Live view software for iPad Air

[Shibeto]

Exactly as appears on this post title, I'm looking to use my iPad Air with my new Lodestar x2 camera if possible?

Can be done?

I do not want to process images as basically will use it for visual purposes only at the beginning.

Lodestar Live software works on my Macbook Pro but doesn't do the trick on my iPad Air..

[NickK]

Firstly - Apple have a software signing system that needs a developer to be registered (i.e. pay a yearly fee) for software to installable on iOS. Macs (OS X) have the ability to run non-signed software.

You'd also need to recode as the USB system on iOS uses apple specific notifications and IOKit (I don't think libusb has been tested on iOS). I did a Apple Objective-C++ implementation of the ATIK drivers although very good for OS X specific apps, the main demand is in portable C++ software - hence the slight recoding going on that the moment.

The later iOS do support USB but hardware manufacturers need a further apple partnership agreement (money).

Lastly - iPhone/iPads originally didn't have the hardware compliance to provide the required 500mA of power to connected devices - I'm unsure of the current situation. It's this that is likely to prevent camera-iPad use without a powered adaptor or hub.

Don't get me wrong - it is possible to get a camera linked. However someone has to pay apple and I'd suspect that a fee for the application to assist developers putting their own time in would be warranted..

[StuartJPP]

Good luck, that's the problem with Apple, their USB isn't quite USB, their Bluetooth isn't quite Bluetooth......

The reason that Apple products work so well is because it is a closed system and as long as you use your Apple auto-guiding camera and Apple German Equatorial Mount you will be okay.

They are getting better due to pressure but don't hold your breath.

[happy-kat]

I bought a very cheap windows 8.1 tablet to be able to use my full collection of web cams.

[Shibeto]

I bought a very cheap windows 8.1 tablet to be able to use my full collection of web cams.

Basically if I buy a non apple (ipad) tablet Can I be able to use live view software?

I have a lodestar x2 camera that I would like to use with live view software..

[Paul81]

A couple of things to check:

1. The USB port is capable of supplying enough power to the Lodestar X2 (USB spec is 500mA, I have no idea what the Lodestar uses). However, if this was not the case you could solve this by plugging the tablet into a powered USB hub and then the camera into the hub - that way the hub supplies the power.

2. If you are intending on using Lodestar Live (windows version), the tablet must use an x86 32 / 64-bit processor. Currently I only compile for this processor (parts of the software are written in assembler thus targeted towards this architecture). I think some Windows laptops use ARM processors too. It's probably something I can cater for in the future, but currently LL is only for x86 Windows and Max OS X.

3. Lodestar Live's main UI currently has a minimum display size of 1100x690 pixels. Now I can make the width less (at the expense of downsampling the image on display) but I can't reduce the height - I am already struggling to fit some of the new controls for V0.11 in the 690 height... 

Paul