What is HDCP?
High-Bandwidth Digital-Content Protection (HDCP) is a form of digital rights management (DRM) that was created by Intel. It was designed to protect the transfer of high quality, digital content from a video source, such as a computer, satellite television receiver, or DVD player to a receiver such as a television screen or computer monitor. Specifically, the technology sought to achieve some degree of copyright protection in audio and video content, such as movies, videos, and television. Many video and audio playing devices have the HDCP specification in them. While not all computers are HDCP compatible, some computer manufacturers have turned to HDCP to ensure additional protective measures are in place. Computers fitted with Windows® Vista®, for example, typically have the HDCP specification. The HDCP spec can be found in some digital video interfaces (DVIs) — a video interface standard found in display devices such as flat panel LCDs. HDCP can also be found in many monitors, game c
High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection, also known as HDCP, is a newer form of Digital Rights Management (DRM) that was designed to control digital video and audio content. The technology was originally created by Intel to ensure that digital audio and video travelling across a Digital Video Interface (DVI) or High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) would follow the various guidelines put forth by the Digital Content Protection group.
HDCP is considered by many as the worst consumer nightmare brought about by DVI and HDMI technology! Approved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in August 2004 and fully embraced by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), it is also seen as the most powerful form of digital content protection – despite its know flaws – ever devised by the industry in an attempt to protect providers of high definition content material.
