0

This question relates to interfacing satellite TV box to a Windows PC thru USB Capture card and related HDCP requirements. I have a following setup.

Windows 11 Pro desktop PC, a satellite tv box (STB - max FHD) and HDMI to USB card & OBS Studio Windows software. The specs of the USB card say Supports a max input resolution of 3840x2160 30Hz, outputs a max resolution of 1920x1080 60Hz. Also the USB Card is PnP, no separate drivers needed.

The capture card is actually HDCP 1.0 compliant. So I use OBS studio app on Windows and thru the capture card and can display HDMI content (STB output - FHD) thru PC on monitor. As of now everything works just fine together. No problem so far.

I will be kind of required to go for a new STB box as the company says existing product has been discontinued. The challenge is no one in the company (service provider) knows the exact tech specs! The website markets the STB device as 2K HD picture. But 2K HD is widespread. It can be 2048 x 1080. And as per this Wikipedia article it can even be 1920x1080.

So for OBS and USB card setup to work, I am trying to get some technical clarity.

  • What is the HDCP version (Not to be confused with HDMI version) needed to protect 2K HD (assuming it’s 2048x1080). Internet has no clarity. It’s unclear if it’s 1.0, 1.4 or 2.2. I believe up to 1.4 it can support FHD 1080, and 2.2 supports 4K but it’s unclear for 2K HD.
  • For max 2K HD output, does the Source at HDCP 1.4 or 2.2 negotiate (handshake) to match HDCP at both ends?

If so everything should ideally fall in place, and I will get downscaled FHD thru capture card (that is at HDCP 1.0) on PC which is fine with me.

ramki
  • 378

1 Answers1

2

2k I believe is 1440p. HDCP is less of a matter of resolution, than how the provider decides to protect their media. While typically HDCP 2.0 is a requirement for many 4k video providers, there's no reason to restrict it to that. The problem is 2k isn't 'that' common of a video format for video, and documentation focuses on 1080p or 4k cause that's what TVs are.

For max 2K HD output, does the Source at HDCP 1.4 or 2.2 negotiate (handshake) to match HDCP at both ends?

Basically your entire video chain, from GPU to monitor needs to support the minimum HDCP version. Naturally, this is poorly documented, and designed to invoke feelings of insanity and hopelessness in any poor fool who is trying to legitimately find out. In theory the documentation for your satellite TV box should contain it, but chances are it won't.

My advice would be get the new box, test it, and if it doesn't work with the USB video capture card - either get a 'better' video capture card that supports HDCP 2.x (which is a thing, but less common cause it was popular with pirates) or get a EDID emulator like I did in this answer.

Journeyman Geek
  • 133,878