[geeks] encrypted video cable?

[Jonathan C. Patschke]

On Tue, 19 Sep 2006, Sandwich Maker wrote:

> so in this case the hdmi monitor must have decryption ckts/sw?

Yes, it's the DVD encryption system all over again.  You can't play HDMI
content on an "unapproved" monitor; the "approved" player is required to
degrade the signal to something approximating NTSC or PAL, but possibly
at the correct aspect ratio.

Each device has an embedded hardware ID (essentially a public key) and a
blacklist of known-evil hardware.  This blacklist can be updated (by the
various new DVD media, I think), so even if you were to buy a device[0]
that can work around this, that device's ID would make its way onto some
big publisher's blacklist.  Then, if you played one of their HD-DVDs,
your DVD player would refuse to play to that monitor thereafter.

I'd almost be concerned if there were much in the way of content worth
watching.


[0] They exist.  Essentially, they have an HDMI port on one end, an ID
     and private key for an actual HDMI monitor inside, and a DVI-D port
     on the other end.  I suspect these won't be for sale forever, and
     there's a good chance the "cloned" hardware ID will eventually find
     its way onto the blacklists.
-- 
Jonathan Patschke   "The ruler demands gifts, the judge accepts bribes,
Elgin, TX            the powerful dictate what they desires--they all con-
USA                  spire together. The best of them is like a brier, the
                      most upright worse than a thorn hedge." --Micah 7:3-4