# HDMI Monitor - Orion — External Display System

> iPad HDMI monitor app using USB-C capture card for external displays. (iPhone/iPad app by Lux Optics Incorporated.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hdmi-monitor-orion/id6459355072 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Lux Optics Incorporated](https://appshunter.io/developer/885697371)
- Category: Utilities, Photo & Video
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.14/5 from 2,180 App Store ratings · 156 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 17.0 · 19 MB
- Languages: English
- Released: 2023-09-20
- Data updated: 2026-09-05
- Monetization: freemium
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hdmi-monitor-orion/id6459355072/reviews.md

## What is HDMI Monitor?

TVs and Computer Monitors are large, cumbersome devices. Wouldn’t it be a treat if you could use the portable screen you already have with you as an HDMI monitor for cameras, game consoles, computers or other devices? 

Say “Hello” to the Orion Video System, a software application from Lux Entertainment and Optics Inc. 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*.

*Requires iOS 17, an iPad with USB-C, and a USB-C Video Capture Card.

WHAT TO USE ORION FOR

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.

FEATURES

Orion is jam packed with amazing features. From the simple things like sharing a quick screenshot of your video feed to a quick, convenient set of controls and intuitive user manual, Orion makes your iPad an excellent external HDMI monitor. With Orion Pro — a one time upgrade — you can also adjust the video brightness (from regular brightness to darker than the system brightness), upscale HD video or games with our AI powered 4K upscaler, or enjoy a retro movie or game with the 3-way retro CRT Emulation system. 

In addition to this, Orion collects and shares ZERO data. Free is truly free: no ads, no tracking, no nonsense. 

Other great features include full audio passthrough for playing HDMI device connected audio directly to AirPods or other connected devices; sharing full videos from your device with iPadOS Screen Recording, and more.

ABOUT

Orion is a Fun Project developed by the minds of Lux Entertainment and Optics Incorporated. Our collaboration team includes Anton Heestand, Jelmar Geertsma, Jonathan Hollander, Cabel Sasser, Louie Mantia and of course our families who so lovingly support our silly and loving work on apps. Also check out Halide, Spectre and Skylight — our other apps, and please leave us a review if you like our app.

## Key features

- Portable HDMI monitor functionality
- Connect cameras, game consoles, computers
- AI-powered 4K upscaler (Pro)
- Retro CRT emulation (Pro)
- Full audio passthrough
- Screenshot sharing

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Orion One Time Purchase | $9.99 | one-time |


## What do users think of HDMI Monitor?

Overall sentiment: neutral

**Pros**

- 💡 Useful for IT professionals
- 🚀 Works seamlessly
- 👍 Aesthetically pleasing
- 👍 Excellent CRT filters
- 👍 Charming retro UI aesthetic

**Cons**

- 🐛 Screen tearing issues
- 🐛 Doesn't work with certain devices
- 🐛 Lag and display issues
- 🐛 No audio support
- 🐛 Doesn't fill the screen properly

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Crashes and freezes
- Doesn't recognize input
- Incompatible with new iOS updates
- Paid version not working

**Most requested features**

- Native video recording
- Aspect ratio controls
- Frame rate settings
- PiP mode
- More scaling and adjustment options

## Recent user reviews (10 of 156)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hdmi-monitor-orion/id6459355072/reviews.md

### 5/5 — A miracle

*2026-08-30, version 1.1.0*

This app is just perfect . Plug the usb capture device on it, your camera to it, and tadaaaaah !

### 5/5 — Absolutely insanely good!!

*2026-08-18, version 1.1.0*

So I have my capture card and this is worked since the start of today basically what I had to do is plug-in my capture card via USB-C first and plug in the HMDI then turn on the PS5 with the Nintendo switch two and it actually worked!! 1000/10!!

### 2/5 — Randomly does not work.

*2026-08-16, version 1.1.0*

Feed works fine on my M1 iPad Pro running 18.7.2 but does not work on my iPad Mini 6 running the latest iPadOS. It did at one point! Is it about iOS26?

### 1/5 — Bruh

*2026-08-02, version 1.1.0*

Ur app is dumb no one wants to hear olden timey radio ok

### 5/5 — Love it!

*2026-07-16, version 1.1.0*

Thank you so much for this app! Other apps were absolutely useless, but this one was the only one of 2 that worked! Will be using this for my gameplay videos. Thank you. Love the old-fashioned TV aesthetic too!

### 5/5 — Amazing

*2026-07-10, version 1.1.0*

Stupendous

### 1/5 — Does not work

*2026-06-16, version 1.1.0*

No troubleshooting. Hooked up HDMI to see cable. Shows no signal.

