iPad won't reliably connect to TV by HDMI

[Adam Pymble]

Hi all

This will read like a horribly first world problem I'm afraid....

I'm trying to connect our iPad mini (new) to a TV to watch pre-downloaded films with the children whilst on holiday. These include iPlayer, Prime, Netflix and purchased content.

I have both an adaptor (non-Apple) and a USB-C to HDMI cable.

The adaptor works with my hp monitor. When plugged in to the TV, the iPad thinks it's mirroring but nothing appears on the TV.

The cable works just fine my TV at home but not with the TV in the apartment. The latter is a more generic and older unit. The iPad thinks it is mirroring, but behaves like the adaptor.

I've tried off/on, unlpugging, restarting etc.

Various other (lesser!) forums suggest mirroring movies is often unreliable and all part of DRM protection, hence the different results I'm generating.

I know Apple sell a rather expensive adaptor. I just wonder if it's the receiving TV not being able to mirror in quite the same way? I'm not really wanting to purchase a pricey adaptor for this, especially without more certainty it'll resolve the problem.

Any thoughts or ideas or experience, gratefully received!

Cheerio

Adam

[Adam Pymble]

I also revisited my posts about this last year before purchasing the cable, and remember this problem arose:

Turns out that if you have your iPad plugged in to your TV and choose to download a purchased film, it detects the cable and opts (in secret) to download in a format suitable for mirroring.

If you're not plugged in at the time, it doesn't offer any option, merely downloads suitable for iPad and then refuses to mirror.

Seems odd that it's now working at home. Wondering if it all depends what you're trying to mirror to and rather hit and miss as to what will / will not work on the day?!?!

[Jason Davies]

On 4 Aug 2024, at 8:02, Adam Pymble wrote:

Seems odd that it's now working at home. Wondering if it all depends what you're trying to mirror to and rather hit and miss as to what will / will not work on the day?!?!

I think this is basically it. I had an old Apple monitor (early 2000s) at one point and as the DRM crept in more and more, it stopped being willing to play videos on it from my Mac Pro even though it was a video from Apple, on a Mac, going to an Apple monitor. Somewhere in there is the intent to make sure the video is not going to a device that can capture it and record it. Newer displays/TVs 'promise' that they are not such devices but older ones just don't have the 'passport'.

The net result is that it's pretty hit and miss, I'm afraid. Others may know more but that's the broad strokes.

We used to use an AppleTV unit for this: stream to that from iPad or phone and then AppleTV to hdmi. I don't think you encounter the same issues but wouldn't want you to spend money on my gamble...

Cheers,

Jason

[Adam Pymble]

Thanks, Jason. I really appreciate you replying.

Do you know/think that the Apple adaptor has the 'passport' too, which might work on older TVs?

I like your Apple TV idea - but am I right in thinking the only way to connect to Apple TV from iPad/iPhone is by WiFi? (and then from ATV to TV by hdmi?) It's just the apartment doesn't have WiFi!

Any further thoughts appreciated!

All told, I suspect we'll just enjoy the hit and miss and see what happens, whilst sharing stories with the children of our holidays which were without - shock horror - any screened entertainment whatsoever! To be fair, we also quite like an excuse to gather round a family movie all together....

TTFN

Adam

[Jason P. Davies]

Hi Adam

Sorry I missed this when it came in. I’d be guessing if I gave specific answers I’m afraid. Macs used to be able to set up a local network but I haven’t done it for years, don’t know if iPad can do it.


Thanks,

-Jason
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Sent from my iPhone
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> and then AppleTV to hdmi. I don't *think* you encounter the same issues

> but wouldn't want you to spend money on my gamble...
>
> Cheers,
>
> Jason
>

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