Apple TV HDCP Issues Since Upgrade

[faroZ06]

I have a 3rd-gen Apple TV connected to an HDMI switch that has one output that goes to the TV after being converted to DVI. I tried watching Beverly Hills Cop in HD, and it worked fine. Then, I upgraded to the latest software, and I always get the HDCP error when I try to play the movie I rented, Napoleon Dynamite. It did work when I plugged it directly into the TV, but that would seriously hinder my setup. I don't see why that switch would trigger the HDCP thing. Wouldn't such a switch be completely useless? And it only has one output, so I couldn't use it to record video.

1. Could the update have done it? Or is it just because ND is a newer movie?
2. Is there a way to get around this? I tried turning the ATV on and off, but that didn't help. Changing the HDMI cable also did nothing. It was plugged in tightly.
3. RANT: WTF, I want to strangle whoever made this retarded HDCP thing. All it does is screw up people's HDTV setups! And the pirates get around it anyway!

 

[S.B.G]

I have a 3rd-gen Apple TV connected to an HDMI switch that has one output that goes to the TV after being converted to DVI. I tried watching Beverly Hills Cop in HD, and it worked fine. Then, I upgraded to the latest software, and I always get the DHCP error when I try to play the movie I rented, Napoleon Dynamite. It did work when I plugged it directly into the TV, but that would seriously hinder my setup. I don't see why that switch would trigger the HDCP thing. Wouldn't such a switch be completely useless? And it only has one output, so I couldn't use it to record video.

1. Could the update have done it? Or is it just because ND is a newer movie?
2. Is there a way to get around this? I tried turning the ATV on and off, but that didn't help. Changing the HDMI cable also did nothing. It was plugged in tightly.
3. RANT: WTF, I want to strangle whoever made this retarded DHCP thing. All it does is screw up people's HDTV setups! And the pirates get around it anyway!

1. Not likely the movie
2. Have you tried resetting the network settings?
3. DHCP is a very common protocol found on all network/Internet capable devices. If it bothers you, you can set you network up in a static configuration; manually assigning IP's to all your network devices.

 

[waw74]

HDCP not DHCP - 2 very different things with very similar acronyms

 

[roidy]

I suspect the op is actually refering to HDCP and not DHCP the former being High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection and the latter being Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. Two very different things.

Oh, someone beat me to that conclusion

 

[faroZ06]

1. Not likely the movie
2. Have you tried resetting the network settings?
3. DHCP is a very common protocol found on all network/Internet capable devices. If it bothers you, you can set you network up in a static configuration; manually assigning IP's to all your network devices.

Oops, typo. I meant to say "HDCP". I'm too used to "DHCP". Yeah, I'm not upset at the guy who made DHCP at all.

 

[S.B.G]

Oops, typo. I meant to say "HDCP". I'm too used to "DHCP".

Okay, no worries.
I'm not able to help then with this, since I don't know anything about that other acronym.

 

[steve-p]

3. RANT: WTF, I want to strangle whoever made this retarded HDCP thing. All it does is screw up people's HDTV setups! And the pirates get around it anyway!

Ain't that the truth.

Did you try unplugging everything from mains power including the TV and the HDMI switch? Then power the TV on first, then the switch, then ATV. That has been known to help sometimes but equally there are sometimes issues with incompatibility in implementation.

I was never able to rent iTunes movies on ATV because of this issue even though the TV was only a year old, fully supported HDCP, and worked perfectly with two other HDCP sources. When I replaced the TV with a new one of the same make, it worked perfectly, so it was something weird specifically with the TV and ATV not working properly together, but the culprit could have been either end I guess.

 

[faroZ06]

Ain't that the truth.

Did you try unplugging everything from mains power including the TV and the HDMI switch? Then power the TV on first, then the switch, then ATV. That has been known to help sometimes but equally there are sometimes issues with incompatibility in implementation.

I was never able to rent iTunes movies on ATV because of this issue even though the TV was only a year old, fully supported HDCP, and worked perfectly with two other HDCP sources. When I replaced the TV with a new one of the same make, it worked perfectly, so it was something weird specifically with the TV and ATV not working properly together, but the culprit could have been either end I guess.

I didn't try turning the TV off then on. I can't cycle the TV power too frequently, so I have to wait 20 minutes after I turn it off to turn it on again. But since it's off now, I'll see if it works next time I want to watch a movie. The fact that it worked with another movie suggests that it's somehow the update's fault. I get the impression that HDCP is unreliable and unpredictable.

 

[waw74]

not sure if this will help, if you're using ethernet, try unplugging and going wireless.
There have been a lot of posts in the forums saying the new update has strange issues when wired, but works great wireless.

 

[shankara7]

Having the same msg when I play podcast music over airplay, something about the HDMI cable to be connected properly on 2nd gen. AppleTv. Started after the recent update. Hitting the menu button on remote and pressing play again on iPhone gets it working till the next day.

 

[faroZ06]

not sure if this will help, if you're using ethernet, try unplugging and going wireless.
There have been a lot of posts in the forums saying the new update has strange issues when wired, but works great wireless.

I've been on wired the whole time. My Apple TV is in an area with bad wifi connection due to interference with the wifi frequencies. It hardly ever works.

At this point, I'm trying to ignore the problem and just get an HDCP stripper. I don't care if I have to buy some illegal box from China, but I want to get rid of this BS.

EDIT: Actually, I found a box that I think will work: http://amzn.com/dp/B0033039BG/ref=a...iveASIN=B0033039BG&adid=1QBJYRCJYH4JWM88WZPA&