### 1/5 — Never works

*2026-05-10, version 1.1.0*

It never works on my switch to iPad I use a hdmi 4k uhd to usb 
c 
I don’t recommend this to anyone

### 1/5 — Down loaded paid $14.99 AUD ,had to reset my iPad to default setting, now I am unable restore purcha

*2026-03-31, version 1.1.0*

Waste of money

### 1/5 — Won’t work with Xbox x

*2026-03-28, version 1.1.0*

Doesn’t work with my Xbox

## Frequently asked questions about HDMI Monitor

### What does the Orion Video System app do?

The Orion Video System app allows you to use your iPad as a portable HDMI monitor. By connecting your iPad to devices like cameras, game consoles, or computers via a USB-C capture card, you can utilize your iPad's screen as an external display for these devices.

### What are the key features of Orion?

Key features include using your iPad as a portable HDMI monitor, connecting various devices, full audio passthrough to connected audio devices like AirPods, and the ability to share screenshots of your video feed. The Pro version offers advanced features like AI-powered 4K upscaling and retro CRT emulation.

### Is Orion free to use?

The base Orion app is free to use with no ads, tracking, or hidden costs. However, there is an optional one-time upgrade called Orion Pro which unlocks additional features such as video brightness adjustment, AI 4K upscaling, and retro CRT emulation.

### What are the system requirements for Orion?

To use Orion, you will need an iPad with USB-C, running iOS 17 or later, and a USB-C Video Capture Card (dongle). These are required to establish the connection between your iPad and the external device.

### What are common use cases for Orion?

Common use cases include using your iPad as a portable display for your camera to check framing and focus, connecting to a game console for gaming on the go, or using it as an extra screen for your Mac, PC, or other HDMI-capable devices.

## Version history (last 4 releases)

### 1.1.0 — 2025-09-19

Welcome to Orion 1.1.0! In addition to updating things to match Liquid Glass, we've added a long requested feature: content zoom! If you're playing widescreen content but prefer that the middle content fill the screen, just tap the adjust button, and then the fill button. This is perfect when playing a retro game on a modern console that forces content to be wide screen, as it just crops an unnecessary border to make full use of your screen.

If you run into any issues, feedback, or feature requests, please let us know at support@lux.camera.

### 1.0.2 — 2023-10-06

Welcome to Orion 1.0.2! We want to thank you so much for your amazing response to our new app. If you love Orion so far, please give us a review or rating. It helps us a lot, and lets us continue working on this app.

This update to your favorite HDMI monitor has a fix for audio issues. Previously, an issue could cause audio to stop working, especially with headphones or audio devices. This update also lays the groundwork for our future updates.

We'd love to see your setup and hear your suggestions for upcoming features and special custom icons. You can find us at @halideapp on Instagram and Threads, @halidecamera on Twitter, and @halide on Mastodon. Thank you!

### 1.0.1 — 2023-09-20

TVs and Computer Monitors are large, cumbersome devices. Wouldn’t it be a treat if you could use the portable screen you already have with you as an HDMI monitor for cameras, game consoles, computers or other devices? 

Say “Hello” to the Orion Video System, a software application from Lux Entertainment and Optics Inc. 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*.

*Requires iOS 17, an iPad with USB-C, and a USB-C Video Capture Card.

WHAT TO USE ORION FOR

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.

FEATURES

Orion is jam packed with amazing features. From the simple things like sharing a quick screenshot of your video feed to a quick, convenient set of controls and intuitive user manual, Orion makes your iPad an excellent external HDMI monitor. With Orion Pro — a one time upgrade — you can also adjust the video brightness (from regular brightness to darker than the system brightness), upscale HD video or games with our AI powered 4K upscaler, or enjoy a retro movie or game with the 3-way retro CRT Emulation system. 

In addition to this, Orion collects and shares ZERO data. Free is truly free: no ads, no tracking, no nonsense. 

Other great features include full audio passthrough for playing HDMI device connected audio directly to AirPods or other connected devices; sharing full videos from your device with iPadOS Screen Recording, and more.

ABOUT

Orion is a Fun Project developed by the minds of Lux Entertainment and Optics Incorporated. Our collaboration team includes Anton Heestand, Jelmar Geertsma, Jonathan Hollander, Cabel Sasser, Louie Mantia and of course our families who so lovingly support our silly and loving work on apps. Also check out Halide, Spectre and Skylight — our other apps, and please leave us a review if you like our app.

### 1.0 — 2023-09-20

No release notes.

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## More apps by Lux Optics Incorporated

- [Halide Mark III - Pro Camera](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/halide-mark-iii-pro-camera/id885697368)
- [Spectre Camera](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spectre-camera/id1450074595)
- [Skylight Forecast](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skylight-forecast/id1571209409)
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All apps by Lux Optics Incorporated: https://appshunter.io/developer/885697371

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-05.*
