What is HDCP? It's basically copy protection that's part of an HDMI signal, and this video will quickly walk you through everything you need to know about it when it comes to your Roland video switcher.
00:00 Introduction
00:30 When to Use HDCP
00:48 How to Enable HDCP
01:14 HDCP Limitations
01:46 Support Information
With HDCP, note that SDI, USB, and analog video signals do not support HDCP. Also, HDMI recording and streaming devices are not compatible. There are only a few situations where you want to enable HDCP on your Roland switcher, so let's dive into why.
Have you ever tried to connect a DVD or Blu-Ray player to an input on a video switcher and it didn't appear? That's because disc players output HDCP at all times. Laptops, media players, and game consoles typically apply HDCP when playing movies and tv shows from a streaming service.
If you need to bring a copy protected video source in to your Roland switcher, there's a setting for that in the System menu. For most switchers, open the menu and scroll to the end to select System. You will see HDCP as the first option on the list.
Once you turn on the HDCP setting, the video will briefly reset, so do not do this during production. You will now see the copy protected device as a video input. But, you still may not see output.
Remember that SDI, USB, and analog video outputs are disabled when HDCP is turned on. Also, HDMI output to streaming or recording devices is prevented. But display devices like TV's and projectors are not affected.
All this is not a limitation of Roland switchers, it's part of compliance with copy protected signals. If you need these disabled outputs or you need to stream and record, then HDCP needs to remain off in the System menu, and you need to re-route the copy protected source without using the Roland switcher.
We hope this overview helps with your troubleshooting. If you need additional support with HDCP or any other issues, please visit roland.com/backstage and we will help.
