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Help Wanted - Hdcp

Discussion in 'TiVo Series3 HDTV DVRs' started by MarkG441, Sep 8, 2007.

  1. Sep 8, 2007 #1 of 6
    MarkG441

    MarkG441 New Member

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    Sep 8, 2007
    New York, NY
    Can someone provide a bit of background on HD Content Protection and how it impacts the use of the HDMI input on an HD Tivo?

    When I try to view content recorded off some channels (but not all) in the HDMI mode, I get an error message saying "Viewing is not permitted using the DVR's HDMI output. Try another TV input."

    A couple additional factoids:
    a. when I switch to the component output, I don't have any problem
    b. there doesn't seem to be any logic or pattern to which channels can be viewed with HDMI and which can't, ie, some premium can and some can't, some basic cable can, some can't, some network can, some can't, even some HD can and some can't
    c. when this occurs, I usually can see the channel for 10-15 seconds before the screen blacks and the above message appears

    I know that this is related to the content protection but don't know much beyond that. How does HDCP work and is there anything I can do to resolve this situation?
     
  2. Sep 10, 2007 #2 of 6
    megazone

    megazone Hardcore TiVo Geek

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    Mar 3, 2002
    .worcester.m...
    What do you have the HDMI connected to? It sounds like whatever it is, it isn't negotiating HDCP correctly or it just doesn't support it at all.

    As to which channels are affected, it is all up to the channel/cable MSO and how they flag the channels.
     
  3. Sep 10, 2007 #3 of 6
    MarkG441

    MarkG441 New Member

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    Sep 8, 2007
    New York, NY
    HDMI is between the Tivo box and a Sony Wega. Cable carrier is Time Warner of Manhattan.
     
  4. Sep 10, 2007 #4 of 6
    megazone

    megazone Hardcore TiVo Geek

    3,302
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    Mar 3, 2002
    .worcester.m...
    I'd check on your model of Wega to make sure it doesn't have any known issues with HDMI. If not, there could be something wrong with the TV or TiVo causing the problem. And *maybe* the cable, but that tends to be an all-or-nothing situation, not intermittent. Still, you can get cables cheap from monoprice.com and try a new one just to be sure.
     
  5. Sep 15, 2007 #5 of 6
    SEinOC

    SEinOC New Member

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    Apr 19, 2007
    This is a relatively new issue. I've been using my HD Tivo with my Sony Wega Plasma and sometime in the past two weeks this issue began to occur. It makes me think perhaps there was a change in how HDCP was negotiated by the Tivo. I've spoken with Sony and they state that all TVs manufactured by them with HDMI do support HDCP. This is a real pain since it was working fine for quite some time and only recently stopped. I've tried the suggestion on the Tivo site to unplug both ends and replug, I've reset the Tivo and disconnected power from the TV as well as tried a new HDMI cable with 0 success so far. My carrier is Cox. The common thread seems to be Sony and Tivo. Any others with this issue?

    I'm hoping Tivo support will have some suggestions.
     
  6. Sep 16, 2007 #6 of 6
    MarkG441

    MarkG441 New Member

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    Sep 8, 2007
    New York, NY
    Now that you mention it, I omitted that detail from my original posting, since it's actually been a while since I purchased the HD Tivo. When I first connected the Tivo to the WEGA I also was able to access some channels with HDMI connection that I no longer can.

    Similarly, even now, when I first get to one of these blocked stations, I sometimes get 5-10 seconds of signal (ie, visible picture and sound) BEFORE the screen goes black and the error message appears.
     

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