The iPad 2′s Killer Feature Is HD Mirroring
People might be split on whether buying an iPad 2 is a good or bad idea, but there’s no denying it promises some impressive improvements over the original Apple tablet. But the most impressive feature of all comes when you combine the iPad 2 with the new Digital AV Adapter accessory: video mirroring.
The iPad 2 will be able to output a mirror image of whatever is displayed on its screen to a TV, monitor or HD projector connected via the Digital AV Adapter and an HDMI cable. Unlike with the current AV and VGA-out 30-pin connectors, what you can output to an external screen isn’t limited to apps that have the feature enabled. Instead, the new mirroring feature works with all apps, and even with iOS itself, including the iPad’s home screen.
Cord Cutting
AirPlay’s new third-party support may leave some content providers gun-shy about mobile content being accessible to TVs, but Apple’s ensured with video mirroring that users can still get content from the device on to the big screen, no matter what media companies happen to think about that. This is great news for those seeking to cut the cord and leave cable behind. It means all your favorite video-watching apps (Hulu Plus, Netflix, Comcast Xfinity) will be available for big-screen viewing in a way that is completely location independent. You won’t even need an Apple TV to receive the stream, just an HDMI cable and the adapter.
Presentations
The iPad 2 also has terrific potential for business and education use thanks to the new mirroring feature. Imagine giving presentations that integrate not only a slide deck, list of notes, or a mindmap, but any application available in the App Store. Rich, interactive elements that really illustrate your point, instead of merely adequately representing what you’re talking about, would be easy to set up, especially given the iPad’s multitasking and fast app switching features. And you can be sure we’ll see the introduction of apps specifically created to take advantage of the iPad 2′s presentation power.
Gaming
The iPad is already a good gaming device, and for many, the ability to play those games on a big screen would make it just about perfect. So long as developers come up with innovative control interfaces that allow users to play enjoyably while their tablet is tethered to a TV, there should be few barriers to the iPad 2 becoming both a mobile and a home gaming powerhouse. We’ve already seen devs use iPhones and iPod touches as control devices for iPad games, so we know that good control options are possible.
Computer Enough for Many
Paired with a Bluetooth keyboard, the iPad 2 and the Digital AV Adapter are probably more computer than many users need. People can use the iPad to edit documents, photos (and now even video), to browse the web, manage email and do any number of other everyday computing tasks. Now that you can hook it up to an HDMI-capable monitor, there’s little reason it can’t be the primary device for light users, so long as there’s a machine they can sync with on the few occasions they need to update, backup or restore.
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Wow how refreshing to see someone who actually thought through the angles and offered some fresh spot on perspective
Well done Darrell !
Thanks Steve. It seems crazy that it’s generally been treated as a relatively low-key feature addition. It’s not something competitors are offering as of yet, as far as I know.
I have an iPad, love it, and will likely buy a new iPad 2 for my sibling, however I have to correct you slightly. I believe that the RIM Playbook offers the same output feature.
Pretty sure the iphone 4 and ipad 1 can do this too http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC953ZM/A?fnode=MTc0MjU4NjE&mco=MjEzNTIxNDM check out the compatible devices
Don’t forget iPod touch 4G too
The iPad 2 is the only one with full mirroring functionality. The others allow for particular media playback, such as presentations, slideshows, and movies, but not full mirroring.
Or at least that’s how I read that page.
I’ve been using my iPad for presentations since last April and it’s terrific in that environment. Unplug it from the projector and take the iPad to dinner and you can refer to the presentation over a dinner table where you would never open up a regular computer.
Darrell,
This could be the killer feature that I/we have been looking for. However what I need to figure out is = is there a work around for non HDMI display devices. Our school has smartboards and projectors. All the projectors accept HD but only through component connections (you know YGBr). I guess we would need to find out if there is some sort of HDMI to YGBr converter that works AND also plug in an audio out cable to the speakers. Even if I could get the above to work then I (or the teacher’s I should say) would have two cables coming out of two different ends of the IPad which would make it hard to hold and use while showing the students the material on the big screen.
