A Question About HDCP

[62sunbeam]

So I was reading on the Crutchfield site that any system in which any 4K HDCP program is being used only a 1080 HD image will be displayed if ANY device in your system fails the HDCP handshake so if I were to buy a one year old Marantz SR-7008 and had it hooked up to a 4K TV and a 4K source I would only get a 1080 image.

Is this really true? Is this only for certain (Sony) programs? Is there a workaround?

Thanks

Eric

 

[Bodyblue]

So I was reading on the Crutchfield site that any system in which any 4K HDCP program is being used only a 1080 HD image will be displayed if ANY device in your system fails the HDCP handshake so if I were to buy a one year old Marantz SR-7008 and had it hooked up to a 4K TV and a 4K source I would only get a 1080 image.

Is this really true? Is this only for certain (Sony) programs? Is there a workaround?

Thanks

Eric

Yes. If you dont have the 4K HDMI cables or even if you do and are going through a receiver that is not 4K you wont see the 4K picture. You can go directly from your cable box to your 4K TV and see the signal of course. One reason I am waiting a while to get a 4k TV since my 5 year old Sony 7.1 amp is still working perfectly and I dont want to spend the money.

 

[Jeffery]

Or put a cheap HDMI splitter in the line to strip the HDMI protection out.

 

[62sunbeam]

Or put a cheap HDMI splitter in the line to strip the HDMI protection out.

Would this really work?

I was under the impression the HDCP source can see any and all devices on the chain and if there's no handshake no 4K. Wouldn't it see any devices after the splitter?

Thanks

Eric

 

[Bodyblue]

If anything that is not 4K will stop the 4K signal.

 

[Jeffery]

Would this really work?

I was under the impression the HDCP source can see any and all devices on the chain and if there's no handshake no 4K. Wouldn't it see any devices after the splitter?

Thanks

Eric

Just Google "HDCP Stripper", I'm not sure how it'll work on 4K to be honest. It's mainly used to get pre-HDMI devices to work with newer devices.

 

[KentTeffeteller]

No correct version of HDCP, no handshake, NO 4K! Period. MPAA and the movie studio heads need their new mansion, and their new business Jet!

 

[62sunbeam]

I work in the film and TV business below the line and I've been hearing all the belly aching about piracy etc for over a decade and while it represents a tiny fraction of the entire revenue a studio earns. (Sometimes less than 1% and even the studios acknowledge people who consume pirated material weren't likely to pay to see it anyway so it technically isn't lost business). I do understand the legal right to protect their programming however forcing me to buy all new equipment so that I can enjoy a certain format is ludicrous.

I guess I won't be going 4K until the stuff starts showing up on CL for cheap.

Thanks

Eric

 

[donprice]

Vicious cycle. No $ to buy 4k material after buying 4k equipment...

 

[Bodyblue]

Ummm 4K stuff is dirt cheap. All one has to do is actually think ahead and budget for the purchase.

 

[Mitkraft]

No correct version of HDCP, no handshake, NO 4K! Period. MPAA and the movie studio heads need their new mansion, and their new business Jet!

This was not true of any HDCP prior to 4K. Certain powered HDMI splitters will negotiate the HDCP with the source but not enforce it on other devices. Have you read that these devices that perform this fuction no longer work with 4K?

 

[KentTeffeteller]

4K needs a specific version of HDCP which is 2.2. If that is not present, 1080p is what you get. DRM annoyance at it's best.

 

[whoaru99]

Actually, HDCP 2.2 is likely the version on gear being produced in the last year or two.

2.0 works for stuff from early 4k, but it won't work as 4k source gear continues to move forward.

And be sure you're not confusing HDMI and HDCP.

For 4k it will be HDMI 2.0. However HDCP version could be 2.0 or 2.2.

For 4k there is the possibility of HDMI 2.0 + HDCP 2.0 or HDMI 2.0 + HDCP 2.2.

Early 4k stuff was 2.0 + 2.0. From about 2014 and on most big names supported HDCP 2.2. However, some of the budget brands didn't get on board until later. Caveat emptor.

Since HDMI 2.0 is a given for 4k, the following is only in regard to HDCP.

For example, if you have an older 4k TV that is only version 2.0 but upgrade to a new 4k player that is 2.2, your TV won't display the material in 4k if it's 4k content you're trying to play.

Also, some players have dual HDMI outputs. One being 2.2 compatible to pass 4k to the 2.2 TV, and the other being for passing audio to a non-2.2 receiver.

 

[KentTeffeteller]

HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2. and thanks for clarification.

 

[62sunbeam]

Forgive me for raising the dead. I have another question:

I see that many of the new 4K TVs have an optical audio out. I always ran the optical from my blue ray and my Apple TV to my sony ES555 receiver but now I’m getting a 4K Apple TV (free with a three month prepurchase of direct tv) and it has no optical out but my Panasonic LCD does. I know it’s not 4K but I hope to upgrade soon and I notice that all of the fancy new TVs have optical out. Can I run the optical out from these TVs to my receiver and get full 5.1 surround? Or is it some squished signal intended for sound bars etc.?

Will using the optical out signal the 4K source and inhibit the 4K signal?

Thanks

Eric

 

[whoaru99]

For sure you will not get any of the lossless audio formats e.g. Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD Master via optical.

Depending on the TV model you may or may not get discrete surround AKA Dolby Digital. Some TVs reduce any external input material to just 2-ch PCM from the optical output.

 

[62sunbeam]

Or put a cheap HDMI splitter in the line to strip the HDMI protection out.

Would this work? Put it between my Apple TV 4K and my pre 4K HDMI receiver and my eventual 4K TV?

Thanks

Eric

 

[KentTeffeteller]

It will not, HDCP will most likely get in your way. Handshake for it must work also. HDCP gets picky.

 

[Bill Ferris]

HDCP.. Very, very picky, indeed !!
Try, multi TV 1080P distribution !!