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WTF is "HDCP"?!

Baasha

Baasha

Golden Member
Guys,

I just bought a PS3 and set it up for the first time yesterday with my Sony HDTV (http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/...specifications) via a brand new HDMI cable.

There was no signal at all! No audio, no video! After trying various ports, plugging the PS3 directly into the TV (it is going through an I/O Gear HDMI switch due to other devices that use HDMI), and using another HDMI cable, and, after 30 minutes on the phone with a Sony PS3 rep., all to no avail, I tried the dreaded VGA cables that came with the PS3. And voila, it worked! D: I should also mention that my DirecTV box is connected via HDMI to the I/O Gear HDMI switch which then plugs directly into the TV via HDMI and that works perfectly!

However, using VGA cables for a PS3 on a HDTV is like putting spinners on an Enzo. Then, I tried setting up the PS3 with my Samsung T260 monitor with the HDMI cable and it worked perfectly; full HD (1080p)!! 😀

The question I have is, after doing some reading, I found that there is a stipulation in the fine print of the PS3 manual that states something like, "If the device connected to the PS3 is not HDCP compliant, there may be no audio and/or video signal." WTF?!? 😱

Does this mean that I have to BUY A NEW TV to use my PS3 (big screen)?? I know I can play on my PC monitor but I'd much rather play in the living room with the big HDTV; I mean, that is what a CONSOLE is for!! I am quite irked by this and I have not found a satisfactory solution to this predicament yet.

Any other PS3 owners experience something similar? If so, what did you do to fix it? And, WTF is HDCP used for? How is it beneficial?

The issue is, my TV is rather old. I bought it way back in 2004 along with my receiver (Denon) which doesn't have ANY HDMI inputs or outputs. The TV, on the other hand, was really advanced for its time. When HDMI was nothing but a myth, this TV had two inputs along with a SD/mem. card reader and a HD port to plug in your PC for easy connectivity! However now, this TV is as hoary as the Rosetta Stone itself.

HELP!
 
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Hdcp is copy protection.
You need a new tv to use hdmi.
If i were you ud just use component and optical.

Edit: i thought all hdmi tvs had hdcp. It was the dvi ones that were iffy.
 
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HDPC = high definition content protection. I.e. MPAA keeping you from watching HD on your HDTV via an HDMI cable. They are afraid you are going to steal the content and make a digital copy...I guess. Money grab if you ask me.

To see HD (or at least 1080i) you will need some of these cables.

I would think that TV would have HDCP, but who knows...
 
Try it without your switch, that could be your problem.

And the cables you have with the PS3 are not VGA they are RCA
 
sivart said:
HDPC = high definition content protection. I.e. MPAA keeping you from watching HD on your HDTV via an HDMI cable. They are afraid you are going to steal the content and make a digital copy...I guess. Money grab if you ask me.

To see HD (or at least 1080i) you will need some of these cables.

I would think that TV would have HDCP, but who knows...
Click to expand...

I think analogue component allows 1080i. At least for cable boxes it does. Just not 1080p.

Yeah, it is probably a scam. Forced everyone to buy compliant hardware. What a boon for the home electronics industry. Guess they never heard of AnyDVD.
 
mmntech said:
I think analogue component allows 1080i. At least for cable boxes it does. Just not 1080p.

Yeah, it is probably a scam. Forced everyone to buy compliant hardware. What a boon for the home electronics industry. Guess they never heard of AnyDVD.
Click to expand...

Component can carry 1080p.
 
BassBomb said:
Try it without your switch, that could be your problem.

And the cables you have with the PS3 are not VGA they are RCA
Click to expand...

I already did. I plugged it directly to the TV to no avail.

And, you're right about the RCA. Oops! lol...
 
mmntech said:
I think analogue component allows 1080i. At least for cable boxes it does. Just not 1080p.

Yeah, it is probably a scam. Forced everyone to buy compliant hardware. What a boon for the home electronics industry. Guess they never heard of AnyDVD.
Click to expand...

Wait, so can I not use HDMI for the PS3? My DirecTV works and that's using HDMI! Is there another way to circumvent this HDCP because I really want HDMI. Plus, I ran out of component inputs on the Denon A/V receiver. I have a component switch as well but I would have to buy another Digital Optical cable (for audio) which I really don't want to do. I mean, that's why HDMI is better anyway.

HELP!!!

I mean, if the DirecTV works with HDMI, why won't the PS3 work?
 
If it is due to the HDCP, this is the first time that I have heard that anyone has started enforcing it. They have been selling equipment with the HDCP abilities in them for several years now but I have not heard of anyone that has actually turned on the HDCP.
 
I don't know if the PS3 automatically recognizes HDMI when plugged in always. Use the standard composite cables, turn it on, with HDMI connected, select that in options, then switch to the HDMI source and see if that works.
 
HDCP is likely not the problem - ver. 1.2 came out in 2005 and your TV is from 2006 so there should be no issue. I think what you have is an EDID problem, with which device is hard to say. Sometimes this can be solved by powering on the devices in a different order, or by a firmware update (ps3 update is easy).
 
