Last fall, Orion released the Orion for iPad app. When paired with a USB-C to HDMI adapter, it turns the Apple iPad into a portable display for external devices such as your laptop, video game system, and digital camera.
Or, in our case, an Apple IIc. As demonstrated by Dylan McDonald, an RCA to HDMI video adapter can be added to the mix to connect an Apple IIc’s video output to an iPad, turning the tablet into a monitor for our favorite retrocomputer.
Although McDonald doesn’t detail exactly which adapters he used, any brand should allow an enterprising hacker to MacGyver their way into a similar configuration. The Orion app is free, with optional features such as AI-powered 4K upscaling and CRT emulation unlocked via a one-time US$5 purchase.
Not just any iPad will do, though. Earlier models of iPad used Lightning ports; USB-C was not introduced until 2018 with the 11″ iPad Pro, followed by the fourth-generation iPad Air in 2020, the sixth-generation iPad mini in 2021, and the tenth-generation iPad in 2022.
Once upon a time, the now-discontinued Night Owl monitor was a popular and portable display option for the Apple IIc. In lieu of that, we may want to start purchasing refurbished iPads to pair with our Apple II computers.
(Hat tips to Miguel López, James Frawley, and Zac Hall)