MacBook Pro users getting bitten by HDCP

Crap, this means if Apple finally gets around to doing a real refresh of the Mac Mini, it will be near useless as a media center platform. That is, unless you reload it with custom software or even a complete custom operating system to work around the stupid DRM.

While Apple should pull their collective thumb out of their collective ass and do something about this, the only way to fix it long term is to stop buying DRM and HDCP content. Dont buy DRM music from iTunes, just buy the CD used off Amazon, rip it at a high quality setting, and keep it or resell it on Amazon. Same for movies. DRM would be completely gone from the iTunes store by now if more people had refused to play along. Unfortunately most people are sheep.

I've turned against the music industry and the film industry. I won't buy CD's, DVD's, or buy/rent through iTunes. Don't miss any of it at all.

This problem is pretty easy to get around: Just don't buy from iTunes. I honestly can't remember the last time I bought anything from them.

@William Hook

Yeah, don't be a contra-dickhead. We all got the point of the first comment thread, DVDs can easily get ripped. We all have at one point or another ripped a copy of a DVD for whatever purposes. If you haven't discovered this technique at this stage of the technology game, then you are getting ripped off by the movie corporations purchasing DVD that you think you can not rip to your computers.

Glad I've never purchased video content from iTunes. This is so stupid - you buy a MacBook as your primary PC and hook it up to a monitor so you can play video, and it's worked fine and the new MacBooks you are stuck. On real HD players, if the HDMI handshake fails you can play at lower resolution, but appears they don't bother with that on a Mac. Sheesh. I have a Samsung 32", only 6 months old, and it's HDMI cable will not sync with my Verizon FIOS HD box, so I have to use component video.

I have a new macbook pro.... I connect it to my 23" cinema hd display with a mini-dvi to dvi adapter that I ordered with the new mbp. I cannot watch HD content from the iTunes Store on that display... they only way to watch it is to do so through the mbp's built-in display. They need to come up with some solution. My stand alone display is one of Apple's own damn products and I get the same problem as everyone else.

Remember, you are not buying the song. You are "buying" a license that lets you "enjoy" the content (song, movie, other stuff) that you select. There are terms in that license (has anyone read them?), and you are being held to those requirements. Just as iTunes limits you to the number of computers (that is a big restriction...), why do you now complain because another right is taken away? You didn't complain the first time, and you continue to support the practice.

Want change? Don't support these firms with your purchases. Go back to buying CDs and DVDs and ripping them to your heart's content.

[quote]You won't buy stuff with DRM but you'll buy DVDs, which I presume you mean commercial Hollywood movies, which, yep, have DRM.[/quote]

Ah...that isn't the point... I buy the movie to acquire a license. Although the license may limit what and how I do things to the "content" on the media I "bought," I can then rip the movie (removing its DRM) as I see fit (here comes the good part) knowing that no jury is going to convict me of violating the DMCA when I have purchased the movie.

In essence, Ty has it right. The RIAA and the MPAA have made it "illegal" to copy "purchased' content to enjoy it as you see fit because they have altered "Fair Use."

However, I'd love to see the reaction to the RIAA or the MPAA when they charge/sue someone who has purchased the content but has "ripped" it to enjoy as they see fit...

"You mean you are suing this guy for ripping the content to his iPhone to watch it when he has PURCHASED the content?

Right...

If you think this is a ridiculously bad business choice on Apple's part then you need to let them know. Apple has always been fairly responsible when it comes to DRM, but this is completely unacceptable. They are putting their customers second to Big Content, and the only way they'll stop is if we let them know how bad a decision it was for them.

Everyone, go to this feedback page and let them know what you think about their new HDCP support:
http://www.apple.com/feedback/macbook.html

My question is how does this affect the previous version of the Macbook Pro. Can the older version still connect to a television for viewing??