The FREE Orion app helps you use your iPad as an external HDMI display for any camera. The paid Orion Pro — a one time upgrade – you get some extra features, like adjusting the video brightness.

Orion is born out of curiosity and… Apples announcement, last summer, that among the features coming to iOS 17 was external-webcam support on iPad. The team behind the software Halide, the popular camera for iPhone and iPad, tried to get Halide to support the new feature, but “found it didn’t really work quite like we had hoped.” Still,  during their experiments they found that “those inexpensive USB-C ‘capture cards’ you find on Amazon work like webcams” made it possible to plug any HDMI device into your iPad and its output would show up on your screen.

From the idea to launch it took the team 45 days. two days after iPadOS 17 came out, and just two days before new iPhone 15s would hit stores and arrive at people’s doorsteps, the team announced the release of Orion Video System. The text was short but enticing: “Introducing Orion: A display that can go with you anywhere. Turn your iPad into an HDMI monitor for cameras, consoles and more.”

Orion Pro costs $5

Orion Video System, a software application from Lux Entertainment and Optics Inc uses the portable screen you already have with you as an HDMI monitor for cameras, game consoles, computers or other devices. With a simple USB-C Capture Card, or “dongle” and the free Orion Video System application, getting a big screen is never a big hassle. All it requires to run is iOS 17, an iPad with USB-C, and a USB-C Video Capture Card. And it’s FREE!

The team at Lux Entertainment and Optics Incorporated says that “If you want to support the app, get Orion Pro: It packs AI upscaling, CRT emulation for retro games, and image adjustments (and whatever else we cook up). It’s a one-time upgrade for $5. It unlocks everything. No subscriptions.”

Orion is perfect for turning your iPad into a portable display for your camera, so you can check your framing, focus, color and more when taking video or stills. Or connect Orion to a game console for gaming on the go or when needing a quick, fantastic monitor and set of speakers. You can also hook Orion up to a Mac, PC or other HDMI capable devices to get an extra screen to output video to.

Orion is a Fun Project developed by the minds of Lux Entertainment and Optics Incorporated, the company behind Halide, Spectre and Skylight, other apps for the iPhone and iPad universe. Follow the link to read the whole story about development of Orion Video System and the hectic 45 days from idea to launch.