DisplayPort to support HDCP, too
By Thomas Ricker 
posted Jan 3rd 2007 8:39AM
posted Jan 3rd 2007 8:39AM
Analogix Semiconductor just announced its first receiver chip for the DisplayPort interconnect. Yeah, DisplayPort, the latest video interconnect standard which looks to replace HDMI, DVI, and even analog VGA connectors currently found in monitors, TVs, laptops and other portable consumer electronics. What's more, it's fully supported and even, preferred by the Video Electronics Standard Association (VESA) as a low power, low pin count, license-free video interconnect standard. The ANX9811 chip is now available to manufactures for sampling and, when paired with the company's existing ANX9801 transmitter, supports a full 10.8 Gbits/second data rate and WQXGA (2560×1600) resolution over a 15-meter cable. Fine. But the real news here is that the chips will support the DisplayPort 1.1 spec which was proposed in November and should be finalized by VESA in early 2007. The modified spec brings support for DisplayPorts own copy protection technology and now, finally, HDCP. It's not that we're big fans of HDCP or anything, but if we have to be saddled with wire-line encryption, let's choose one and be done with it, eh? Expect to hear more about DisplayPort at CES where Dell, HP, Lenovo, and Samsung will be laying out the interconnect's roadmap in an fractured industry love-fest. Still, like any good standard, you'll have choices: Intel's also pushing their UDI (Unified Display Interface) interconnect to replace both DVI and HDMI in PCs. If we're lucky, Adam Smith will grab the whole lot by the throat to shake out a unified standard before the decade is up.
Seriously, can we just get ONE interconnect standard and be done with it?!? One connection that works well with both PCs/monitors and TVs/DVD players. Let's keep it simple!
Like DVI/HDMI?
#1 - amen. I don't even have any devices that support HDMI yet and the industry is already planning on moving on the next thing.
Remember the good old days when you would screw the antenna connectors on to the back of your tv? those were good times.
I here you. As a Christmas present I bought an upscale DVD player for my soon to be father in-law and it was the first device I purchased that has HDMI. I can't believe it is already "yesterday's technology".
"The modified spec brings support for DisplayPorts own copy protection technology"
Um, back up a minute there, industry...
Jesus, didn't HDMI *just* start getting to be "required"?
I guess a DisplayPort -> HDMI adapter will break the HDCP chain, too, huh? Because heaven help us if they let us actually USE last years HD/BD players with a new set.
Thanks alot Paranoid Industry Execs.
Why not make the damn cable standard, and have firmware upgradeable chipsets, so I dont have to replace my g*dd*amn television / dvd player everytime some Paranoid Industry Exec gets a bug up his @ss about copy protection?
Anyone know how that differs in specs to HDMI 1.3? Any more bandwidth, distance or resolution?
I would wager that there will be backward compatibility for the mess of interfaces that are currently available
HDMI 1.3 is very similar to DP (Display Port) in terms of overall performance features, color depth, resolution. HDMI is a packet based protocol (similar to PCI-Express) which allows for more features. One of which allows for re-broadcasting more easily over longer cables, many to one allowing for multiple panels on a single source to be managed easier. One thing this new blob did NOT mention is that most companies (including Analogix)supporting DP will have HDMI compatibility!. The connector is different, but with a dongle you will be able to hook up to your HDMI monitor using your DP source. This is a huge win for DP (Display Port)! I think the only way there going to make it as a standard it to have some backwards compatibility!. So
Just another cable that MONSTER can charge $140 for (or more).
At least this is license-free, unlike HDMI.
i went and looked up eich dee cee pee on wikipedia and linked to a firingsquad article. http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/ati_nvidia_hdcp_support
would it be too much to hope that what it actually means is a break in the chain? It would be hard to imagine that these cards can't decode h.264 since people have been watching h.264 on their computers for a while now. Of course if the optical drive in the pc demands authentification, then you're movies are going to suck, but everything else should be hunky dory.
fucking copy protection! drm'd shit is so inconsistent. some won't play on my ps2, and some won't play on the standalone dvd player. bloody shit industry!!!