Mac Mini, HDMI, and HDCP issues
I sent this off to iTunes support yesterday:
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I have just purchased a brand new Mac Mini (with built-in HDMI port.) I intended to use this device with my HDTV and as a home theater PC system. In order to try out the device, I downloaded Season 1 of Justified in HD from the iTunes TV Shows store.
Episodes are still currently downloading as I write this question. But, of the ones that have been downloaded - I am finding that it is asking me to authorize my account every time I want to play one of the files. I have tried what has been suggested online about deauthorizing and reauthorizing and so forth. The end result seems to be the same. When I do authorize, the playback is nothing but a black or gray screen with no sound. I suspect this is due to a message that I received one time (and only once) when I tried to play back one of the files that said:
"This movie cannot be played because a display that is not authorized to play protected movies is connected. Try disconnecting any displays that are not HDCP authorized."
I am running the Mac Mini with an HDMI cable from the Mini to a Denon AV reciever, and from the receiver I'm running an HDMI cable from the receiver to the TV (which is a Samsung TV I purchased in January 2009). On this scenario, I get a black screen on playback. When I plug the Mini straight into the Samsung TV using an HDMI cable I get a gray screen on playback. I looked on the internet for help regarding this issue and it is my understanding that (correct me if I'm wrong) that standard definition content does not have HDCP restrictions. So I have tried the standard definition files to the same results.
As far as I know, the Samsung TV is HDCP compliant and the instruction manual for my Denon AV Receiver states that it is HDCP compliant. I thought that HDMI in and of itself is HDCP compliant and I have found nothing on the internet to state otherwise. I thought the HDCP issue only applied to DVI connections only.
I have only received the HDCP message once. However, I receive the authorization message everytime I try to play back a file. I assume there's a relationship but maybe not.
Thank you for your assistance.
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For the record, my receiver (which appears to be not the problem since it's happening when I go straight into the TV) is a Denon AVR-889 and my TV is a Samsung LN52A750 (believe it's a 2008 model, I think.)
Since yesterday I have tried a few things, here is what I have tried:
1) Different HDMI cable.
2) Different HDMI port on TV.
3) Tried a DVD in the Mac Mini. It worked.
I do not have the ability to use DVI on my TV. I also dont have a VGA Adapter.
According to the Denon manual, the AVR-889 has HDCP compliance. I do not see anything in the Samsung manual, but everything on the internet suggests that it's HDCP compliant. In addition to this, I use a Playstation 3 and I have purchased Lost Season 6 in HD. It plays back successfully, and from what I understand Playstation 3 content is HDCP protected and will not play if your setup is not HDCP compliant.
Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions? Thank you.
--
I have just purchased a brand new Mac Mini (with built-in HDMI port.) I intended to use this device with my HDTV and as a home theater PC system. In order to try out the device, I downloaded Season 1 of Justified in HD from the iTunes TV Shows store.
Episodes are still currently downloading as I write this question. But, of the ones that have been downloaded - I am finding that it is asking me to authorize my account every time I want to play one of the files. I have tried what has been suggested online about deauthorizing and reauthorizing and so forth. The end result seems to be the same. When I do authorize, the playback is nothing but a black or gray screen with no sound. I suspect this is due to a message that I received one time (and only once) when I tried to play back one of the files that said:
"This movie cannot be played because a display that is not authorized to play protected movies is connected. Try disconnecting any displays that are not HDCP authorized."
I am running the Mac Mini with an HDMI cable from the Mini to a Denon AV reciever, and from the receiver I'm running an HDMI cable from the receiver to the TV (which is a Samsung TV I purchased in January 2009). On this scenario, I get a black screen on playback. When I plug the Mini straight into the Samsung TV using an HDMI cable I get a gray screen on playback. I looked on the internet for help regarding this issue and it is my understanding that (correct me if I'm wrong) that standard definition content does not have HDCP restrictions. So I have tried the standard definition files to the same results.
As far as I know, the Samsung TV is HDCP compliant and the instruction manual for my Denon AV Receiver states that it is HDCP compliant. I thought that HDMI in and of itself is HDCP compliant and I have found nothing on the internet to state otherwise. I thought the HDCP issue only applied to DVI connections only.
I have only received the HDCP message once. However, I receive the authorization message everytime I try to play back a file. I assume there's a relationship but maybe not.
Thank you for your assistance.
--
For the record, my receiver (which appears to be not the problem since it's happening when I go straight into the TV) is a Denon AVR-889 and my TV is a Samsung LN52A750 (believe it's a 2008 model, I think.)
Since yesterday I have tried a few things, here is what I have tried:
1) Different HDMI cable.
2) Different HDMI port on TV.
3) Tried a DVD in the Mac Mini. It worked.
I do not have the ability to use DVI on my TV. I also dont have a VGA Adapter.
According to the Denon manual, the AVR-889 has HDCP compliance. I do not see anything in the Samsung manual, but everything on the internet suggests that it's HDCP compliant. In addition to this, I use a Playstation 3 and I have purchased Lost Season 6 in HD. It plays back successfully, and from what I understand Playstation 3 content is HDCP protected and will not play if your setup is not HDCP compliant.
Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions? Thank you.
Mac Mini, Mac OS X (10.6.4)