Two HPE 490t s - one will play Bluray but the other one won't

[bill2reg]

Bought my PC about 3 weeks ago, We liked it so bought another one three days ago. They are identical except that mine has a Bluray player/burner and the second one has a Bluray player only. Also mine as 1GB ATI Radeon card, and the second one has 2GB ATI Radeon card, but both cards are the same model otherwise. The second computer gives and error when the HP Mediasmart player tries to play the Bluray movie. It says the disc is protected and cannot be played in the current display settings. I researched the web and found that this means HDCP is not enabled on the second computer. But I can't find any information as to how to enable it. I don't understand why HP would ship one computer with it enabled, and the second one not enabled. How can they sell a PC with a "Bluray player" listed as a component choice (when you're customizing for your order)  and then we find that it can't play a Bluray disc?

[Big_Dave]

Hello,

HDCP requires that the monitor, cable and video card to support HDCP.  This normally means a DVI or HDMI cable with native support for these cable connections (don't use an adapter).

Go into the Control Panel --- ATI (CCC) and be sure that your monitor connection is indicating a HDCP connection.

The other possible issue is that the AACS is not up-to-date.  This would mean that you need to apply a Cyberlink update.

Check here to be sure that all of the multimedia updates have been applied.

Check with HP Support and see what they suggest.

HP's support number is 800-474-6836 or 800-HPINVENT or online here.

[bill2reg]

Dave,

Thanks for the reply. However, I can't find anywhere in the CCC that shows which display modes are HDCP. There are a number of different screen resolutions to choose from but none of them indicate whether or not they are HDCP compliant. I know the monitor (brand new HP 2711x LED 27") is compatible, and since the computers have the same model ATI graphics card (only difference is one is 1gb and the other is 2gb - the latter is the problem one) then I assume that HP would not sell me a Bluray player equipped PC that can't play a Bluray movie. On my PC, the one with the 1gb graphics card, it plays fine. But even in my system when I run CCC I see nowhere to determine that HDCP is enabled. On both systems we are using quality HDMI cables. I have checked for updates, and according to HP everything is up to date. As I said the computers are new. I got the first one only three weeks ago, and the second one is only three days old!  Any additional suggestions are welcome. Thanks again.

[Big_Dave]

Hi,

I replaced my ATI card with a NVIDA so I can't say for sure that ATI has the HDCP detection display available as NVIDIA does.  I really don't want to swap cards to find out.

You might try an ATI video card update.

Does you issue occur with most Blu-Ray disk or just some?

I have the HP BD-RE BH-20L Blu-Ray DVD/CD drive in my PC.  Which model do you have? What firmware level is your BD drive at? You can use the HP Support Assistant to locate that information.

I did apply a Cyberlink update --- version 3309 but that was a year ago.

BTW, I like your 490t!!  I wish I had it.

[bill2reg]

Dave,

The Bluray player is BD-RE BH30L. We tried two different Bluray discs. Neither played in the new PC, but they both were fine

in the "old" (3 weeks old!) one. According to the HP website, all the drivers are up to date, as I would think they would be on two brand new systems. What I find hard to believe is that HP would ship that second PC in a state where it can't play a Bluray movie. That's how they described the thing when we were configuring the system to purchase. And also, how could two PC's so similar behave so differently? Makes me wonder.

But yes these things are very fast, and I do like it. In fact we liked mine so much (the "old" one I got three weeks ago!) that that's why we bought another one. On another note, we discovered that two wireless keyboards 25 feet apart on different floors of the house can cross-type characters to each other's PCs! A call to HP help was useless.........but we moved one receiver and the other one I have partially covered with aluminum foil and turned upside down! Technology!

Thanks again for your input!

[Big_Dave]

Hi,

Try this post and use Imgburn to search for a firmware update.

What model video card are you using?

[Big_Dave]

Hi,

Try this link at Cyberlink.

[bill2reg]

ATI Radeon HD 5570. 1GB on one PC and the other one is the same but with 2GB.

Both are using HDMI cables.

My Bluray drive is BD-RE BH30L (This is the one that works perfectly)

The other PC has a BDDVDRW CH20L and it won't play the Bluray discs. It DOES start to play......gets to the start of the menu screen, but then we see the error that the disc is protected (HDCP) and can't play with the current display settings. But no clue what settings it would like.

[Big_Dave]

Hi,

When you launch Mediacenter DVD, click on the gear icon on hte lower left hand corner.  When the window opens, click on update.

[old_geekster]

Bill, I suggest that you call ATI's Customer Service to see if they can help you.  They are very good at helping solve problems of this nature.