Apple 30-pin to VGA Adapter

Reviews for Apple 30-pin to VGA Adapter

Customer Reviews and Ratings

2.5 out of 5 stars

Based on 674 reviews

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  • 2.0 out of 5 stars

    Unaware of limitations before purchasing

    • Written by from Keene

    I teach high school and thought the vga iPad dock connector would allow me to project everything I see while using the iPad, but alas there are severe limitations to which applications will show on the classroom LCD projector.
    I wish I had known this before purchasing the connector. The Apple Store description says the connector will display slideshows and movies, but I didn't realize that was it...

    9073 of 10053 people found this useful

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  • 2.0 out of 5 stars

    Sending mine back because it doesn't enable mirroring.

    • Written by from Draper

    Once again I get suckered into buying an overpriced iPhone or iPad AV connector because Apple cleverly omits the fact that it only works with certain apps. Don't they realize that people buy these accessories mostly to do demos of apps, or to mirror whatever's on their device's screen? This basic scenario does not work with this adapter. I found that it only works when playing video, or if you're a developer and you write special code in your app to support an external screen. So buyer beware...

    6839 of 7557 people found this useful

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  • 2.0 out of 5 stars

    Very limited!

    • Written by from Miami

    Limited to certain apps and even movies that were purchased through the iTunes store are blocked from displaying. Apple should be more specific about this!

    5638 of 6198 people found this useful

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  • 1.0 out of 5 stars

    What were they thinking??

    • Written by from The Woodlands

    Seriously, what was Apple thinking in creating a VGA adapter that doesn’t act like any other VGA adapter that’s been on the market for 15 years! This is not an adapter. This is a “VGA Filter”, and it filters out all WYSIWYG operations, the dock screen, all applications except YouTube and KeyNote, and the video player (does not output HD DRM movies). You guys need to learn how to properly label this stuff. I am definitely returning this useless item. How hard is it to split the internal VGA signal and mirror the screen? I’m an App developer who was about to demonstrate this great and wonderful program I made to for my company, but I couldn’t get the dang thing to connect to my projector or screens! Come on guys! There is no way your “magical and revolutionary device” can be used in a normal business and productivity setting if you are going to peddle over-priced, crummy accessories like this.

    392 of 412 people found this useful

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  • 1.0 out of 5 stars

    I should have read the reviews!

    • Written by from Appleton

    I am a hard core power PC user. However, I have been blown away by Apple with their iPhone, and now the iPad! Useful, simple, and powerful are words I am now using for these products. I saw the VGA adapter product and thought, “finally, Apple is going to do it". They are going to give us a way to output to a bigger screen! I did not read another word, just ordered it. To my dismay, it does output, but in such a limited capacity that it will be staying at home in my sock drawer. As already stated, it does not mirror what is on the iPad screen. I would imagine this would be the most desirable function for this product. I could not believe that it would not even output my purchased movies. I do not get it. Seeing as I have been able to do this with so many other devices for more than ten years now. This is the only review I have ever posted and I am doing for one reason. I hope that everyone who sees this will join me in complaining, until Apple gives us what we really need. I will keep my adapter. I am hoping that in the meantime it is possible for someone to write an app to work around this short coming.

    352 of 366 people found this useful

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  • 1.0 out of 5 stars

    Practically worthless for education.

    • Written by from Dawsonville

    It only works with pictures, movies and very very few apps. The education apps don't support VGA. EXTREMELY disappointing as a teacher. Steve Jobs projects the screen when he reveals the product, but the device isn't available to the public for purchase. I'm not happy.

    319 of 338 people found this useful

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  • 1.0 out of 5 stars

    Shockingly limited usefulness

    • Written by from Berne

    One would expect a VGA adaptor to faithfully mirror a screen on a projector, as it does for a laptop. No, only restricted apps can be displayed on a screen with the VGA adaptor. Most useful apps cannot be displayed (apparently unless you jailbreak the iPad). This is a bug, not a feature. I find this a shockingly arrogant example of Apple locking down useful features for highly questionable business reasons. Do *not* buy this product unless you are prepared to live with its limited application.

    283 of 311 people found this useful

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  • 1.0 out of 5 stars

    Joke

    • Written by from Allen

    To pay $29 for this cord is a bad joke. I prepared an entire presentation around being able to show how we use the Ipad in our business. Can't show that. Only thing I can show are slideshows of the kiddies, a youtube video, and keynote (which I find no use for) Can we look at docs2go to bring up a spreadsheet from excel? No. GoodReader for PDFs. No. What about flipping through some photo albums and casually discussing how they relate to our business. No, slideshow only, completely worthless in a business environment. Any particular reason why in the world a tablet computer is selective about what it displays to an extended viewing platform like a projector or monitor. I assumed this would be a useful business tool to me and it has been if I'm presenting to someone one on one. But if I need to address a larger audience then I have to get out the clunky laptop. Nice. Thanks Steve!

