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Mac OSX HDCP

6176 Views 12 Replies 4 Participants Last post by lkrs2000, Dec 30, 2008

lkrs2000

Discussion Starter · Dec 29, 2008

It looks like the new unibody MacBooks and MacBookPros are HDCP compliant and Mac OSX is actually enforcing it by not display HD content on non-compliant monitors. I see this as positive development since my Mac HTPC dream is to have an Mac Mini with a Blu ray drive.

Here are some thoughts and questions:

1) Is the Mac Mini (GMA 950) HDCP compliant?

2) Corollary: Is there a utility to test this?

3) This points to HD movie rentals on Mac Minis???

4) If a Mac Mini and the OS are HDCP compliant, then this should makes it possible for a third party to develop a Blu Ray Player App (i.e. sony)

or is it more likey Apple would support Blu Ray playback on DVD player App???

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Ted Todorov

· #2 · Dec 29, 2008

(Note -- I have no special knowledge, so take this with lots of salt. I recommend La Baleine large grain sea salt. )

1) No (but the new Display Port equipped Minis will).

2) No (idea)

3) Maybe, on the new, display port equipped ones, if the studios agree (breath holding not recommended).

4) Blu-ray requires an end to end "secure path" so HDCP equipped Display Ports may not be sufficient. But in the end, as with 3), the obstacles are more political than technical.

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lkrs2000

Discussion Starter · #3 · Dec 29, 2008

According to the specs the integrated graphics card GMA 950 is HDCP compliant as is Mac OSX. So the reason the current mac mini is NOT HDCP compliant is because the DVI port is not HDCP compliant. Is this right?

No question about it blu ray support is more of a political and business issue than a technical one. My point is that by adding HDCP support to Macs, Apple might be opening the door for a third party to come in and provide Blu ray playback support. We know that Apple appears not to be interested in providing Blu ray support; they see it as competition to their iTS content.

How long can Apple keep playing this game of not providing Blu ray playback support and having HDCP compliance in their systems for iTunes?

I know this more speculations and wishful thinking

I am not upgrading any of my systems until HDCP support is provided.

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tji

· #4 · Dec 30, 2008

I'm not a big fan of the various mac rumors sites, but there have been several reports of new Minis being imminent (based on hardware device IDs referenced in new Mac OS version).

The device IDs were in reference to the Nvidia GPUs. So, if you're interested in HDCP or HDMI, you probably want to wait for a while for the refreshed Minis.

Who knows, Blue Ray is not outside the realm of possibility either. I love my current Mini (old core duo 1.66GHz), but blue ray would be enough to get me to upgrade.

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lkrs2000

Discussion Starter · #5 · Dec 30, 2008

If Blu ray support were to be added to the new Mac minis coming out, I would definitely upgrade my Mac HT. I really wanted to understand why my current Mac Mini Intel did not support HDCP. Again the graphics card supports HDCP, Mac OS X now supports HDCP. It looks as if Apple consciously avoided a DVI-HDCP compliant port.

To be clear I am assuming the current Mac Mini DVI port is not HDCP compliant since it is not being advertised as being HDCP compliant.

Having a utility to verify the level of HDCP compliance of system would be very nice (i.e. GPU,DVI port,)

I know that it would be wishful thinking on my part to even consider that my current Mac Mini Intel would be HDCP compliant but it would be quite nice.

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Ted Todorov

· #6 · Dec 30, 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by lkrs2000 /forum/post/15409432

If Blu ray support were to be added to the new Mac minis coming out, I would definitely upgrade my Mac HT. I really wanted to understand why my current Mac Mini Intel did not support HDCP. Again the graphics card supports HDCP, Mac OS X now supports HDCP. It looks as if Apple consciously avoided a DVI-HDCP compliant port.

To be clear I am assuming the current Mac Mini DVI port is not HDCP compliant since it is not being advertised as being HDCP compliant.

Having a utility to verify the level of HDCP compliance of system would be very nice (i.e. GPU,DVI port,)

I know that it would be wishful thinking on my part to even consider that my current Mac Mini Intel would be HDCP compliant but it would be quite nice.

