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Halide creators can turn iPad into an HDMI monitor for cameras and consoles with Orion

Lux, which makes the Halide Camera app, has unlocked a whole new vibe with their new HDMI monitor software for iPad.

The Orion Video System is a free app that can transform a USB-C iPad into a dedicated HDMI monitor. You’ll need a dongle, but the end result is something clever. Here’s how they put it:

Orion lets users use iPad as an external monitor for video and still cameras, to preview framing, exposure and settings and far more on site and in studio, as well as sharing stills and video of camera footage. They can also play games on the go or at home with any HDMI-supporting console — even upscaling Nintendo Switch gameplay to 4K in realtime, or using CRT Emulation with older games or retro consoles. Finally, users can use any other HDMI supporting device like their own Mac or PC to get a quick extra screen.

If that sounds like something from another era, maybe with The Cure playing on the FM radio, there’s a reason for that:

Orion was designed to emulate the joy of the peak of consumer electronics hardware in the 1980s. The app opens up to a cardboard box, letting the user unbox their new Orion Video System, and includes a retro manual for usage instructions. Orion also features a custom pixel font based on VCR on-screen displays for its in-app menus, as well as immersive, beautiful effects between screens based on vintage video hardware.

So that’s Orion. It turns your iPad into an external monitor for photography and video capture, Mac/PC/HDMI accessory output, and even gaming consoles. Orion includes recommendations for capture cards within the app, but any compatible capture card will work. You can also experience a demo of the app without the extra hardware.

Free to download, no ads or tracking, and made from love.

To support Orion and unlock more features, an optional $5 in-app purchase adds the Orion Pro feature set: AI-powered 4K upscaling, CRT Emulation, and Picture Adjustment.

Download Orion for iPad from the App Store, and learn more here.

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Avatar for Zac Hall Zac Hall

Zac covers Apple news, hosts the 9to5Mac Happy Hour podcast, and created SpaceExplored.com.

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