Re: HDMI and Linux - do they work well together?
- From: Måns Rullgård <mans@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 29 Oct 2007 21:03:31 +0000
"OhioGuy" <none@xxxxxxxx> writes:
For the past few years, I've been considering installing Linux as a dual
boot to ease what is likely to be my eventual abandonment of the Windows
platform.
[...]
Then I noticed that some of the motherboards had HDMI, and wondered what
the heck that meant. Further reading told me that these motherboards would
be HDTV ready - so they could be plugged directly into an HDTV monitor.
HDMI is essentially dual-link DVI bundled with digital audio.
I'm not sure I really like the whole idea of HDMI. Isn't it a form of
taking away consumer rights and making sure that certain content won't even
play, or will play at a reduced quality if it isn't protected all the way
from the player to the monitor?
There's nothing wrong with HDMI, apart from the connector being
slightly on the flimsy side.
You are probably thinking of HDCP, which is an encryption protocol
running on top of HDMI or DVI. It provides (or is supposed to
provide) a secure link between a player and a monitor in order to
prevent the signal being recorded. To establish an HDCP link you need
some secret keys only available by signing an NDA and handing over a
large quantity of cash (or work for a company that has done this).
I usually use RCA jacks for all of my audio and video needs, and am not
very trusting of HDMI, which is an expensive cable, and seems to be forced
on everyone by hollywood.
HDMI is a huge step up from composite video. If you start using it,
you'll refuse to ever watch a composite signal again. For audio the
difference compared to good quality analogue cabling isn't overwhelming.
Could someone please tell me some more about HDMI, and whether it can be
used as a form of DRM? I'm also interested in how HDMI relates to Linux,
and whether I should actually buy a motherboard that has it onboard.
There is no reason to pay extra for an HDMI output if you plan to run
Linux. You can connect any DVI output to an HDMI input with a
converter cable (costs the same as a regular DVI or HDMI cable).
Since TVs tend to only have stereo speakers, and rather bad ones at
that, you're better off connecting your sound output, analogue or
S/PDIF, directly to your hifi system instead.
An HDMI output is only useful for playing restricted content using
proprietary players with HDCP support. From what I've heard, these
"features" of Windows (Vista) are mostly causing trouble so far.
Besides, it's only a matter of time before the encryption used in such
files is cracked anyway.
--
Måns Rullgård
mans@xxxxxxxxx
.
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