    253 of 266 people found this useful

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  • 1.0 out of 5 stars

    Worthless junk - DO NOT BUY

    • Written by from Lake Forest Park

    None of the apps I tried this with will output to my television, and worst of all, the video I bought on iTunes displays a message that says I am "not authorized" to play it on the display. Apple owes me a refund on both this and the particular video which was purchased on the mistaken (rather, misslead) intent to view it on the 46" display, not the 10". My attempts to contact Apple over this results in a run around where I am told to contact someone else. They really should be ashamed of themselves

    232 of 244 people found this useful

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  • 1.0 out of 5 stars

    Not worth the money

    • Written by from long island city

    This device is useless. I bought it so I can use it with Keynote for my school presentations and it doesn't do anything. I tried using it with my tv and same result. The only thing I can see with this device is my photos. Apple is limiting the use of a device that I paid money for, I believe that is against the law and they should stop making useless devices.

    220 of 231 people found this useful

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  • 1.0 out of 5 stars

    What? - it only works with a few apps???!!!

    • Written by from Winchester

    What? - it only works with a few apps???!!!

    Wow, I was really disappointed when I got VGA Adaptor home and saw that it only worked with a few apps.

    I wanted it to show whatever was on the iPad screen (just like we saw in Steve Job's iPad introduction).

    I guess I won't be able to use the iPad to show business demonstrations like I had hoped to.

    I'm returning this product to the store to get my money back.

    220 of 237 people found this useful

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  • 1.0 out of 5 stars

    useless

    • Written by from New York

    I am like the rest of users here. I thought if I get this VGA cable I can have my entire iPad showing on the external scree. But NO NO NO

    only some videos.
    APPLE should be ashame of themeslves... I paid like $1000 between all extra adds to ipad and
    then I figure it's worthless.

    214 of 229 people found this useful

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  • 1.0 out of 5 stars

    Limited

    • Written by from Indianapolis

    This product does add a feature but it really needs to mirror the ipad screen. I will display videos but limited in which ones it can as in Digital copies of movies purchased they cant be displayed , Netflix, streaming movies off the internet just to many limitations. If the would enable mirroring problem would be solved/

    207 of 219 people found this useful

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  • 1.0 out of 5 stars

    If I could give it zero stars I would.

    • Written by from FPO

    I normally love Mac products but this one is the lowest of the low. Packaging doesn't contain any explanation so one would expect the same thing you would expect out of the VGA outlet on your laptop. NOPE. You can't see anything but movies, and it seems that I can't even play the movies because a VGA connector is DRM compliant anymore.....

    Shame on you Apple. Are you taking notes from Microsoft? Actually you are one-upping them. This is BS.

    210 of 227 people found this useful

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  • 1.0 out of 5 stars

    Severely limited to the point of being useless

    • Written by from Oswego

    I bought this connector to use with projector in a large lecture hall. The description of the vga connector is very misleading. It fails to mention that it will ONLY work with ipad movies and photos. I planned to use it for my Keynote presentations but it doesn't work with ANY of the iWork apps.
    Apple needs to unleash some of the power of ipad. Unfortunately, I just ordered the camera kit today. I can't wait to see what it can't do.

    206 of 219 people found this useful

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  • 2.0 out of 5 stars

    Interesting choice of capability...

    • Written by from Kalamazoo

    As an electrical engineer trained in both hardware and software development, I find it interesting that Apple chose to activate video output only in Keynote and Videos (I have not found other apps that output video, but there may be). This limits the utility for me; I tend to not only give canned briefings, but demonstrate, in real time, image and signal processing algorithms, as well as display photos. I wish that Apple provided, out-of-the-box, the ability to mirror the display.

    Having said that, I have seen an iPad that was "jailbroken" only for the purpose of adding a 28kB patch that does just that...mirrors the video. Apparently, in a matter of minutes, it's possible to "fix" the Apple-imposed limitation. This tells me that it's not some hardware or software difficultly, but apparently something political limiting that function(if you can believe that)....

    The cable is well-built, and certainly outputs the video signal (when its present) clearly. But be aware that, unless you give Keynote briefings only, you may find that it's not a useful option.

    206 of 230 people found this useful

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  • 1.0 out of 5 stars

    Apple, please listen to me!

    • Written by from rexburg

    I dont know if anyone at apple will pay any attention at all to this review but I can hope... I have been a loyal Apple customer for several years now. I own a macbook, iphone, and now an ipad. These are all great products, but I am tired of getting great products crippled by the limitations placed on their software. This adapter for the ipad is the perfect example. We know the ipad can mirror its display, we all saw it during its unvieling, so why do we get the dumbed down version?
    If all you want to do is display keynote, youtube, or slideshows then this will work fine, but for the rest of us, it is really disapointing. Apple please fix this.

    185 of 197 people found this useful

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  • 1.0 out of 5 stars

    Practically useless.

    • Written by from Chester

    Very disappointing Apple.
    Anyone would assume a VGA output would display everything on the user's screen.

    173 of 184 people found this useful

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  • 1.0 out of 5 stars

    Worthless

    • Written by from Gainesville

    Does NOT project the iPad screen! Some apps (like video) can send their output to VGA instead of the screen. Which apps? None of your business. There's not a word of documentation anywhere I can find.

    Most apps can't display on VGA, nor can the home screen be displayed. It doesn't deserve even a single star, but that's lowest rating you can select.

    161 of 173 people found this useful

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  • 1.0 out of 5 stars

    Worthless

    • Written by from Chicago

    Don't buy this. It only works for slide-shows. I am returning mine.

    155 of 166 people found this useful

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