List of Video Cards and Monitors without big brother inside

[Bateluer]

Originally posted by: taltamir

Ofcourse, such devices are illigal in the USA, canda, europe and Iraq (In the first 48 hours after the formation of the current Iraqi government a full set of US like copyright laws were passed).

Where could one purchase such a device?

 

[Krakn3Dfx]

We've seen it over and over where copy protection in the PC gaming market causes numerous problems and doesn't really stop the problem at all, it just makes it more public, encouraging people to pirate their games because out of the box games like Bioshock and Dark Messiah were unplayable due to copy protection.

I think you'll see the same problems arise over time in a/v DRM older hardware flaking out in favor of newer hardware, and once again, consumers will resort to downloading movies and music that would normally buy them to save themselves the hassle. Sony's rootkit was the small tip of a very large iceberg.

DRM in a/v technology will keep people from adopting newer technology, and in the long run, it will hurt the industry, that's really the only saving grace for this, that hopefully at some point companies will realize how severe the damage to their bottom line is due to their DRM implementations that only keep legit customers from enjoying their purchases and give pirates a bigger reason to continue downloading the stuff off the internet.

 

[taltamir]

Originally posted by: Bateluer

Originally posted by: taltamir

Ofcourse, such devices are illigal in the USA, canda, europe and Iraq (In the first 48 hours after the formation of the current Iraqi government a full set of US like copyright laws were passed).

Where could one purchase such a device?

china, russia, east europe, etc. Most are from china.
Some European countries have a more sane approach to DRM and allow bypassing it legally. So "HDFury" HDCP stripper for example can be purchased in the UK and japan. http://www.hdfury.com/
Look online for ones sold in your country. Those of us in the USA "land of the free" have to make do without those, or illegally import it from a country where it is allowed.

 

[KeithP]

After I posted this message I didn't have a good feeling about it, so I decided to delete it. It was basically thread crapping. My apologies to the OP.

-KeithP

 

[AshPhoenix]

This is a n00b question but what are the effects of DRM hardware ? does it prevent the user from playing pirated games or watching pirated multimedia ?

EDIT: It looks like it does from this link http://defectivebydesign.org/what_is_drm

 

[taltamir]

Originally posted by: AshPhoenix
This is a n00b question but what are the effects of DRM hardware ? does prevent the user from playing pirated games or watching pirated multimedia ?

It does NOT prevent playing pirated content. In theory it should make it harder to create the pirated content to begin with. Once pirated, it is DRM free.

DRM is a scam, it is a way to make devices incompatible and force a user to buy new devices. (and makes it slightly more annoying to initially copy something)
HDCP in particular has one and only one "anti piracy" effect. If you want to play a blu-ray or HD-DVD disk which is flagged with HDCP protection in a HD-DVD or Blu-ray drive for the PC, then to legally access the content (it is encrypted) you will need to use a program that will only allow the content to play on HDCP enabled devices. Preventing you from plugging a capture card to your video card and gettting "perfect" digital copies of the content.

This is ofcourse a huge fallacy. The encryption has already been cracked and thus software like anyDVD can bypass it allowing you to decode the content on the disk in a non HDCP locked playback program. Furthermore, even if you HAD a full HDCP link you could make devices that strip it (such as the furyHD mentioned before).

So the implication to you as a legal customer are:
1. You need to replace your hardware (monitor, video-card, TV) so it is all HDCP compliant.
2. You need to buy a HD-DVD or Blu-ray drive/deck.
3. You need to buy HD playback software that has license an AACS encryption key. And that is the only way to "play" HD content legally on the computer. (unless it is free content released as such)
4. You need to hope they are all compatible and work right without bugs.

For a TV user: you need to have an HDCP TV, and an HDCP deck (all HD-DVD or Blu-ray decks are HDCP).

Should one of the above not be met, you will be unable to playback HD-DVD/Blu-ray disks. You cannot simply buy a bluray deck and plug it to your non HDCP TV and get HD content, you will have to replace your TV (or it could downscale the quality to regular DVD quality).

Since the "protection" has been cracked already, you can go online and download ANY blu-ray HD-DVD disk you want, precracked. The protection just prevents you from easily cracking it at home, and forces you to replace all your hardware to HDCP compliant hardware. AND pay HDCP royalties of 5$ per device sold.

