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iPad Pro 2020 iPad Pro: External Video FULL screen support?

Paul Hobkirk

Paul Hobkirk

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 19, 2020
5
2
Ottawa, Ontario
Briefly, apologize is this has already been discussed, I searched for it briefly, and couldn't find it. New to this forum.

2020 iPad Pro: When connecting to an External Display, in my case a Samsung 4K External Monitor, why are there BLACK vertical space at each side, i.e. the OUTPUT DISPLAY is maybe 4:3 and not widescreen? Is there a setting to change this? If there is NO APPLE SUPPORT for this, is it coming?

With the new trackpad/mouse support, I would find it very useful to have a proper full screen external display?

Appreciated,
Paul
 
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Unfortunately there is not. It’s mirroring the display of the iPad basically. However, it does change when you watch video. Personally I’m hoping Apple does do something to fix this OR allow the monitor to serve as an extension, not mirror, of the iPad screen.
 
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Hey, thanks for the quick reply!
I am asking because I am dabbling with the idea of replacing my MacBook Air and iPad Air 2 with one device, 2020 iPad Pro 12.9", and was very disappointed that the external display doesn't work well.
Hopefully Apple will add this support in the future,
Thanks again,
Paul
 
Paul Hobkirk said:
Hey, thanks for the quick reply!
I am asking because I am dabbling with the idea of replacing my MacBook Air and iPad Air 2 with one device, 2020 iPad Pro 12.9", and was very disappointed that the external display doesn't work well.
Hopefully Apple will add this support in the future,
Thanks again,
Paul
Click to expand...
No worries. I’m also in the same boat as I’ve recently decided to use my iPad Pro as laptop replacement. Honestly, apart from that, I still find it great to use on my 4K monitor. I’m using the official USB C HDMI adapter Apple sells too to make sure I get the most out of the experience.
 
The 11-inch IPP fills a screen a little better than the 12.9” — you still get black bars, but they aren’t quite as wide. The reason is because the aspect ratio of the 11 is closer to that of most desktop monitors than that of the 12.9. I use my 11” IPP with a 21.5-inch 4K monitor all the time and I think one gets used to it after a while.
 
pedregosa said:
The 11-inch IPP fills a screen a little better than the 12.9” — you still get black bars, but they aren’t quite as wide. The reason is because the aspect ratio of the 11 is closer to that of most desktop monitors than that of the 12.9. I use my 11” IPP with a 21.5-inch 4K monitor all the time and I think one gets used to it after a while.
Click to expand...

I thought both 11" and 12.9" iPads were 4:3 aspect ratio? The total number of pixels used and the resolution of the screen being used might also be a factor.

It might be more to do with the way the screens scale perhaps - are there black bars to the left and right too?

Using the iPad as a portable daily driver is on the cards for me too - I was looking to see out this year and wait for the expected A14X/MiniLED iPads to see if they would be suitable.

Incidentally, doesn't the iPad allow use as an extra screen (via Airplay or USB) when you connect via Catalina to a Mac?
 
sublunar said:
I thought both 11" and 12.9" iPads were 4:3 aspect ratio? The total number of pixels used and the resolution of the screen being used might also be a factor.

It might be more to do with the way the screens scale perhaps - are there black bars to the left and right too?

Using the iPad as a portable daily driver is on the cards for me too - I was looking to see out this year and wait for the expected A14X/MiniLED iPads to see if they would be suitable.

Incidentally, doesn't the iPad allow use as an extra screen (via Airplay or USB) when you connect via Catalina to a Mac?
Click to expand...

The 11”iPad Pro has a 3:2 aspect ratio while the 12.9”is the usual 4:3 ratio like most other iPads. It really comes down to the monitor you attach them to to see which iPad fills the screen better. Since most external monitors are on the wide side these days (16:9 or 16:10 or wider) the 11”matches that ratio better - but at the end of the day we’re just talking about screen mirroring - extended desktop mode is where productivity increases, at least for me.
 
ericwn said:
The 11”iPad Pro has a 3:2 aspect ratio while the 12.9”is the usual 4:3 ratio like most other iPads. It really comes down to the monitor you attach them to to see which iPad fills the screen better. Since most external monitors are on the wide side these days (16:9 or 16:10 or wider) the 11”matches that ratio better - but at the end of the day we’re just talking about screen mirroring - extended desktop mode is where productivity increases, at least for me.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the pointer there, I never thought to double check.

Interestingly, the 1.43:1 screen ratio of the 11" is the same as IMAX ratio. I guess it's majoring on content consumption over the creation angle there.

