Luna Display update adds 5K resolution option and PC to Mac mode

AppleInsider

An update to the dual-screen app Luna Display adds support for 4K and 5K displays, plus allows PC users to treat a Mac as a second display.

Luna Display

Following its previous improvements for Apple Silicon, and its launch on Windows, Luna Display has been updated for Mac, PC, and iPad users. Already a long-time second display tool, Luna Display 5.1 adds support for higher-resolution screens, along with hardware improvements.

"A highly anticipated request from our users -- now you can use your 4K or 5K computer as a second display at the full resolution," says the company. "Make the most of every pixel for a super sharp display with Luna."

Luna Display uses a dongle that fits into Macs and PCs. From December 1, 2021, Luna Display will be offered in three forms, with USB-C, HDMI, or Mini DisplayPort. The 4K and 5K resolution is only available with the USB-C edition.

Across all the versions, however, there is now a PC-to-Mac Mode. Previously, the app facilitated using an iPad as the second display, but Mac users could instead use a second Mac.

Now PC users also gain the option of being able to use a Mac as their second display. As yet, the feature is not available for Mac users to use a PC display.

Also new is Luna Display's support for using Apple's Magic Keyboard, and Magic Trackpad, to control an iPad. The company says this new feature "works for both Mac and PC" users with an iPad as their extra monitor.

Other improvements include bringing the Mac version's Teleprompter Mode to PC. And this edition introduces an Office Mode that prevents Luna Display connecting "to the first computer it finds on the network."

Luna Display normally costs $129.99 direct from the developer. However, as a launch promotion, it's being offered for 25% off, and with free shipping, for December 1, 2021 through December 2, 2021.

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mattinoz

Has anyone seem a reliable solution like this that will use all the resources of the old Mac for the connected device?

Seem to me an old Mac would be a great dock for a laptop user if a USB-c cable could delivery screen space of the old Mac, networks sharing, use the internal drive as local time machine (back up to something else as well), speakers and webcam for video conference. 2 Mac's as a unified Mac.

Seems all the parts are there but not a neat way to pull them together. 

cgWerks

It seems to always say '2nd display'. Anyone know if this (or some other product) could use it as the primary display? Like, if a hardware device could plug into a PC's HDMI port, or a PS4 (game console), etc. and display it on a Mac, like the M1 iMac or upcoming Pro/Max iMacs? That would work around the missing 'video input' on the iMacs and make them much more useful as a primary display.

Marvin

cgWerks said:

It seems to always say '2nd display'. Anyone know if this (or some other product) could use it as the primary display? Like, if a hardware device could plug into a PC's HDMI port, or a PS4 (game console), etc. and display it on a Mac, like the M1 iMac or upcoming Pro/Max iMacs? That would work around the missing 'video input' on the iMacs and make them much more useful as a primary display.

It looks like Luna offers this option. In the following video, an iPad is controlling the Mac (0:54):



An alternative is to use video capture products, here's one connecting a Switch to an iMac:



https://www.amazon.com/Capture-1080P60-Streaming-Recorder-Compatible/dp/B08Z3XDYQ7

Elgato makes products like this and they say they can do 4k60 passthrough:

https://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Zero-lag-passthrough-Ultra-Low-Technology/dp/B07XB6VNLJ



I don't know why Apple stopped supporting target display mode in Macs, it's a nice feature to be able to use Apple's high quality displays with other hardware. Even if they had some kind of USB-C input processing, Apple Silicon should be able to do this efficiently. 3rd parties could take care of the input so Apple could have an API that captures the display input over USB-C and allows it to be displayed in a window/fullscreen and this input can be optionally processed by the hardware encoders for storing and 3rd parties can capture the Mac's keyboard/mouse input when the window is focused and send them over bluetooth or other connection to the external hardware.

If they make a more affordable XDR standalone display, it won't matter so much to do this but target display mode would still useful to have an an option again.

cgWerks

Marvin said:
An alternative is to use video capture products, here's one connecting a Switch to an iMac:

...
Elgato makes products like this and they say they can do 4k60 passthrough:

Interesting, that makes sense. Thanks! I wonder if lag would be a factor if trying to do more intensive gaming (like FPS). I'll have to do some research.