STOP! Don’t Let HDCP Errors Ruin Your Movie Night - Learn How to Fix Them NOW!

How many times have you settled down with a big bowl of popcorn and your favorite movie, only to be met with a frustrating HDCP error message? It’s a common problem, but many people don’t know what it is or how to fix it. In this article, we’ll explain what HDCP is, why it can cause errors, and how to fix them so you can get back to enjoying your movie night.

What is HDCP?

HDCP stands for High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection. Essentially, it’s a form of copy protection used by devices like Blu-ray players, gaming consoles, and streaming devices to prevent unauthorized copying of digital content. When HDCP is active, it encrypts the content being transmitted between devices, making it impossible to intercept or copy.

Why Do HDCP Errors Occur?

HDCP errors can occur for a variety of reasons, but most commonly, it’s due to compatibility issues between devices. If you’re trying to play content on a device that doesn’t support HDCP, or if the devices involved are using different versions of HDCP, you may encounter an error message.

How to Fix HDCP Errors

Now that you know what HDCP is and why errors can occur, let’s discuss how to fix them. Below are some tips to help you troubleshoot and resolve HDCP errors.

Tip #1: Check Your Cables

The first and easiest step to take when encountering an HDCP error is to check your cables. Make sure all cables are securely connected and not damaged. Try swapping out cables to see if that resolves the issue.

Tip #2: Update Your Firmware

If your devices aren’t using the latest firmware, you may encounter HDCP errors. Check the manufacturer’s website for the latest firmware updates for your devices and install them.

Tip #3: Disable HDCP

If you’re still experiencing HDCP errors, you may need to disable HDCP on one or more of your devices. Keep in mind that disabling HDCP could cause other issues, such as not being able to play certain content. Check your device’s user manual or contact the manufacturer for instructions on how to disable HDCP.

Tip #4: Try a Different Device

If all else fails, try using a different device to play your content. If your Blu-ray player isn’t working, try streaming the same movie on a different device like a laptop or gaming console.

Don’t Let HDCP Errors Ruin Your Movie Night

Now that you know what HDCP is and how to fix errors, don’t let them ruin your movie night. Follow these tips to troubleshoot and resolve HDCP errors, so you can get back to enjoying your favorite movies and TV shows.

High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) is an anti-piracy protocol that some HDMI devices honor. It’s a cable standard that’s put into place to prevent piracy. It can, however, interrupt signals even in otherwise innocuous situations.

  • ERROR: NON-HDCP OUTPUTHDCP ERROR

However, given the way the HDCP standard works, you may be able to bypass this problem.

Causes of HDCP Errors

HDCP is a type of Digital Rights Management encoding intended to prevent piracy by providing an encrypted tunnel between an output device (like the Blu-ray player or Chromecast) and the receiving end (for example, the HDTV or media center).

This information applies to televisions from a variety of manufacturers, including, but not limited to, those made by LG, Samsung, Panasonic, Sony, and Vizio.

Just as DRM stops someone from sharing downloaded movies from iTunes unless the computer playing it has been authorized by the account that bought it, HDCP devices only work if other cables and devices within the setup are also HDCP compliant. In theory, you cannot insert a recording device between the Blu-ray player or Chromecast to make an illicit copy of the content.

In other words, if one device or cable isn’t HDCP compliant, you get an HDCP error. This is true for cable boxes, the Roku Streaming Stick, audio-video receivers, and other modern high-def devices or players that interface with those devices.

How to Fix HDCP Errors

In general, you must either replace the hardware or use a special splitter. However, if your goal is to watch content, alternative sourcing methods might work, too.

  • Replace the hardware. The devices and cables must be HDCP compliant. If the problem is a cable or an intermediary device that you don’t use often or is cheaply replaced, then replacing the hardware solves the problem. If the problem relates to a major investment—like an old TV—then your costs correspondingly increase.
  • Insert an HDMI splitter. A splitter that ignores HDCP requests creates a pathway that’s immune to this error. Position the splitter between the output and input device. For example, if a Chromecast can’t connect to a TV because of HDCP errors, connect the Chromecast to the input port of the splitter and run a different HDMI cable from the splitter’s output port into the TV’s HDMI slot.
  • The request for the HDCP device (the TV, Blu-ray player, or another device) is no longer transferred from the sender (in this case, the Chromecast) because the splitter stops it from moving between the devices.
  • Two HDMI splitters that work for fixing HDCP errors are the ViewHD 2 Port 1x2 Powered HDMI Mini Splitter (VHD-1X2MN3D) and the CKITZE BG-520 HDMI 1x2 3D splitter 2 ports switches.
  • Use an alternative setup. If your goal is to watch specific streaming content, using a wireless solution like an iPad and AirPlay bypasses the HDCP hardware altogether.

Replace the hardware. The devices and cables must be HDCP compliant. If the problem is a cable or an intermediary device that you don’t use often or is cheaply replaced, then replacing the hardware solves the problem. If the problem relates to a major investment—like an old TV—then your costs correspondingly increase.

Insert an HDMI splitter. A splitter that ignores HDCP requests creates a pathway that’s immune to this error. Position the splitter between the output and input device. For example, if a Chromecast can’t connect to a TV because of HDCP errors, connect the Chromecast to the input port of the splitter and run a different HDMI cable from the splitter’s output port into the TV’s HDMI slot.

The request for the HDCP device (the TV, Blu-ray player, or another device) is no longer transferred from the sender (in this case, the Chromecast) because the splitter stops it from moving between the devices.

Two HDMI splitters that work for fixing HDCP errors are the ViewHD 2 Port 1x2 Powered HDMI Mini Splitter (VHD-1X2MN3D) and the CKITZE BG-520 HDMI 1x2 3D splitter 2 ports switches.

Use an alternative setup. If your goal is to watch specific streaming content, using a wireless solution like an iPad and AirPlay bypasses the HDCP hardware altogether.

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