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HDCP Content System Requirements?

Little did I know, this is apparently a typical story. I bought my first TV episode from iTunes to play on my 11" MacBook Air, connected to my 20" Cinema Display, and received this message when I attempted to play the video:


The selected movie won't play on your display.

This movie can be played only on displays that support HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection).


I looked into it:


OK, what does this mean? (from http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3382#8):


7. What is HDCP?

HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) is a form of digital copy protection that requires compatibility between a source—such as your computer and video adapter if present—and a receiver, such as a high-definition television. If any of these devices or cabling do not support HDCP, your content may not play, may present a warning message, or may play back at a lower resolution than expected. An example of content that supports HDCP is an HD movie on the iTunes Store. Note: For information about whether your cabling, receiver, or television supports HDCP, refer to the manufacturer of the device.



8. Does the Apple Mini DisplayPort adapter support HDCP?

Apple Mini DisplayPort adapters that offer digital connections—such as the Apple Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI adapter and the Apple Mini DisplayPort to DVI adapter—support HDCP content. Apple Mini DisplayPort adapters that offer analog connections—such as the Apple Mini DisplayPort to VGA adapter—do not support HDCP content.


  • Ok, that's not the problem; I have an Apple Mini DisplayPort to DVI adapter, it supports HDCP content, and such adapters are for connecting monitors, not TVs.
  • Two versions of the movie were downloaded, an .m4v and an (HD).m4v. Neither plays in iTunes (same message).
  • I opened both with QuickTime. The non-HD movie played on my 20" but the HD did not.
  • That doesn't sound like content protection to me, at least for the non-HD movie.
  • Nothing during my purchase indicated system requirements for playing HDCP vids (if there is somewhere in the bowels of the iTunes store, it is not apparent, nor did I dig for it; I just bought a TV show);


My issues / questions:


  • Only after digging on the forums did I find out that my Cinema Display would not play HDCP vids.
  • There is nothing at all in the above Apple support article to indicate that HDCP vids cannot be played on a 20" Cinema Display. In fact, by any reasonable interpretation, Question No. 8 would indicate that all is hunky dory with HDCP and you're good to go. Question No. 7 is ambiguous, but only in retrospect (after perusing the forum).
  • Is a non-HD .m4v an HDCP vid?
  • Why does QuickTime play the non-HD movie, but iTunes doesn't?
  • Where in the iTunes store (pre-purchase) are there system requirements for playing HDCP videos?
  • This irritates the living kwap out of me – I bought a new Mac so I could play HD videos. Yes, I now know that this has been an issue on-and-off on the forum since 2004, but until an hour ago it news to me. What this means to me is that Apple has had since 2004 to figure out either how to allow their monitors to play HDCP content, or has had since the iTunes Store offered video content to clearly inform potential purchasers that if they don't have an HDCP-compatible device (and how to tell), the video won't play. Oh, and the above support article was last modified on March 15, 2011 (yes, I sent feedback to Apple).


If you're inclined to offer an answer to the 3 questions above, I'd be grateful. Don't worry about responding to my venting, that's just frustration.

Posted on Jun 12, 2011 12:55 AM

Reply
60 replies

Nov 24, 2017 12:51 AM in response to Mr. Mellow

I've had the same problem for years, had given up. I have a Mac Mini with a dual link DVI adapter to a DELL3007FP. If I connect using single link DVI at 1280x800, no problem, can play all movies from iTunes.


But at native resolution 2560x1600 I get the HDCP error. Sometimes the movie will play for a few seconds before I get the error.


I read about the DisplayLink thing being installed by DELL, but can't find it. I do remember installing something to drive the display.


I tried resetting SMC to no avail. Everything I have setup is meant to be Dual Link HDCP compliant. It's really annoying.

Dec 3, 2017 5:48 PM in response to Mr. Mellow

tl;dr: I turned off screensharing in Preferences and that fixed it.


Thanks to everyone for all the suggestions. I tried uninstalling Movavi (screen capture software), resetting the SMC, changing the screen resolution, but none of that made any difference at all. However, unchecking the screensharing box in the sharing preference pane fixed it immediately, without even a reboot.


Using a mid-2012 MacBook Pro on Yosemite, 10.10.5.

Jun 29, 2011 1:41 PM in response to Mr. Mellow

You are completely right in your frustration! I have the same issue. I am using APPLE BRANDED monitor (30" Cinema Display) and yet iTunes-purchased content WILL NOT PLAY on my system. There is NO warning whatsoever before paying for content that doesnt work because of this ridiculous practice. I see more and more of these kind of business decisions with Apple all the time. So frustrating. I dont buy HD content anymore because of this.

Jul 23, 2011 11:15 PM in response to Mr. Mellow

Thank you for sharing exactly the same situation and frustration as me. I have no idea where to turn...and why this is a problem in the first place. Does it have something to do with sending an HD-grade signal to a "non-HD" monitor? I just don't understand if this has to do with bean counters or is a technical problem that I can troubleshoot. Ugh - just started my search on what to do next. Apple, a reply in layman's language please.

