DPCP blocks MacBook movie playback

Stephen Withers
Friday, 21 November 2008 02:45

Opinion and Analysis

Owners of new MacBooks are crying foul over a feature that blocks the use of many external displays for watching movies.

Current model MacBooks and MacBook Pros feature a DisplayPort video connector for hooking up external screens and projectors. That's no problem for normal use - the fun and games start when owners attempt to play copy-protected high-definition videos.

DPCP (DisplayPort Copy Protection) and the related HDCP (High Definition Copy Protection) were designed to prevent protected content from being intercepted as it passes between the source and destination devices, such as Blu-ray players or computers, and high-definition TVs or computer displays.

If the destination device doesn't handshake with the source - most likely because it is an older model that doesn't support the standard - the source won't send the content.

And that's what's happening when people try to play at least some HD movies they've obtained from the iTunes Store.

If a MacBook is connected to an Apple Cinema Display (which sounds like it should be ideal for watching movies), trying to play a HDCP afflicted movie results in a message saying "This movie cannot be played because a display that is not authorized to play protected movies is connected."

Users are reporting that this is occurring with both rented and purchased movies.

What can be done? Please read on.