HDCP
HDCP, which stands for High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection, was developed by Intel Corporation. It is basically a copy protection scheme that has been designed to stop the interception of digital data midstream from the source to the display. HDCP compliant DVD players, satellite set top boxes, and computers have a secure connection to a compliant display.
You might still be thinking what is HDCP? If you have a HDCP enabler source, you can watch crystal clear digital images on your computer, satellite television, or DVD player. When digital images are transferred using HDCP, the quality of the graphic images is maintained. The next question that you might be thinking is how HDCP processing works. When you turn on your HDCP monitor, HD computer monitor, or DVD, the video content will check to see whether your monitor is licensed with HDCP controls. If your HDTV, DVD player, or satellite television receiver is not HDCP compliant, it will simply not show HDCP material. It means that you will not be able to watch digital without HDCP.
The present scenario, as far as HDCP is concerned, is that FCC and MPAA want all over-the-air signals in the US to become 100% digital by February 2009. This is creating a whole lot of confusion for people who do not have HDCP compliant television, computers, or DVD players. Does it mean that they would have to throw away their HDTVs?
People who bought their HDTVs and DVD players a few years back probably would not have HDCP compliant machines as HDCP review was not an issue back then. However, the whole situation has changed today. Presently, the new Blu-ray and HD-DVD models are HDCP enabled. Electronics manufacturers, like Gateway, are trying to incorporate this technology in their products and trying to come up with best HDCP monitor, HDTV, and DVD players.
The situation is even more confusing with cable and satellite providers. Comcast, one of the biggest satellite TV providers in the US, cannot simply do away with all coaxial, S-video, composite and component inputs. Doing so would mean loosing a very big chunk of their business.
People, like you and me, who spent heavily on our HDTVs have the right to be angry because in a few years we will not be able to watch HD content on our HDTVs. There is no such thing as HDCP hack or HDCP removal device that you can use. Furthermore, using such a device would be illegal. You can get a HDCP stripper; however, you will have to really look out for it. All we can do is to keep our fingers crossed and hope they come up with a device that allows us to watch our HDCP non-compliant HDTVs.