Virgin TV and HDCP - component the answer?

[greysquirrel]

Virgin installed a HD box today, it was supposed to be the new small box but they gave me a samsung V+ box. I got HD for free as I complained and the offer was a free HD box or £50 for the V+. They had better not charge me for it! although I still think I want the small box..

Anyway, the point is.. the engineer couldn't get a picture over my DVI connection so left it on scart. I wasn't present during the install but it is now apparent that the box is most likely using HDCP and my old samsung plasma doesn't like this. They didn't tell me I would need a HDCP compliant tv when I ordered the HD box!

I know it uses HDCP over DVI but will it work with a HDMI to component cable? or does that still use HDCP?

[greysquirrel]

It's a samsung panel, but about 5 years old.
The TV displays 1080i and works fine in HD when displaying my xbox. This is the sort of cable that I was thinking of http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/HDMI-Male-to-5-RCA-RGB-Audio...

The sound is going to an amp via optical so I don't care about losing that.

[greysquirrel]

Yeah, I just noticed that when I posted it... I don't really understand HDCP but is it basically saying that HDCP will still be active as a digital signal via component?
The TV is hanging on the wall unfortunately, I know it isn't HDCP compliant as it told me so when I plugged a samsung DVD recorder in a few years ago.

[greysquirrel]

hmm, ok I will try it on a new LCD tv. All I get is a black screen, whether on the HD channels or not. I searched on the virgin media forums and apparently they do use HDCP... such a pain in the ass I just thought it would work out of the box!

[greysquirrel]

lol, I have found a device called hdfury that apparently converts the signal into analogue via vga input, and then it gets really confusing. I'm just gonna ask for my old standard box back as this one has a stupid blue light on the front that is annoying me anyway.

[greysquirrel]

£130 is a bit steep though, I could put that towards a new tv!

[greysquirrel]

Is the HDfury 1 crap then? i presume going via VGA will not give a very high resolution?

[greysquirrel]

Yeah thanks, I gave it a quick read but it seems you might need your original receipt. I doubt Samsung will want to touch it, and it is a samsung panel but not a samsung badged tv..

[greysquirrel]

Ok my vga port can display 1920 x 1200 so do I go for the hdfury vga or the hdfury2 component?? which is double the price (nearly treble)