There have recently been numerous reports of DirecTV displaying the error message “Your TV does not support this program’s content protection.” When users attempt to access any stream or channel on their smart TVs, component cables should be used in place of the HDMI cable on the TV in order to be able to see the programme. This HDCP-related error was just discovered.
Using non-compliant products to connect your TV and server box, or your TV being in an error state, are the two possible causes of this problem, according to AT&T (which owns DirecTV). We will go over every justification for why this problem arises in this article, along with any potential solutions.
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Why does the Error Message Appear? Your TV does not Support the Content Protection for this Programme, Right?
In contrast to AT&T’s assertion, we determined after examining all user reports and the product ourselves that the error message was brought on by a variety of different causes. You might encounter this error for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to:
- This may be the most frequent cause of the error message for users of the TV and receiver. The content protection handshake will fail and, as a result, the error will be displayed if your devices are in error states or stuck.
- The connection cable is not the issue: AT&T has implemented a technology that only approved cables are capable of completing the handshake process. You will have problems if you use a third-party one.
- Bug in 1080p mode: When doing our research, we also frequently ran into the problem of TVs set to 1080p resolution. The majority of channels, though, did not support the resolution, so an error message was sent.
- Even though it’s highly unlikely, it’s possible that the AT&T servers themselves are down on the backend. You won’t be able to stream or watch TV if this is the case.
Make sure your connection is strong and functional before continuing. You won’t be able to connect and won’t be able to watch any channels or shows if the transmission itself is down. Make sure this is addressed because it is crucial. Additionally, we’ll be restarting your TV a lot, so be sure to save all of your preferences.
What are Component Cables and HDCP?
High-bandwidth Intel created the security feature known as “Digital Content Protection,” which encrypts the digital signal of the stream using a unique key that is needed for product authentication at both the receiving and transmitting ends.
If you don’t use HDCP-certified products, you won’t be able to authenticate, which will result in a failed stream. HDCP is used to safeguard expensive digital TV programmes, movies, channels, etc.
Additionally, it prevents content from being copied and used elsewhere. It prevents users from recording content again or copying it for unauthorised distribution.
At the time this article was being written, HDCP was constantly being improved, with the most recent version being released in February 2018. HDCP technology is used by DirecTV as well to safeguard its programming.
Component cables are recommended by the error message, so we’ll also talk about that. The video signal is divided into several parts using a series of cables called component cables, which come in blue, red, and green colours. They even have the ability to support HDCP encryption and can transmit up to 1080i resolution.
Let’s move on to the solutions now that you have a basic understanding of what happens in the background.
Solution 1: Restart Your Television and Receiver.
Power cycling your entire setup, including the receiver and the TV, should be your first action. These devices frequently develop corruption or have incorrect configurations, which results in unforeseen problems with the TV or the receiver.
According to the official AT&T website, this is a very typical situation, and quickly resetting your devices may be able to resolve the problem.
- Use the power buttons to turn off your TV and receiver. Remove the power cable from each device after turning them off.
- Next, hold down the power button for four to five seconds. Your devices will be free of all static electricity as a result.
- Allow the devices to idle for about 3 minutes. After the allotted time has passed, turn on the devices, and then try connecting. Verify the problem has been resolved.
Solution 2: Verify the Status of the Server
Despite the fact that this situation is extremely unlikely, we still encountered several instances where the broadcasters’ servers were down. This prevents the handshake from happening and prevents you from watching or streaming any programmes or channels.
In this case, you can navigate to the various online forums and search for related reports there. If other users report having problems, it is likely that a backend problem is to blame rather than a problem on your end.
The downtime is typically very brief and is resolved within a few hours. After some time, you can try again to see if the problem has been resolved.
Solution 3: Replacement of Your Connecting Cable.
If power cycling doesn’t help, try checking to see if your connecting cables comply with HDCP standards. There are several instances where the HDCP handshake process is abruptly terminated by the cable. If this is the case, no matter what you do, you will see the error message. Here, you can examine the cable to determine if it has any damage.
Because HDCP cables are so sensitive, even a slight signal loss could cause them to stop the handshaking process. You are advised to connect component cables, per the error message (component cables is where a single cable is divided into three different parts).
You can try connecting a more recent HDMI cable and see if it functions properly if you don’t have a component cable. Don’t move on to the next solution until you are certain that your cable is functioning and you have double-checked it by plugging it into another system.
Solution 4: Altering Resolution Settings
Try changing the resolution of your receiver or DVR if none of the methods mentioned above don’t help and you’re still getting the error message on your computer. Only a small number of DirecTV’s PPV movie channels support 1080p. Most channels have 720p or 1080i resolutions.
The type of scanning technology used in 1080i and 1080p differs from one another. Both have the same resolutions i.e. 1920×1080. While 1080i uses interlaced scan, 1080p uses progressive scan. The lines are painted on the screen in two passes of 540 lines each because 1080i resolution is interlaced.
A picture in 1080p has a total of 2.07 million pixels. The best picture quality is offered by this TV format, which is currently the most popular. There isn’t much of a difference in the resolution, despite what these fancy statements might have you believe.
There are now two options available to you: either switch to 720p or 1080i. Make sure to adjust the settings on your DVR/Receiver and observe whether the results have changed.
Solution 5: Updating the TV Firmware
Since DirecTV is compatible with a wide range of smart TVs, there are many situations where an outdated TV’s firmware causes problems. Newer updates are released for all devices to implement the changes as HDCP is constantly changing.
Updates are also released to add new features or correct bugs. There is a good chance that you will see the error message in question and have problems if the firmware on your TV is outdated. Before continuing, make sure you have a working internet connection and saved your work.
- Hover your mouse over the Settings icon, which looks like a gear.
- Next, select Software update under Support (depicted by a question mark).
- At this point, you can either choose Auto Update to automatically install all updates or simply click Update Now.
Solution 6: Speak to Customer Support
There is no other option but to contact support if all of the aforementioned steps are unsuccessful and you are still unable to launch channels and TV shows. Since you already have a DirecTV subscription, you are qualified to request support, and if you just bought your receiver or DVR, there’s a chance they’ll even give you a free replacement for the broken parts.
You can create a ticket by going to their support website. You can call them and explain the situation if you’d like. Make sure your DirecTV login information is close at hand. If necessary, a support representative will come to you to troubleshoot, or you may be required to take your receiver or DVR to the service centre.
