[pupdogg]

You're right, firmware designer just confirmed that Digital Signage applications don't use HDCP (he actually said "prefer not to use") but he does believe that our controllers using MediaTek SoCs support HDCP and a separate firmware build could be made for this use case...or maybe even a toggle DIP switch could serve this purpose on the controller PCB.

[dogma1138]

The controllers may support it but you will be the one will have to buy a license and the keys from DCP.

Overall I don’t think you realize just how difficult your venture might be.

Signage displays will make really bad televisions.

They are optimized for long term operations over color accuracy and gamut, they usually operate at fixed refresh rates, and their latency is usually pretty terrible.

I don’t think you realize just how small the market for what you are looking to build in the first place is and how difficult it would be to make anything that is remotely useable as a display for movies and video games.

Those who want a dumb display can already buy one of those 50-65” enterprise displays for meeting rooms however they make pisspoor TVs and having to pay 3-5 times the price of even a high end TV makes them pretty pointless for even the user base that might want that.

The large format gaming monitors are an option but recently they are adding “SmartTV” features to them because that’s what most consumers seem to want.

Both LG and Samsung are making 30-40” gaming monitors with apps these days like Netflix because they seem to be quite popular with students and flatsharers.

[pupdogg]

I understand what you're saying. We work directly with Samsung. While HDCP may be a challenging idea due to licensing issues, obtaining LCD panels with faster response times and higher refresh rates isn’t a problem for us. In fact, these consumer-grade panels are much more readily available than actual industrial panels. If we encase these 32-40" panels in an industrial metal casing, we can create a product that is more desirable than similar models housed in plastic with SmartOS, and more affordable than an Apple XDR.

[riceart]

> we can create a product that is more desirable than similar models housed in plastic with SmartOS

I would not pay a premium for metal case - and I am not in the cost conscious above all consumer market. I am really skeptical there is a large contingent that would. In any event - maybe no smartos, but this minimal firmware would have to be beyond reproach, and support Dolby Vision, proper tone mapping, GSync/Freesync/VRR, isf calibration, substantial Rec 2020 gamut, and probably excellent upscaling. You’re never gonna attract the cost conscious market - the segment beyond that has very particular standards. I dont see how you can survive excluding either one of the gamer or cinema enthusiast markets - especially when the current high end TVs already cater to both. Just because the LG C- series of TVs are clearly a consumer product does not mean they are junk. And the software isn’t nearly as bad as people gripe about (at least in the higher end market where you’d be competing) - not enough to forego actual image processing features.

Elsewhere was dismissed consumer display color calibration as a “marketing gimmick” - it isn’t. These TVs have fantastic accuracy out of the box, but because they’re carefully designed and factory set that way. I think you are too dismissive of the existing market.

[dogma1138]

The panel isn’t the important part, how you drive it is.

TV manufacturers spend a lot of time and effort on figuring out how to drive these panels effectively and they build their own silicon for this.

Even tho most TVs use the same MediaTek SoC for the smart features as well as the I/O they have their own image processors and drivers on separate silicon.

I suspect that if you are serious about this you’ll be far better off partnering with an OEM who already manufactures TVs and just toning down the SmartOS features.

Getting a display to operate at 10ms or better response time and supporting VRR have the image processing required to display all types of media content, supporting HDR with proper tone mapping, getting the color science right and much more is going to be an monumentally complex task to achieve.

[regpertom]

Hey, this thread is the first time I’ve ever heard anyone seemingly wanting HDCP, why is that? Isn’t everyone’s goal to strip it away from the video feed so it stops getting in the way? Is there some benefit to it I’ve missed?

[dogma1138]

Because if you don’t support it you won’t be able to play any protected content on it which means no AppleTV, FireTV or any other TV box at least above 720p SDR.

[regpertom]

Thanks so it is just a roadblock. Please excuse me to keep going: most things either play or don’t play depending on that HDCP (yeash HD CP :s), but if I strip it away using say the second output of a splitter it will play. Is it the case that for example appleTV box will only output 720 if it doesn’t get some kind of positive handshake?

Allow me to add that every time I’ve removed it I’ve had full licensing and permissions, just that HDCP was in the way.

[dogma1138]

Yes if the source device does not get a handshake and a continuous one as there is one at least every 7ms they won’t display content or display it in a degraded form.

Same goes for not supporting HDCP of a specific version e.g. a display that supports only HDCP 1.3 but not 2.0 will be able to display 1080 Blu-ray’s but not 4K ones.

Yes in theory you can rip it off however that is very expensive and difficult especially with more recent standards (I’m not aware of any way to strip HDCP 2.1 and higher) and bandwidths.

Also to strip it you still need to get a license and keys so it would be quite difficult to do so on a commercial basis especially in a country with strong rule of law.

[mzs]

About 3:2 pulldown, 120 = 24 * 5 so if you get panels that update at 120Hz it's easy to accommodate 24Hz 30Hz & 60Hz.