HDCP 2.0 Supports New Digital and Wireless Interfaces

Digital Content Protection LLC (DCP) announced that High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP), a technology that protects content between a digital set-top box, digital video recorder or Blu-ray disc player and a digital TV, is evolving to support a broader range of digital and wireless interfaces.

According to the statement, HDCP Revision 2.0 specifications provide backward compatibility for millions of HDMI/HDCP-enabled consumer devices while accommodating new wireless interfaces such as WirelessHD technology

For more information visit: www.digital-cp.com


Unedited press release follows:

HDCP Technology Evolves to Protect Premium Entertainment Content across a Broad Range of New Digital and Wireless Interfaces

HDCP Revision 2.0 Specifications Provide Backward Compatibility for Millions of HDMI/HDCP-Enabled Consumer Devices While Accommodating New Wireless Interfaces Such as WirelessHD Technology

BEAVERTON, Ore.–High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP), a technology that protects premium entertainment content between a digital set-top box, digital video recorder or Blu-ray disc player and a digital TV, is evolving to support a broader range of digital and wireless interfaces. HDCP provides a robust, cost-effective and transparent method for transmitting and receiving digital entertainment content to digital displays for billions of existing HDMI/HDCP-enabled interfaces in today’s homes.

“Consumers are clamoring for high-definition formats, and worldwide HDTV sales are skyrocketing, with 256 million homes expected to have at least one HDTV by 2010,” explained Stephen Balogh, President of DCP LLC. “HDCP revision 2.0 supports wireless transmission of compressed and uncompressed HD content, providing new home theater networking scenarios with a widely accepted content protection technology.”

One of the first new wireless interfaces addressed by the HDCP revision 2.0 specifications is WirelessHD, a standards-based 60 GHz technology that will enable HDTVs, PCs and portable devices to display, share and instantaneously transmit large multi-gigabyte media files among a variety of devices. Digital Content Protection LLC (DCP), the organization that licenses HDCP, recently published the HDCP revision 2.0 document entitled, “Mapping HDCP to WirelessHD.” Additional HDCP revision 2.0 specifications for specific implementations will follow in the months ahead.

“The combination of ubiquitous HDCP with Wireless HD technology will enable compatibility of new WirelessHD-enabled consumer electronics products with billions of HDMI/HDCP-enabled interfaces already present in consumer homes,” said John Marshall, President and Chairman of the WirelessHD Consortium. “HDCP support is a key enabler in accelerating the adoption of WirelessHD technology and essential to fulfilling its promise as an unmatched wireless home entertainment experience.”

The HDCP revision 2.0 specifications address emerging usage models that let end users conveniently connect displays, devices and home theater systems via standard protocols and interfaces like TCP/IP, USB, Wi-Fi and WirelessHD. HDCP revision 2.0 uses standards-based RSA public-key and AES 128 encryption for robust content protection.

Additionally, these new HDCP specifications are designed to enable seamless integration with other HDCP implementations over interfaces like DisplayPort and HDMI through the use of converters. This backwards compatibility is an important consideration for consumers, who use billions of HDCP-enabled interfaces in their homes and businesses and want to combine them seamlessly with new wireless devices.

The new HDCP revision 2.0 specifications also provide simplified key provisioning for source devices, a benefit for technology developers, as well as device pairing and locality checks. Developed by Intel Corporation, HDCP was adopted rapidly by the consumer electronics industry and has become the premier content protection solution for wired digital interfaces from source to display. To date, more than 2 billion HDCP device keys have been shipped.

HDCP has broad industry support from the major players in the digital entertainment value chain, including motion picture studios and media companies such as Sony Pictures Entertainment, Universal Pictures, The Walt Disney Company, and Warner Bros. Entertainment.

“By providing a secure connection for premium quality high-definition content for digital TVs, HDCP provides an important link that opens up exciting new home entertainment choices for consumers,” stated Mitch Singer, Chief Technology Officer of Sony Pictures Entertainment.

“Technologies such as HDCP are important to providing consumers access to premium entertainment,” said Joseph Cates, Senior Vice President of Technology at Universal Pictures. “As home theater networks become more sophisticated and technology evolves, HDCP needs to encompass more digital and wireless interfaces.”

“The evolution of HDCP technology is instrumental in providing the premium high-definition entertainment consumers want with their new digital TVs,” said Darcy Antonellis, President of Technical Operations for Warner Bros. Entertainment. “We expect wired and wireless solutions to coexist in home theater networking scenarios for the foreseeable future, so HDCP backwards compatibility is key to advancing the home entertainment environment.”

“Broadly adopted wired and wireless connections, such as HDMI and WiHD using HDCP, are important elements of a high quality digital content delivery environment – better access for consumers, and easier to use,” said Bob Lambert, Senior Vice President of Technology Strategy for The Walt Disney Company.

About DCP LLC
Digital Content Protection LLC (DCP) is an organization that licenses technologies for protecting premium commercial entertainment content. High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) is a specification developed by Intel Corporation to protect digital entertainment content across the DVI/HDMI interface. The HDCP specification provides a robust, cost-effective and transparent method for transmitting and receiving digital entertainment content to DVI/HDMI-compliant digital displays. For more information about licensing HDCP technology, visit the Web site at http://www.digital-cp.com/licensing.