Sidecar - Has anyone got it working?

[EugW]

Without having read the entire thread: how does Sidecar differ from Duet? I've been using the latter quite happily for a while now with my iPad whenever I need to extend my MacBook's desktop to my iPad, for example on days like today where the Texas summer heat takes a break and I can actually sit outside and work from the backyard instead of my office. Is Sidecar any different/better than Duet?

I’m curious. How is your Duet quality and speed? People have reported better quality and lower latency for Sidecar. Also, Sidecar doesn’t cost anything extra. No tiered pricing or subscription, including for Pencil support. Furthermore, Sidecar has third party application support.

Note though you can use Sidecar and Duet at the same time for a tri-display setup.

 

[mj_]

I use a Lightning to USB-C cable for connecting my iPad to my MacBook so it's been performing really well. There is a slight latency but it's so minor that I really couldn't care, and quality is nothing to write home about but it's okay overall. The one thing that bothers me is that Duet can't use the entire iPad screen due to its 4:3 form factor so there's a massive black bar at the bottom. If Sidecar was capable of utilizing the iPad's entire screen this would definitely be a big plus.

 

[EugW]

I use a Lightning to USB-C cable for connecting my iPad to my MacBook so it's been performing really well. There is a slight latency but it's so minor that I really couldn't care, and quality is nothing to write home about but it's okay overall. The one thing that bothers me is that Duet can't use the entire iPad screen due to its 4:3 form factor so there's a massive black bar at the bottom. If Sidecar was capable of utilizing the iPad's entire screen this would definitely be a big plus.

Sidecar uses the entire screen. (However, you have the option of having the Touch Bar and navigation bar on-screen.)

Quality is just like a real second screen, at least with a wired connection.

 

[rez07]

Not working with Macbook 12 Early 2016 and iPad Air 2. Does not detect.

Things I have done

• installed latest beta of Catalina on my Early 2016 Macbook 12
• installed iPadOS on my iPad Air 2
• Logged out of icloud on both the devices, restarted, logged in on both the devices, restarted.
• Connected ipad and mac through the lightening cable supplied along with the iphone (and a USBC to USB dongle)
• Connected on the same Wi-Fi network
• Connected with bluetooth
• iPad shows up on finder and music

Same thing with my iPad pro 10.5 and Air Late 2012...even with @jackluke ´s patch :/

Edit: i repeated the process and now it is working

 

[SubStrider]

Same thing with my iPad pro 10.5 and Air Late 2012...even with @jackluke ´s patch :/

Edit: i repeated the process and now it is working

Yes its working for me too on wired connection. Had to spend exactly 5 minutes to get it to work. It didn't work on Wi-Fi, connection timed out.

@jackluke - does it mean I don't have to move to Beta 4 when it releases for this patch to keep working?

 

[jackluke]

Yes its working for me too on wired connection. Had to spend exactly 5 minutes to get it to work. It didn't work on Wi-Fi, connection timed out.

@jackluke - does it mean I don't have to move to Beta 4 when it releases for this patch to keep working?

I guess you are currently on Public Beta 3 (alias PB3) but consider this:

"Catalina/iPadOS DP4" match with PB3 , so the "Developer Preview 4" is the same build for "Public Beta 3", hence the "next Beta" release DP5 should match with PB4 .

The "next Beta" should be released next week, so for now you can stay with "PB3" (formally DP4).

If apple won't turn the tables, I will update the patch with the "Sidecar Beta 5" and make it easier to apply next time.

 

[rez07]

Actually i found it to work better now than in beta 3...seems more stable, and it doesn't make the Macbook to start the fans, now it's usable for work. So, many thanks @jackluke

 

[iMac-Oldschool]

I successfully patched SideCar in Catalina Beta4 (19A512f) to work with iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 4 !!!

Will share the patched SideCar soon.

Premise: this method is totally safe and harmless for your Mac and iPadOS devices.

Here is attached the file to replace, follow these steps, open a Catalina beta4 Terminal and copy paste one line at once:

sudo mount -uw / ; killall Finder

open /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SideCarCore.framework/Versions/A/


Now directly from Catalina Finder replace the file inside that path with the one I patched and attached.

Restart Catalina, and you should be able to SideCar (wired with a usb-lightning cable) in Catalina beta4 with iPad Air 2 or mini 4 (both updated to iPadOS beta4 build 17A5534f).

Keep in mind that both the devices (Catalina beta4 Mac and iPadOS beta 4) must be logged and synced into the same iCloud Apple ID account in order to make SideCar working.

