Hack enables system-wide display mirroring on iPad 1

And you thought the first-generation iPad only supported video output in enabled third-party apps and built-in programs such as the Photos app. A system-wide hack has surfaced that lets the original iPad mirror whatever is displayed on its display, like iPad 2, regardless of whether the app supports this feature through system APIs or not.

It requires a jailbroken iPad 1 and Apple’s Digital AV Adapter or VGA adapter to hook up the device to a big screen TV or a projector using HDMI or VGA connection. The hack involves changing a setting in the property list file of the Springboard app. That’s all there is to it, really. Here’s a quick tutorial video…

This could be a reason alone to jailbreak the original iPad using the latest untethered iOS 4.3.1 jailbreak.

With display mirroring, you can browser the web and chat in the comfort of your living room, play games on your big screen TV, check your email and so forth.

Or how about watching movies without the need for an AirPlay-enabled Apple TV. It should also come in handy for those business presentations and content creation apps. The full tutorial can be found over at the Nature Eye’s Studios blog.