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iPad Pro USB C Adapter?

N

NCH

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 6, 2014
11
0
Hi, I have an iPad Pro I bought for drawing and it's great but I've struggled to use it for other things and don't understand the compatibility very well. I have a little USB camera for inspection that works like a USB webcam and want to know if I buy an adapter and plug it into the iPad Pro will I be able to see the image on the iPad?

I did try and buy an adapter:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2PCS-Typ...var=512181814782&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

But I must of misunderstood somthing because though the listing said USB Type C and the iPad I thought was USB C they are odviously differnt connections?
 
That’s a USB (type) C to USB-A adapter. The issue is whether or not the webcam would work with the iPad, especially since you can’t load device drivers onto the iPad.

Apple doesn’t allow everything to work with the iPad. Look at external hard drives, for example. Apple just hasn’t built support to work with external drives.

Other devices, like the FLIR IR camera, are specifically built to work with iDevices, for example. https://www.flir.com/products/flir-one-gen-3/
 
I'm presuming you're referring to the adapter linked and not to the one required. If the adapter is a USB C and the iPad Pro is a USB C why are they different sizes and don't fit together?

I'm aware that most things don't work when connected to an iPad but couldn't find a clear answer if this item would so I thought I'd just buy the adapter and try it.
 
Can anyone help me out with just the type C USB question?
Are there different types of USB C?
Why won't this type C USB adapter fit into the iPad Pro?
 
To my knowledge there’s only
NCH said:
Can anyone help me out with just the type C USB question?
Are there different types of USB C?
Why won't this type C USB adapter fit into the iPad Pro?
Click to expand...
one USB-C size. Are you sure both the adapter and your iPad are usb-C?
 
The male USB C on the adapter is 2.35mm wide by 8.2mm thick with a hollow center. The plug on my power cable for the iPad Pro is 6.7mm wide by 1.5mm thick and listed as a USB-C charger cable. The adapter would not fit into the iPad socket if I took a hammer to it.

I have an iPad Pro 12.9inch 2nd gen. model number: MQDA2B/A.

The adapter is listed as a "Type USB C male"
 
NCH said:
Can anyone help me out with just the type C USB question?
Are there different types of USB C?
Why won't this type C USB adapter fit into the iPad Pro?
Click to expand...
There are only 3 reasons:
  • It is not a 2018 version of the iPP
  • The USB-C socket on the iPP2018 is dirty or damaged
  • The USB-C plug on the cord is damaged or otherwise malformed.

There are only two types of USB-C connectors, male plug and female socket.
 
Last edited:
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NCH said:
The male USB C on the adapter is 2.35mm wide by 8.2mm thick with a hollow center. The plug on my power cable for the iPad Pro is 6.7mm wide by 1.5mm thick and listed as a USB-C charger cable. The adapter would not fit into the iPad socket if I took a hammer to it.

I have an iPad Pro 12.9inch 2nd gen. model number: MQDA2B/A.

The adapter is listed as a "Type USB C male"
Click to expand...
Your iPad has a Lightning port, not USB-C. As all the other posts have said, there's only one kind of USB-C, and Lightning ports are not the same thing at all.
Apple offers this, but it's not going to work with your webcam– it's only intended to read files off of cards, not to run a video camera: https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MD821AM/A/lightning-to-usb-camera-adapter
 
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I suspect you don't have a 2018 iPad Pro. Those are the only iPads with USB-C. Unless the port is damaged you most likely have a slightly older iPad Pro with a lighting port.
 
It's not the 2018 one, that's 3rd gen. It's the 2017 2nd gen. They are completely different plugs so it must be the lightning one you guys are talking about. I've never even heard of it but then this is the first Apple thing I've ever bought and I know they love to make up their own plugs and stuff.

As for the inspection camera, after some research it seems iPads do not support video inputs like that so I'll have to find another device for that job.

I can't see any buttons to say someones answered me or to give points or whatever but thanks to all of you for taking the time to help me out with this.
 
NCH said:
It's not the 2018 one, that's 3rd gen. It's the 2017 2nd gen. They are completely different plugs so it must be the lightning one you guys are talking about. I've never even heard of it but then this is the first Apple thing I've ever bought and I know they love to make up their own plugs and stuff.

As for the inspection camera, after some research it seems iPads do not support video inputs like that so I'll have to find another device for that job.

I can't see any buttons to say someones answered me or to give points or whatever but thanks to all of you for taking the time to help me out with this.
Click to expand...

The 2018 iPad pros are the ONLY iPads that Apple makes that use USB-C. Lighting has been the standard iPad and iPad connection for a long while now. Lighting is also still the connection type on the current iPhones.
 
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