[avhenrik]

I am trying to pick components for a HTPC which will do "everything", and I am feeling so disappointed with the video/audio/entertainment industry. Hopefully, you can tell me that it is not so bad as my impression is right now.


There is so much discussion around not downsampling audio before passing it on to the receiver over hdmi. My understanding is that this is all caused by copy protection of high quality audio. But...


Why does the PC have to decrypt the sound at all? Why not just pass the bitstream untouched and encrypted on to the receiver over hdmi (as it was stored on the blu-ray disk)?


Is it so that AACS does not allow for different encryption (keys) of audio and video?


If so, then my question is... Can a video stream be "just passed through" as well? My TV can receive H.264 streamed (DVB-T only, I guess...).



Continuing with a more remote question if there is no "yes" to the above...


This business has been able to define end-to-end audio formats that receivers can interpret. Why is this not the case for video and TVs? AIUI there are only three formats on HD video disks (Blu-ray and HD-DVD). Still too much development on the video area (24p, deep color, etc.)?


I can see that you need to convert to support older TVs and receivers.

 

[stanger89]

There's no way to bitstream video from players to displays.

 

[mcnabney]

A protected path is required, aka PAP. Anything else will invite the wrath of the copyright holders. Right now AV manufactures have not been in a hurry to provide that type of hardware on computers due to that risk and also since they would prefer that you open your wallet a little wider to purchase a BD player. Two non-BluRay player manufactures (Asus and Auzentech) are selling/releasing their products to provide that function, but honestly the HTPC market is small and not particularly inviting for an emerging format. AV manufactures really aren't interested in making anything convenient for you, but they are interested in your money. Currently they think your money is needed as a BluRay player purchaser.

 

[vladd]



Quote:
Originally Posted by avhenrik /forum/post/15519212


Why not just pass bitstream untouched through PC

We would ALL like the powers that be (MPAA) to answer that question.