10.1 What type of video outputs do consumer electronics HD DVD video players offer?
10.2 What issues are raised when playing commercial HD DVD movies over analog and digital video connections?
10.3 What is HDMI?
10.4 What is HDCP?
What type of video outputs do consumer electronics HD DVD video players offer?
Typical HD DVD consumer electronics (CE) video players offer analog (e.g. component, S-Video, composite) as well as digital (e.g. HDMI, DVI) video outputs.
What issues are raised when playing commercial HD DVD movies over analog and digital video connections?
Digital Video Connections Almost all commercial HD DVD movie discs are encrypted by the Advanced Access Content System (AACS), designed to deter unauthorized copying. AACS allows an HD DVD device to transmit video over a digital interface (HDMI, DVI) only if it implements High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP), which is an encryption system to prevent making perfect duplicates by intercepting the digital signal. As of today, most televisions, monitors and video cards do not support HDCP. HD DVD devices and computers, therefore, will often use analog connections (from which, of course, copies can more easily be made).
By way of background, United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations [47 CFR 15.123. 2005] specify dates by which certain percentages of new HD (720p/1080i) televisions marketed as “digital cable ready” must incorporate either HDMI or DVI interfaces equipped with HDCP (see chart).
Percentage of New U.S. HD Digital Cable-Ready Televisions Required to Incorporate HDMI or DVI with HDCP
| FCC Regulation Compliance Date | Television Screen Size 13″-24″ | Television Screen Size 25″-35″ | Television Screen Size 36″+ |
| July 1, 2004 | — | — | 50% |
| July 1, 2005 | — | 50% | 100% |
| July 1, 2006 | — | 100% | — |
| July 1, 2007 | 100% | — | — |
In Europe, HD (720p/1080i) capable devices conforming to the European Information, Communications & Consumer Electronics Technology Industry Association’s (EICTA) “HD TV” and “HD Ready” requirements must also incorporate either HDMI or DVI interfaces outfitted with HDCP.
Analog Video Connections
As of now, it should be possible to view many commercial HD DVD movies at full resolution on televisions (or other displays) using analog composite (RF, composite, S-Video), component (YUV, YPbPr and Y,R-Y,B-Y) or computer (VGA, SVGA, XGA, SXGA, UXGA) video connections. In practice, HD DVD consumer electronics (CE) video players may limit 480p and higher resolutions to only component connection output. However, some current and future movie releases may be designed to force HD DVD playback devices to significantly downgrade image quality. Eventually, new HD DVD equipment will be designed to make it impossible to play commercial content over their analog video connections.
To make it less attractive to use analog connections for copying, AACS incorporates an Image Constraint Token (ICT). If this feature is employed when the movie disc is mastered the ICT will instruct an HD DVD playback device to reduce its video image quality to 960×540 (by e.g. discarding, dithering or averaging pixels, etc.) if connected through its analog outputs. But, because so many existing devices must use their analog connections, it is expected that most commercial movies will not resort to the ICT restriction. Be aware, however, that not all content publishers may decide to follow this practice. The future therefore is uncertain. At present, movies are required to disclose, either on their packages or at point of sale, if they trigger the ICT.
Part of AACS’s collection of features, as well, is a Digital Only Token (DOT). To further remove the possibility of analog copying the DOT functions somewhat like the ICT but instead instructs the HD DVD playback device to transmit through only its (HDCP protected) digital outputs. Initially, AACS license agreements prevent content publishers from utilizing the DOT but all HD DVD playback devices must still be able to enforce the restriction in the event it is eventually permitted. At this early stage in the market, it is unclear the terms under which this might happen.
Beyond the ICT and DOT, AACS license agreements also implement “analog sunset” clauses that will eventually cripple and ultimately prevent new HD DVD playback devices from transmitting commercial HD DVD movies over their analog connections (see chart).
Advanced Access Content System (AACS)
Analog Sunset Requirements
| Sunset Date | Requirements |
| Dec. 31, 2010 | New playback devices limit analog outputs to standard definition (SD) interlace modes only (composite, S-Video, 480i component, 576i component TBD) |
| Dec. 31, 2011 | Existing playback devices limit analog outputs to standard definition (SD) interlace modes only (composite, S-Video, 480i component, 576i component TBD) |
| Dec. 31, 2013 | No analog outputs permitted |
What is HDMI?
First appearing at the end of 2002, the High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) is a high bandwidth digital interface designed to connect together devices such as HD DVD, Blu-ray Disc (BD) and DVD players as well as camcorders, game consoles, set-top boxes, A/V receivers, digital televisions and home theater projectors. It carries uncompressed high-definition (HD) video, compressed or uncompressed multi-channel audio and optional control information using a single cable (up to 15 m in length). HDMI is backward compatible with the Digital Visual Interface (DVI) by means of a converter or adapter, but with the loss of control information and the need for separate audio connection (DVI carries only video signals).
Since its release in December 2002 (version 1.0), HDMI has been upgraded several times to add new features (v. 1.1 in May 2004, v. 1.2 in Aug. 2005, v. 1.2a in Dec. 2005, v. 1.3 in June 2006, v. 1.3a in Nov. 2006). Initial products incorporating the latest major change (v. 1.3) began appearing at the end of 2006. Among its advancements are greater bandwidth (10.2 Gbps compared to 4.95 Gbps), deep color (30/36/48-bit RGB or YcbCr compared to 24-bit), broader color space (xvYCC) and the ability to carry HD DVD’s lossless compressed digital audio formats (Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio).
Developed by Hitachi, Matsushita, Philips, Sony, Thomson, Toshiba and Silicon Image, the HDMI specification is administered and promoted by HDMI Licensing, LLC.
What is HDCP?
High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) is an encryption technology designed to protect audio and video signals from being copied when they are transmitted across High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), Digital Visual Interface (DVI) and DisplayPort connections.
Developed by Intel and Silicon Image in 1999, the HDCP specification is administered and licensed by Digital Content Protection, LLC.