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How to Disable HDCP on a PS3

The PS3 encrypts copyrighted content such as Blu-ray movies.
Kiyoshi Ota/Getty Images News/Getty Images

The PlayStation 3 is equipped with a feature known as High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection designed to encrypt copyright protected content. If you have an older television, however, that does not support HDCP encryption, you may not be able to use your PS3 with it, even though it's high-definition. Because the HDCP is an anti-piracy measure, there is no way to disable it through the PS3 interface, but you can use an adapter to convert the High-Definition Multimedia Interface signal so that you can view it on your non-HDCP-compatible TV or monitor. You will experience a lower-quality video than unconverted HDMI with HDCP enabled.

Examine the back of your TV or monitor to see which input options you have available. You can stream HD video over a component video connection which separates the red, green and blue channels of the video into separate, analog wires. Note that the inputs are color coded with the same colors, red, green and blue. The red, white and yellow inputs are not HD, those are known as RCA inputs and will only handle standard definition video. You can also use S-video, which is a circular port with several small holes in it. If your display is a computer monitor it will have either a Video Graphics Array port, which is a trapezoidal shape and typically colored blue or a Digital Video Interface; the computer connection is second only to component in terms of quality

Purchase a component or composite cable for your PS3. Sony offers both the HD component cables and the standard definition composite cables for the PS3 system at sony.com

Use an adapter if you don't have component or composite inputs on your display. A third-party electronics store can provide you with an HDMI to S-video, DVI or VGA adapter, depending on the input needs of your display device.

Warnings:

  • Attempting to bypass HDCP for the purposes of violating copyright may be against the law in your region. Do not attempt to copy or distribute copyrighted works without permission.
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