The Quick HDTV Issue: You will likely lose HD-capability on your TV when watching any type of programming with HDMI or DVI is there is a non-HDCP component somewhere in the video stream. This will affect only HDMI and DVI cables. You might be able to use component as a fix but that is dependent on your components.
Read below for a real life example of how this could affect you.
The Reader's Question: I have a Sony 60" LCD projection TV with DVI. Recently I bought a ps3 with Blu-ray. Since my TV does not have a tuner I have a new Samsung tuner. Both the tuner and PS3 are going through a HDMI switcher. I use a HDMI cable with a HDMI-to-DVI converter on the end to get the signal to the TV. The picture from the tuner when watching an hd station is very good. When watching a Blu-ray movie on the PS3 we don't notice any difference in quality from a regular dvd.
The Result: After a few emails back and forth between the reader and myself we confirmed that all devices he was using were HDCP compliant. I then wondered if the cables were HDCP compliant. In the process of diagnosing the possible cause for his lose of resolution from the Blu-ray to the TV the reader learned from Sony that his Sony TV was not HDCP compliant.
This was a concern to me because the Sony user's manual for the TV states that the TV is compatible with HDCP devices. That is somewhat misleading. True - the TV will show images from HDCP devices. False - it won't show them in HD.
The Solution: I'm waiting to hear back from the reader but I recommended that he try using a component cable from the Blu-ray to the TV. It'll likely remove the switcher from the configuration but it may give him his HD capabilities on the Blu-ray.
If this doesn't work then there is a bleak future for people using non-HDCP components and televisions when using HDMI and DVI cables. HDCP evolved because the entertainment industry is concerned with content piracy. You may remember how Napster and sites like it were in the news several years ago regarding copyright infringement and music. The same holds true for the film and TV industry.
They want to protect their content from unauthorized reproduction.
Please let me know your thoughts about this situation. If you have ideas on how to get around this or know of any alternate ways to bypass HDCP with HDMI or DVI please share.
