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2010 — the Year AACS and HDMI Kill Off HD Component Video

For home theater buffs who want (or already have) a high-def system using component-video connections, time may be growing short. Audiofan writes with this story, which begins: "Digital HD (high definition), like that enabled through HDMI and Blu-ray, is awesome. It offers amazing picture and audio quality. It allows you to conveniently connect one single cable to provide both picture and sound. It is royally going to screw up a lot of homes next year. Wait, what was that last part? After December 31, 2010, manufacturers will not be 'allowed' [to] introduce new hardware with component video outputs supplying more than an SD resolution (480i or 576i). Should this go through as planned, it's going to disable or throw a wrench in a lot of existing custom installations as soon as the end of this year." The AACS in the headline stands for Advanced Access Content System, the industry scheme to block "the analog hole" by controlling content from storage media to eyeballs.

2 of 424 comments (clear)

  1. Hmmm...time to buy by HikingStick · · Score: 4, Interesting

    If I were one with a little extra cash (or a lot of available credit), I might just buy up a lot of the desirable components now, and then make a modest margin by reselling them on Amazon or eBay after remaining stocks dwindle.

    --
    I use irony whenever I can, but my shirts are still wrinkled...
  2. Shrug. Only affects legitimate consumers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Up to about 2001-2002 I was a legitimate consumer, but when the trend of shafting legitimate consumers became the industry standards, I went 100% piracy.
    My entire entertainment system is a lean, mean, swashbuckling, pirating machine. There is no hole in which to insert a physical media; why would I need a DVD or Blu-ray source, since I have no intention of buying any discs? DVD player went to the dump with my VHS.

    Now my country does levy a blank CD tax...Oh yeah, I never buy any blank discs because EVERYTHING is on Hard drives or flash cards.
    I'm laughing man, because I am so not legit.

    Ok, queue up the haters, I don't give a shit what any of you think.