Sep 9, 2011 7:27 PM in response to Mr. Mellow

I am having the same trouble... however my movies won't even play on MY OWN LAPTOP SCREEN let alone an external one!

It's freakin' ridiculous. I downloaded and paid for The Art of Flight snowboard movie.. in HD.. only to find there is literally now way for me to actually watch the movie in HD.


  • It won't play through my computer to my TV via Mini-DV adapter
  • and get this.. it won't even play on my own computer that I downloaded it on (15" MacBook Pro). This is what gets me the most.. ! Apparently the display that Apple gave me with my computer is not compatible...


This is probably the last time I actually try and purchase something the 'legit' way, when I can't even view it. Sure, I could watch the movie in SD.. but what is the point when the specific reason I downloaded this in HD was, um, to watch it in HD?


Apple gets a lot of things right.. but this is one big screw-up that has made me resent the brand.

Sep 11, 2011 6:08 PM in response to Mr. Mellow

Lucky! Unless they've updated iTunes over the weekend.. I'm still out out luck as mine was the latest version apparently.


Apple did refund me the money for the movie, however, although this does little to rectify it. I don't actually mind paying money for this movie as I've been anticipating it's release the last two years! It would be much nicer to NOT get the refund, but be able to watch this movie...

Sep 27, 2011 10:56 PM in response to ollie_86

It would be much nicer to NOT get the refund, but be able to watch this movie...


Because of all the hassle described above, I have given up on purchasing downloaded movies.


Now I just purchase my movies on Blu-ray DVDs. Zero hassles. They always work.


David Pogue wrote an excellent article in Scientific American magazine about this subject.


http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=the-perils-of-copy-protection


By the way, the problem can often be solved by using an HDMI to Component Video adapter. Many believe that Component Video will give you a better HD picture than HDMI without any of the hassles of HDCP.


Generally try to avoid using HDMI. When able, use Component Video. With Component Video you get full HD quality and you will never have HDCP hassles (which of course is why Hollywood wants to ban it).

Nov 12, 2011 1:26 AM in response to ollie_86

So i'm at my parents house troubleshooting this for them.. apple have a link which details the kit required here

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3209 so as they have a mac mini connected via mini display port to vga they wont get hd. However in the playback preferences in itunes I have selected the option to play back sd footage and in this case (bbc wildlife frozen planet) it has now elected to play an sd version which downloaded at the same time. Running os 10.6.8 with itunes 10 with a 24" lcd mon with vga only connection 2.4ghz mac mini 2gb mem- is there anything else I should do like update to lion - is this going to fix the issue?

Jan 2, 2012 12:33 PM in response to advertbandit

I had this problem and APPLE told me to join the support discussions. I started a new string but this one has the essence of the matter. Can't see why anyone would download a movie unless you knew it was HDCP compatible which is hard to discover even with the most modern HDTV. I will follow this closely, the component video cable sounds promising.

Jan 11, 2012 9:54 AM in response to Mr. Mellow

I followed the link referenced above (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3209) and I easily have all of the system requirements for viewing HD Videos, except for, apparently: A display that supports HDCP with a screen resolution of 1024x768 or higher.


I have a late model 27" iMac with Mac OS X v. 10.7.2, the latest version of iTunes 10 (10.5.2), a 2.7GHz Intel Core i5 processor with 4 GB of RAM. My display supports 2560x1440, clearly an adequate resolution.


But I can't play the HD version of a movie I purchased on iTunes (The selected movie won't play on your display. This movie can be played only on displays that support HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection).


What is up with this, Apple?

Jan 11, 2012 1:22 PM in response to donfromsandy

donfromsandy wrote:


I followed the link referenced above (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3209) and I easily have all of the system requirements for viewing HD Videos, except for, apparently: A display that supports HDCP with a screen resolution of 1024x768 or higher.


I have a late model 27" iMac with Mac OS X v. 10.7.2, the latest version of iTunes 10 (10.5.2), a 2.7GHz Intel Core i5 processor with 4 GB of RAM. My display supports 2560x1440, clearly an adequate resolution.


But I can't play the HD version of a movie I purchased on iTunes (The selected movie won't play on your display. This movie can be played only on displays that support HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection).


What is up with this, Apple?

The movie studios require HDCP in their licensing agreement's with Apple. So in order for Apple to provide content from those studios, you get HDCP. Otherwise, the movie won't be available in the iTunes Store, and Apple loses revenue to others who will fall in line with the movie studio's restrictions. So blame the movie studios for thinking you're a thief and forcing you to use HDCP compatible equipment.


That said, are you trying to watch the movie on your iMac's display or an external monitor or TV? The iMac will play the HDCP content, but it won't play on an external monitor unless it's HDCP compliant and connected with and HDCP compliant method. (i.e.: it can't be connected using VGA.)

HDCP Content System Requirements?

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