Apple Incorporates HDCP (Copy Protection) in New Laptops

[MacRumors]

Apple's new unibody MacBooks and MacBook Pros appear to incorporate a version of copy protection known as HDCP. HDCP is most well known for preventing the unauthorized copying across HDMI but is also used for the DisplayPort which is found in Apple's new MacBooks and MacBook Pros.

bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) is a form of digital copy protection developed by Intel Corporation to prevent copying of digital audio and video content as it travels across DisplayPort, Digital Visual Interface (DVI), High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), Gigabit Video Interface (GVIF), or Unified Display Interface (UDI) connections, even if such copying would be permitted by fair use laws.

Ars Technica describes how one unibody MacBook owner ran into this copy protection:

When my friend John, a high school teacher, attempted to play Hellboy 2 on his classroom's projector with a new aluminum MacBook over lunch, he was denied by the error you see above. John's using a Mini DisplayPort-to-VGA adapter, plugged into a Sanyo projector that is part of his room's Promethean system.

HDCP tries to prevent unauthorized transmission of protected digital content by only requiring HDCP to HDCP connections.

In this case, the DisplayPort-to-VGA connection is not HDCP aware. As a result, the MacBook refused to play the video.

At this time, it appears only a portion of the iTunes movie content is HDCP encoded as some movies will playback without any issues. Apple has stated it plans on incorporating DisplayPort into all future Macs and Displays. The inclusion of HDCP/DisplayPort may shed some light onto Apple's comments about Blu-Ray licensing which was described as "a bag of hurt". Apple's inclusion of Blu-Ray playback into Macs could conceivably require support for HDCP.

Article Link: Apple Incorporates HDCP (Copy Protection) in New Laptops

 

[eidrunner247]

Not sure sure I like that idea. Having HDCP is not they way to go.

 

[imagineer2000]

Yikes!

Now I have to go back to ripping DVDs.

 

[mmccaskill]

So how does it deter piracy to deny playback on non-HDCP displays?

 

[Silencio]

Literally defective by design.

 

[Eidorian]

About time and what does this mean for older hardware?

 

[ghall]

Wait so does this mean I can't hook it up to my TV?

 

[LastZion]

wtf? time, money and resources could be used elsewhere...

 

[batchtaster]

Apple giveth.

Intel and Apple taketh away.

 

[themoonisdown09]

I don't like it. But then again, I don't buy any movies from iTunes... I buy them on DVD and then rip them to my computer to watch.

 

[Aeolius]

I would be in the same boat. I use a Mac Mini hooked up via a DisplayPort-to-VGA-Adapter to a projector in my basement.

 

[Full of Win]

Wow - let me get this right. Apple is currently NOT shipping a monitor that can play content from their own laptop. SHOCKING and sad.

 

[hitnrun7]

So the old MB and MBPs dont have HDCP? Is it possible that it can be incorporated through an update? if so im not installing that...

Like another poster said; "Defective by design..."

 

[pilotError]

Welcome to the world of DRM...

 

[P-Worm]

So how does it deter piracy to deny playback on non-HDCP displays?

It prevents someone from using the video output as a means of copying data. Because HDMI is a digital signal, you could, in theory, use it as a cable to simply copy the video instead of playing it.

As for myself, I don't know what to think of this. Blu-Ray has the option of requiring HDCP compliance, so this might be a step to getting Blu-Ray playback in Macs (a great thing), but I have a few personal beliefs against HDCP in general and hate to see Apple adopt it. Oh well, can't win them all.

P-Worm

 

[h.21]

I don't see how this does anything but hurt Apple's iTunes rental business.

Wow - let me get this right. Apple is currently NOT shipping a monitor that can play content from their own laptop. SHOCKING and sad.

Is Apple shipping Sanyo projectors? No. The Apple 24" LED display is probably HDCP compatible, and it will be shipping soon.

More like "Full of FAIL."

 

[Eidorian]

So the old MB and MBPs dont have HDCP? Is it possible that it can be incorporated through an update? if so im not installing that...

Like another poster said; "Defective by design..."

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/562892/

 

[str1f3]

so basically the only way to watch itunes movies on my television is to buy an apple tv?

way to go apple.

 

[FSUSem1noles]

This is just sad and disappointing on so many levels....

 

[Snowy_River]

So how does it deter piracy to deny playback on non-HDCP displays?

HDCP displays are logged, so it can verify where the video is going. In theory, at least. If it's going to a non-HDCP display, then you could be running it into a video recording device. As the signal, at that point, is just video, you'd have a clean (as in no DRM) video recording.

Now, that being said, I'm not pleased with this. The preponderance of projectors and external displays are non-HDCP (most projectors being VGA, as in the case mentioned above). That this will keep people who want to use a projector, such as me in my home entertainment system, or a classroom teacher (again, as in the example above - I've been there, too), is just ridiculous. I'm glad that I opted to buy one of the earlier models of MBP, and I'm not stuck with dealing with this BS while they work it out.

 

[notjustjay]

Is Apple shipping Sanyo projectors? No. The Apple 24" LED display is probably HDCP compatible.

More like "Full of FAIL."

Yeah, but the 24" LED display is not currently shipping. So his post stands.

Everyone's voting this negative, which is to be expected, but it's not like Apple invented HDCP. It's not really their choice.

 

[b1wils1]

ugh

there is nothing good about this.

 

[fleshman03]

Now I have to go back to ripping DVDs.

What do you mean go back?

So how does it deter piracy to deny playback on non-HDCP displays?

It doesn't. In fact, it encourages it. If I spend money on content, I want to do whatever I want with it. No matter it be playing it on a projector or TV or Computer. If I paid for it, I will do what I want with it.

This is why people download illegally movies, CDs and software.

 

[spacepower7]

Blu-Ray has the option of requiring HDCP compliance, so this might be a step to getting Blu-Ray playback in Macs (a great thing), but I have a few personal beliefs against HDCP in general and hate to see Apple adopt it. Oh well, can't win them all.

P-Worm

HDCP is not an "option" on set-top Blu-Ray players, it's required, even if it's your own home movies burned on a Blu-Ray disc. If you connect to a non-HDCP display, then your own home movies burned on a Blu-Ray with Toast will be output on a lower resolution signal.

 

[Bosunsfate]

I don't really see it being a big deal. How often would you connect up a projector to watch a movie like this?