All iPads Sidecar quality: Does it matter which iPad? WiFi vs wired?

[EugW]

Has anyone tried Sidecar on multiple different iPads? Does the quality differ, and if so, by how much? How does it compare to Duet Display and Luna Display? What about WiFi vs wired?

Also, what about the iPad Air 2? Developers keep saying that Apple's Sidecar implementation may be dependent upon HEVC encoding support on the most Mac, but it should be noted that Sidecar does work on the A8X-endowed iPad Air 2, even though that iPad does not support hardware HEVC decode. Consequently, it would be interesting to directly compare Sidecar on the iPad Air 2 (A8X, no hardware HEVC decode) vs the iPad 2017 (A9, hardware HEVC decode).

 

[rui no onna]

Also, what about the iPad Air 2? Developers keep saying that Apple's Sidecar implementation may be dependent upon HEVC encoding support on the most Mac, but it should be noted that Sidecar does work on the A8X-endowed iPad Air 2, even though that iPad does not support hardware HEVC decode. Consequently, it would be interesting to directly compare Sidecar on the iPad Air 2 (A8X, no hardware HEVC decode) vs the iPad 2017 (A9, hardware HEVC decode).

By the sound of it, it's the Mac that does the encoding to HEVC and to the iPad, it's just simple video playback.

I expect the Air 2 would just have high CPU utilization doing brute force/software HEVC decoding. I haven't actually tried HEVC playback on the Air 2. How heavy is it on the CPU?

 

[ericwn]

Hm, at least with third party tools like screens it works as fluid on my Air 2 than on my Pro 12.9. That of course is a different technical implementation but I suspect the Air 2 will be fine.

 

[EugW]

By the sound of it, it's the Mac that does the encoding to HEVC and to the iPad, it's just simple video playback.

I expect the Air 2 would just have high CPU utilization doing brute force/software HEVC decoding. I haven't actually tried HEVC playback on the Air 2. How heavy is it on the CPU?

HEVC decode on the Air 2 is tough on it but considering it isn’t 4K and it’s likely a relatively lower complexity HEVC, it’s doable. It would kill battery life though so wired would be highly preferable. It could also cause it to get warm, esp. if it’s in a case.

It would be worse on the iPad mini 4 though. Much slower SoC and much smaller enclosure.

 

[AutomaticApple]

By the sound of it, it's the Mac that does the encoding to HEVC and to the iPad, it's just simple video playback.

Huh, didn’t think of that...