# Directv2pc HDCP error message



## jammer0910 (Jan 24, 2007)

I am trying to get Directv2pc to work on my laptop and it will start and show all my recorded shows but will not play. 
When I used the install advisor, I got all green lights except network adapter (IEEE80211: Atheros AR5007 802.11b/g WiFi adapter) and it was yellow (upgrade). Right below that I have another Network adapter Ethernet: Realtek PCIe FE Family Controller which is green.
I installed the program and it seemed to work. I can see my List of recorded programs and can select any of them. When I try to play, I get about a second of video and then I get the following error message: "The video's audio is protected and requires an audio driver with HDCP support; changing the audio output to analog might allow audio playback."
Does anyone have any idea what this means and how I can fix it? I changed the audio output of the DVR from Dolby to analog and it didn't help.

I went to control panel > sound > playback and only found three devices. (I think there might have been another but I might have accidentally disabled it. Is there a way to find disabled devices?)

Speakers and Dual Headphones
IDT High Definition Audio CODEC
(Green check mark) Working

Independent Dual Headphones
IDT High Definition Audio CODEC
(red down arrow) Not plugged in

SPDIF (Digital Out via HP Dock)
IDT High Definition Audio CODEC
Working
I can't find anything that says analog.

My setup:
Directv HR21-700 DVR 
Microsoft® Windows Vista™ Home Premium Version 6.0.6002 Service Pack 2 Build 6002
Hewlett-Packard Model = HP Pavilion dv7 Notebook PC System Type x64-based PC Processor = AMD Turion X2 Dual-Core Mobile RM-72, 2100 Mhz, 2 Cores 2 Logical Processors
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) = 4.00 GB 
TV = Mitsubishi HD1080 (no HDMI input)
AV Rcvr = JVC Rx 6018v
Router = Netgear WNR2000
DVR is connected via wired ethernet to router.
Laptop is connected via WiFi to router.
Any help would sure be appreciated!
Thanks, John M.


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

This is answered here: http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=165127
Basically, you need to disable "SPDIF (Digital Out via HP Dock)
IDT High Definition Audio CODEC"
Or get a driver for it that supports HDCP.


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## taz291819 (Oct 19, 2006)

Technically, there aren't any drivers for spdif that supports HDCP, it isn't in the spec.

But you're right, disable the spdif port, and you should be fine.


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

taz291819 said:


> Technically, there aren't any drivers for spdif that supports HDCP, it isn't in the spec.
> 
> But you're right, disable the spdif port, and you should be fine.


This isn't correct. Realtek & VIA have them.
I've read about VIA's and use Realtek.


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## jammer0910 (Jan 24, 2007)

Thanks guys, I disabled the SPDIF and it works great.
Thanks again, John!!!


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## taz291819 (Oct 19, 2006)

veryoldschool said:


> This isn't correct. Realtek & VIA have them.
> I've read about VIA's and use Realtek.


HDCP is an encryption method/service, which can't be incorporated into SPDIF, because it isn't in the SPDIF spec to begin with.

HDCP is for DVI (optional), HDMI, DisplayPort, GVIF, and UDI connections.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-bandwidth_Digital_Content_Protection

This is the reason Directv2PC's restrictions of not allowing spdif output doesn't make any sense. Their STBs allow SPDIF output, so why is Directv2PC limited?

Directv is basically saying this:

1. For STBs, Dolby Digital is not treated as high-bandwidth digital audio. Which I agree with, as DVD players don't have any restrictions on DD or DTS output via spdif.

2. For Directv2PC, Dolby Digital is treated as high-bandwidth digital audio. Analog output or HDCP compliant HDMI is required.

Blu-Ray players don't even treat DD or DTS as high-bandwidth digital audio. DD+, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD, DTS HD MA obviously is.

I don't believe Directv did this intentionally, I think it's a software issue that has been overlooked, or the coders are too lazy to fix it properly.


