HDCP & DVI-HDTV?
What is it?
In short: No more Privacy
With the introduction of DVI came HDCP (High Definition Content Protection), which simply means HDCP is to prevent the content being transmitted by DVI from being copied.
Of course, the Hollywood Studio’s as well as the Satellite and Cable Industries heavily endorse this and are now working with all the major AV Manufacturers.
This is a standard “key” encoded into the DVI signal so that if a video source (playing device) is HDCP coded, and is connected to a display (HDTV, Plasma, LCD, Projector etc.,) via DVI without the proper HDCP decoding mechanism, the picture will have the snowy effect or in some cases a very low resolution.
It is important to remember, if you are buying a new screen or playing device, and you want to take full advantage of the Digital Video Interconnects, then check to see whether the screen and the playing device match.
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i.e. DVI-HDCP or (DVI-HDTV) to DVI-HDCP or (DVI-HDTV) or HMDI
(All HDMI devices carry the HDCP Protocol) |
If one device has the HDCP control on the digital connection and the other does not – then the picture will NOT transmit.
In 2005 we saw the introduction of the New HDMI connection. See An Introduction to HDMI. | 
