Win 8.1 and Digital Cable Advisor Issues

[cadk]

Hi all,

I have 2 PCs, each with Windows 8.1. I just got a Silicondust HDHomerun Prime and I've set it up correctly; and I can watch all channels on one PC. However, on my main PC, I keep running into the "Your graphics card or driver doesn't support content protection" issue, and it's driving me batty.

1. Main PC
Dell 8700 XPS with Core i7 4770
16 GB RAM
AMD R9 290 Graphics Card, running latest WHQL driver
Planar PXL2790 connected with DisplayPort and then with DVI dual-link (2560x1440)
Windows 8.1 Pro with Media Center

2. Office PC
HP with AMD 3000+ dual core CPU
4 GB RAM
AMD 5450 Graphics Card, running latest WHQL driver
Dell 2408wfp connected with HDMI (1920x1200)
Windows 8.1 Pro with Media Center

I can watch TV with no issues on PC #2. PC #1 keeps running into the "Display Driver Error. The video playback device does not support playback of protected content." I tried switching from DisplayPort to DVI. I've tried using a script to override the Digital Cable Advisor. It's frustrating as hell. Any thoughts?

[barnabas1969]

1. Main PC
Dell 8700 XPS with Core i7 4770
16 GB RAM
AMD R9 290 Graphics Card, running latest WHQL driver
Planar PXL2790 connected with DisplayPort and then with DVI dual-link (2560x1440)
Windows 8.1 Pro with Media Center

The part I put in bold red text above is your problem. You can't use Display Port. DVI or HDMI will work... or you can even use a DP-to-HDMI adapter.

[barnabas1969]

Oh, and you can't set your dual monitors to mirror each other. Media Center won't work like that.

[cadk]

1. Main PC
Dell 8700 XPS with Core i7 4770
16 GB RAM
AMD R9 290 Graphics Card, running latest WHQL driver
Planar PXL2790 connected with DisplayPort and then with DVI dual-link (2560x1440)
Windows 8.1 Pro with Media Center

The part I put in bold red text above is your problem. You can't use Display Port. DVI or HDMI will work... or you can even use a DP-to-HDMI adapter.

I tried DisplayPort first, but then I removed it and connected with DVI dual-link. It's not dual-screen. Just a single, 27-inch QHD screen.

I may have to try HDMI.

[barnabas1969]

Is the display HDCP compliant? Many computer monitors are not.

[IownFIVEechos]

Change the resolution to 720p. Also when you are in the blue screen click the icon to make your screen tile. That will most likely kick the picture on. I had a tv in my garage connected to a receiver that was DVI to hdmi connected with rca audio. Non compliant setup yet these things worked on the windows 8.1 setup. Good luck.

[barnabas1969]

The specs for the display don't mention HDCP. You could try the suggestion in post #6, but I think 1080P would be fine too. Not sure 2560x1440 will work. Try HDMI. Also, try using your Dell monitor on the Main PC to see if it works with that monitor.

[cadk]

Hmmmm...

I tried HDMI to my Dell 2408WFP (and I disconnected the other monitor), and I still get the "Your graphics card or driver doesn't support content protection" issue.

I can record HBO on the same system, and I can extend it to my Xbox 360 and it can play that content fine. I just can't play it system's own display.

[seajunk]

Thats a pretty old monitor and personally i wouldn't trust that family.
I had the 3008wfp. HDMI with HDCP wouldn't work at all and the only way to get wmc working was through dvi at 1920x1080. Anything higher was 'non-compliant'.

[cadk]

Is the display HDCP compliant? Many computer monitors are not.

I contacted Planar and they informed me the display is HDCP compliant (it came out late last year). I'll try the new AMD beta drivers.

[cadk]

Well, I did the resetDRM thing and updated to the latest beta drivers, and I still can't pass the DCA test, but it doesn't matter, because I'm no longer having HDCP issues with any channels. I can watch/record HBO and all other channels on my PC now. I suspect is was the resetDRM that did it.

[cadk]

So I did a BIOS update on my motherboard and that apparently counts as a "new" computer or what have you for HDCP, because right after I did that, I started getting HDCP issues. I have to reset the damn thing again, and I lose access to all my HDCP-recorded content.

Goddamn you, Hollywood.

[barnabas1969]

You should never update your BIOS unless you are experiencing a problem which has been fixed in a later BIOS version. If you are having a problem which is mentioned in the release notes of a later BIOS version, that is the only reason to ever update BIOS.

[sbaeder]

You should never update your BIOS unless you are experiencing a problem which has been fixed in a later BIOS version. If you are having a problem which is mentioned in the release notes of a later BIOS version, that is the only reason to ever update BIOS.

that is certainly one school of thought that has merit...BUT, some of us subscribe to the philosophy that risks like this are worth preventing a future issue that hasn't yet occurred, so we update more frequently...each is a valid point of view.

So, you just need to be to weigh the risks (of either causing an unknown issue to bit you in the A$$ by updating or at some future point because you didn't update when you could have), and make your own (informed) decision.

[barnabas1969]

In addition to the risk that new bugs are introduced by later versions, there is also the risk that updating BIOS can "brick" your PC ... at least until you can get a new BIOS flash chip from the motherboard manufacturer. Been there, done that.