a converter box. Am I wrong?

It works...

Which is why almost every US company that's tried to sell those has gotten threatened/sued by the MPAA (Monoprice, RadioShack, Crutchfield, Amazon, etc etc.).

Zoom · Dec 9, 2013, 05:22 PM

Soooo.... you're saying I should buy one quickly?

Zoom · Dec 9, 2013, 05:40 PM

Another question... my Onkyo SR705 has both HDMI in and component in... but as I recall, the best you can get is 480p if you let the receiver convert HDMI to component... but reading my manual, it's not clear.

Shaddim · Dec 9, 2013, 10:05 PM

Originally Posted by Zoom

Soooo.... you're saying I should buy one quickly?

Well, I'm saying the trickle of them coming into the US could stop at any time, once the MPAA realizes there's still a leak.

Phileas · Dec 10, 2013, 10:45 AM

Anything that can be made in China, will be made in China. Most things I order from ebay get never opened by customs.