List of HDCP-compliant Video Cards

[Rory Buszka]

Building a List of HDCP-compliant Video Cards

If you want your computer to be truly "Vista-Ready", you need a video card that is HDCP compliant. Windows Vista uses HDCP (High-Bandwidth Digital Copy Protection), a form of copy protection that requires both the source and the monitor to be compliant. Here's why you should care: While you can certainly run Vista on a non-HDCP video card, you won't be able to enjoy HDCP-protected media in its full, HD-resolution glory. You're likely to find HDCP-encryption on HD-DVDs, Blu-Ray Discs, and HD-quality recordings made by Windows Vista's Media Center DVR functionality, if it's a recording of a HDCP-protected program. At the present time, only a handful of video cards and integrated-graphics motherboards are compliant; the vast majority of video cards and integrated-graphics motherboards available today are not, and will soon be useless to anyone hoping for full HD-resolution playback of HDCP-encrypted media. Attempting to play HDCP-protected media on devices which are not HDCP compliant will result in automatic downscaling to 480p resolution, the same resolution as provided by a progressive-scan DVD player.

Long story short -- if you're buying a new video card with the full range of Windows Vista capability in mind, it needs to be HDCP compliant. Both ATi and NVidia GPUs have provided HDCP support for years, though board manufacturers in general have not included the necessary onboard chip until very recently. It is not enough that the GPU on the video card supports HDCP -- the additional chip containing the device's HDCP key must be built into the board itself. Also, future video BIOS updates are not capable of adding HDCP functionality, due to the fact that the protection must be entirely in hardware. If you're buying a new monitor, it also needs to be HDCP compliant. As a side note, if you own a HDTV or other HD monitor, be sure to check that it is HDCP compliant. If it isn't, then it will be virtually useless for HD-DVD or Blu-Ray, or any other HDCP-protected media, providing resolution that's no better than a standard CRT television (480p). I'm no big fan of HDCP, and it's going to require hefty investments in new gear to achieve compliance, but it looks like this form of copy protection is going to be the reality of the content industry for the foreseeable future.

Here, I've set about making a list of compliant video cards, according to the information provided by their manufacturers. I've tried to make this list as thorough as possible based on my research through several online stores, though it almost certainly isn't exhaustive, and will receive periodic updates as more HDCP compliant boards become available.

ATI Boards, HDCP Compliant
ASUS EAX1950XT/HTVDP/256M (X1950XT, 256MB)
ASUS EAX1950XTX/HTVDP/512M (X1950XTX, 512MB)
ATI 100-435846 (X1950, 512MB)
ATI 100-437807 (X1950PRO, 256MB)
Connect3D 3071 (X1900GT, 256MB)
GeCube HV195PG3-D3 (X1950PRO, 256MB)
HIS H165XTQT256GDDN-R (X1650XT, 256MB)
HIS H165XTQT512GDDAN-R (X1650XT, 512MB)
HIS H195PRF256DDN-R (X1950PRO, 256MB)
HIS H195PRF256DVN-R (X1950PRO, 256MB)
HIS H195PRF512DDN-R (X1950PRO, 512MB)
HIS H195PRQT256DDN-R (X1950PRO, 256MB)
HIS H195PRQT512DDN-R (X1950PRO, 512MB)
HIS H195XT256DVN-R (X1950XT, 256MB)
HIS H195XTQT256DVN-R (X1950XT, 256MB)
PowerColor X1600PRO HDMI (X1600PRO, 256MB)
PowerColor 1900XT512 (X1900XT, 512MB)
Sapphire 100166L (X1650XT, 256MB)
Sapphire 100176L (X1950PRO, 256MB)
Sapphire 100186L (X1950XT, 256MB)
Sapphire 100187L (X1600PRO, 256MB)
Sapphire 100189L (X1900PRO, 256MB)
VisionTek VX1600PRO256HD (X1600PRO, 256MB)


