Xaine99

I have seen and read many threads with incorrect information / rumors stated as facts about HDCP. I'm going to show you the accurate information and provide you all links to official websites that I'm pulling this from. I'll also provide links to supporting websites that offer some more information.

Here is what I will talk about
• AACS
• HDCP
• HDMI and DVI w/HDMI
• ICT <-- Really important!
• MS Windows Vista Requirements


AACS: Advanced Access Content System
AACS is the group of companies that created the HDCP specification. IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Panasonic, Sony, Toshiba, Walt Disney, and Warner Brothers.
AACS


HDCP: High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection

What is HDCP exactly?
HDCP is a specification created by Intel to make the reproduction / copying of digital entertainment extremely difficult to the at-home-user. This would include high-definition movies and high-fidelity music provided on HD-DVDs and BlueRay media. This is the only purpose of the HDCP specification.
Here are some quotes from official sources:
Source = Intel
Source = Digital Content Protection, LLC

What is required to play high-definition and high-fidelity media protected by HDCP?
Every component that is used to process the HDCP protected signal must be HDCP compliant. For instance, if you buy an HDCP protected HD-DVD and want to play it at home, the HD-DVD player, audio system, and television must all be HDCP compliant in order to display it at high-definition quality. If you want to play that same movie on your computer, then your display, video card, sound card, operating system, must be all HDCP compliant.

What if I do not have all HDCP compliant hardware? Can I still play the movie or music?
YES! You absolutely can. If your system or entertainment center does not have all or any HDCP compliant hardware, the video and/or music will still play but at a lower quality. High-definition movies will be downgraded to DVD quality video, and high-fidelity music will be downgraded to DAT quality only if the media has an ICT flag within it (explained later). So if your entertainment center has all HDCP compliant hardware except the stereo system, the movie will be high-definition and the music will be DAT quality.


HDMI and DVI w/HDMI: High Definition Media Interface

What is HDMI and DVI w/HDMI?
HDMI and DVI w/HDMI only refers to the types of connections and cables that are able to transmit HDCP signals to HDCP compliant hardware.

HDMI ports and cable-ends look like this:


DVI w/HDMI looks like this:



ICT: Image Constraint Token

What does ICT mean to me?
ICT is the true heart of HDCP. When a producer / manufacturer wants to protect their high-definition video and/or high-fidelity music, they can place this tag within the HD-DVD or BlueRay media. If, and only if, the ICT tag exists on the media will the entire system be checked for HDCP compliance. If the disk is ICT flagged and the system does not meet the HDCP compliance requirement, then the video and/or music will be downgraded to DVD or DAT qualities.

So, if a HD-DVD or BlueRay media disk does not have the ICT flag on it, then what?
If the media doesn’t contain the ICT flag, then it will play as high-definition video and/or high-fidelity music regardless if any or every component is HDCP compliant! And that brings me to this very important point: Movie producers have agreed to NOT include ICT tags on HD-DVD and BlueRay disks until the year 2010 or 2012. Which ever they choose. This means that you will not have to worry about having a complete HDCP compliant system until they start adding the ICT flags to their disks!
Multiple sources stating the same: 1 2 3


Microsoft Windows Vista and HDCP

How will HDCP affect Vista?
Again, the only point to HDCP is to provide hard-to-copy movies and music. If your system does not contain all the required HDCP compliant hardware, then ICT flagged media will be downgraded when played on your system. NOTHING MORE. As stated above, many movie industries will not place the ICT flag on their media until 2010 or 2012.
When it comes to the eye-candy visuals that Vista can provide, games, text, and anything else, HDCP has nothing to do with it.

I will list the basic requirements for Vista below…take note: HDCP is NOT mentioned.

A Windows Vista Capable PC includes at least: Source
• A modern processor (at least 800MHz).
• 512 MB of system memory
• A graphics processor that is DirectX 9 capable

Windows Vista Premium Ready PCs: Source
To get an even better Windows Vista experience, including the Windows Aero user experience, ask for a Windows Vista Capable PC that is designated Premium Ready, or choose a PC that meets or exceeds the Premium Ready requirements described below.
• 1 GHz 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
• 1 GB of system memory
• Support for DirectX 9 graphics with a WDDM driver, 128 GB of graphics memory (minimum), Pixel Shader 2.0 and 32 bits per pixel
• 40 GB of hard drive capacity with 15 GB free space
• DVD-ROM Drive
• Audio output capability
• Internet access capability

Footnotes: Source
• Processor speed is specified as the nominal operational processor frequency for the device. Some processors have power management which allows the processor to run at lower rate to save power.
• If the GPU uses shared memory, then no additional graphics memory is required beyond the 1 GB system memory requirement; If the GPU uses dedicated memory then 128MB is required.
• A DVD-ROM may be external (not integral, not built into the system).


The End

Hopefully this will put an end to all the confusion, rumors, and uninformed comments on HDCP. The one and only thing that you should remember is that HDCP is only aimed for protecting high-definition movies and high-fidelity music if the producer chooses to add the ICT flag on the media. This will not effect games, operating systems, etc etc.

If you would like to see the complete current specification of HDCP 1.2, you can check out the official PDF here:
HDCP 1.2 Specification

EnJoy!
Xaine99

BFRD

Nice!

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TheLegend

Great FAQ and well presented! Rep+

JacKz5o

Nice FAQ, looks very professional :D

bobcool

very good

Xaine99

Thanks!

X

Sideburns

so...basically...if I wanna watch a blu-ray disc, the way it's meant to be seen...I gotta get a whole new TV (to replace my 50" lcd), and a whole new surround sound system, to replace the thousands of dollars of equipment I'm using now...

Uh...anyone else find that a little uh....WRONG?

(is it the whole sound system, or jus the receiver?