Disabling HDCP

I have heard that there is a way to turn off the HDCP in a Mac, possibly at a very deep level, however protected content (like HD movies) won't display when that is invoked. I know that is the case when using a Thunderbolt-VGA adapter now.

When in ambiguous situations and HDCP blocks legitimate use, I have found that many cheap HDMI splitters, which are on the consumer market and marked as being "HDCP compliant" also clear the protection. Look at sites like Amazon and read the user reviews. You will find that, for under $30, there are small boxes that users will testify as having "solved" their HDCP problems with Playstation, Blu-Ray, and misc. legacy monitors and switchers etc... Those are the ones!

I don't know what the future holds with HDCP 2.X, but these little boxes are lifesavers.

Still looking for a tutorial on how to turn off HDCP through the Mac.

I had thought as much! and I take it the HDCP is on both the DVI and HDMI?

Yes. If it is a digitial transfer you could copy the output with equal quality which is what HDCP is intended to prevent.

Is this offical from Apple? I don't want to give up, unless all avenues have been exhausted! it not working will have significant consiquences to me beyond this single event!

Thank the movie/entertainment for this crap.

Also, does anyone know if the same restrictions apply to running it in Bootcamp? does the HMDI/DVI output have HDCP when booted into windows?

I would say so, yes.

Hmm may have to use a Dell (spit..) with a non HDCP display port output.

Ok, but just don't try to connect it to a HDCP compliant display.

OK a slightly different question now, do you know how many HDCP Keys a MacBook Pro (purchased mid 2011) has?.. haven't looked, mbut as you're answering so quickly 🙂

HDCP keys? I don't that much about HDCP other than it's gets in the way for many, but I would think that for the claim "HDCP compliant" it would need to follow the standard, and if wiki is to be believed they say,

Each HDCP-capable device has a unique set of 40 56-bit keys.

I realise it's a few weeks since your original post, but you might like to try a DVI Parrot: www.dviparrot.com

If you connect this to your DVI output, it can be configured to emulate a non-HDCP monitor, which should force the graphics card to output without HDCP encryption. Provided the Mac (and content) are happy to work with non-HDCP monitors (which I assume should be the case, seeing as older DVI monitors don't support HDCP), this should solve your problem.

I know this has been a few months if not years, however, I have run into an HDCP problem with the new MacPro towers. We are trying to run PlaybackPro off two towers. The content is not protected content and does not require HDCP, however, the MacPro will not pass it. We've run the Mac output into Folsom iPro 2 conversion boxes, turned off the HDCP yet still no signal will pass. Has anyone come up with a solution?

It enrages me that Apple puts HDCP on material that you made yourself on your computer. So... If you want to break it, just go out from the MacBook via DVI, connect it to a powered DVI to HDMI converter, and the resulting HDMI output should be clean.

I have the same problem as a VJ and event Director. One work around is to use a HDMI to HD-SDI Blackmagicdesign miniconverter and the in one HD-SDI to HDMI Blackmagicdesign miniconverter. I know is stupid but it works but only with broadcast resolutions, do to the SDI sginal.

You can't.

However I assume that if you could convert it to analog then you could view it that way, in other words no high(er) quality HD digital video.