PM650 said:
HDCP is likely not the problem - ver. 1.2 came out in 2005 and your TV is from 2006 so there should be no issue. I think what you have is an EDID problem, with which device is hard to say. Sometimes this can be solved by powering on the devices in a different order, or by a firmware update (ps3 update is easy).
Click to expand...

Hmmm. you may be right. I just talked to a Sony rep and she said my TV IS HDCP compliant. Btw, my TV is from 2004 (unless I'm having a major brain fart).

What is EDID? I already tried powering off everything (unplugged from surge protector) and then powering back on but I did it in a random order. I also updated the PS3 Firmware via the RCA cables. that didn't do anything.

ARRGH! THis is so frustrating!! 🙁
 
Guys,

I made a small faux pas. The TV I have is actually the sony kdf-60xs955 which is also a read projection LCD HDTV. However, I got this TV in 2004. So I am not sure if it is HDCP compliant. Anyway, worst case scenario I will just use component cables to connect the PS3 to the HDTV but it sucks that I am not able to use the HDMI capability.

If anyone has a solution for this particular TV (sony kdf-60xs955) and the PS3 Slim, working on HDMI, I would really like to know!
 
1. HDCP as mentioned is for content protection. For some reason, studios envisioned mass piracy of HD digital content (same nightmare they had with VCR's). It's actually illegal to bypass it.

2. Component has no issue with HDCP because it's not digital. HDCP only applies to digital signaling, primarily HDMI/DVI. Yes, it's a stupid stipulation. The only reason it doesn't apply to component is because they couldn't figure out how to close the "analog loophole" legally thanks to the Betamax case in the Supreme Court. Hopefully, someone will get that same concept applied to digital content.

3. I doubt your DirectTV unit uses or requires HDCP. It's only used for BD at the moment. Sony, for some godforsaken reason, decided to make it mandatory even if you never touch a BD in your life. From my experience, it's typical behavior given how lazy they are with firmware. Why spend extra time developing HDCP to only function some of the time when it's easier and cheaper to just keep it on full time?

5. I had the same issue with my PS3, but that was an 80GB version. New display was the only solution since that particular set didn't have component input.

6. If it's EDID giving problems, you may also be SOL. With a PC, there are driver hacks for some units. With some displays, there are firmware hacks. However, for the majority, it's time to go shopping.
 
The classic Sony EDID problem that they never seem to fix. I don't know how many times I've run into that setting up people's Blu-ray players for them. Either send the TV out to have a firmware fix, or have an on site tech come out and do it if they offer that service.
 
Your TV is 1080i, right? Hold down the power button when turning it on to make sure the PS3 isn't trying to output in 1080p over HDMI.

If it's really an EDID problem, I am vaguely recalling that Monoprice sells switches that fix the problem.
 
erwos said:
Your TV is 1080i, right? Hold down the power button when turning it on to make sure the PS3 isn't trying to output in 1080p over HDMI.

If it's really an EDID problem, I am vaguely recalling that Monoprice sells switches that fix the problem.
Click to expand...

OP's tv is 1080p.
 
Have you tried a couple different hdmi cables to plug the ps3 into the tv directly? I know you said you plugged it in directly to test, but have you used different cables? I've never ran into it, but it seems like i read about someone having a bad hdmi cable doing the same thing.

But this is only guessing from memory. If you have multiple hdmi cables and haven't tried, it is at least worth a shot.
 
Guys,

You're not going to believe this.

After screwing around with this damn thing for more than a day, I plugged the HDMI cable from the PS3 directly into INPUT 7 (HDMI) of the HDTV and guess what? It works! :twisted:

Thus far I had used the I/O Gear HDMI switch which connects my DirecTV box (via HDMI) and PS3 and that goes to the HDMI slot (INPUT 8) on the TV. I tried to plug in the PS3 HDMI cable to INPUT 8 and that didn't work so I assumed going directly to the TV doesn't do the trick! Anyway, I connected it to INPUT 7 and it works beautifully! I am able to configure the output of the PS3 to 1080i (max resolution for my TV) and it looks absolutely gorgeous!

This TV has two HDMI slots. I still wonder why INPUT 8 doesn't work but INPUT 7 does?!?

I should get a new TV as well. It's been more than five years since I bought this one. It works perfectly though! 😀

What is the best 60" HDTV out there? Price is not an issue.

And regarding the PS3 issue, thanks for the suggestions/comments/tips.
 
Can't just go out and "get the best" HDTV. Different people like different things. For 60". I would try to get a Pioneer Plasma, though. Only thing is that some people do not like hoe you can see the Plasma cells when you get too close (me included). However, at 60", the value is not really there for LCDs (they cost alot at that price point).
 
Gibson486 said:
Can't just go out and "get the best" HDTV. Different people like different things. For 60". I would try to get a Pioneer Plasma, though. Only thing is that some people do not like hoe you can see the Plasma cells when you get too close (me included). However, at 60", the value is not really there for LCDs (they cost alot at that price point).
Click to expand...

You're not seeing plasma cells, you're seeing pixels, and you'll see the same thing if you get too close to an LCD. If the OP is at least 6.7 feet away from any 60" 1080p display, then this shouldn't be an issue at all.

OP, what's your viewing distance? Would you consider going bigger than 60"? Would your room work for a projector?
 
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