New features in iPadOS 17 advertised by Apple include the ability to Connect webcams via USB-C, then use it in apps like FaceTime as an alternative to the built-in FaceTime HD camera. But the feature goes beyond that: It is also possible to use so-called capture cards with which you can get HDMI video signals on the tablet. The first beta apps make this possible.
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Capture cards cost from around 30 euros
More expensive adapters such as those from Elgato are supported, as are inexpensive capture cards, which are available in stores from just under 30 euros (sometimes even cheaper). These have a USB-C port on one side and an HDMI port on the other. Audio routing via USB-C is also possible.
The new feature is useful for a number of reasons. You can use an existing iPad as a screen for a Raspberry Pi or a console such as Xbox, PlayStation or Switch. Although there is a small lag due to technical reasons, this should only be a problem with very action-packed titles. You can also use the iPad as a capture device for gaming. It is conceivable that companies such as Twitch or YouTube will also offer this in the future, so that you can send directly from the iPad to the Internet.
How to test the function now
In order to try out the feature already, you still have to take detours. First of all, iPadOS 17 is only available as a pre-release version – albeit quite stable and via Apple’s public beta program for any interested party available. The final version is expected in September or October.
Second, you need a suitable capture app. FaceTime, for example, displays content that ends up on the iPad via a capture card (or an external webcam), but recording is just as impossible as using it as an external display. But there are first apps that master the capture function. So the developer NONExist01 has a tool called Capture Pro via Apple’s beta testing environment Testflight published. Further details and discussion are available to be found on Reddit. Apple explicitly supports almost all UVC input devices (USB Video Class). In addition to webcams and capture cards, this also includes USB microscopes.
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(bsc)