NVidia Boards, HDCP Compliant
Albatron 7900GS HDCP (7900GS, 256MB)
Albatron 7950GT-256 HDCP (7900GT, 256MB)
Albatron 7950GT-512 HDCP (7900GT, 512MB)
ASUS EN8800GTS/HTDP/640M (8800GTS, 640MB)
ASUS EN8800GTX/HTDP/768M (8800GTX, 768MB)
BFG Tech BFGR88640GTSE (8800GTS, 640MB)
BFG Tech BFGR88768GTXE (8800GTX, 768MB)
BFG Tech BFGR88768GTXWC25E (8800GTX, 768MB)
Biostar VP8803GX73 (8800GTX, 768MB)
eVGA 256-P2-N636-AR (7950GT, 256MB)
eVGA 512-P2-N637-AR (7950GT, 512MB)
eVGA 640-P2-N821-AR (8800GTS, 640MB)
eVGA 768-P2-N831-AR (8800GTX, 768MB)
Foxconn FV-N79GM2D2 (7950GT, 256MB)
Foxconn FV-N88SMBD2-ODOC (8800GTS, 640MB)
Foxconn FV-N88XMAD2-OD (8800GTX, 768MB)
Gigabyte GV-NX88S640H-RH (8800GTS, 640MB)
Gigabyte GV-NX88X768H-RH (8800GTX, 768MB)
Leadtek PX7950GT TDH (7950GT, 256MB)
Leadtek PX7950GS TDH (7950GS, 256MB)
Leadtek PX8800GTS TDH (8800GTS, 640MB)
Leadtek PX8800GTX TDH (8800GTX, 768MB)
MSI NX7600GT-VT2D256E (7600GT, 256MB)
MSI NX8800GTX-T2D768E (8800GTX, 768MB)
OCZ OCZ8800GTX (8800GTX, 768MB)
PNY VCG88GTSXPB (8800GTS, 640MB)
XFX PVT71JYHD9 (7950GT, 512MB)
XFX PVT71JYHE9 (7950GT, 512MB)
XFX PVT71JYHF9 (7950GT, 512MB)
XFX PVT71JYPE7 (7950GT, 512MB)
XFX PVT80FSHD9 (8800GTX, 768MB)
XFX PVT80FSHF9 (8800GTX, 768MB)
XFX PVT80GTHD9 (8800GTS, 640MB)
XFX PVT71UZDF9 (7950GX2, 1GB)

Motherboards with Integrated Graphics, HDCP Compliant
(none yet)

This list is a work in progress, and will be periodically updated. Also, if you spot an error, feel free to PM me about it. Last Update: 9 Jan 2007

Some initial observations: It seems like most of these cards use high-end GPUs, with only a smattering of mid-range cards among them. It's time for manufacturers to see the need for EVERY new card sold to be HDCP-compliant, and that includes the cheap ones.

 

[Jakal]

That's a pretty extensive list there Tater, looks like you've done a lot of homework.

If you want your computer to be truly "Vista-Ready", you need a video card that is HDCP compliant. Windows Vista uses HDCP (High-Bandwidth Digital Copy Protection), a form of copy protection that requires both the source and the monitor to be compliant.

That's true in most senses, but the content you're playing must also support the HDCP. To an uninformed consumer, you said they can't use Vista without all those extra components. The fact is, unless you have a HD-DVD or Blue-Ray drive, HDCP is a moot topic. As HDCP applies to content that contain the encryption.

There's a few things, though, that you've mentioned, but don't cover.

For one, a HDCP compliant monitor, and two, the HD-DVD or Blu-ray drive. I don't know about anyone else, but I'm not terribly wowed by the hi-def tv's and such out right now. To upgrade to a compliant card, motherboard, dvd drive, and video card would cost way more than it's worth to me to watch a DVD. We're looking $1000 OR MORE (Guestimating gpu @ $200, DVD drive @ $100, MB @ $150, monitor @ $500).

[Begin rant here]

I, for one, am not going out and spending that much money just to watch a DVD. In the end, it really isn't how pretty the picture is, but how well the movie is produced. If the movie sucks, why have $1000 worth of equipment to watch it? Not including the audio, or any other component. Haven't we learned that from gaming?

Game Dev: Our latest graphics engine~
Consumers: OHH PURDY GRAFX!!!
Game Dev: How did you enjoy the game?
Consumers: Oh.. well.. you know.. It was ok.. *scratches head kicks at the ground*

This HDCP is a terrible implementation. Intel can now mandate the rights of movies, AND HARDWARE ON YOUR COMPUTER? Yes, right now it's going to be expensive and will drop with time.. But $1000 to watch a $20 movie? Current DVD quality is much better than what I've seen in the movie theatres! What's wrong with the DVDs now? What? Do you HAVE to see every hair on someone's head? Are you trying to count the freckles on Heather Locklear's face?

