Hdcp Compatibility - Avocent Emerge MPX Installer/User Manual

10 MPX Extender Installer/User Guide

HDCP compatibility

High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) protects video content as it travels across
DVI-D or HDMI connections. Compliant devices do not allow users to make copies of protected
content and must effectively frustrate non-compliant attempts to view protected content.
For example, protected digital video content must be restricted to DVD quality when viewed on
non-HDCP display devices. Likewise, digital audio content is restricted to DAT quality on non-
HDCP digital audio output devices.
The following procedures ensure security for protected high definition content:
• Authentication: To identify non-compliant display devices
• Encryption: To prevent eavesdropping of protected content
• Key revocation: To block devices manufactured by vendors in violation of license agreements
from receiving HD content
MPX extenders serve as a repeater between compliant HDCP source and display devices. When all
display devices and the source device are HDCP compliant, high definition content will display
normally. HDCP special cases are handled as follows:
• When a new display device is added to the extension network, its key will be passed to the
source device for validation. The MPX transmitter will stop transmission of protected content
until the new display device is validated by the source device. The duration of this process may
last up to 15 seconds. The session will continue automatically upon successful authentication.
• In the event that a revoked key is detected, the session will terminate to all display devices. In
this case, the user will need to determine which display device is presenting a revoked key and
remove it from the extension network. Once removed, the MPX transmitter must be rebooted
to flush the key from its memory. At that point, the session should resume normally to all
compliant display devices.
• In the event that a display does not support HDCP, then the MPX receiver will not send
protected content to that display device. Unprotected analog audio will be processed normally
by the MPX receiver.
• The MPX receiver supports connection to compliant display devices. Connection to devices
such as an HDCP compliant switch, which may present multiple keys, is not supported. Should
this occur, the MPX receiver will refrain from sending video content to the device. Other
receivers in the extension network will not be affected.