wwenze
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- Dec 2, 2002
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I needed something to strip the HDCP of PS3.
A lot of internet people have mentioned using a splitter - this is an advice that goes way back, and even back then it wasn't very reliable because not all HDMI splitters will do this.
Like for example this guide here:
https://www.tweaking4all.com/home-theatre/remove-hdcp-hdmi-signal/
So I bought one to try my luck. Cheapest generic one which you will see the photo of later in this post. It didn't work.
A few months later, I revisited the issue, and while Googling I came across by chance the keyword that changed everything: "teardown"
Because you see, teardowns are usually done by people with some amount of knowledge. So I actually get to learn what is happening, and also avoid wasting time on guides that say "to bypass HDCP, turn off HDCP in your PS4 or source equipment". (genius.jpg)
Anyway, searching the teardowns reveals some critical info:
- It is said that older splitters tend to work and newer ones tend not to
- The older splitters use a 2-chip design, consisting of a HDMI receiver and a HDMI repeater / splitter.
Like these examples here:
Older unit #1: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/teardown-portta-hdmi-splitter/
Older unit #2: http://goughlui.com/2015/04/27/teardown-analysis-unbranded-metal-case-hdmi-2-port-splitter/
- And products using this configuration tend not to have HDCP on the output because of the difficulty in configuring it to work
- Newer splitters use a 1-chip design, like these ones:
Newer unit #1: http://goughlui.com/2015/05/05/teardown-analysis-unbranded-plastic-case-hdmi-2-port-splitter/
Newer unit #2: https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/news/teardown-tuesday-ultra-high-definition-hdmi-splitter-amuoc/
The unit I have, the enclosure is same as the first one, but the PCB is closer to the second one.
- A single-chip solution containing both the receiver and the splitter makes it easier to get HDCP working the way it should, and that is why the newer units including mine do have HDCP working properly.
So is this the end of the road? Not really.
- Newer unit #1 is reported to strip HDCP
- Newer unit #2... unknown
My unit is closer to newer unit #2 in layout and that both my unit and newer unit #2 have the additional 8-pin IC (labelled EEPROM in newer unit #2) while newer unit #1 does not have this IC. Yet newer unit #1 works. So the EEPROM is optional for basic functionality.
And... newer unit #1 has no EEPROM... and it strips HDCP, my unit has EEPROM... and it has HDCP...
Link the pieces together...
And the IC is removed from the board.
Tested it... and... yes, it works.
A lot of internet people have mentioned using a splitter - this is an advice that goes way back, and even back then it wasn't very reliable because not all HDMI splitters will do this.
Like for example this guide here:
https://www.tweaking4all.com/home-theatre/remove-hdcp-hdmi-signal/
HDMI Splitters that have been reported to strip HDCP
These are NOT guaranteed to work!
Manufacturers change hardware all the time, so this “feature” might not work with newer models or revisions! HDMI 1.4 (and newer) devices will most likely not work! I highly recommend, definitely at Amazon, to read the most recent customer comments carefully!
Some splitters need to have the HDMI cables connected BEFORE you power them on!
Below a list with splitters that have been reported to actually strip HDCP.
etc etc etc
So I bought one to try my luck. Cheapest generic one which you will see the photo of later in this post. It didn't work.
A few months later, I revisited the issue, and while Googling I came across by chance the keyword that changed everything: "teardown"
Because you see, teardowns are usually done by people with some amount of knowledge. So I actually get to learn what is happening, and also avoid wasting time on guides that say "to bypass HDCP, turn off HDCP in your PS4 or source equipment". (genius.jpg)
Anyway, searching the teardowns reveals some critical info:
- It is said that older splitters tend to work and newer ones tend not to
- The older splitters use a 2-chip design, consisting of a HDMI receiver and a HDMI repeater / splitter.
Like these examples here:
Older unit #1: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/teardown-portta-hdmi-splitter/
Older unit #2: http://goughlui.com/2015/04/27/teardown-analysis-unbranded-metal-case-hdmi-2-port-splitter/
- And products using this configuration tend not to have HDCP on the output because of the difficulty in configuring it to work
- Newer splitters use a 1-chip design, like these ones:
Newer unit #1: http://goughlui.com/2015/05/05/teardown-analysis-unbranded-plastic-case-hdmi-2-port-splitter/
Newer unit #2: https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/news/teardown-tuesday-ultra-high-definition-hdmi-splitter-amuoc/
The unit I have, the enclosure is same as the first one, but the PCB is closer to the second one.
- A single-chip solution containing both the receiver and the splitter makes it easier to get HDCP working the way it should, and that is why the newer units including mine do have HDCP working properly.
So is this the end of the road? Not really.
- Newer unit #1 is reported to strip HDCP
- Newer unit #2... unknown
My unit is closer to newer unit #2 in layout and that both my unit and newer unit #2 have the additional 8-pin IC (labelled EEPROM in newer unit #2) while newer unit #1 does not have this IC. Yet newer unit #1 works. So the EEPROM is optional for basic functionality.
And... newer unit #1 has no EEPROM... and it strips HDCP, my unit has EEPROM... and it has HDCP...
Link the pieces together...
And the IC is removed from the board.
Tested it... and... yes, it works.