The Extreme Series includes a proud generation of high performance motherboards, specifically tailored for designers and enthusiasts, with Z170 Extreme7+ leading the battalion. This bad boy has four PCIe Gen3 x16 slots that not only support ordinary graphics cards, but also workstation pro graphics cards, such as AMD FirePro cards and Nvidia Quadro cards. Better yet, besides the ten onboard SATA3 ports, it also comes with three SATA Express ports, and another three Ultra M.2 slots that support ASRock's U.2 Kit and Intel® 750 SSDs for a monstrous PCIe SSD RAID 0 array.

Meanwhile, ASRock Gaming Series most top tier model would be Z170 Gaming K6+. Aside from the basic PCIe Gen3 x16 slots for building CrossFireX or SLI configurations, this time the onboard audio solution has evolved into Purity Sound 3 and has unlocked the achievement "General performance: Excellent" on Rightmark, the professional audio testing tool. Another huge highlight would be the world's first and only front USB 3.1 panel, which is free bundled with all models that have a "+" in their name. SATA Express ports have been neglected since the day they arrived on motherboards, but now they've finally found a meaning for existence, and it's for installing ASRock's front USB 3.1 panel to provide a pair of Type-A and Type-C USB 3.1 ports on the front of your chassis.

Finally, Z170 OC Formula. ASRock is still saving the best for the last, so inhale slowly and just imagine a motherboard coated in black and yellow. The board will hold unruly DDR4 DIMM slots that rocket up to over 4000MHz, and there will also be four PCIE Gen3 x16 slots and three additional Ultra M.2 slots for creating a RAID 0. If anyone ever questions you why would you even need a motherboard with such overwhelming performance? Or what applications justify for a PCIe RAID 0 array consisting seven PCIe SSDs? You simply answer, "Because others can't touch this."

Which motherboards will handle HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2 without the use of an external graphics card?

Thank you!

What I 'think' I know so far is that all Skylake processors only have HDMI 1.4.  But MegaChips sells a chip or firmware called LSPCON MCDP2800.  That device converts the Skylake's DP to HDMI 2.0 with HDCP 2.2.  So it is up to the MB Manufacturer to pay for the MegaChip license.  So far, I have only found one manufacturer to spec that arrangement on two of their MB's.  

I have two ASrock MB's now and they have served me well.  So I really wanted to continue the tradition.

EDIT:  BTW, I've read that the ASRock Z170 Pro4s: "Supports HDCP with DVI-D and HDMI Ports".  But the version of HDCP is not specified, nor is the version of HDMI.  But that does sound encouraging.

Thank you!  I appreciate your interest.  My Sony '940c' TV, and Denon '7200wa' AVR are or will be compliant with HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2.  This means if they aren't compliant now, a firmware upgrade is forthcoming in the fall. 

The GTX-960 is also HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2 compliant.  I had one for two weeks and it worked great, of course I had no way to test for HDCP 2.2.  But I could watch the full 4K demo clips via the AVR and TV.  

However, I returned the 'open box' GTX-960 in anticipation of purchasing a Z170 MB that meets those requirements.  Now I just need to find the most economical way to do so.  But to do so has proven difficult because the information is so sparse.

I agree with you.  It is early to be concerned with those requirements.  However, the equipment does exist.  It just has to be found.  And perhaps a HTPC built today might stay current for a couple of years. (??)  The ASRock 'Z170 Pro4s' is shown to support HDCP with DVI-D and HDMI Ports.  But the versions are not specified.  Getting closer...

Thanks again 

Punk Sods wrote: Great! However, the Z170 OCF is available until August 12th, here in Germany . I know some people who have already pre-ordered. Smile greeting Heinrich

Nice looking MB Heinrich!  Specs state:  "Supports HDCP with HDMI and DisplayPort 1.2 Ports".  But no indication of the versions.  Not stating the version numbers probably means they are not the most recent.

Correct.  I lose track but either the firmware is already installed or it is due.  The TV and the Denon were manufactured just a few months ago.  And it was clear they do or will comply with HDCP 2.2.  Off hand, I know of no TVs nor AVRs manufactured last year that comply.

I figure I've gone to all this effort to maintain the HDMI 2.0 & HDCP 2.2 compliance and I would like to build a HTPC that is also in compliance.  Of course, the GTX-960 boards do meet that requirement.  But I would like to just build a PC with that compliance built in and I had been counting on the Skylake processor itself to satisfy that requirement.  Since that fell through, it's up to the MB folks to make up the difference.

Frank

 

Needs a couple of USB-3.1 (10G)  and a mPCIe combo rather than a fixed mPCIe

 

I'd buy a bunch of them then.