Sadly this functionality still isn’t what I’d like to see. At least not ask understand it now. For whatever reason Apple is very reluctant to give use the control over files that would take iPad to the next level.
On on the other hand maybe this is a sign that future iPads will have the capability to support SD cards. I know that seems like a stretch but I have a hard time seeing how they can get any increase in iPad sales without honestly addressing professional needs. A highly portable device needs a compact and highly portable way too address storage needs.
If SD were the only format that professionals, or anyone else for that matter, uses, I could see your point, but SD isn't the only format, so a dongle is required. Not a big deal at all in my opinion, and the same goes for Mac Book's and Mac Book Pro's.
As for the "functionality still isn't what I'd like to see", if you can't actually express what you want for the iPad, then you aren't actually benefitting the conversation.
Does this mean I can play my ripped movies on my iPad through an external drive via QT, Apple TV, VLC or others? Can I take all of the kids fav movies on holidays with us and just play them through a thumb drive? coz that will settle a lot of heated discussions.
If I plug in an external HDD or SD card and copy a mpv or mp4 movie file onto the iPad using the files app, can I add it to my TV app library?
At its present state the TV app doesn’t seem to be reached from within the Share sheet, such as “Copy to TV” or “Open in TV”. Yet you can add any movie to TV app by means of iTunes on the computer, drag the movie onto the device in iTunes it goes directly to the TV app on the iPad. Actually regardless of where it is stored a movie (m4v and mp4 formats) always plays on iOS. You may need the TV app only to keep your movies in one place organized. You don’t need the TV app to play a movie on iOS.
Does this mean I can play my ripped movies on my iPad through an external drive via QT, Apple TV, VLC or others? Can I take all of the kids fav movies on holidays with us and just play them through a thumb drive? coz that will settle a lot of heated discussions.
Yes. We don’t know yet what iPad OS will bring in terms of file management enhancements, but in iOS 12 you can send any movie into any (compatible) app from within the Files app. Select the movie in Files and tap the Share button. The mine shows “Copy to Infuse” for example, this is the app I was using to keep my movies organized prior to the TV app. Movie playback is embedded in iOS for compatible formats, m4v and mp4, you don’t need any specific app to play those formats. For other formats not supported by iOS you may need some specific apps such as VLC.
If I plug in an external HDD or SD card and copy a mpv or mp4 movie file onto the iPad using the files app, can I add it to my TV app library?
At its present state the TV app doesn’t seem to be reached from within the Share sheet, such as “Copy to TV” or “Open in TV”. Yet you can add any movie to TV app by means of iTunes on the computer, drag the movie onto the device in iTunes it goes directly to the TV app on the iPad. Actually regardless of where it is stored a movie (m4v and mp4 formats) always plays on iOS. You may need the TV app only to keep your movies in one place organized. You don’t need the TV app to play a movie on iOS.
Ok thanks. Yes I’m aware of adding home rips via iTunes, I was just hoping this step could be bypassed with a share sheet and ext HDD, without a computer/iTunes.
If I plug in an external HDD or SD card and copy a mpv or mp4 movie file onto the iPad using the files app, can I add it to my TV app library?
At its present state the TV app doesn’t seem to be reached from within the Share sheet, such as “Copy to TV” or “Open in TV”. Yet you can add any movie to TV app by means of iTunes on the computer, drag the movie onto the device in iTunes it goes directly to the TV app on the iPad. Actually regardless of where it is stored a movie (m4v and mp4 formats) always plays on iOS. You may need the TV app only to keep your movies in one place organized. You don’t need the TV app to play a movie on iOS.
Ok thanks. Yes I’m aware of adding home rips via iTunes, I was just hoping this step could be bypassed with a share sheet and ext HDD, without a computer/iTunes.
Looks like there is still a lot of unknowns on exactly how this is going to work. One thing I'm curious about is whether an external drive can be added to an iPhone to contain a larger music library AND then connect to to CarPlay. And of course, a logical step for such a thing would be an iPhone case that includes storage.
For videos, I use VLC and transfer them wirelessly through VLC’s web interface. Have been doing this for a long time now. It’s a drag and drop from my desktop to whatever iPad or iPhone. I used Handbrake to transcode down to 480p.
Based on the video, looks like it’ll play directly from the external storage, so it won’t be a problem. The Files app basically has a built in Preview app and the iOS 13 one looks like it’ll play video and audio.
Andrew, have you tried to click, or double click a file on one of those drives, and seen anything happen, such as its opening an appropriate app, or giving a list as we see in macOS?
Finder connections to iOS devices are still a sync process. They don't behave like flash drives.
What am I not understanding here? The article linked to is about the iPad and Catalina. I get the way that must work, but how does that relate to a direct attached drive, usb stick, etc? We still have to sync files with those? If we do, can we double click them then? That’s not what Craig was saying about how it works from what I could tell. What do I have wrong?
Andrew, have you tried to click, or double click a file on one of those drives, and seen anything happen, such as its opening an appropriate app, or giving a list as we see in macOS?
