Apple Digital AV Adapter-PC Magazine

Smart cover with Apple ($ 39-$ 69, 4 stars) garnering greater attention within 2 iPad accessories, it's easy to forget about the Digital AV adapter Apple ($ 39). Too bad, because it is another simple accessory that solves problems and creates new ways of using the iPad ($ 499-$ 829, 4.5 stars). Note that I said "iPad 2". While the Digital AV adapter is compatible with the original iPad, iPhone 4 ($ 199-$ 299, 4.5 stars), and the latest iPod touch ($ 229-$ 399, 5 stars), it does not mirror their home screens on your TV as it does for the iPad 2e shows only pictures and video playback. Still, it is somewhat useful for other devices, and for the iPad is a great tool. The price may seem a little high for what is essentially a specialized cable, but there's nothing out there that can do this without an elaborate set-up, for $ 40 seems fair.

Design

White adapter measures approximately 4. 2 inches long and about 0. 3 inches thick, is a little thicker than the sync cable at anchor point. One end is connected to the connection of 30 pins of the iPad and the other end has a HDMI output, along with another 30-pin connector that attaches to your cable load/synchronization. Set up is mindlessly easy — simply plug the charger cable and HDMI cable and the iPad and you're ready. (At the risk of stating the obvious, the other end of the HDMI cable should be connected to your HDTV or monitor.)

An interesting observation: sometimes when I disconnected the cable, synchronization, the mirror image of iPad's video would disappear from television, which would then look for an input signal and come up empty-handed. Thus, while the 30-pin connector to the HDMI output can be marketed as a port, useful to keep your iPad charged while you glide through presentations on TV, it seems a little more critical. Nevertheless, this issue only occurred a few times. Strangely, he seemed to have little to do with the remaining battery life of the iPad, as he was almost fully loaded most of the time.

If you plan on holding the iPad 2 while playing a game or making presentations, you'll want to be sitting or standing near a wall outlet since the iPad charging cable isn't terribly long. I also recommend using the adapter with a long HDMI cable loose — the more you have, the easier it is to manipulate the iPad, which becomes less gracious when the Digital AV adapter is attached to it.

Performance

The Digital AV adapter produces mirror images of 1080p your desktop, but when you run the video, it defaults to 720 p. When watching video stored on iPad, you can hit a button in the upper left corner of the screen that alternately fill the screen entirely or using letterbox mode. If you're watching YouTube, the expand control in the lower left of the window of the video switches between fill up your television screen or play the video in the YouTube app, which appears in the window of the iPad-shaped mirror images on TV. When the video of 720 p, say a movie purchased from the iTunes Store plays through the adapter on a television screen, it looks very sharp. We're not talking level Blu-ray video, but it is a high-resolution experience. Photos will look similarly sharp, assuming they low resolution. When watching videos of low resolution — say, some YouTube clip non-HD — the results are predictably ugly. Obviously that is not a knock on the adapter — low-resolution images never goes well when he is blown, and there's not much to do about it. That's because the toggle button to fill the screen or return to the mirror-image size is so necessary.

IPod touch (4th gen) iPhone 4 and iPad original all play video and view photos via adapter, but just the iPad 2 supports mirror images. In other words, if you were hoping to use the adapter to play games or view apps on your iPod touch into your television, you can't. iPad apps, games for, say, GarageBand, however, are perfectly mirrored in real time on an HDTV using the Digital AV adapter.

It is important to note that if you have an Apple TV ($ 99, 4-stars), you can use the AirPlay feature on your device iOS to stream video wirelessly to your TV. In other words, for about $ 60 more, you can watch the same video you are sending via cable television, but without wires. However, airplay, and Apple TV does not support mirror imaging, so the Digital Av adapter remains a unique accessory – especially if you have an iPad 2.

Of course, watch the slideshows or videos or games, since the iPad HDTV is very fun, but the adapter is also helpful. Teachers can design lessons and presentations for entrepreneurs their iPads. Is it worth $ 40? For owners of iPad 2, Yes — is a simple, all-in-one (well, minus the HDMI cable not included) that helps you get the most from your tablet and HDTV. For last-gen iPod touch, iPhone 4, and original owners of the iPad, it doesn't seem worth the price since it can make much less.

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