You may have heard when HD hits, and becomes the standard for broadcasting, that your low-rez TVs will be obsolete, unless you get some sort of adapter. That's not what this about; this is about the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.
If you you were one of the unfortunates who bought a HD or HD-ready TV that only accepts component (RGB) cables, you won't be able to use any HD video format. Why? Because the standard input and output for HD TVs and Blu-ray/HD-DVD players is over an HDMI cable which post-dates many HD TVs and projectors. There are no adapters to make the conversion made in this country. There is a German gizmo, that cost $400+, but even that may not get you there, because studios can make "smart disks" that change your firmware so it will your player rejects such interference.
This is all happening because the HDMI cable carries a copy-protection signal that component video does not. Is it legal to prevent adapters or players which will deliver HD on component? Most likely not. Experts think any court case would favor the user in this situation, and find these restrictions under Digital Millennium Copyright Act unlawful.
The problem is to find someone to prosecute. I'm actually going to write my congressman because it irks me so.
If you you were one of the unfortunates who bought a HD or HD-ready TV that only accepts component (RGB) cables, you won't be able to use any HD video format. Why? Because the standard input and output for HD TVs and Blu-ray/HD-DVD players is over an HDMI cable which post-dates many HD TVs and projectors. There are no adapters to make the conversion made in this country. There is a German gizmo, that cost $400+, but even that may not get you there, because studios can make "smart disks" that change your firmware so it will your player rejects such interference.
This is all happening because the HDMI cable carries a copy-protection signal that component video does not. Is it legal to prevent adapters or players which will deliver HD on component? Most likely not. Experts think any court case would favor the user in this situation, and find these restrictions under Digital Millennium Copyright Act unlawful.
The problem is to find someone to prosecute. I'm actually going to write my congressman because it irks me so.
