[curiousuburb]

Originally Posted by turbulentfurball Nah, it's a Bohemian Rhapsody theme. The bismillah bus will be next.

Originally Posted by Brad Very very frightening.

Galileo Galileo Galileo Figaroooooo

[Luca]

Originally Posted by Kickaha Video out supported: http://www.ipodnn.com/articles/12/09...miting.factor/ Apple has announced that Lightning to VGA and Lightning to HDMI cables are forthcoming. The Lightning to Dock adapter cables support analog audio out, as well as USB audio, synchronization, and charging needs. The "iPod Out" protocol allows peripherals to display the iOS device's display, and is commonly used with in-dash entertainment centers. So the question is - doable over 5 pin microUSB or not?

Bumping an old thread, with less old information:

http://www.panic.com/blog/2013/03/th...pter-surprise/

I am not totally up on the whole situation, but it looks like Lightning actually isn't a very capable interface for video out, so they're using a tiny chip inside the adapter to output video. With the drawback being that the video quality and resolution both suffer.

I'm really perplexed as to why Apple would design a new connector that is not compatible with any existing accessories, has fewer features than the old connector, and now also degrades the video out feature and requires a more costly adapter to use it. I can see that they wanted to reduce the size of the connector, but that seems like the only advantage.

[Mugge]

Form over function, huh?

But is it really impossible to carry 1080p video over eight pins? I can see that HDMI uses 19 pins and TB uses 20, but at least TB can do a lot more than just carry video at the same time.

[Luca]

I don't see why not... there's a standard called MHL that allows many devices to use an HDMI output through the micro USB port, with the help of an adapter. The adapters are cheap, like $10 on Monoprice, so I doubt they're doing any sort of transcoding, and the output is actually 1080p.

[Mugge]

Hmmm, do you suppose they have cut corners with the bit rate?

I suppose the problem is that Lightning requires it's pins to be used in a specific and consistent manner, which means that something like MHL can't be done/allowed.

[addabox]

Doesn't it seem likely that Apple isn't too worried about video out on a dock connector, at this point? Most video you'd want to look at is in the cloud and available on any device you'd want to connect to, in one form or another-- streaming options, iTunes purchases, iCloud sync, etc. For anything else there's AirPlay.

I'm guessing the number of people who feel like they need to hook up a dock to a display device to get 1080 vid is pretty small, and shrinking?

[Luca]

Originally Posted by addabox Doesn't it seem likely that Apple isn't too worried about video out on a dock connector, at this point? Most video you'd want to look at is in the cloud and available on any device you'd want to connect to, in one form or another-- streaming options, iTunes purchases, iCloud sync, etc. For anything else there's AirPlay. I'm guessing the number of people who feel like they need to hook up a dock to a display device to get 1080 vid is pretty small, and shrinking?

If they're not too worried about video out, why did they go out of their way to design what is essentially a miniature computer that fits into an adapter that sells for $49 and almost certainly costs more to make than a simple pass-thru connector they could sell for $20-$30?

I mean, I know that it's possible to get full HD video from a small connector using a cheap adapter because most phones with micro USB have that capability. The technology already exists, so why not just use something like that? It just seems to me like Apple took extra time and money to develop Lightning. At least with the old 30-pin connector, it was capable of a lot of things that other connectors couldn't do.

[addabox]

I can't fathom the perversity of Apple's choices, it's just that in this case said perversity doesn't seem to compromise functionality for most people.

[Dorian Gray]

I think we’re overlooking something important here: mechanical suitability to task. The Lightning connector isn’t just a little bit mechanically better than the old 30-pin dock connector or Micro-USB, it’s leaps and bounds better.

In part that’s because the Micro-USB plug interface (and 30-pin dock connector) is extraordinarily bad. I have no idea how a committee of smart people arrived at that design. It takes a concerted multi-second effort to plug in a Micro-USB connector, and that’s if you can see clearly to carry out the necessary precise alignment. If it’s dark, you’re trying to do it in an awkward position, or you’re merely long-sighted, it’s diabolically hard to do – and pointlessly so! The plugs have sharp edges that scratch your device if you miss the socket, half the time you try to insert it upside down, and the wretched stamped-metal plug and socket are rarely shaped properly to begin with, and only get worse with use and misuse.

The 30-pin dock connector is more precisely made and easier to align because it’s larger, but has the additional problems of even greater orientation confusion, immoderate insertion and removal forces, and unneeded bulk due to vestigial functions like FireWire support. Since it was so large Apple often felt compelled to put the socket on a curved surface (e.g. iPod touch), which compounded the usability problems of the plug.

Design this bad probably causes Jonathan Ive physical pain. You might counter that it’s only a plug, but that attitude produces a world full of witness design and keeps thinking people in a foul mood from morn till night.

The Lightning connector is much better in all regards. It’s tiny, but big enough to grip. The plug is seamless and rounded in all directions, making it easy to insert in the socket and less likely to scratch your device. The socket has a bevelled receptacle to catch the plug almost regardless of its initial insertion angle and placement, and to straighten it along its insertion path. Orientation isn’t a problem because the plug doesn’t have an up or down. The insertion force is low because the plug is small and doesn’t rely on friction to hold it in place – in fact, there is no appreciable friction. Instead, two spring-loaded clips press balls into lateral holes, giving a positive lock after a satisfying click. It’s much more robust too (one of Apple’s chief goals with the Lightning connector).

My girlfriend commented on the tactile pleasure of using the Lightning connector shortly after she got her iPhone 5. The data throughput is irrelevant to her and 99 % of users, but all of them plug their phone in on a very frequent basis. The experience of doing that matters, and Apple got it really right with the Lightning connector.

[drewprops]

TLDR; Dorian's girlfriend, tactile pleasure.



...

[Mac+]

@ Drew's summary

Great observations and analysis DG.

[Mugge]

Originally Posted by Dorian Gray I have no idea how a committee of smart people arrived at that design.

That might be your answer.

[AWR]

Originally Posted by Mac+ @ Drew's summary Great observations and analysis DG.

Joining both quotes. Funny, and I really do agree (and learned a lot about orientation perspectives, etc. )

Well put, DG and DP.