Users have reported Hulu HDCP errors on Apple TV, and many other display devices. You will get this error when you are streaming Hulu from a streaming device over HDMI on a TV or monitor.
Few users have also linked this error to only FX shows like Mayans. In this post, we will troubleshoot this error and suggest techniques to resolve it.
What Is Hulu HDCP Error?
HDCP stands for High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection. It is a protocol developed by Intel to prohibit the capturing or recording of digital content from the source to the display.
The main intent of the protocol is to safeguard distributors’ or content creators’ content from piracy. The protocol encrypts the data being transmitted to the receiver and requires a key to decrypt. This prevents eavesdropping from other receivers and unauthorized access.
Current Blu-ray players, satellite TV receivers, cable boxes, Roku, Chromecast, Apple TV, and Amazon FireTV support HDCP. However, there are some instances you might see errors like “HDCP isn’t supported by your HDMI connection” or “This content requires HDCP for playback”.
The root cause of such errors can be due to –
Outdated Display Unit
If you are using a monitor that doesn’t support HDCP, the transmitted data won’t be decrypted leading to the Hulu HDCP error. So make sure your casting device isn’t outdated and supports HDCP.
Faulty HDMI Cable
Digital signal from your streaming device is sent over HDMI to the display unit. If your HDMI cable or port is compromised then the encrypted data will be garbled and it will be next to impossible to render it on your TV/ monitor.
Server Issue
Server issues can also cause this error. If Hulu encountered some bug that disrupts content rendering and displays the HDCP error instead.
How To Fix Hulu HDCP Error?
The Hulu HDCP error is more of a hardware issue than a software problem. The error points to a non-supported display or a faulty HDMI connection. Here’s how you can tackle it.
Resetting HDMI Setup
Reconnecting your HDMI should be the first troubleshooting step. To do that –
- Turn off your display device and unplug the HDMI cable from its port.
- Turn off the streaming device and unplug the HDMI cable.
- Reconnect the HDMI cable in the streaming device and the monitor/ TV.
- Switch on your display and streaming unit.
- Try streaming Hulu content
Switching HDMI Ports
When HDMI cables are connected to a port for a long time, their connector pins can get loose. Just to be sure a loose connection isn’t the root cause for of the Hulu HDCP error, it’s better to try switching the HDMI connectors.
- Off your streaming device and display unit.
- Unplug the HDMI cable.
- Connect the end that was previously connected to the monitor to the streaming device and the end from the streaming device to the same or any other HDMI port on the display unit.
- Turn on the devices and check if the issue persists.
Replacing The HDMI Cable
If the integrity of the HDMI cable is compromised your streaming box won’t be able to transmit the digital signal to the display unit in its proper format. As there is no way to fix it, you have to get a new HDMI cable and check if the error still pops up.
If you are still facing the same issue, even after replacing the cable, read on.
Checking your TV/ Monitor Port
The Hulu HDCP error can be due to faulty HDMI ports. The only way to troubleshoot this issue is by connecting your streaming device with another HDCP-compatible display unit.
If you are able to stream on another TV, that means you have to find a technician and get the ports checked for the first device.
Remove Audio/ Video Receivers or HDMI Switchers
If you are using an HDMI switcher or any audio/ video receiver, that might very well be the root cause of the problem. As the digital content is encrypted and requires a key for decryption at the display, switchers or other receivers might tamper with the integrity of the signal.
Remove any and all such interfaces and connect your display unit directly with the streaming device and check if you still see an error.
Use an HDCP-compatible display
If none of the above solutions worked, then the problem relies on your TV. As your TV’s HDMI port isn’t HDCP compatible, Hulu will throw an error when it’s unable to cast to the display.
So you have to switch to a different TV or try to stream Hulu on a different platform.
These are by far the only means to resolve Hulu HDCP errors. If you require support to resolve other Hulu streaming errors, feel free to check our posts.