I don't think the HD technology is stupid, I think Intel shafting the people by implementing such rights. Look it up..

"High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) is a form of Digital Rights Management (DRM) developed by Intel Corporation to control digital audio and video content as it travels across Digital Visual Interface (DVI) or High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) connections."

And we all know Intel and Microsoft are basically the same company.

It's the encryption of the movie that should protect it's rights. The security provided by the HD-DVD or Blu-Ray is vastly greater than DVDs first were. The disk should be the only thing you have to buy, excluding compatible disk readers of course. It's rediculous!

If I have a HD-DVD or Blu-ray player I shouldn't have to buy a $5-700 monitor (that supports HDCP) to watch it on. Why are we having to pay for more items to enjoy the quality? The Hi-Def market was flooded with the new TV's in the past few years. LCD, Plasma, widescreens. Are they going to have to buy new TV's.. AGAIN? Most new sets already support it. They buy a HD-DVD/Blue-Ray compatible player and get the quality the computer industry is paying 2-3 times more for. Absolutely preposterous. HDMI and DVI already provide a practically perfect video output.

Enough ranting... Sorry, had to get that out.

[end rant]

http://www.freedom-to-tinker.com/?feed=rss2&p=1005
Just something I came across while working on this.

 

[Rory Buszka]

The sad thing is that nobody is looking out for the customer here. (Not even the federal government.) Under the DMCA, content providers are pretty much free to go out and shop among the different companies for whatever copy protection standard they decide they like, and America's addiction to entertainment media will ensure that people pay whatever they need to pay in order to comply with the copy protection standards. And, of course, under the DMCA it's both illegal to circumvent the copy protection scheme and to tell others how to do it as well. There have been a couple of entities that have determined how it could be done in the case of HDCP, however. Once again, the pirates win, and the consumer loses. Here's what worries me even more, though -- HDCP is already in version 1.3. Will we need to buy new hardware AGAIN when they decide to use HDCP 2.0?

I Also Noticed: None of TigerDirect's three Vista-Essential Video Cards are HDCP-compliant.

 

[madmat]

I've got a 7600GT here that's HDCP compliant so lower that GPU cost from $200 a bit.

 

[Rory Buszka]

It looks like [H]ardOCP has a longer, more exhaustive list than I have. It looks like the members of their forum all pitched in and collected information from manufacturers' web sites, while all I did was go shopping at some online stores in search of products which were listed as HDCP-compliant. So, I'm un-stickying this.

 

[Jakal]

You raised a good point, though. We could do the same thing around here if you wanted to post another topic like this. I don't frequent many other tech sites, but do browse when a topic piques my interest. I'm sure we could come up with a collaborative list if such a topic was presented.

 

[madmat]

Actually, I believe that Vista requires HDCP video cards only for High Def video playback, looking at the Vista site shows that the 6800 series is Vista ready and they're far behind the HDCP curve as they were produced long before its inception.

Personally I don't care about HDCP since I have no plans for High Def playback nor Vista. I don't like MS's fascist scheme of only allowing two activations of Vista per license as it means that the enthusiast has to buy a new copy every other upgrade cycle. They're cutting their noses off despite their faces.

BTW, for your list, that 7600GT is the MSI NX7600GT-VT2D256E

 

[Rory Buszka]

If anyone on here would like to help me expand my list by researching cards directly on manufacturer's web sites, I'd welcome that help. Post it in this thread, and then I'll post up a new sticky thread with the compiled list. The downfall of [H]ardOCP's HDCP list effort is the fact that the information is distributed over so many different posts, instead of one unified list. We could even add HDCP monitors.

I wish there was something I could give you for your time, but I'll recognize each person's contributions individually at the end of the list. I'll talk to Rob once he's back from CES and see if there's something we can do to increase the visibility of the list to site visitors.

 

[Rob Williams]

Out of curiosity, I heard that some cards on the market that stated they support HDCP, actually don't. Are any of these cards on this list?

I wish I remembered who/where I seen that.

 

[Rory Buszka]

The GPUs themselves have supported HDCP for a long time, but the board itself needs to have an IC implanted on it that contains the device's HDCP "key". Both the source's HDCP key and the monitor's HDCP key need to be valid for the material to play in hi-def. Otherwise, it only plays at progressive-scan resolution (480p).

The best way to go about this is to go door-to-door and ask each manufacturer, via email, which of their cards are HDCP-compliant.