AMX DGX800-ENC User Manual

Enova DGX HDMI Boards
71
Hardware Reference Manual – Enova DGX 100 Series Digital Media Switchers
HDMI System Conditions
Normally, all devices used in an HDMI system are HDCP compliant. Each HDCP capable device has a unique set of confidential keys
(used to encrypt and decrypt the data).
Normally HDCP is used only when the source content is copyright protected.* Unprotected content is not affected and may
be routed as desired.
Each HDMI input can be routed to any number of outputs. The HDMI input (using InstaGate Pro Technology) is the only sink
that the source device is required to verify (unless any repeaters are installed between the source device and the Enova
DGX Switcher).
Each HDMI output goes through a verification process with its connected sink(s).** Each HDMI output can support a
maximum of 16 devices (repeaters and destination devices) with seven levels, i.e., the number of times the signal goes
through a repeater prior to going to the sink. However, if the HDMI output goes into a device which is also utilizing
InstaGate Pro, then the process starts all over again and the Enova DGX Switcher only sees the input of that InstaGate Pro
device as the one sink that it needs to verify. So even though the number of sinks each HDMI output on the switcher can
handle is finite, the number of sinks can be unlimited if using AMX devices that support InstaGate Pro Technology.
* In some cases, source devices will always enforce HDCP even if the content is not protected. In those cases, when the source
device sees that its output is connected to the input of the Enova DGX HDMI board (or another HDCP compliant sink), the source
device will always enforce and encrypt the HDMI signal that it sends. If the system’s equipment includes this type of source device,
be aware that DGX HDMI Boards will not be able to route that source device’s signal to a non-HDCP compliant display.
** If the connected downstream sink is not HDCP compliant, then the HDMI output will not send the signal. This does not affect
other outputs the source may be routed to. This allows compliant displays to show content from source devices even if the source
devices are switched to non-compliant displays. Non-compliant outputs can easily be identified because they display a dark red
image to indicate they failed the authentication process.
The content protection process for the point-to-point connection between the upstream transmitter on the source device and an
HDMI input connector (which is an RX) on the Enova DGX Switcher through an HDMI output connector (which is a TX) to the
destination device includes four steps.
Steps in the Content Protection Process
1. The transmitter on the source device uses authentication protocol to verify that the HDMI input is authorized to receive the
protected content. (This is true regardless of how many destination devices the source is being routed to.) The content is
encrypted and transmitted.
2. The Enova DGX Switcher verifies that the display devices are authorized to receive the protected content (this is the part of the
process in which renewability of the SRM (System Renewability Message) list is verified; this verification of the display devices
occurs inside the switcher). The content is encrypted and transmitted.
3. The source device’s transmitter periodically verifies that the HDMI input is still synchronized and capable of decrypting the
protected content.
4. The Enova DGX Switcher periodically verifies that the display devices are still synced and capable of decrypting the protected
content.
NOTE: If the source does not support HDCP, the display device does not need to support HDCP. The unencrypted content from the
source is simply routed through the outputs to the display devices.
Supported Number of Sinks
HDCP Source Device
The number of sinks that the source device supports is not relevant when using Enova DGX Switcher boards that support HDCP
because the input connector on the board is the only sink that the source device needs to authenticate.
Enova DGX Switcher
The HDMI outputs in an Enova DGX Switcher each support a maximum of 16 downstream devices (repeaters and/or destination
devices).
Unsuccessful Transmission in System
If an Enova DGX Switcher does not successfully transmit the protected content to any of the routed sinks, it may indicate one of the
following conditions:
Non-compliant device – The sink device is not HDCP compliant or has had its authentication key revoked.*
HDMI output sink support limit exceeded – The output is actively routed to more than 16 downstream devices (display
devices and/or repeaters) from a single output connector on an Enova DGX Switcher.
* Key revocation is handled strictly by the Enova DGX Switcher. The source does not take any action with respect to revoked keys.
IMPORTANT: Keep in mind that a “failure condition” (in which HDCP authentication fails to occur) is verified by the Enova DGX
Switcher not the source device and will result in the image being a dark red.
NOTE: Be aware that even when you are playing un-encrypted content on a Blu-Ray player, most Blu-Ray players play all content as
encrypted content. Normally the Enova DGX Switcher switches non-encrypted content without problems if the display is non-HDCP
compliant. However, when encrypted content is sent from a Blu-Ray player to the Enova and is switched to a device that does not
support HDCP, the content will not display and the image will be red.

AMX DGX800-ENC Specifications

General

Brand	AMX
Model	DGX800-ENC
Category	Switch
Language	English