Want to upgrade to HDTV, but what scare me is......

[Xnici]

I plan to upgrade my TV to a big HDTV recently. But when I did the research about the new content protection technologies, (DRM , HDCP etc) They really make me not comfortable. It seems the content providers try so hard to stop the communication between your PCs and your HD players/HDTVs. I have not completely understand the HDCP, but the more I know about the HDCP, the more I am comfortable for my current DVD system.

It goes too far and deep to limit the consumer. According my understand about HDCP so far, to FULLY and TRULY enjoy your HDTV (I am not talking about watch the HD channels here), it require at least three components.

1. a HDCP compliant HD-DVD or Blue Ray movie (of course, I don't think any HD-DVD or Blue Ray move is not HDCP compliant).

2. a HDCP compliant stand alone player.

3. a HDCP compliant HDTV.

If you just have any one or any two combo above, you are not ALLOW to enjoy you HD content.

I really hope my research was incorrect. I am hesitating to buy the HDTV now. Please share your experience to me, have you ever successfully try any option below:

1. play and watch the HD video, like HD movie, HDrip, BDrip on a HDCP support HDTV, but with a Non HDCP compliant player . (I guess this is impossible)

2. play and watch the HD video, like HD movie, HDrip, BDrip with HDCP compliant player but a Non HDCP compliant TV. (I guess this is impossible too)

3. play and watch the Non HDCP compliant video, like DVD, SVCD, VCD, DVDrip, divx, xvid clip with a HDCP compliant player and HDCP compliant HDTV.

4. play and watch the Non HDCP compliant video, like DVD, SVCD, VCD, DVDrip, divx, xvid clip with a HDCP compliant player, BUT a NON HDCP compliant HDTV. (In other words, is HD player compatible the DVD, divx?)

5. play and watch the Non HDCP compliant video, like DVD, SVCD, VCD, DVDrip, divx, xvid clip with a DVD player, BUT with a HDCP compliant HDTV. (in other word, can I watch my DVD, divx with the HDCP compliant HDTV?)

[edDV]

The bad news:

For HDCP to work everything in the path to and including the monitor needs to be HDCP compliant and have acceptable manufacturer supplied encryption keys. Formerly valid keys can be disallowed from on high through distributed databases.

Default is nothing will play without authenticated connections. Relaxed modes can be specified by the media author to allow low resolution playback or copy once for a trusted DVR device.

The good news:

Current HD/BD media (and broadcast TV) don't activate HDCP. The media authors can issue HD/BD discs with HDCP turned on at any time they choose. Public broadcasters need approval from the various governments to turn on HDCP. Cable/DBS systems in most countries are free to use HDCP should they choose.

[Xnici]

The good news:

Current HD/BD media (and broadcast TV) don't activate HDCP. The media authors can issue HD/BD discs with HDCP turned on at any time they choose. Public broadcasters need approval from the various governments to turn on HDCP. Cable/DBS systems in most countries are free to use HDCP should they choose.

Thanks edDV. At least I get some good news now.

There is another my concern. Even though I upgrade to HDTV and HD player. Can I play my HDrip video?

Just as others, I have dvdrip and divx video, and play them through my stand alone DVD player and watch them on TV. When I have stand alone HD player, I want to watch the HDrip on my HDTV also. But I don't think my HDrip video are HCDP compliant.

Is that going to be a problem?

[edDV]

I don't know if any of that will play from a HD/BD DVD player. Current models aren't very versatile for other formats. Best you understand the players capabilites.

[Krispy Kritter]

The major point of concern here, is that all of the HDCP compliant devices are needed to playback HDCP encoded media. If the media is not HDCP encoded, then all of this is a non issue.

And as edDV pointed out, none of the new players support Divx or similar file formats anyway, so you will still need your current player for those formats.