I did a Google because I was curious, and some of them do indeed strip the HDCP. I think what you're saying is basically what's happening. The HDMI splitter p

I did a Google because I was curious, and some of them do indeed strip the HDCP. I think what you're saying is basically what's happening. The HDMI splitter pretends to be a display/TV, so the playback device sends encrypted data to the splitter, which decrypts it and forwards the decrypted part over the HDMI connections. From what I could find, it's usually the cheap HDMI splitters that emit unencrypted data over the HDMI ports. That kind of makes sense; they implement HDCP inbound because they have to, but they leave HDCP off the output ports because it reduces their manufacturing cost. I think you can't just "forward" the encrypted packets, because then both outputs on the splitter would try to communicate back to the player, causing issues. The splitter has to MITM the connection. https://www.tweaking4all.com/home-theatre/remove-hdcp-hdmi-signal/ https://www.tweaking4all.com/home-theatre/remove-hdcp-hdmi-s... has some cursory info, and links to HDMI splitters that strip HDCP (not an endorsement of whatever you do with them, just an interesting device).