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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Desktops > Does Apple support HDCP

Does Apple support HDCP
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yesea
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Jun 24, 2007, 03:21 AM
 
any body konw this issue, thanks for any reply.
     
mduell
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Jun 24, 2007, 10:35 AM
 
No.
     
larkost
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Jun 28, 2007, 10:51 PM
 
To expand on the correct, but short responce: No Apple does not currently support the media encryption potionw of HDCP with current hardware. So you might be able to use the cables with an adapter (they are electrically compatible with DVI), but you will not be able to watch a movie played from a HD-DVD or BlueRay player (which current Macs don't have anyways).
     
Cadaver
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Jun 30, 2007, 03:08 AM
 
But, all that would be needed would be a new graphics card (and a HDCP-compliant monitor).
The rest of the hardware is fine.
     
damiensmunki
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Jun 30, 2007, 12:36 PM
 
Anyone care to speculate on something for me? When the HDCP compliant cards and monitors come out, will owners of non-compliant monitors be able to use them as a second display with an HDMI->DVI cable, while the new, HDCP-compliant monitor is used as the main display (for Blu-ray and such)?
     
mduell
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Jun 30, 2007, 12:49 PM
 
Originally Posted by damiensmunki View Post
Anyone care to speculate on something for me? When the HDCP compliant cards and monitors come out, will owners of non-compliant monitors be able to use them as a second display with an HDMI->DVI cable, while the new, HDCP-compliant monitor is used as the main display (for Blu-ray and such)?
Why would you need an HDMI->DVI cable? There are plenty of graphics cards and monitors with DVI ports with HDCP.

The answer depends on how Apple implements the protection in software... it could go either way.
     
reader50
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Jun 30, 2007, 12:52 PM
 
Apple would also have to secure the OS against user tampering before the HD people would authorize a high definition movie player. Much like what M$ did with Vista, with security agents running in the background, and code hashes to see if the user has done anything untrustworthy.

I'm hoping the hackers get there first, and add HD playback to VLC & mplayer. So Apple doesn't have to lock us out of our own computers. Our current hardware is perfectly capable of HD playback in a technical sense.
     
damiensmunki
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Jun 30, 2007, 01:21 PM
 
Why would you need an HDMI->DVI cable? There are plenty of graphics cards and monitors with DVI ports with HDCP.
I thought HDMI was required for HDCP compliance...?
     
P
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Jun 30, 2007, 05:29 PM
 
Originally Posted by damiensmunki View Post
I thought HDMI was required for HDCP compliance...?
No, it's the other way around. HDMI requires HDCP-support, but HDCP can be added to DVI (and presumably other interfaces) as well.
     
damiensmunki
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Jun 30, 2007, 07:07 PM
 
Are you sure? I thought HDMI preceded HDCP. If you're correct, does that mean my current ACD could theoretically be used in an HDCP compliant system?
     
reader50
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Jun 30, 2007, 09:37 PM
 
HDCP on Wikipedia

P is correct, HDCP can be applied over DVI. However, your ACD is not compliant with the DRM restrictions of HDCP. So the signal would be degraded to 1/2 linear resolution (1/4 the pixel count) if they allow your ACD to show the content at all.

They'll want us to buy new monitors when the current ones aren't broken. New video cards. And a new OS version that locks us out of anything that touches the DRM'd content.

I'm hoping Apple doesn't take the Vista dive and do what they want. All currently released titles have been cracked, but the playback ability hasn't made it into the major open source players. Yet. In time we'll be able to watch our legally-purchased HD movies with our current hardware.
     
mduell
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Jun 30, 2007, 10:29 PM
 
Originally Posted by damiensmunki View Post
I thought HDMI was required for HDCP compliance...?
Nope.
Originally Posted by damiensmunki View Post
Are you sure? I thought HDMI preceded HDCP. If you're correct, does that mean my current ACD could theoretically be used in an HDCP compliant system?
Nope.

HDCP is available and optional (both for the end-user to use and for the chipmakers to implement) on both DVI and HDMI.
     
   
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