No video card capable of HDCP?

L

LxT

Limp Gawd
Joined
Dec 22, 2004
Messages
158
there's been lots of talk here about buying HDCP compliant monitors, but I just read an article that says virtually no video card currently on the market -- and that includes the very high end cards like 7800GTX -- actually support HDCP. So you're shelling out 3-$500 for something that will not let you play back blueray or HDDVD in Vista. Wow. That stops me cold from buying any video card now.

http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/ati_nvidia_hdcp_support/

I guess the Q is what about XP? Will XP be able to play HD content in full HD with no restrictions and no HDCP? There's a great selling point for Vista!
 
LxT said:
So you're shelling out 3-$500 for something that will not let you play back blueray or HDDVD in Vista
Click to expand...
No, you'll be able to watch them, just in reduced quality (though still higher than normal 480p DVDs).

Will XP be able to play HD content in full HD with no restrictions and no HDCP?
Click to expand...
No.
 
That's not true.
Most of the latest cards from ATI/Nvidia are HDCP compliant. Just that you will have to upgrade the firmware with the HDCP key once HD sources that require HDCP is available.

Of course, ATI/Nvidia will probably charge you a nominall(?) fee for the license.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/multimedia/display/20060119095559.html

Quote:

“Add-in card partners can build HDCP-capable graphic adapters, all they need to do is order an HDCP compliant BIOS from us which includes the keys,” Mr. Froeleke said.

The latest series of graphics processors from ATI – the Radeon X1300, X1600, X1800 and the yet-to-be-announced X1900 – already support decoding of H.264 codec, all the graphics cards makers need is to enable HDCP from the BIOS. Ujesh Desai, who is in charge of desktop graphics chips at Nvidia Corp. also said that a new driver version will enable H.264 decoding on graphics cards starting from the GeForce 6600. All Nvidia’s graphics chips starting from the GeForce FX support HDCP as well.
 
“Add-in card partners can build HDCP-capable graphic adapters, all they need to do is order an HDCP compliant BIOS from us which includes the keys,” Mr. Froeleke said.


That may be true, but this cannot be done after the card is already built. Therefore, no current ATI or Nvidia cards will be able to support HDCP until board manufacturers start putting the bios chips with the keys on them. And H.264 has nothing to do with HDCP and the way it works so it doesn't really matter if the cards can decode this with the hardware.
 
For a bunch who all hate HDCP and swear to stand on their principles and never buy any HDCP content-- you sure are getting upset over a card not supporting it. :rolleyes:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top