AfterDawn: News

Apple adds more DRM to MacBooks

According to Crunchgear, Apple has begun building HDCP (High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection) into their new MacBooks in order to protect iTunes Store purchased media.

Although most content are not protected, there are some newer videos that are and will not play at all unless you have connected an HDCP compliant TV or monitor.



Users trying to connect to a TV via HDMI or DVI should be fine, but users with VGA or component/composite ports only may have issues.

To understand more about what exactly HDCP is, please read our glossary entry here: High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection.

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Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 18 Nov 2008 18:39

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• 8 comments

• Leningrad

  ROTTEN apple

  18.11.2008 19:18 #1

• geofstro

  Are you sure that shouldn't read the other way around:
  
  Instead of:
  
  Users trying to connect to a TV via HDMI or DVI should be fine, but users with VGA or component/composite ports only may have issues.
  
  I think it should be:
  
  Users trying to connect to a TV via VGA or component/composite should be fine, but users with HDMI or DVI ports only may have issues.

  19.11.2008 05:03 #2

• ALIS123

  HDCP = just another way of screwing the customer. When will they understand that DRM does nothing but cause problems for paying customers. Pirates are allways going to find a way to copy everything, no DRM will stop that, so why put DRM on everything because it only makes paying customers turn to piracy?

  19.11.2008 09:03 #3

• mystic

  with this it will add a new issue for all those schools that use Mac's with a projector to teach Apple must be feeling pressure from some one like the riaa and they want the movies and videos on the Itunes store to be safe but it will limit other applications and since they are in direct fight for a market place against windows and linux why are they caving in more DMR has be an issue for all machines now with more maybe apple will start getting their share of viruses and other issues .. bad call on apples part ...

  19.11.2008 09:43 #4

• DVDBack23

  Originally posted by geofstro: Are you sure that shouldn't read the other way around:
  
  Instead of:
  
  Users trying to connect to a TV via HDMI or DVI should be fine, but users with VGA or component/composite ports only may have issues.
  
  I think it should be:
  
  Users trying to connect to a TV via VGA or component/composite should be fine, but users with HDMI or DVI ports only may have issues.No. :) Please read up more on HDCP here: High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection.

  19.11.2008 11:07 #5

• ThePastor

  As I understand it, if you attempt to view one of these types of protected files and you have ANY device connected via anything other than and HDMI or DMI then the video will fail to play. Furthermore, if the playing device does not "handshake" with the proper credentials (keys) with the HDMI display device then the video may be downscaled or may refuse to play.
  
  Do I have that right? Because it is very confusing.

  20.11.2008 18:23 #6

• Bozobub

  Pretty much, yes, you're correct.

  23.11.2008 13:43 #7

• Mez

  Those the buy Apple products enjoy getting screwed. Only the ipods are not completely locked in to "Apple Hell". I wonder when they will make them propriatry?
  
  I guess schools will have to stop buying apple products. Most school systems purchase their videos from a service not itunes. Unlike itunes, the services cater to schools. That will be a deal breaker. Our county has not bought a Mac in years. They have gone to cheaper, more open PCs. They have stopped using chalk boards and use Promethium Boards, large 'writable' video screens. Mac books would thwart the counties game plan.

  24.11.2008 08:42 #8