Does the AppleTV HDMI output include any copy protection (e.g. HDCP)? If so, is it always present, or only when playing DRM'd content?
I'd like to use the AppleTV (with AirPlay mirroring from an iPad) as a cheap and simple way to record iPad activity (at a school, for their private use only) by simply plugging the AppleTV into a DVD recorder (no computer is available – so capture cards or other tools needing a computer are out).
If the AppleTV output is set to prevent recording, what about the output directly from the iPad via the HDMI dock connector ("Apple Digital AV Adapter")? This isn't as convenient, since it's a physical tether to the recorder, but it would be ok (and still cheap and simple).
Best Answer
No - Apple TV (currently) engages HDCP only when needed to protect content that requires HDCP. This is called out in the specifications page as a footnote in teeny tiny grey text:
You should be able to use whatever HDMI recorder you please as long as the software doesn't detect protected content being played. You can be sure the engineers have considered that they need to pass the HDCP status from say Hulu or rented movies on iOS to the Apple TV when playing protected content. So if you want to record a demo of your normal app usage, this will work well, but not so much for bypassing HDCP by indirection.
If you can gat a computer, a much more robust recording solution is offered in XAleXOwnZX's answer.