Don’t get me wrong = I WANT to figure out how to get this to work because this would be an unbelievable teaching tool for the class. I/we have over 30 educational apps downloaded on our IPad 1 and about 15 of these apps would be perfect to display on the touchboard screen (via the projector) for the kids to see.
Any ideas (besides buy extra HDMI LCD TVs for every classroom – ha ha)?
Device like this should be OK, for you? Ipad shouldn’t care if you attach adapter to HDMI cable.
http://www.uxsight.com/product/37001/hdmi-rgb-component-ypbpr-audio-video-cable.html
Valtteri,
thanks a bunch. I actually found a product that is just like this so hopefully that will work OR I will buy this one and try it out. IF either of those devices work then this will help our company out so much. I will literally be buying at least 10 IPad 2′s for each lead teacher (well I will buy one first and try it to make sure it works – ha ha) and they can run individual apps for viewing on the big projector screens. Like I said before there is at least 15 apps that could be critical and integrated into our curriculum that will truly take our educational facility to the next level.
The IPads will due triple duty for us because when the 10 teachers do not need them for the “classroom” projector teaching we can put 4 of them into a learning center table which can have individualized learning for each child. Finally with the camera feature we will have the teachers photo and film key cool activities and run everything through iMovie. We already have one iMac mini at the front desk and the person in charge of video will do simple transitions and edit and we can send classroom movie clips to the parents and grandparents email.
If this works then we are going to be very happy.
PS Now if Apple and Adobe can somehow figure out Flash then we have the holy grail because we would love to be able to run internet website educational software apps on each wireless iPad BUT all of them have flash in them.
If your projector has DVI input in addition to the jacks you mentioned (and most do), then remember that DVI and HDMI use the same communication protocol; it’s just a different connector. A simple, passive adapter for HDMI -> DVI should be available for under $5. Only difference is that projectors with DVI input probably ignore the audio coming down the wire, and they aren’t required to support HDCP copy protection. No one’s stated that HDCP compliance is required with the iPad 2 interface — not yet at least.
I just checked all of our projectors and even the new ones do not have DVI or HDMI (I was a little upset). However I really do not think it is a big deal at all if I am showing the kids in the classroom a High Def picture or down-converted analog. Therefore once the iPad 2′s come out I will get one along with the HD extension cord and finally a HDMI to VGA converter. As long as the picture is good and you can mirror the IPad that will be good for us (also most of the projections are a screen size of 4:3 and not 16:9 anyway).
Moving forward whenever we need to buy new systems we will most likely by 40-50 inch LCD TVs with stands and purchase self attached camera/touchscreen devices. Then we can buy a computer with an HDMI output connection and IPad 2s with HDMI output connections. Believe it or not the above scenario would save us over $1000 including the IPad over the current configuration.
I can not wait for the Ipad 2s to come out so I can try one and see how it goes with the teachers and classroom kids.
Eddie,
Any confimation on if you were able to convert the HDMI from the iPad 2 to analog?
We have a similiar issue in that we need to be able to input an RGB source into some projectors and ideally if could simply convert the HDMI from the iPad to RGB using a cable that would be perfect.
Joe (and others),
I did not get a chance to get an IPad 2 at launch and it looks like the order online might be 2-4 weeks before I/we get it. However I have been reading online and a few people that have gotten it have commented that not only does the HDMI cord and output work BUT the VGA extension cord works too. In other words you can purchase the VGA out connector from Apple and then plug your VGA cord directly from the Apple to the monitor and that is it. The reviews online say the picture is sharp and the movements were instantaneous including the finger pinching. I have not seen this yet but would have no reason to believe these people would post this if this was not the case. The reviews say it is NOT OS dependent so you can not do this with IPad 1s but only with IPad 2s. They say it is a processor and configuration issue that is only available with the IPad 2s.
If we take this as true then that only leaves the audio output issue. With HDMI the audio is included and would work on any device (TV or whatever) that has HDMI in and speakers. With VGA the audio is not outputted so you/we will need to run a separate audio cable out to a speaker device.
