News for hackers. Stuff that matters.

A comment on Netflix: Piracy is difficult to compete against and growing rapidly. Parent comment

Re:Netflix: Piracy is difficult to compete against and growi... by js2 on Sunday February 04, 2024 @11:22PM (#39257284)
There is no security inside the HDMI cable itself. It's an HDCP negotiation between the source and the sink which occurs over an i2c serial bus along the pair of DDC pins.

You may be able to get away with just an HDMI dummy plug:

https://www.amazon.com/4K-HDMI-Dummy-Plug-3840x2160/dp/B07FB...

I'm not sure if these dummy plugs handle HDCP. If not you can use one in combination with this splitter:

https://www.amazon.com/Splitter-l-b-y-Vision-Atmos-Scaler/dp...

I own this splitter and know for a fact that it handles the HDCP negotiation. But I think it needs a display attached.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Netflix: Piracy is difficult to compete against and growi... by esperent on Monday February 05, 2024 @01:42AM (#39258056)
> You may be able to get away with just an HDMI dummy plug

Or, you can just pirate it and not have to put up with any of this BS.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Netflix: Piracy is difficult to compete against and growi... by walteweiss on Monday February 05, 2024 @02:05AM (#39258177)
What is an HDMI dummy plug? I read the description, but didn’t get it. What does it do?
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Netflix: Piracy is difficult to compete against and growi... by js2 on Monday February 05, 2024 @02:17AM (#39258250)
It makes the source think there is a display connected by responding with an EDID block. It may also handle the HDCP negotiation but I'm not sure about that. Technically an unlicensed device isn't supposed to be able to implement HDCP so while the Chinese manufacturers are totally willing to skirt around that, they also don't go advertising it.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Netflix: Piracy is difficult to compete against and growi... by walteweiss on Monday February 05, 2024 @11:37AM (#39263130)
But why would one need it? I don’t get get idea behind it, what’s with me having a fake extra display? Is it somehow tricks the DRM or what?
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Netflix: Piracy is difficult to compete against and growi... by js2 on Monday February 05, 2024 @01:15PM (#39264572)
The primary use case I'm aware is for headless computing.

Re-reading what ladzoppelin wrote, I made an assumption that was probably incorrect. I thought they were saying that having an HDCP-compliant TV attached allowed them to watch DRM-protected content on their non-HDCP-compliant primary display. But in retrospect, probably they are watching the DRM content on the TV.

In that case they don't need an HDMI dummy plug at all. They could instead use the splitter I linked between their computer and the non-HDCP compliant display (assuming it's connected over HDMI and not DisplayPort) to fool their computer into thinking the display is HDCP-compliant. Then they can play the DRM content on either their primary display or the TV.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Netflix: Piracy is difficult to compete against and growi... by walteweiss on Tuesday February 06, 2024 @08:16AM (#39273865)
Thank you for your explanations!
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Netflix: Piracy is difficult to compete against and growi... by jasomill on Monday February 05, 2024 @02:20AM (#39258263)
The GP was trying to play back Amazon DRM content via AirPlay, so HDMI/HDCP should only be relevant to the "last-mile" connection between the AirPlay receiver and an external display (so, if the receiver is a Mac laptop's internal display or a smart TV, not at all).

AFAIK, DRM video playback over AirPlay only works from within iOS apps that explicitly support AirPlay[1], not via generic iOS/macOS screen mirroring.

[1] https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204289#iOS

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Netflix: Piracy is difficult to compete against and growi... by js2 on Monday February 05, 2024 @02:37AM (#39258339)
That's true but my reply was solely to ladzoppelin where they seem to need to have an HDCP-compliant display connected. I was just offering an option besides a 25 ft HDMI cable.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Netflix: Piracy is difficult to compete against and growi... by offices on Monday February 05, 2024 @07:40AM (#39260627)
If the DRM means you need a workaround, it's a DRM issue.
[ Parent | on HN ]