The HDR allows you to either enable or disable HDCP for programmes that are broadcast without copy protection.

Is it best to enable or disable it? What difference will it make?

It might help, if u have the black screen issue when booting, like I have if the HDCP is disabled. See black screen thread.

Thanks. Hope I don't get that.

What's really puzzling me, though, is what advantage is there in having HDCP enabled?

If you disable HDCP you won't be able to watch or record any HD programmes as nearly all have High Definition Content Protection (HDCP) transmitted as a part of the signal.

Not true. I have it disabled and it has no effect on my viewing.

Enabling it only prevents copying of non protected viewing so there isnt a single valid reason for it to be checked as you are only prevented yourself from doing something.

Thanks. I'll disable it. It really ought to default to disabled.

Yeah its bad enough not being able to copy the protected HD stuff, I cant see why anyone would handicap themselves to prevent them from copying SD or non protected HD by choice.

I really do not understand this thread. HDCP only affects the HDMI connection. Since HD will only work with a HDCP compliant port turning it off would simply allow you to watch SD on a non HDCP compliant HDMI/DVI port. I can't imagine anyone connecting a foxsat-hdr to such a device as you could not watch any hd content anyway. It's nothing to do with the ability to archive SD or HD. Irrespective of this setting HD is encrypted (nothing to do with HDCP) and can't be archived and SD is not encrypted and can be archived.
It might be possible to watch BBC HD in non freesat mode on a non HDCP DVI or HDMI compliant device but I doubt anyone is using such a display with their foxsat.

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

As far as I'm concerned, I'll disable HDCP simply because I gain nothing by enabling it other than the possibility of experiencing the "black screen" problem. Or is there something I'm still missing?

Youre wrong, the manual states it is about copy protection, this ads copy protection to programs which are not sent with a copy protected flag.

IE you will be able to transfer these to the computer and copy/play them on another device. Enabling this prevents you from doing that.

btw Graeme, I have the same TV as you, have you got the HDMI control working on that TV?

No, he's not wrong.

Just try what you're saying (i.e. have it on and try to copy an SD programme off the box) and you'll see that you can do it.

HDCP is an HDMI thing as somsone said. It has nothing to do with humax/archiving/etc.

If you disable the HDCP by default it is still enabled again when you change to a channel which has "content management" signaling enabled. Thus by disabling it you are forcing the display to re-negotiate the HDMI connection and this could affect the time taken to display video when changing to a channel which has HDCP forced on. It is possible to disable it for those who are having issues with HDMI/HDCP negotiation.

Bob

Best would be to have it disabled at all times, thereby a) removing a menu item b) no hdmi renegotiation ever c) saving power by not using the crypto hardware d) not in any way making it easier for people to obtain perfect copies of a video stream that is *broadcast in clear*

I never said it's not about copy protection, you are confusing the requirement to stop copyrighted material being transferred from the Foxsat-hdr to an external device simply by removing the HDD. This is a specific requirement of a recording device like the foxsat. It's nothing to do with HDCP which is a anti copying measure used by all sources of HD copyright material eg Blueray players. It's a standard that only works with purely digital connections namely HDMI or it's soundless equivalent DVI and requires the sending end and recieving end to communicate with each other in a process known as handshaking. In effect the TV tells the Foxsat it's OK to send HD I am a TV not a digital recorder. Without this hanshake confirmation the Foxsat (or any other HDCP source) will refuse to deliver protected content.

The option on the TV you refer to is also nothing to do with HDCP (which you can't turn off, and if you could it would stop it working with the foxsat and my blueray player). It's simply a means of turning CEC on and off. CEC is a later addition to hdmi which allows suitably equipped devices like dvd players etc to control the TV giving functions like turning on the TV and selecting the right hdmi port. It's turned off on my TV as I have only 1 device that would work with it (A sony blueray player)

Hope this helps a little to unravel the confusion about HDCP

Just tried that and it does make a noticable difference switching between Alba and BBC HD. So there is something to be gained by enabling HDCP. Thanks Bob_Cat.

Now this does give me a dilemma, though. I have a Sony Bravia which has a "Smart" setting for what it does with 4:3 aspect ratio. This is a compromise between stretchy-vision and centre cut-out. The picture is stretched a little and some of the top and bottom is lost. Not exactly smart, but it's the settings we favour for 4:3 programmes. Now the thing is that the control only works on the HDMI input when it's receiving 576i (or 576p?) as anything else will always be 16:9. I had set the HDR's V-format to Orig so that I could use the control. That also causes HDMI to be renegotiated when switching to and from BBC HD. Now, I've seen how smooth the transition can be, I'll have to rethink. There's always SCART for 4:3 programmes. That also has the advantage of automatically switching the TV to the HDR, and automatically selecting "Smart" for 4:3 programmes. So maybe SCART normally, switch to HDMI 1080i when I tune to BBC HD and leave it there until I get stretchy-vision when I'll change back to the SCART input. Oh dear, so many choices, my poor brain.

Now, if only Humax would implement the "Smart" thing as a width option.... That's a hint, Bob_Cat. You could always call it "Dumb" to get around Sony's branding. It would be no less appropriate.

Incidentally, my reason for setting "Orig" on the HDR was the 4:3 issue, not SD PQ. One of my wife's first reactions to the HDR was that its SD PQ was better than that of the Technomate it replaced, and she's not normally that observant. I also noticed the difference. We thought the Technomate picture was good but, when we got it, the comparisaon was with analogue terrestrial. To my perception, the HDR's SD PQ is a little better on HDMI than SCART RGB, and I might be imagining things if I think I see a difference between 576i and 1080i for SD. In my opinion, the HDR's balance between smoothing and sharpness is just about right.

HDCP is there to stop viewing of protected material and thus the copying via a link further down the chain than the player, so you cannot view HD material without HDCP enabled.

When you play a HD file, every link in the playing process ie. the player, the cable and the tv all have to be HDCP compliant and negotiate a secure connection between themselves in order for the content to play. This is to stop you for example connecting a HDCP player to decode material and then sending it down a non protected cable to a copying machine and copying the HD that way.

If HDCP isn't negotiated by all the components in the link then either the content refuses to play or its disabled in some way - sometimes the resolution is reduced to SD or below, sometimes the picture or sound are interfered with eg lines, crackling or no sound.

I think Bob gave you your answer above as to why you can still play HD content without HDCP, you can't, its the player thats set up to automatically re-engage it when HDCP content is detected.