Check it out how someone modified an Apple TV 4K to see its picture on an 11-inch iPad Pro
The Apple TV is an amazing streaming device for the television you use at home. But what if you were trying to enjoy content from your Apple TV while you were on the go and didn’t have a television at your disposal?
MacStories contributor and Magic Rays of Light Podcast co-host Sigmund Judge found himself in these exact shoes, wanting a way to watch Apple TV content on the go. To do this, he undertook a modification project so that he could stream Apple TV content right on his new 11-inch iPad Pro, which worked as a mobile display thanks to iPadOS 17’s UVC (USB Video Class) support.
As discussed in his piece, Judge modified his Apple TV 4K (3rd generation) so that it could accept USB-C as a power input rather than using the traditional power plug. This involved tearing down the Apple TV 4K (3rd generation) and performing a little bit of tech surgery on the unit, which undoubtedly voids any warranties that might be present.
From what we can gather, Judge used Voidbox Industries’ USB-C Modkit for Apple TV 4K (2022), which is a unique kit that allows the power port on the 2022 or 3rd generation Apple TV 4K to be replaced with a USB-C port. Due to being a high-quality retrofit, it pretty much bolts right in after removing the stock power supply and connector.
After modding the Apple TV 4K (3rd generation), Judge used a USB-C-based hub connected to the USB-C port on his 11-inch iPad Pro, branching the one port into several. He used this port to power the Apple TV 4K (3rd generation) via the iPad Pro’s battery.
The HDMI port from the Apple TV 4K (3rd generation) was plugged into an HDMI splitter, which took care of any High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) issues, and that was then plugged into an Elgato 4K X video capture card, which was then linked to the USB-C hub that we mentioned earlier. This is important, because USB-C is capable of both data and power, so Judge’s 11-inch iPad Pro USB-C port worked double-duty here.
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All those components, bundled together, fit (discreetly?) behind Judge’s Magic Keyboard, which he fitted with high-strength Velcro. A separate Velcro board housed all the components, and attached to the Velcro on the Magic Keyboard, allowing them to be added or removed on demand. Judge calls his homemade system the “Magic Island.” Good one!
As a finishing touch to the already awesome project, Judge converted the keys on his silver Magic Keyboard to black-colored keys, which made the Magic Keyboard match the aesthetic of this Apple TV 4K’s Siri Remote.
Due to taking video from the video capture card, which was aided by the HDMI splitter to handle HDCP, the 11-inch iPad Pro could be used as an effective screen for the USB-C-powered Apple TV 4K (3rd generation) strapped to the back. This allowed for a truly mobile tvOS experience that one could use on a bus, while using the subway, or even while staying at a hotel where a television may or may not be present in the room.
No part of this modification process required jailbreaking the 11-inch iPad Pro or the Apple TV 4K (3rd generation). Instead, Judge used mostly plug-and-play parts, while of course switching out the power method on the Apple TV 4K from a traditional power plug to USB-C. This was probably the most challenging part of the entire job.
Personally, I’m impressed by the ingenuity used here. I don’t have the courage to bust open my Apple TV to install one of these kits, and I wouldn’t recommend it to the average Joe out there either unless they’re okay with voiding any warranty coverage they have left. Obviously, anyone thinking about doing something like this would do so at their own risk, as we neither endorse nor advise doing this. But… we still think it’s neat (and who wouldn’t?)
What do you think about the idea behind a mobile tvOS entertainment system? Let us know in the comments.
Source link: https://www.idownloadblog.com/2024/06/07/ipad-pro-as-display-for-tvos-apple-tv/
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