Just found out I can’t use my BT earphones to playback TV and maybe other sound sources with my Yamaha AVR due to some unknown to me HDMI copyright restrictions. WTF?

Figured it’d be nice to watch my HDMI TV to AVR wired setup and use the AVR BT feature to use my Samsung Buds+. They pair normally but the source sound will not be sent to the Buds.
Looked for some explanation online and found out the Airpods and probably many other earphones have the same restrictions.

Find this completely stupid.
Wonder if this applies to BT headphones as well.

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The issue you are having only occurs when the HDMI input is coming from an HDCP-encrypted source.

If you are watching actual TV, you may be able to turn off HDCP in the TV/cable box/whatever and then you should be able to use the Bluetooth output on your receiver. In the US, only a few premium add-on channels like HBO and Disney use HDCP.

I tried several times to write something about how useless and terrible HDCP is, but it kept devolving into incoherent profanity so I gave up.

HDCP is useless and terrible.

Thank you for replying.

Got a simple non smart Samsung TV. No box.

Half of the features engraved on the TV frame are not even available.

This HDCP is just silly nonsense.

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Hey Nicky,

If you have a pair of RCA-jack outputs free on the back of the TV, maybe a box like this that eats analog audio and outputs BT?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08Q7QRXJ8/

Another possibility if you’re just using HDMI to the receiver for audio - most TVs have a Toslink (optical digital) or sometimes coaxial digital (digital over RCA cable) audio output. You could run that to the receiver instead of HDMI.

Been a fan of Yamaha Audio since the mid 80s. When I bought my current AVR it felt sad to think it will likely be the last i ever buy. It’s feature rich and i might never fully explore and enjoy most of its capabilities.

But this issue is STUPID! Also, Yamaha and other manufacturers like Denon/Marantz and others reasing half baked products during a full year like they just did (HDMI 2.1 bug) is more than disappointing.

My previous amp is a Yamaha DSP-A1. Bought it over 20 years ago. It has TOS-Link (optical). Should i go 20 years back in time and technology? I think not.

Haven’t tested my other sound external HDMI sound sources that include PC, NAS, DVD Player, Chromecast and Xbox…

Joel’s idea is an insufficient patch, comes way short because TV was the handiest source when i tested but by a long shot not my most used one.

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If memory serves, HDMI's copy protection aspects only apply to digital signals. When a device creates an analog audio stream by D/A conversion, then the entertainment industry's fear of infinite, lossless copying has ended. So, signals from the analog outputs (RCA jacks, speaker wire connections, etc.) don't have the HDMI copy protections, while digital outputs (BT, HDMI, digital audio, etc.) do.

If you want audio that doesn't have restrictions, use analog outputs from whatever is currently providing the sound you want to broadcast. It doesn't have to be the TV, you could put an RCA-BT box on an Aux Out output from your Yamaha.