QuickTime 7.5.7 released: addresses SD-movie playback issues on external displays

An issue in which movies purchased from the iTunes store will not play on external displays has plagued owners of the Late-2008, "unibody" MacBook computers. When playback on external displays is attempted, iTunes will give an error claiming the display is not authorized.

Apple Discussions poster maxyourmacs writes:

"I rented a movie from the iTunes store yesterday and when I tried to play it on my external display, it gave me a warning/error that the display was 'not an authorized HDCP display' and it would not play. Plays fine on the small MacBook screen, just nothing external."

This issue was first thought to be an incompatibility in the Display Port, or at least the conversion of the Display Port to legacy connectors. However, Apple has released a QuickTime update that resolves the issue, specifically for Display Port-equipped Macs.

The QuickTime update is available through Software Update, and should be available as a standalone update on Apple's Download page soon.

Unfortunately, this update does not address a limitation in which users not being able to view HD content on external displays. It seems only to be a fix for the issue in which non-HD movies trigger Apple's implementation of HDCP copy protection. Currently, the only "HDCP compliant" devices are internal displays as well as those that are connected natively via DisplayPort.

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