Warning ipad owners and app writers

[falcarrion]

Do not buy the VGA adapter. This VGA adapter will not work on most of the apps you purchase.You would expect the VGA Adapter to mirror the Ipad screen.
It doesn't. You click on the photo app, there own app. And the only thing you can project is the slide show. You can't even project a single picture, only the slideshow. I have tried it on every app on my ipad and almost nothing worked. I did get a couple of youtube videos to work but not all. All I wanted to do was project on a wall with my 3M Pro200 projector a map or a PDF.

So all you app writers you might want to check with Apple to see what code you need to add to your apps so they can be projected or displayed on a monitor using the VGA adapter. If you do get you app to work using the VGA adpater just remember little o' me. Just one voice in a million.

Added Note:
The VGA adapter only works ( ) on the Ipad. I know it isn't reconzied by an Itouch and most likely it would be the same of a Iphone.

 

[caudor]

Thanks for the warning.

Thanks to your comments in the general forum, I'm looking to buy a new iPad to read my pdfs (and of course, a bunch of other stuff). Also, I watched some youtube videos and the pinch & zoom is amazing.

Do you know if the camera kit allows you to use an SD card (for extra storage) for pdf files? Or does it just work with pictures?

I'm not sure whether to get 16GB, 32GB, or go all out and get the 64GB model. I'm still in the waiting for payday phase.

 

[falcarrion]

As far as I know it only reconizes it for pics. I could be wrong. i'll have to check what I can find out on the internet.

 

[WizarDru]

Just a quick note: the VGA adapter DOES work with some apps...but they have to be written to take advantage of it. It does not work on just any application. GoodReader for iPad, for example, a really good PDF reader, supports VGA out. I believe that Netflix also supports video-out. There are a bunch of apps that support it, but it's not nearly as well-supported as you might think (and really, you'd expect it to work like a typical vga-out, but it doesn't).

 

[Fast Learner]

Chopper 2 is a great example of an iPad app that uses the VGA out.

As an app writer, here's the scoop: it's not trivial to add. It's not horrible, but it's far from trivial, and you can't simply mirror what the device displays. Instead, you're putting specific things in that video buffer to be displayed. Those specific things don't include the standard UI stuff, etc., but rather video frames or what have you that you specifically send. As such, the apps that currently support it are indeed rare.

 

[falcarrion]

GoodReader for iPad, for example, a really good PDF reader, supports VGA out.

I recently purchased Goodreader and am very happy with the results.
My goal with the vga adapter was to connect my projector and do the following.

1. Project pdfs and be able to read it.
There are good choices to choose from the app store.
I tried out the following:
File Display
2Screens
Goodreader
All three worked fine for this part of my project.
goodreader being the cheapest.

2. Project a map onto a table and enlarge it so miniatures can be used on it.
Once again I tried File Display, 2Screens, and Goodreader.
File Display and 2Screens did project the maps fine but lacked in the zoom in size that I was looking for. They did zoom in but not as well as Goodreader.
Goodreader out performed them with the zoom so much that I was highly impressed.
File display and 2Screens gave me some options that I couldn't do on Goodreader. Both let you highlight parts of the map black hideing areas, but when eraseing them 2Screens did better than File Display. On file Display the eraser would erase the highlight and the picture, where as on2Screens it only erased the highlight.
2Screens also has another app that works 2Screens for the ipad, which makes your Iphone or Itouch into a remote. Which would be good for presentations.

Over all Goodreader is the way to go from a gamers point of view.

In conclusion I would like to once again to mention to app writers to make sure to include the ability to use the vga adapter.

 

[Fast Learner]

In conclusion I would like to once again to mention to app writers to make sure to include the ability to use the vga adapter.

I'm curious, did you read what I wrote?

I can't imagine putting additional dozens or hundreds of hours into one of my apps when vga support is unlikely to be used by more than a handful of people. Especially in the crazy world where people feel they need to do some serious research about an app and still hem and haw over buying it when it's three whole dollars instead of the one dollar they're comfortable with.

 

[falcarrion]

I'm curious, did you read what I wrote?

Yes I did read it. But to get more apps with it, you need to encourage app writers to include it. There is nothing wrong with wanting more apps to have it.
If you don't want to add it or include it in an app your writing thats fine. All trends start from a simple begining.

 

[amychrdev]

another ipad tool: Gamer's Abacus

hey there, i've just uploaded a new ipad app for D&D fans / gamers that might interest you guys. there's a post about it here: http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-rpg-discussion/294506-new-game-tool-gamers-abacus-ipad-app.html

 

[Fast Learner]

Yes I did read it. But to get more apps with it, you need to encourage app writers to include it. There is nothing wrong with wanting more apps to have it.
If you don't want to add it or include it in an app your writing thats fine. All trends start from a simple begining.

Ok, just wanted to make sure you understood why this won't happen.