Using iPad to control a PC via VGA and USB mouse

[playitagainken]

I have an electronic musical instrument that has an embedded PC inside it. It can be controlled via a USB mouse and settings viewed by connecting a monitor to the VGA port.
I'd rather use my iPad for this job. I can't load any software into the embedded PC, so that is not an option, but I can connect hardware to the USB port (as long as the H/W does not need special drivers installed). I just need to be able to use the iPad screen as a VGA monitor and it would be a bonus to be able to use the touch screen as a mouse. Any ideas how to achieve this? Whever I search for VGA and iPads, the topics deal with connecting a montor to the iPad, not using the iPad as a monitor.

 

[Brian 244]

I think the only way this would work is if the manufacturer has an app for the musical instrument in question. If not you will liley have to stick with separate hardware for control.

 

[LannyC]

Yes, the sticking point is the inability to install a helper app on the instrument. I can control a Mac or PC from my iPad, anywhere on the Internet, but only when the companion app is running on the computer.

If there's no iPad app from the instrument manufacturer, ask if they can make one. You can't be the only user interested in this.

 

[twerppoet]

Even with an app, this setup is not going to work. You would need extra hardware.

A VGA port is an analog video port. In this case a video out port. Since the iPad has no video ports (in or out), there is no way to send this signal directly to the iPad. What you would need is an extra piece of hardware that converted the analog VGA video into a compatible digital video format and stream it; either over the wi-fi network, or via the USB/lightning port.

Then it it would be possible to create an app that would display the video on the iPad.

Getting the iPad to also act as a USB keyboard is simpler, but still not something that you can do without a specialized app (though in this case the app might exist somewhere).

At any rate, it's highly improbable that any such app and hardware combination exist for your instrument.

Now, if the instrument also has a MIDI port, you could control it from the iPad. It takes some additional hardware, but the apps do exist.