Story CVKX HDCP 2.2 content protection for 4K video will frustrate consumers

HDCP 2.2 content protection for 4K video will frustrate consumers

by
in hardware on (#CVKX)
While HDCP 2.2 was developed to defeat media pirates, it has far more potential to thwart ordinary folks who just want to enjoy a movie in the privacy of their home. With current versions of HDCP rendered ineffective and all manner of 4K content on the horizon, Hollywood decided it needed stronger security. Cryptanalysts demonstrated HDCP to be breakable three years before the FCC approved it as a "Digital Output Protection Technology" in 2004. By 2010, a master key that effectively neutralized HDCP v1 was leaked. Versions 2.0 and 2.1 were summarily cracked as well. The main difference with 2.2 is the encryption systems used in the handshake are more complex than in prior versions. HDCP 2.2 is not backward compatible with the previous versions of HDCP that are currently used by most of the HD devices in all our homes. Having a non-HDCP 2.2 sound bar or AV receiver in your home theater system will be enough to terminate the handshake.

If you jumped on the Ultra HD bandwagon when 4K TVs and media devices first hit stores in 2013, don't assume your purchases support HDCP 2.2 and will work with future 4K devices and content-most of those early models don't and won't. If you've haven't dipped a toe into the 4K pool yet, we stand by our advice to wait it out until content producers and providers crank out enough 4K content to make the necessary hardware-upgrade expense worth it. That may take years.
Reply 7 comments

HDCP will flop... again (Score: 3, Interesting)

by gravis@pipedot.org on 2015-06-30 11:27 (#CW0D)

if nothing else, there will be HDCP downgrade units. a downgrade unit wouldn't actually be circumventing DRM and thusly still be legal. however, without significant influx 4k content or a considerable boost in GPU speed, i think we will be maxed out at 1080p for at least the rest of the decade.

Re: HDCP will flop... again (Score: 2, Insightful)

by hyper@pipedot.org on 2015-06-30 22:43 (#CY3X)

Will they ever learn? By now we could all have had a Content Box (tm) paying $10 a month to watch any TV show or movie ever made. Instead, we have the content industry investing billions into making better shackles and electronic jails.

Re: HDCP will flop... again (Score: 1)

by zenbi@pipedot.org on 2015-07-01 01:17 (#CYDF)

Isn't Netflix streaming still $7.99 a month? Plus plenty of inexpensive ARM powered player boxes to choose from.

Re: HDCP will flop... again (Score: 0)

by Anonymous Coward on 2015-07-13 15:51 (#E697)

No it is not. They raised the price for new subscribers.

Early adopters wont care. (Score: 0)

by Anonymous Coward on 2015-07-01 22:21 (#D1KH)

An excuse to update, isn't much of a problem as a reason to celebrate. For rational people, your advice makes sense.

Re: Early adopters wont care. (Score: 1)

by hyper@pipedot.org on 2015-07-02 03:02 (#D22N)

The price paid for being on the bleeding edge. They expect the pain and in some cases probably enjoy it

an easy solution (Score: 0)

by Anonymous Coward on 2015-07-10 23:26 (#DZ52)

Good news folks. 100% of downloaded rips will be playable on your new 4k TV even if the assholes in Hollywood secrete their foulest turd in every HDCP 2.2 compatible device.

Filing this under DGAF because it just doesn't matter.