I think that it is guaranteed that it isn't. The iTunes videos that choked on Display Port equipped Macbooks connected to non-HDCP monitors have no problem playing on MacMinis. 'm not sure where you get the idea that OS X is HDCP complaint either. There is NO evidence that OS X provides the kind of "secure path" that the troglodytes from the Blu-ray Disc Association require of PCs and that Vista provides (at the cost of being a gigantic millstone around Microsoft's neck.)

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lkrs2000

Discussion Starter · #7 · Dec 30, 2008

Let me clarify. I don't know for certain that OSX is currently HDCP compliant.

That's why I was asking if anyone knew a utility to check if a given system is HDCP compliant. Having said that if quite interesting that given:

1) A unibody MacBook

2) The video Hell Boy II with HDCP flags from iTunes.

If the MacBook is connected to non-HDCP monitor, the video will not play

On the other hand:

If the MacBook is connected to an HDCP compliant monitor, the video will play

I believe it would be congruent to conclude that Mac OSX as configured in the Unibody MacBook is HDCP compliant.

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Ted Todorov

· #8 · Dec 30, 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by lkrs2000 /forum/post/15410291

Let me clarify. I don't know for certain that OSX is currently HDCP compliant.

That's why I was asking if anyone knew a utility to check if a given system is HDCP compliant. Having said that if quite interesting that given:

1) A unibody MacBook

2) The video Hell Boy II with HDCP flags from iTunes.

If the MacBook is connected to non-HDCP monitor, the video will not play

On the other hand:

If the MacBook is connected to an HDCP compliant monitor, the video will play

I believe it would be congruent to conclude that Mac OSX as configured in the Unibody MacBook is HDCP compliant.

It is not in Mac OS X. In fact, Apple fixed it:
They sent out a Quicktime update, and now, the same video will play.

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Further

· #9 · Dec 30, 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ted Todorov /forum/post/15411966

It is not in Mac OS X. In fact, Apple fixed it:
They sent out a Quicktime update, and now, the same video will play.

I'm not so sure you are right, Ted. Did you see this?:

Quote:
Update: Please note that this update does not allow the playback of HD (High-Definition) content on external displays, you will only be able to view SD (Standard-Definition) content.

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lkrs2000

Discussion Starter · #10 · Dec 30, 2008

No. The problem they fixed is with SD content which was incorrectly being monitored by the HDCP flags.

Here is what your link says:
Update: Please note that this update does not allow the playback of HD (High-Definition) content on external displays, you will only be able to view SD (Standard-Definition) content.

Two facts have been established:

1) iTS content has HDCP flags.

2) Mac OSX will enforce it.

I think is a good development since we should expect to see protected iTS HD content being played on mac before Blu Ray support.

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Ted Todorov

· #11 · Dec 30, 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by Further /forum/post/15412460

I'm not so sure you are right, Ted. Did you see this?:

I did, but that has ALWAYS been the case on all systems -- HD rentals are AppleTV only. The issue was with SD movies which used to be Mac playable, stopped being playable on Display Port equipped Macs (at least on those not hooked up to HDCP complaint displays), and started being playable again after the Quicktime fix.

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Further

· #12 · Dec 30, 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ted Todorov /forum/post/15413220

I did, but that has ALWAYS been the case on all systems -- HD rentals are AppleTV only. The issue was with SD movies which used to be Mac playable, stopped being playable on Display Port equipped Macs (at least on those not hooked up to HDCP complaint displays), and started being playable again after the Quicktime fix.

Yes, but the way I interpreted it (no guarantee I am right), since this wasn't AppleTV, they wouldn't need to say that. IOW, as you correctly said, HD rentals have always been only available on AppleTV, so why would they need to say that on a non-AppleTV? (I hope that makes sense.)

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lkrs2000

Discussion Starter · #13 · Dec 30, 2008

I believe the issue is now HD Shows. They are now available for purchase on Macs (non-AppleTV hardware).

The more important point is that it appears Apple has decided to bite the bullet and support HDCP. There is a lot to talk about how Apple went about it but that would a different topic.

For us, HT Mac enthusiasts, I would suggest to take this development into consideration when buying new equipment and make sure that it is HDCP compliant.

I have faith in Apple and that they will eventually do what's right for their customers but I do have a nice amount of skepticism.

At any rate fellas, I just wanted to contribute to this great forum.

Happy Holidays!!!

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