Malachy, thanks for good explanation.
So, in the worst case scenario people with no HDCP will be limited to watching their DVDs (in their full glory), SDTV (in its full glory), and HDTV (in its full glory) for programs that are very unlikely to be ever HDCP protected (e.g., news). By no means these monitors will become obsolete - as I remember reading sometimes around here. Even though I have HDNet, HBO-HD, SHO-HD, and ~ 9 digital OTA channels I often watch SD programs because of their content. How long can you admire the PQ of an HD program that you don't find interesting?
Andrzej