 

[iMac-Oldschool]

Tried this on an unsupported iMac8,1 where Catalina had been installed using Dosdude1's patcher. Catalina installation ran without problems.
Sidecar on the iMac showed the iPad Pro (9.7 inch), which runs iPadOS version 13, and appeared to connect.
Sidecar started on the iPad, but did not display the Catalina Desktop and generated the error message shown below.
Speculation is that the problem is caused by a lack of Metal support on the iMac.
Will be tested again when there is a new release of Catalina or the Patcher.

 

[Peet_B]

Well I've got no idea what I'm doing wrong but I can't seem to select a device from the "connect to:" dropdown menu when in the sidecar settings, because it's not clickable. I'm using a 2014 MacBook Pro and a 10,5" iPad Pro both running the latest versions of the public beta. Please help...

 

[jackluke]

Tried this on an unsupported iMac8,1 where Catalina had been installed using Dosdude1's patcher. Catalina installation ran without problems.
Sidecar on the iMac showed the iPad Pro (9.7 inch), which runs iPadOS version 13, and appeared to connect.
Sidecar started on the iPad, but did not display the Catalina Desktop and generated the error message shown below.
Speculation is that the problem is caused by a lack of Metal support on the iMac.
Will be tested again when there is a new release of Catalina or the Patcher.

View attachment 850210

I don't think Metal is the main issue for unsupported Catalina Mac, but rather a missing GPU feature: Airplay Screen/Display Mirroring

After my many tests, I noticed that Sidecar thoroughly relies on all the Airplay*.framework (PrivateFrameworks)

So if there is a minimum chance that an unsupported Catalina Mac could Sidecar over an iPadOS device is using a Mac (MacbookPro 2011 , macmini 2011 or other) equipped with at least an IntelHD3000 (Sandy Bridge) or higher.

About Nvidia or AMD GPUs, I don't know which ones can support an Airplay Screen/Display Mirroring

while instead I am sure that the "Intel HD Graphics series 4000-5000-6000" and the most recent ones (Iris, 515 or other SkyLake GPUs) support Airplay Display natively, so potentially all those GPU can use Sidecar.

 

[jackluke]

Well I've got no idea what I'm doing wrong but I can't seem to select a device from the "connect to:" dropdown menu when in the sidecar settings, because it's not clickable. I'm using a 2014 MacBook Pro and a 10,5" iPad Pro both running the latest versions of the public beta. Please help...

Most probably your MacBookPro has been excluded too from Sidecar in this last Catalina Beta, however I guess I could try to fix the Sidecar framework to include also your machine, but you need to replace a system file and keep SIP disabled (csrutil disable), or you could wait next week beta release to check if apple fixes it.

edit:
Here is the updated patch including your MacBookPro, you have to overwrite a file, it doesn't harm your machine, follow this method: SidecarCore replacement

 

[Peet_B]

Most probably your MacBookPro has been excluded too from Sidecar in this last Catalina Beta, however I guess I could try to fix the Sidecar framework to include also your machine, but you need to replace a system file and keep SIP disabled (csrutil disable), or you could wait next week beta release to check if apple fixes it.

edit:
Here is the updated patch including your MacBookPro, you have to overwrite a file, it doesn't harm your machine, follow this method: SidecarCore replacement

You sir, are a hero! It worked, thank you so much!

 

[iMac-Oldschool]

I don't think Metal is the main issue for unsupported Catalina Mac, but rather a missing GPU feature: Airplay Screen/Display Mirroring

After my many tests, I noticed that Sidecar thoroughly relies on all the Airplay*.framework (PrivateFrameworks)

So if there is a minimum chance that an unsupported Catalina Mac could Sidecar over an iPadOS device is using a Mac (MacbookPro 2011 , macmini 2011 or other) equipped with at least an IntelHD3000 (Sandy Bridge) or higher.

About Nvidia or AMD GPUs, I don't know which ones can support an Airplay Screen/Display Mirroring

while instead I am sure that the "Intel HD Graphics series 4000-5000-6000" and the most recent ones (Iris, 515 or other SkyLake GPUs) support Airplay Display natively, so potentially all those GPU can use Sidecar.

[doublepost=1564337202][/doublepost]Thanks for your thoughts on this. I also have an iMac13,1 and will try that as well in the next few days.

 

[jackluke]

[doublepost=1564337202][/doublepost]Thanks for your thoughts on this. I also have an iMac13,1 and will try that as well in the next few days.