Finder connections to iOS devices are still a sync process. They don't behave like flash drives.
What am I not understanding here? The article linked to is about the iPad and Catalina. I get the way that must work, but how does that relate to a direct attached drive, usb stick, etc? We still have to sync files with those? If we do, can we double click them then? That’s not what Craig was saying about how it works from what I could tell. What do I have wrong?
I may not be fully understanding your question.
From macOS, you can't double-click on a file on an iOS device. It won't open anything up.
Files will respond the way it always has with a contained file. A media file will play back in Files if it can. Apps that can see what's stored in Files will open what it can, from inside the app.
It looks like videos and photos open right up in the Files app and aren't copied to other apps before opening. This is exactly what I was hoping Apple would do. Give me the ability to copy movies to a thumb drive and play them directly off the drive using my 11" iPad Pro without copying to my iPad's internal storage.
Andrew, have you tried to click, or double click a file on one of those drives, and seen anything happen, such as its opening an appropriate app, or giving a list as we see in macOS?
Finder connections to iOS devices are still a sync process. They don't behave like flash drives.
What am I not understanding here? The article linked to is about the iPad and Catalina. I get the way that must work, but how does that relate to a direct attached drive, usb stick, etc? We still have to sync files with those? If we do, can we double click them then? That’s not what Craig was saying about how it works from what I could tell. What do I have wrong?
I may not be fully understanding your question.
From macOS, you can't double-click on a file on an iOS device. It won't open anything up.
Files will respond the way it always has with a contained file. A media file will play back in Files if it can. Apps that can see what's stored in Files will open what it can, from inside the app.
That’s not what I’m asking. If one takes a drive, and plugs it into the USB C iPad Pro 12.9”, running iOS 13, and clicks on, say, a Pages file created in Pages on the Mac, previously, will it open Pages on the Ipad? In other words, do the links between specific files, and the software that created them that exist for the Mac created files in that particular software that’s on the iPad? Are the creator designations the same for the Mac and iOS, or are they different? I don’t know how to see those links on the iPad, just the Mac, so I can’t find out.
What are the chances that we would ever see Lightening storage, like a thumb drive with a lightening connector instead of needing a lighting to USB adapter?
What are the chances that we would ever see Lightening storage, like a thumb drive with a lightening connector instead of needing a lighting to USB adapter?
Considering that Apple hasn’t done it so far, and they appear to be moving to USB C, I would tend to doubt it. But, a couple of people have reported that with iOS 13, they could use storage on their lightning iPads, using, I guess, a usb to lightning cable.I don’t know how old those models were.
I'm interested in recording high quality video directly to external drives through the lightening port on SE or a WiFi drive. Currently, when you record with external flash it saves it in internal memory first until you press stop, then it copies it out to external memory. As some of these recording techniques can be 150 to 600mbit/s, so you can't film too long at high quality. So, if you are filming a concert or sporting event, you run out of phone memory quickly.
Can the new system bypass the local storage to record directly to any external memory without pressing stop?
I'm interested in recording high quality video directly to external drives through the lightening port on SE or a WiFi drive. Currently, when you record with external flash it saves it in internal memory first until you press stop, then it copies it out to external memory. As some of these recording techniques can be 150 to 600mbit/s, so you can't film too long at high quality. So, if you are filming a concert or sporting event, you run out of phone memory quickly.
Can the new system bypass the local storage to record directly to any external memory without pressing stop?
I'm looking at buying a SE. Could anybody try?
Thank you.
iPhone SE lightning speed is typically right around 250 megabit per second peak.
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That was also a GREAT enhancement to iOS/iPadOS. Well Done! Thank you Apple!
As for the "functionality still isn't what I'd like to see", if you can't actually express what you want for the iPad, then you aren't actually benefitting the conversation.
Yes. We don’t know yet what iPad OS will bring in terms of file management enhancements, but in iOS 12 you can send any movie into any (compatible) app from within the Files app. Select the movie in Files and tap the Share button. The mine shows “Copy to Infuse” for example, this is the app I was using to keep my movies organized prior to the TV app. Movie playback is embedded in iOS for compatible formats, m4v and mp4, you don’t need any specific app to play those formats. For other formats not supported by iOS you may need some specific apps such as VLC.
Based on the video, looks like it’ll play directly from the external storage, so it won’t be a problem. The Files app basically has a built in Preview app and the iOS 13 one looks like it’ll play video and audio.
From macOS, you can't double-click on a file on an iOS device. It won't open anything up.
I'm interested in recording high quality video directly to external drives through the lightening port on SE or a WiFi drive. Currently, when you record with external flash it saves it in internal memory first until you press stop, then it copies it out to external memory. As some of these recording techniques can be 150 to 600mbit/s, so you can't film too long at high quality. So, if you are filming a concert or sporting event, you run out of phone memory quickly.
Can the new system bypass the local storage to record directly to any external memory without pressing stop?
I'm looking at buying a SE. Could anybody try?
Thank you.