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Can iPad Pro 12.9” (gen2) support a USB-C Monitor?

I have an iPad Pro gen 2 (2017) and a monitor which supports USB-C input. I can’t get a signal to the monitor through my Apple lightning to USB-C cable to it? Is this supported?

Note: I can get a signal through my lightning to HDMI adapter to the monitor, but Apple in it’s infinite wisdom assumes the monitor has audio volume control which it hasn’t - so sound comes out full volume!!

Posted on May 22, 2020 3:33 AM

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Posted on May 22, 2020 4:33 AM

This page from the User Guide should answer your questions:

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/ipad/ipadf1276cde/ipados


You might consider that as explicit device drivers cannot be installed on iPadOS/iOS devices, other than via a manufacturer/device specific installable App from the Apple App Store, you should assume that only documented connection methods (such as HDMI for external display devices) are supported by your device.


I hope this clarification is helpful to you.

6 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

May 22, 2020 4:33 AM in response to Richard-UK

This page from the User Guide should answer your questions:

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/ipad/ipadf1276cde/ipados


You might consider that as explicit device drivers cannot be installed on iPadOS/iOS devices, other than via a manufacturer/device specific installable App from the Apple App Store, you should assume that only documented connection methods (such as HDMI for external display devices) are supported by your device.


I hope this clarification is helpful to you.

May 22, 2020 6:10 AM in response to LotusPilot

Thanks.


I’m sure that is the right answer, and I had intended to use my HDMI adapter, until upgrading my iPad pro to the USB-C model sometime. However, when the iPad has no volume control on output to the HDMI, and assumes the TV or Monitor has this control, then I can‘t display anything that has audio associated with it as it comes out full blast. The option of buying yet another “old teck” VGA adapter is not attractive either and this would have no sound!


However I have one other crap work around in that the monitor has a headphone jack. I have some old USB powered speakers, which I could use with the headphone jack, if I buy a headphone volume control (which is about £5 in the UK)!


In summary, for others, with gen2 iPad Pro:

  1. you can’t use lightning to USB-C adapter to a monitor
  2. you can use lightning to VGA adapter and get no sound from TV/Monitor
  3. you can use lightning to HDMI adapter - but must be able to control the audio volume from the TV/Monitor.



May 22, 2020 6:58 AM in response to LotusPilot

Yes - you are obviously correct about HDMI being digital audio - but that is not an excuse to only assume support of downstream “analogue“ volume control. For example, if I buy a TV with an HDMI sound bar., the TV controls digital volume. Airpods/Powerpeats have DAC‘s and volume is controlled from the iPad or iPhone. My Windows PC happily controls the volume on the HMDI output to my monitor. There are no end of digital volume control boxes on Amazon, and if I edit sound with Leaper/Audacity etc. I can change digital volume.


In summary, loads of examples, of digital audio volume control. This is an Apple choice for this Lightning to HDMI adapter and in my opinion a wrong one. There should at least be an option.

Can iPad Pro 12.9” (gen2) support a USB-C Monitor?

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