Orion: iPad as an external HDMI display for video game consoles | Hacker News Reader

Orion: iPad as an external HDMI display for video game consoles

lux.camera

54 pointswhalee13 comments

Good start! There aren’t too many nice battery powered screens.

It would be nice if the U in USB-C really meant universal. If I plug in an iPad to a computer over USC-C it should advertise itself as a storage device, a battery (bi-directional charge), a monitor, a touch input device, and two webcams. The computer should also advertise to the iPad what it has. Then both devices would need OS level software to control which features they want to use. Mirror iPad screen to computer screen? Sure. Use iPad as extra monitor? Sure. Use iPad as drawing tablet for computer, yes please.

I spent a while trying out webcams and hdmi-to-usb (also usb-video class devices) adapters on Android.

There were a bunch of apps that could do it, but it seemed pretty obvious that Android itself was basically useless & sad, that these folks were basically writing userland usb drivers.

I was really hoping I could just open a chrome webcam test page, and everything would work. It really felt so infernal that Android, built atop Linux which makes this all so easy & simple, would have such a shitty sad state of affairs. What a terrible Linux. And the bloody AOSP docs make it sound like it should just work. Liar. https://source.android.com/docs/core/camera/external-usb-cam...

Wonder if this works with straight usb-c without the capture device with hdmi input. Like connecting a nintendo switch’s usb-c directly to a ipad prod?

Stick the iPad in a case with magnets on to cling to a rack door and id be all over this instead of a crash cart. Especially if I could shrink wrap a sturdy HDMI cable to an adapter.

That is my plan too! Wish the ipad could send its keyboard and mouse to the server as well.

I was trying to think of a nice way to achieve that, but I suspect something like one of those logitech keyboard/touchpad wireless combos may be an easier way ahead

Nice to see Apple catching up to Samsung finally! (re: Dex)

Isn’t Dex doing the opposite? I.e. displaying the UI on an external screen (which I believe iPad does too).

I think this is capturing video and using the iPad as a monitor

So all it needs is a USB c to hdmi adapter? Could I use this on an sbc like an Raspberry pi then?

I’m dumb, is the only reason this couldn’t be done on an iPhone because the iPad has usbc?

The device needs to support usb webcams. I don't know if any iphone does that.

Not sure about consoles, but does seem like it would be useful for photographers.

really nifty! i've wanted this feature for a long time, glad it's finally here.

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