The classic iPad (including iPad Pro 12.9" aspect ratio is 4:3 or 1.33:1

By comparison, the so-called standard TV widescreen aspect ratio is 16:9 or 1.78:1.

I wonder what physical size a Youtube window in full screen during playback would offer between the two sizes.

Does the screen mirroring also stretch the display to fit the width of the screen it's mirroring to?
 
sublunar said:
Interestingly, the 1.43:1 screen ratio of the 11" is the same as IMAX ratio. I guess it's majoring on content consumption over the creation angle there.
Click to expand...
Actually, the wider screen of the 11 is better with an external monitor not just for content consumption but also for productivity, as it’s better for running two windows side by side. The 12.9 has the advantage for side-by-side multitasking without an external monitor, but not with one.
 
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Paul Hobkirk said:
2020 iPad Pro: When connecting to an External Display, in my case a Samsung 4K External Monitor, why are there BLACK vertical space at each side, i.e. the OUTPUT DISPLAY is maybe 4:3 and not widescreen? Is there a setting to change this? If there is NO APPLE SUPPORT for this, is it coming?
Click to expand...


Disclaimer: not an iPad owner, just doing some research to see if an IPP is for me.

That said, I've come across Shiftscreen. Have you tried it ?

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id1498683180


Hope that helps...
 
ProgRocker said:
Disclaimer: not an iPad owner, just doing some research to see if an IPP is for me.

That said, I've come across Shiftscreen. Have you tried it ?

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id1498683180


Hope that helps...
Click to expand...
I literally downloaded this app early this afternoon. I don’t even have a compatible monitor yet, but seeing videos on how this app works convinces me that once I figure out which monitor I want, this is the way to use it!!
 
It depends what your doing - there are some apps which fully utilise the external screen; Shiftscreen is an option although it is quite limited.

I noticed yesterday that Jump Desktop works ”properly“ on an external 1080p screen; it even lets me use other apps on the iPad screen as long as Jump is kept open as one of the split screen apps (and made as small as possible).

I really wish they would let you use apps like this without having to keep them open as one of the ”active” apps - even being able to set something like Jump as the Slideover app (and off the screen) wouldn‘t be so bad as it would still give full use of the iPad screen for other apps.
 
I use Shiftscreen and it works great.
Also, Procreate will display your work in full on a monitor whilst you zoom in on your iPad and the screen won’t show your tools if you set it that way. And LumaFusion too, it shows your video on screen whilst your editing tools are on the ipad.
With shiftscreen though, i find that one doc open large in the centre with, for example, Spotify and YouTube open smaller at either side is perfect. AND you can have another separate app open on your iPad screen alongside the shiftscreen apps.

Also a good keyboard and mouse like the Logitech MX series for Mac I’m using makes the whole thing like A desktop. My only issue is that iPad Prod won’t run Adobe CC.
 
Dog Lard said:
I use Shiftscreen and it works great.
Also, Procreate will display your work in full on a monitor whilst you zoom in on your iPad and the screen won’t show your tools if you set it that way. And LumaFusion too, it shows your video on screen whilst your editing tools are on the ipad.
With shiftscreen though, i find that one doc open large in the centre with, for example, Spotify and YouTube open smaller at either side is perfect. AND you can have another separate app open on your iPad screen alongside the shiftscreen apps.

Also a good keyboard and mouse like the Logitech MX series for Mac I’m using makes the whole thing like A desktop. My only issue is that iPad Prod won’t run Adobe CC.
Click to expand...

Is there a list somewhere with apps that have secondary display support? I’ve searched around and haven’t been able to find one. Perhaps we should compile one here.
 
what i am finding is running Prime Video on the ipad connected to TV via HDMI a hub prime shows only on the TV and is full screen on the TV.

Running YouTubeTV on the ipad connected the same way and the TV and the ipad display the content and the TV is reduced size display.

To me it looks like a YouTubeTV lack of intelligence or capability issue
 
by the way i have plugged the ipad into my XHD 27" monitor as well and it goes full screen

the ipad will never replace the laptop because it doesnt run all the equivalent apps needed
 
guardrail22 said:
what i am finding is running Prime Video on the ipad connected to TV via HDMI a hub prime shows only on the TV and is full screen on the TV.

Running YouTubeTV on the ipad connected the same way and the TV and the ipad display the content and the TV is reduced size display.

To me it looks like a YouTubeTV lack of intelligence or capability issue
Click to expand...

A side note: when using Prime Video, you're better off running out of Safari - the app only goes to 720P while Safari will give 1080P.
 
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