Yesterday I was checking online new monitors and gpus (and their impossible prices), when I read that the "new" HDMI and Displayport cables implement hardware DRM.

WTF? I'm still using VGA\DVI on my old monitor, so I didn't know much about the new tech.

This seems horrible: has anyone had problems with such cables on PC?
What can they block exactly? O_o

Not sure about DisplayPort, but the HDMI standard supports the use of HDCP encryption. To support HDCP encryption, a display unit has to be "licensed". A "licensed" receiver is able to communicate with HDCP implementations on the transmitter, so that any data sent from the transmitter (console, Bluray player, PC etc.) can only be played back on that receiver.

What this in effect means is that:

(a) Because the data stream is encrypted, you cannot simply put another device between the TV/monitor and output device, as the image data is just garbage without the corresponding decryption key.
(b) An application on the output device can mandate that the TV/monitor must be "licensed", which means that this content will not play on an "unlicensed" display device. Media capture devices for instance will not be granted a licence.

A HDMI data stream is not in and of itself encrypted. On the PS4, for instance, you can switch off HDCP to connect a capture device and record gameplay, but that will not allow you to watch DVDs or Blurays.

HDCP 2.2 requires a special standardised chip for the encryption/decryption process, that's what's meant by hardware level.

Sounds like the whole DVD player thing all over again where the video would be crap if you MIGHT Be able to record movies onto VHS tapes...

Damn i hated that crap...

HDCP has been a part of HDMI cables since they're inception. Whats the point of putting DRM onto a physical disc if the display equipment lets you bypass it.

From what I understand, you're not actually stopped from, say, playing a Blu-ray disc on your system, but if you don't have HDCP compliant hardware across the full stream, it will downgrade the output to lower quality video.

This is s**t, but basically it would just block those who try to record BDs or protected apps, right? (who I'm sure will find a solution anyway)
Could it affect normal users in any way?
I don't know, for example: recording games, taking screenshots, using old hardware versions, etc..

Displayport could be even worse, but I think it's needed for high resolutions and G-synch.

. Well, that kills the point of a BD though.

Not if you have HDCP compliant hardware.

HDCP has been around for a decade or more so it's not a big surprise or anything. For the most part it is fairly irrelevant though if one uses the right software and simply bypasses ever needing to care about HDCP entirely though. Most open source software applications for video playback for example completely don't care about all of that stuff and let you use your hardware without having to think or care about HDCP.

HDCP is more or less just another example where the honest citizen gets screwed by their hardware by using "approved" vendor supplied stuff.

All this is an oversimplification of things mind you, but I've never been impacted by HDCP and I don't know a single person who has so it's nothing to really be too concerned about, at least for me anyway. :)

Nonsense like this is the reason why we need a DRM-free movie store.

This feels like Intel TPM and SGX.. they're now harmless, but what could happen when they'll be spread enough? (also with Win10)
I've read that HDCP 2.2 is already incompatible with older versions.
I hate software DRM, so imagine the hardware ones..

It would be quite nice, but it wont happen here on GOG.com, at least not for mainstream movies with regional distribution rights split across multiple parties per region like almost every movie ever made. Maybe in the future some other company will spring up to offer DRM-free movies that isn't bound by a premade set of expectations of their existing video game customer base though. It could happen...

TPM has been broken for a while, just more security theatre. Not familiar with SGX.

I'm not too worried about hardware or software restrictions really though. Life has shown that whenever companies put up boundaries, restrictions and limitations, someone else will create solutions to route around it. :)

I heard that TPM2 is less broken, though.
About SGX, check some articles
Luckly, I think I avoided both (for now).

For software maybe yes, but for hardware.. only a few experts will manage to do it.

It's been a while since I saw the details of the flaws in TPM and how to subvert it so I can't recall if that covers TPM2 or not. Basically presentations from one or more of the major security confs (Defcon/Blackhat/CCC/etc.) within the last few years some time.

Even when companies make arguably secure protocols etc. though they often end up falling apart eventually in the wild due to flaws in implementation. That's ultimately how DVD encryption was compromised eventually for example, as well as SMM, TPM, and many other technologies. They're not always bust open the day they become available of course, so they may provide some kind of value for a certain time frame before they fall apart. The same is true for both hardware and software mechanisms.

Thanks, I'll have to investigate SGX, I haven't heard of it that I recall but I haven't been following that sort of thing closely for a while either.

It only takes one.

Not if the solution requires manually modifying the hardware or similar things.
If it were just an external device, it depends if it would be legal to sell it.

Oh, I was meaning bypassing hardware by modifying the software mainly. Yeah, hardware modification or similar addon devices etc. may require additional mucking, or purchasing of potentially illegal goods - but that hasn't ever stopped anyone historically either. There are markets out there for mod chips for things, HUcard programmers, you name it. Something doesn't have to be legal for someone to make it and sell it. :)