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

taz291819 said:


> HDCP is an encryption method/service, which can't be incorporated into SPDIF, because it isn't in the SPDIF spec to begin with.
> 
> HDCP is for DVI (optional), HDMI, DisplayPort, GVIF, and UDI connections.
> 
> ...


Well however you want to look at it, if your driver supports HDCP, then you can use the digital output, or not have to disable it.
I know because I can use it.
Blu-ray may see the same issues, since VIA's newer chips have drivers that they say work with Blu-ray.
Realtek is used with many video cards that output HDMI [ATI for one] so this may be why they have added this support.
ADI, & C-media chips have been the ones that have been giving most of these errors, and for some reason they seem to not support, or cause the HDCP error.
I'm still not sure why you seem to think it can't be incorporated into the digital output driver/chip, when there are [at least] two makers that do.


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## taz291819 (Oct 19, 2006)

veryoldschool said:


> Well however you want to look at it, if your driver supports HDCP, then you can use the digital output, or not have to disable it.
> I know because I can use it.
> Blu-ray may see the same issues, since VIA's newer chips have drivers that they say work with Blu-ray.
> Realtek is used with many video cards that output HDMI [ATI for one] so this may be why they have added this support.
> ...


Heh heh, after reading your last post, we're talking about two different things, but agreeing on one thing. Yes, you can use a digital output, but only HDMI (with HDCP compliant drivers). You can't use digital spdif, it has to be disabled, even if it isn't the default device.

My Realtek drivers are HDCP compliant, for my HD2900XT. And I can use the HDMI output just fine for audio, but I always have to disable spdif output for it to work.


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

taz291819 said:


> Heh heh, after reading your last post, we're talking about two different things, but agreeing on one thing. Yes, you can use a digital output, but only HDMI (with HDCP compliant drivers). You can't use digital spdif, it has to be disabled, even if it isn't the default device.
> 
> My Realtek drivers are HDCP compliant, for my HD2900XT. And I can use the HDMI output just fine for audio, but I always have to disable spdif output for it to work.


Realtek drivers work for their digital output that isn't part of the HDMI output.
I've connected my coax [spdif] digital output straight to my AV amp and it's worked fine.


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## taz291819 (Oct 19, 2006)

veryoldschool said:


> Realtek drivers work for their digital output that isn't part of the HDMI output.
> I've connected my coax [spdif] digital output straight to my AV amp and it's worked fine.


Really?! The Realtek drivers for your soundcard (or onboard soundchip) are totally fooling Directv2PC, which is very cool. I don't know how much longer that'll work, for future revisions, as spdif used to work for me (very first beta build), but doesn't anymore.

Congrats on being able to use it, wish I could!


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

taz291819 said:


> Really?! The Realtek drivers for your soundcard (or onboard soundchip) are totally fooling Directv2PC, which is very cool. I don't know how much longer that'll work, for future revisions, as spdif used to work for me (very first beta build), but doesn't anymore.
> 
> Congrats on being able to use it, wish I could!


I have two motherboards with on board Realtek, one coax & the other optical.
As I've been trying to get across, if the drivers support HDCP, then you don't need to disable the output.
More chip makers may finally get their drivers to support this, since it does seem to be something coming that is more than just DirecTV2PC.


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## taz291819 (Oct 19, 2006)

veryoldschool said:


> I have two motherboards with on board Realtek, one coax & the other optical.
> As I've been trying to get across, if the drivers support HDCP, then you don't need to disable the output.
> More chip makers may finally get their drivers to support this, since it does seem to be something coming that is more than just DirecTV2PC.


Oh, I hear what you're saying, but it technically doesn't make any sense, as spdif doesn't do any type of handshaking via HDCP.

For instance, you could loop the spdif output from your motherboard to a spdif input, and record the audio bit-perfect, just as I can do the same from a Directv STB. Kind of defeats the purpose of HDCP protection, right?


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