Q about HDMI distrib amps and HDCP

[steve4810]

I've yet to hear anyone claim they know the answer to this: Are there HDMI distribution amps (inexpensive would be nice) that will let you send cable and sat shows throughout your house even it the provider wants HDCP set to stop you.

Here in San Diego the Padres are 100% exclusive to Cox cable and the HD broadcast is set so if you connect two TVs (one to component and one to HDMI) the STB will detect this and black the picture and print a message on the screens of both sets about "violation of copy protection" or words to that effect.

Currently my Dishnetwork 622 DVR doesn't mind this identical setup but it appears only a matter of time until content providers will make Dish activate HDCP.

Sorry to be such a cheapskate but I don't want to buy an amp and string HMDI cable around the house if some day in the near future all the screens but one go black. At the moment I have HDMI cable to two rooms and I feed signals from the cable STB and DVR by plugging and unplugging cables in the rats nest behind the equipment "head-end" in my bedroom.

 

[psychicmind]

You don't want to wire HDMI cable through your house. Too expensive and unnecessary.

You can use cat5e wiring (either already in your walls or easy to add).

cat5e can be spliced into almost anything you need, phone line, HDMI, component, digital audio, etc.

You should search about multi-room video/audio distribution to learn more.

You can also find tons of splitters and switchers at For only $105.00 each when QTY 50+ purchased - 1X4 Powered HDMI Splitter | HDMI Active/Powered Splitter

 

[psychicmind]

Sony also makes a 12 zone video distrubution amp.

Multiroom Video: Sony Serves 12-Zones of Video Distribution, by Jason Unger - Electronic House Product News

It also uses cat5e wiring.

 

[steve4810]

Thanks but the question was about HDCP and HDMI distribution. Is there equipment that can't be stopped by a provider turning on the HDCP?

 

[psychicmind]

I do not have HDCP issues on my 622 when using a powered splitter on my component outputs. From what I'm reading, you are having HDCP problems when trying to use both HDMI and component outputs instead of splitting one output or the other.

These were the same issues that caused me to research and fix my ghetto dual-room HD network. Next step is to install 6 video zones.

 

[steve4810]

As far as I know no Dish content provider has asked that HDCP be turned on YET.

My experience is with the San Diego Padres who are exclusive to Cox cable for 95% of their games. And they DO require HDCP be employed by Cox.

When you try and connect a second TV to either HDMI or component outputs of a Cox STB both TV screens flash a message:

"HDCP copy protection violation."

or something very close to that. Then both screens go black though the sound continues.

Disconnecting one or both TVs won't restore the picture. You have to remove one of the TVs and cycle the STB power off and on.

HCDP is no joke when it's turned on and there is a lot of speculation that providers will make Dish turn it on because of certain programs and it's not clear if HDCP can stop multible feeds of one channel and not affect all the others.

BTW, my 622 feeds two HDTVs just fine, one HDMI and one component.

 

[psychicmind]

I'm all for praying they never turn it on.

Dish used to delete "some" DVR recordings when transferring a show to a PocketDish. Anytime one selected a copy protected TV show to transfer, it would announce the show is copy protected and will be deleted from your DVR if you progress.

They do not use that any more, ever. The copy protected thing was fuctional for maybe 6 months and only a few shows were protected (Big HBO or Network Productions).

It's been a long long time since I've seen Dish using that protection. I think I recall the networks requiring the protection too. Dish does not seem to interested in using HDCP or copy protecting software enless someone makes them (and even then they don't seem to keep it up).

Seems the providers have to pay Sat/Cable to use HDCP if they want it and that is why it is only used on ball games or exclusive content.

Thankfully I have not had a HDCP issue and I hope I never do.

Since modernizing homes for video/audio distubution is a new affordable trend, I would be shocked if HDCP was suddenly used and able to render $100,000 home upgrades ussless.