HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection)

HDCP encrypts the physical video output over HDMI and DisplayPort so capture cards and non-compliant recorders on the cable receive nothing usable. DRM licenses can require it, and a 4K stream may demand HDCP 2.2, falling back to lower resolution or a black screen on older hardware. It does nothing about screen-recording software or cameras.

What is HDCP?

HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) encrypts the physical video output, over HDMI and DisplayPort, so that capture cards and non-compliant recorders on the cable receive nothing usable.

How HDCP Works

The source device and the display authenticate each other and establish an encrypted link before protected video flows. A DRM license can require HDCP for certain resolutions: a 4K stream may demand HDCP 2.2, and if the monitor, adapter, or cable does not support it, the service falls back to a lower resolution or shows a black screen rather than sending unprotected high-resolution video.

What HDCP Does and Does Not Cover

  • Closes: The record-the-output-port hole, where a capture card sits between device and display.
  • Does not close: Screen-recording software running on the device, or a camera pointed at the screen.
  • Version-sensitive: Older HDMI hardware may not meet the version a 4K license requires.

For Platform Owners

HDCP is one layer among several. Premium services like Netflix use it to protect high-resolution output, but it must be paired with DRM for the stream itself and with watermarking to deter camera and software capture, which HDCP cannot stop.

See Also: DRM (Digital Rights Management)Trusted Execution Environment (TEE)Dynamic Watermarking