HDMI restriction remover or -> component... (1 Viewer)

[John Meeks]

Is there a magical little box available that will pass-through HDMI but remove the restriction flags?

Alternatively, is there a HDMI -> component converter that will ignore the restrictions?

If there isn't now, there's sure to be in the near future (probably gray-market from china)... This doesn't seem like it would be too hard to do.

I have an almost-brand-new $3000 TV which doesn't have HDMI inputs, and I'm not going to throw it out because some morons came up with a new standard. If they're not gonna release non-restricted players, they can stick both of those new formats where the sun don't shine.

 

[Lew Crippen]

No.

Beside your first question, what kind of display do you have and does it have a DVI port that is HDCP? Even my several year old, no nearly new, under-$3,000 Sony has a DVI port, so you may be in business. If you do have a DVI port, all you need is an inexpensive HDMI to DVI cable (DVI does not pass audio, so you have to connect your audio directly to your receiver).

Currently there are no movies on either BD or HD-DVD that have implemented digital only restrictions. Therefore you can connect a player of either format to your display via component connections.

Of course the studios can implement restrictions whenever they choose and the content providers, not the hardware manufacturers, have set the restrictions.

Since you feel so strongly, you may be looking for a place to dump the new formats.

Of course there are those who will probably defeat the whole process (but not by just stripping off the flags) in time, so if you actually believe that will happen, you have nothing to lose by buying into one (or both) of the formats now (as you can watch everything via component cables). And by the time the content owners turn on the restrictions, the gray market will provide your solution.

Taking this approach would avoid the unpleasantness associated with your final suggestion.

 

[John Meeks]

The TV is a Toshiba 65H80, which I bought on recommendations from this forum. There are only analog inputs.

What are all the people supposed to do who just bought a TV, that was guaranteed HD-ready? A TV is supposed to be good for 20-30 years, I'm not gonna replace an almost-brand-new TV because some big companies decided they wanted copy restrictions that won't do any good anyway. I hope both of these HD formats flop.

 

[Lew Crippen]

Buy a player of either format, use the component, analog connections and enjoy movies in high definition. And since you believe that the protection won’t do any good in any case, when (and if) the flags are set to disallow HD use of the component connections, just go right on down to the gray market you mention and acquire the handy, token-stripping box already being developed in China.

And of course you can continue to watch TV in HD.

I’m not sure why the ability to watch both movies and TV in HD today makes you so angry that you wish both formats to fail, but it has to be more that a feature that is not yet being used (and one that you believe won’t work in any case).

 

[JediFonger]

http://www.cdfreaks.com/news/12115

http://www.engadget.com/2005/07/15/s...lling-on-hdcp/

^dunno of anyone who's tried it, but it's supposed to cost $400+ on ebay.

plus it was back in 05... maybe things have changed since.

 

[philipk]

No, there are no such converters. If one existed it would be in violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. That law states that unless you are authorized to do so, it is illegal to decode digitally protected content no matter how easily it can be done.

As far as the TV goes, I bought my 57" Sony for about $2,000 four years ago. I was aware of the copy protection issues as it was well publicized among these and other forums. My set has a DVI port that is HDCP. Manufacture date stamp is June 2002.

I have no issues using my TV with a HD-A1. With component, a standard DVD will not upconvert. With the HDMI converted to DVI by cable, the DVD will upconvert.

Philip

 

[JediFonger]

yes... US law. that device is made in Germany. google around, it's real.

it's similar to macrovision devices imported.