As it stands right now I have already purchased the devices to do it both ways. I have an apple VGA output cord ready to go and I am also purchasing the apple HDMI output cord and then I have already purchased an HDMI to VGA converter (called viewHD Model # VHD-H2YV). I want to try it both ways and figure out what is best for our teachers. It still may be the best to go with the HDMI output configuration because then I can have only one cord coming out of the IPad (HDMI cord) and when it gets to the ViewHD converter it splits out the VGA-Video and audio so I can also run the audio to the speakers. This allows me to put all this behind the computer and out of the view and reach of the teachers and kids so we do not confuse anyone.
All, finally got my hands on a iPad 2. I confirmed that the iPad 2 does indeed do screen mirroring perfectly using the VGA cable. You do not get sound, but the screen is mirrored just fine.
When I went to the Apple store the rep there told me it wouldn’t work orver VGA, but I bought the cable anyways and was glad to see that he didn’t know what he was talking about. Buy the VGA cable with confidence if all you need is a low def screen mirror for the iPad 2.
VGA mirroring does not work at all on the iPad 1 of course.
Unfortunately, you can’t be a cord cutter and use the Xfinity app to watch TV. Gotta be an Xfinity TV subscriber to access the content.
Watching cable TV in any context is not cord cutting. Xfinity is cable TV. Same as buying a CD and ripping it onto your iPod is still buying CD’s.
Sorry, I was referring to the Xfinity app, which allows you to watch TV content. Without being a Comcast Xfinity TV subscriber, you do not have access to the content on the app.
Pretty exciting that the iPad is becoming a home gaming system. I wonder whether the big three are quaking in their boots at the prospect?
Hardly
How can I stream photos to an HDTV? I have an iPad and I have a Apple TV version 1. As far as I’m aware I still have to sync them and use the Apple TV or use this new cable for iPad mirroring
I’d like clarification if anyone can provide it at this point. The Apple HDMI cable will provide mirroring for the new iPad as well as iPad 1 and iPhone 4 and iPod Touch using an HDMI device.
I’m wondering that, since mirroring is now an iOS, system-wide feature (it was always available but the app had to specifically code video out), can you use the Apple Composite cable (Video, L+R audio) to accomplish the same thing?
I’m still a Luddite and don’t have any HDMI devices!
I will attempt to take an educated guess at this question. I believe that only the new IPad 2 will allow you to show the entire IPad experience on an HDMI cable connected screen. Before this time the other devices could show certain content (some movies, video but never the main screen, the apps etc). So even if you were to buy the new Apple HDMI extension device/cord it would not allow the original IPad’s to show more then what they were allowed to (once again movies and videos etc). I think Apple will claim that the reason the new ones can and the ones can not is the dual processor on the new one and maybe they have designed the dual with something that allows the picture to be upconverted in native HD so it will look good on a bigger screen size. I am not sure if the app vendors have designed the apps with enough pixels to allow them to look good on a 50 inch TV but somehow apple can do that with the way they designed the processors on the new IPad 2.
Guys I admit the above is just a guess based on me searching the internet for hours over the last week or so.
With my new Internet TV, I need neither an AppleTV nor an HDMI cable. I just need a device (mobile or stationary) which can act as a DLNA server….. in other words, anything except a Mac!
With Apple’s solution, I have to buy all my products from Apple. With the rest of the world’s solution, I can buy each device from the best manufacturer of that device, according to my needs. If only SJ could get over his notion that the entire HDTV industry is a “mafia” he might actually realise it could be an opportunity instead.
Thanks for adding a little perspective to this iPad love fest.
This is a “killer feature?”
Wow. . . once again Apple is adding Android features a year later. . . and they want to talk BS about apps?????? And that specs don’t matter?!?!!?? OK!
Er…do you really mean “mirror image” ??? I think you just mean mirroring in the digital sense….why would you want the image reversed left to right? WTF?