Comments on: Apple TV Rentals and HDCP

By: Mike Bradbrook

Mike Bradbrook — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 00:28:20 +0000

Thanks John – my second post on the subject comes to the same conclusion. that I need a new TV.

Unfortunately, I’ve only recently spent £375 on a new lamp for the TV so I’m not planning to replace it anytime soon – unless the TV mysteriously breaks, that is! 😉

By: John Lockwood

John Lockwood — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 23:51:38 +0000

DVI can support HDCP just as well as HDMI.

See http://www.digital-cp.com/home

It seems likely the problem is not the Apple TV, and not the cable, but more likely the fact your ‘ancient’ TV does not support HDCP at all.

By the way, as far as I am aware, all Macs still do not support HDCP (not sure about the latest video cards in the latest Mac Pros). The current Mac mini Core2Duo definitely does not have HDCP support.

This is not because Macs only have DVI connectors, but simply because Apple have not bothered to implement support for it (except on the Apple TV).

I setup an Apple TV for my parents using Component at 720p with no problems, so again it seems your old TV is at fault here. Time to get a new one?

By: Mike Bradbrook

Mike Bradbrook — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 10:15:49 +0000

I wonder if it is the movie then, and not the TV? My TV is just over 4 years’ old (it is a Sagem 50″ DLP Rear Projection TV). I tried watching Big Trouble in Little China (rented from iTunes) and Cube Zero (rented from Apple TV) and neither worked – both said HDCP was required.

By: Bill

Bill — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 02:33:58 +0000

Just finished watching a standard definition rental on Apple TV downloaded directly to Apple TV using the HDMI to DVI cable on a early generation Samsung DLP. (4 years old)

No problem.