 

[AshPhoenix]

Originally posted by: taltamir

Originally posted by: AshPhoenix
This is a n00b question but what are the effects of DRM hardware ? does prevent the user from playing pirated games or watching pirated multimedia ?

It does NOT prevent playing pirated content. In theory it should make it harder to create the pirated content to begin with. Once pirated, it is DRM free.

DRM is primarily a way to make devices incompatible and force a user to buy new devices.
HDCP in particular has one and only one "anti piracy" effect. If you want to play a blu-ray or HD-DVD disk which is flagged with HDCP protection in a HD-DVD or Blu-ray drive for the PC, then to legally access the content (it is encrypted) you will need to use a program that will only allow the content to play on HDCP enabled devices. Preventing you from plugging a capture card to your video card and gettting "perfect" digital copies of the content.

This is ofcourse a huge fallacy. The encryption has already been cracked and thus software like anyDVD can bypass it allowing you to decode the content on the disk in a non HDCP locked playback program. Furthermore, even if you HAD a full HDCP link you could make devices that strip it (such as the furyHD mentioned before).

So the implication to you as a legal customer are:
1. You need to replace your hardware (monitor, video-card, TV) so it is all HDCP compliant.
2. You need to buy a HD-DVD or Blu-ray drive/deck.
3. You need to buy HD playback software that has license an AACS encryption key. And that is the only way to "play" HD content legally on the computer. (unless it is free content released as such)
4. You need to hope they are all compatible and work right without bugs.

For a TV user: you need to have an HDCP TV, and an HDCP deck (all HD-DVD or Blu-ray decks are HDCP).

Should one of the above not be met, you will be unable to playback HD-DVD/Blu-ray disks. You cannot simply buy a bluray deck and plug it to your non HDCP TV and get HD content, you will have to replace your TV (or it could downscale the quality to regular DVD quality).

Since the "protection" has been cracked already, you can go online and download ANY blu-ray HD-DVD disk you want, precracked. The protection just prevents you from easily cracking it at home, and forces you to replace all your hardware to HDCP compliant hardware. AND pay HDCP royalties of 5$ per device sold.

Thanks very much for your informative answer, things are much clearer to me now.

 

[taltamir]

I was actually rambling, so let me summerize it:

DRM: Prevents the playback of LEGAL content on non compliant devices to PREVENT piracy, forcing users to buy new devices (takes a few months to crack after initial creation of such a system, but it is ALWAYS bypassed eventually)
Pirated content: Plays on ANYTHING. Cannot be created without technical knowledge (or buying special software/hardware) to bypass DRM.

DRM in fact encourages piracy. I know many people who said "well, I am not tossing that 3000$ HDTV in the trash. I will just only play pirated movies". Works like a charm. Other people have went and bought a new 3000$ TV to replace the "old" (2 years?) one and be HDCP compliant.

 

[s44]

Back on your meds! You're perfectly free to buy or not buy whatever you want.

There's no right to steal.

 

[KlokWyze]

Interesting points Taltamir.

I'd just like to say that the only people who really get scammed by shit like this are people who simply don't put the effort to understand it. Unfortunately, most people are simply trained to just trust established policy, do what your told & criticize anyone else that doesn't follow suit.

 

[Jessica69]

Originally posted by: taltamir

Originally posted by: Bateluer

Originally posted by: taltamir

Ofcourse, such devices are illigal in the USA, canda, europe and Iraq (In the first 48 hours after the formation of the current Iraqi government a full set of US like copyright laws were passed).

Where could one purchase such a device?

china, russia, east europe, etc. Most are from china.
Some European countries have a more sane approach to DRM and allow bypassing it legally. So "HDFury" HDCP stripper for example can be purchased in the UK and japan. http://www.hdfury.com/
Look online for ones sold in your country. Those of us in the USA "land of the free" have to make do without those, or illegally import it from a country where it is allowed.

Actually, taltamir, you're most incorrect.....Momoprice, right here in the good ole US of A sells just this device....quite legally and above board. So, you can buy it here in the US without resorting to trying to find it in China, Russia, or other countries.....and, yes, Monoprice was selling it before you posted the above......

 

[soonerproud]

I :heart: DRM

<--- Gives Microsoft and Intel a big hug!