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I’m looking to purchase the SII9233ACTU IC (Silicon Image / Lattice) 144 pins, ideally with HDCP support, for use in a home theater system that needs to play Blu-ray content.
I couldn’t find this part listed on DigiKey website, so I’m wondering if it’s available through special order.
On Lattice website, the IC Datasheet says : “The SiI9233A receiver device is pre-programmed with High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) keys.”
Other members may know better than I, and some of the actual DigiKey employes here will usually get you the definitive answer when the work week starts were they are.
That said, my understanding is that chips with the HDCP algorithms are not allowed to be sold to the general public because they can be used to facilitate digital piracy on a mass scale.
In order to make a device that plays HDCP-enabled content, the manufacturer must obtain a license for the patent from Intel subsidiary Digital Content Protection LLC, pay an annual fee, and submit to various conditions.
Thank you for the information Paul. Really appreciated.
On one hand, it definitely makes sense, but on the other hand, if a Pioneer home theater system has a faulty HDMI board due to this chip, and it’s nearly impossible to source a replacement to repair the device, it also feels like a form of planned obsolescence.
We’re then forced to either look for a used HDMI board, hoping it still works — with no guarantee on how long it will last — or to buy an entirely new home theater system, which is far from environmentally friendly.