You could try this on your supported Catalina iMac: PB3 or DP4 patched SidecarCore

But I guess Sidecar to work on iMac should show in Catalina SystemPreferences - Displays

on the bottom left panel the feature: AirPlay Display (Mirroring)

example these: https://cdn.tutsplus.com/mac/uploads/2013/07/airplay-syspref.jpg

 

[misio]

Most probably your MacBookPro has been excluded too from Sidecar in this last Catalina Beta, however I guess I could try to fix the Sidecar framework to include also your machine, but you need to replace a system file and keep SIP disabled (csrutil disable), or you could wait next week beta release to check if apple fixes it.

edit:
Here is the updated patch including your MacBookPro, you have to overwrite a file, it doesn't harm your machine, follow this method: SidecarCore replacement

Hi, I have MBP mid 2015 and iPad Pro 10.5 can I use this file as well ? I know that MBP 2014 and 2015 are almost identical except for the graphic card.
Thank you!

 

[jackluke]

Hi, I have MBP mid 2015 and iPad Pro 10.5 can I use this file as well ? I know that MBP 2014 and 2015 are almost identical except for the graphic card.
Thank you!

Yes, you can use the same file since the MBP 2014 and 2015 are similar it should work using this file: PB3 Sidecar

And I tested it also updating iPadOS to the last PB4 (or DP5) today and my patch still works for supported Catalina Mac with AirPlay Display feature GPU.

 

[misio]

Yes, you can use the same file since the MBP 2014 and 2015 are similar it should work using this file: PB3 Sidecar

And I tested it also updating iPadOS to the last PB4 (or DP5) today and my patch still works for supported Catalina Mac with AirPlay Display feature GPU.

That's great, can't wait to test it. I'm wonder if sidecar is usable in my configuration.
Thank you!

 

[jackluke]

That's great, can't wait to test it. I'm wonder if sidecar is usable in my configuration.
Thank you!

It should work, just replace the file following my previous method, as I wrote a requirement for Sidecar is that the Mac supports this GPU feature "AirPlay Display", to check it simply open "System Preferences - Displays".

Your MBP I guess through the "Intel Iris GPU" can support Catalina Sidecar over iPadOS.

 

[matt06sg]

MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Early 2015, MacBookPro12,1),
macOS Catalina (19A512f),
iPad Pro 11" iOS 13 (17A5547d).

Doesn't work.

 

[EugW]

So is iPad Air 2 officially supported or not for Sidecar?

I just went through the trouble of installing iOS 13 Public Beta 4 on my iPad Air 2, and couldn't get Sidecar to work with my 2017 MacBook. Works fine with the iPad Pro 10.5.

If the iPad Air 2 is not officially supported, then that would make sense, given the iPad Air 2's lack of official hardware HEVC decode support.

 

[misio]

I got it to work but picture quality isn’t there. That’s probably due to MBP mid 2015 doesn’t support HEVC. It worked both ways wired and wireless.

 

[iSquirrelu]

Have it working on Mac Pro 2017 & iPad Pro latest version via USB-C connection, works with little to no delay.

 

[jackluke]

MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Early 2015, MacBookPro12,1),
macOS Catalina (19A512f),
iPad Pro 11" iOS 13 (17A5547d).

Doesn't work.

I thought the machines from 2015 were supported for HEVC, but if you want it working then try this: PB3 patch for Sidecar
[doublepost=1564556724][/doublepost]

So is iPad Air 2 officially supported or not for Sidecar?

I just went through the trouble of installing iOS 13 Public Beta 4 on my iPad Air 2, and couldn't get Sidecar to work with my 2017 MacBook. Works fine with the iPad Pro 10.5.

If the iPad Air 2 is not officially supported, then that would make sense, given the iPad Air 2's lack of official hardware HEVC decode support.

Until the final 10.15.0 don't know if apple decide to support or less the iPad Air 2 and mini 4, probably for streaming quality reasons.

Anyway to test iPad Air 2 in Sidecar you could try my patch.

 

[jackluke]

Here is my preliminary (working-tested) patch for Sidecarring Catalina beta build 19A526h, of course without using my patch you won't be able to Sidecar over iPadOS Air 2 or mini 4 (or some non-HEVC machines).

Good news: seems they have "fixed" the Sidecar/AirPlay mirroring of built-in Display, now the Catalina desktop fits correctly the iPad Air 2 or mini 4 screen.

Bad news: seems that they removed the functionality for "virtualised touch-bar" from iPad Air 2 and mini 4, while it was working previously, probably they removed from machines without an embedded Touch-bar hardware.

To apply the fix follow this link and method: Sidecar fix beta