SOLVED: iPad Pro 13" as only monitor for Mac mini m4?

[pax-eterna]

Is there a way to have the iPad as the only monitor for the Mac mini M4 without needing a primary monitor setup as well?

There is the Luna device as well as Duet, but I'd prefer a zero cost option if possible.

Is it doable using Sidecar?

The other alternative is to purchase a 13" monitor - only issue is they all seem to be in this weird (to me) widescreen format and when you turn them to portrait mode, which is what I need for chart reading on stage, they are too long...so a suggestion for a monitor with the same aspect ratio as the iPad Pro 12.9" would be the way I'd want it.

 

[01cowherd]

I looked into this in the past, and there's no way. Sidecar cannot be the sole monitor connection; there are dummy HDMI dongles that pretend the Mac is plugged into a display, but you still need some way to enter Sidecar.

Aside from the options you mentioned (Luna; Duet), you can also use a capture card and an app like Orion. This might add more lag than the other options, but it enables using the iPad as a display for any device (e.g., a Nintendo Switch) rather than only a computer.

for chart reading on stage

Why do you want to use a Mac mini instead of just the iPad? Can you preload whatever you need onto the iPad?

 

[pax-eterna]

I looked into this in the past, and there's no way. Sidecar cannot be the sole monitor connection; there are dummy HDMI dongles that pretend the Mac is plugged into a display, but you still need some way to enter Sidecar.

Aside from the options you mentioned (Luna; Duet), you can also use a capture card and an app like Orion. This might add more lag than the other options, but it enables using the iPad as a display for any device (e.g., a Nintendo Switch) rather than only a computer.


Why do you want to use a Mac mini instead of just the iPad? Can you preload whatever you need onto the iPad?

Because I use soft synths as my sound source and the quality is so much better with the app versions available for MacOS. The hosting app I use (Camelot Pro) also allows me to attach the PDF chart files to each song. But it's about the quality of the instruments.....somehow they are just more, ummm, clearer and robust?? if you like, on MacOS 🙂

 

[FreakinEurekan]

If "Latency" isn't so much of an issue - which it sounds like it isn't - consider using a remote access app like Screens or Splashtop.

 

[pax-eterna]

If "Latency" isn't so much of an issue - which it sounds like it isn't - consider using a remote access app like Screens or Splashtop.

Latency over Bluetooth is an issue, I will check those out, but if they use BT they'd be no good tbh

Plus this is on stage, and if they are online, which the "remote" indicates, again no good as WI-FI internet connection on stage can be flaky. Especially in some of the areas I play 🙂

 

[rnb2]

How about a portable USB display? Many (most?) carry power and video over one USB-C cable.

It would help if I read the entire original post...checking on some portable options.

 

[rnb2]

There are some portable USB-C displays that are 16:10 (instead of 16:9). There are also a few oddball options, like a 10.5" 3:2 screen, or the expensive ASUS dual-screens or their 17" folding OLED, but something tells me you don't want to spend $1800 (or your local equivalent) on this.

 

[chrfr]

Edit: I missed post 2 of this thread that also recommended Orion. I haven't used it extensively but it's pretty responsive and I'd guess it'll perform well enough for your needs.
You can't do this for free but you can do it at low cost.
If you use an app like Orion: https://orion.tube/ with a USB-C video capture "card" (really an adapter that accepts HDMI into a USB-C device) Orion will act as an external display for the Mac.
There are several capture cards that'll work but the one linked on that page is definitely compatible, and is pretty inexpensive. You'd also need an HDMI cable to connect the Mac to the adapter, of course.

 

[pax-eterna]

So, I now have this running using a USB-C cable and the iPad Air M4, however, no matter what resolutions I try on the Mac and the iPad, I get two large black bars top and bottom of the iPad screen. The desktop appears only in the centre portion. Black bars are 4cm wide top and bottom.

Is this fixable?

 

[01cowherd]

So, I now have this running using a USB-C cable and the iPad Air M4, however, no matter what resolutions I try on the Mac and the iPad, I get two large black bars top and bottom of the iPad screen. The desktop appears only in the centre portion. Black bars are 4cm wide top and bottom.

Is this fixable?

Which method did you go with? It sounds like your either your connection method or Mac is using widescreen and you need 4:3 for a 13” iPad.

 

[pax-eterna]

Finally went with Duet Display...can run the Mac mini headless and it runs iPad in the correct format. Only thing is no portrait mode, but afics, none of these apps or dongles do either 🙂

 

[Guenter]

There is some software that requires an usbc video capture card that allows you to connect the ipad via hdmi to a computer.
Sorry, that is already mentioned before.