Please help with "copy protected" message!!!

*John Watts* · 14-01-2009, 1:32 PM

Hi all when i play blu rays i get the message "copy protected signals cannot be outputted to the connected equipment"

Is this because my new HDMI cable is not HDCP compliant?
Is there anything i can do?

Regards,
John.

biggallute · 14-01-2009, 2:12 PM

HI John have a look at this document
What Do These HDMI Spec Versions (1.2, 1.3, 1.3a, etc) Mean? -- Blue Jeans Cable
it says that ALL hdmi cables are hdcp compliant so I would be looking elsewhere for the root cause of the problem possibly not having the settings right?
HTH

*John Watts* · 14-01-2009, 3:01 PM

Thanks mate but it's working with a different HDMI cable so i'm sure it must be something to do with the cable not my settings

*Phlog* · 14-01-2009, 3:43 PM

John,

I recall there was a problem with some of the first kit equipped with HDMI when the handshakes didn't work. But I'm guessing this is not suddenly happening with established bits of kit?

Have you been able to try other HDMI equipped kit? Have you contacted the dealer (it might be faulty)? If not, there's a good chance they'll swap the player (assuming it's new).

Just keep your fingers crossed that it's the new item that's faulty!

*John Watts* · 14-01-2009, 5:46 PM

But paired with another cable it's working fine! thats why i think it may be the cable.
The cable that won't work and is producing the message works fine when i use it from sky HD

*Phlog* · 14-01-2009, 6:02 PM

John,

Sorry, missed your comment in the other posting.

Isn't Sky HD in interlaced form, rather than progressive? If so, it doesn't require the full bandwidth that blue ray passes.

I'm surprised that any HDMI lead that works at all won't work at full resolution. Unless of course it's particularly long (10m plus). Whatever it's original price it sounds like cheap rubbish

Any chance of getting your cash back?

MarkTaylor · 14-01-2009, 8:10 PM

Odd as it may sound, failing to complete an HDCP handshake is one sign of a cable problem.

Clearly there can be many other causes and swapping to a different cable helps prove the point as has been shown in this case.

With different equipment at each end that same cable might well work so if the supplier tests it there is no guarantee he will find it to be 'faulty'.

Got to love HDMI at times

Chris Muriel · 14-01-2009, 9:38 PM

I agree entirely with Mark.
The handshake requires passing of information (including keys) such that 1 garbled byte (or even inverted bit) can stop the HDCP side communicating (key exchange); for the actual video and audio content, more errors can be tolerated before anything untoward happens.

Chris Muriel, Manchester

Joe Fernand · 14-01-2009, 10:31 PM

How long is the New cable?

Joe

MarkTaylor · 14-01-2009, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Fernand

How long is the New cable?

Good question Joe, also how long is the one that is working?

*John Watts* · 14-01-2009, 10:41 PM

The one that wont work (with the copy) message is 5M
The one that does work albeit with sparkles is 10M.
Regards,
John.

MarkTaylor · 14-01-2009, 10:50 PM

What have you got at each end of the cable out of interest?

If the 10m shows sparkles then although it is making the HDCP handshake it obviously isn't able to get the signal from A to B cleanly.

Joe Fernand · 14-01-2009, 11:07 PM

Hello John Watts

Your suffering two different cable assembly problems.

An HDCP error is due to a problem on the DDC line.

Sparkles are due to too much signal attenuation on the RGB lines.

See FAQ Why use HDMI DVI. What is a HDMI switch. What is the difference between HDMI and DVI

If the Transmitter in your Source or Receiver in your Display (or both) are on the edge of being within tolerance then you put more onus on the quality of the cable assembly you employ.

Joe