Do any of the available Videocards for MacPro support HDCP?

"Currently there is no commercially available HDCP content. ATI's Radeon® X and Radeon® 9550 series of GPUs are capable of processing HDCP signals ("HDCP ready"), however ATI does not presently manufacture any graphics cards which are HDCP ready. Some third parties manufacture graphics cards containing ATI GPUs -- you can inquire of them which models, if any, -- are HDCP ready."

So, if Apple sells HDCP ready 1900XT we will be able to watch HD movies. I don't think that Apple did it.

Raaaayte. HDCP ready. So does this mean it could be flashed later? This is for the GPU only so then the card could do HDCP when manufactured to a later time? Reminds me of this:

http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/17/ati-covering-their-not-quite-hdcp-ready-track s/

Apparently, they haven't covered their tracks on the X1900.

I heard that the ATI X1900XT does in fact support HDCP although I could be mistaken.

I heard that the ATI X1900XT
does in fact support HDCP

Unfortunately, not. The GPUs themselves "support" HDCP but their actual boards don't include the required hardware key to make the hi-def. On the other hand, ATI's lately announced X1950 (though not currently available for Mac) apparently does. From ATI's press release "The Radeon X1950 family is also capable of displaying one billion colors, or 10-bit throughout the graphics pipeline'2'. Lastly, the Radeon X1950 is also HDCP-compliant, including a built-in EEPROM and HDCP key'3'."

HDCP requires a DRMed monitor, or else what's the use?

When Apple has a complete solution then buy the upgraded video card and get a performance boost at the same time.

Right now things are so up in the air, both BlueRay and HD-DVD can't get enough blue diodes to make lasers, there is problems with the copy/content protection etc.

There isn't even enough BD or HD players in the stores to worry about getting it on computers yet.

I say relax and don't worry about it. 🙂

Both cards show:

# Optimized for performance at high display resolutions, including widescreen HDTV resolutions

Lossless Color Compression (up to 6:1) at all resolutions, including widescreen HDTV resolutions

DVI 1.0 compliant / HDMI interoperable and HDCP ready*

YPrPb component output for direct drive of HDTV displays


About HDCP

X1900:

* Currently there is no commercially available HDCP content. ATI's Radeon® X and Radeon® 9550 series of GPUs are capable of processing HDCP signals ("HDCP ready"), however ATI does not presently manufacture any graphics cards which are HDCP ready. Some third parties manufacture graphics cards containing ATI GPUs -- you can inquire of them which models, if any, -- are HDCP ready. ATI Radeon X1900

X1950:

Playing HDCP content may require additional HDCP ready components, including but not limited to an HDCP ready monitor, disc drive and computer system. ATI Radeon X1950


Mac Pro 2GHz 2GB WD Raptor/Caviar RE 320 Mac OS X (10.4.7) *do not use SoftRAID 3 on Mac Pro*

including but not limited to an HDCP ready monitor, disc drive and computer system

yesseriee. 🙂

Too early to call it, that's why I'm a waiting for the Dual Quads, DRM monitors and BlueRay drives to arrive.

That HD content has to get on those BlueRays somehow. 🙂

Hopefully new hard drive technology will be used too, these 500GB drives are s-l-o-w once they are only marginally filled. Not very raw HD friendly.

Patience grasshoppers.

Some of this has already been said but...ATI claims they are HDCP "ready", they just don't have the actual HDCP chips on the cards so, no, no HDCP on the X1900s at the moment, also no Apple monitors support this right now, look into a dell 2407FPW or 3007FPW for HDCP support, but again, these are likely worthless unless you have an HDCP card.
Keep in mind though also, I haven't seen any software players for this, I think they are out there because there are some Acer notbooks running XP that have HD DVD drives in them.
How about iTunes HD Movies for download to purchase and/or rent. Or a HD rental/purchase service through the Xbox 360 both would be nice as long as they weren't HDCP encrypted content.

BTW ATI got sued for claiming HDCP "ready"
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/05/09/atisued_over_hdcpclaim/

What people don't know is HDCP is a rather draconian DRM scheme involving remote attestation.

So some sort of internet structure has to be setup to verify that your HDCP device is compliant.

This is most likely going to work through the large invisible firmware level called EFI on Intel based Mac's as part of the Trusted Computing initiative.

With EFI based Mac's and PC's, the OS is no longer in control of the hardware. EFI can contact the internet and download even before the OS even loads.

People are hacking EFI, I can just image the malware possibilities.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ExtensibleFirmwareInterface

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trusted_computing