Samsung to monitor via USB-HDMI cable. Not what expected.

B0bbyEwing

So started up with Zwift last week & for the time being until I get a better setup sorted I was connecting the wife's iPad to a monitor via a USB-C to HDMI cable. It did the job just fine & was responsive. The monitor instantly displayed the iPad screen & there was no lag at all with swiping on the iPad showing up on the monitor. 

Great stuff.

Then last night the wife was using her iPad so I thought I'd just switch it out & use my Samsung (Galaxy S24+). Totally different experience. 

The monitor looked more like a desktop rather than mirroring exactly what was displayed on my phone. Some black grid thing appeared on my phone with 3 icons in the corner that I don't know what they meant.

I stumbled my way through & eventually was able to load the app which then came on my monitor .......... in windowed mode & not full screen. The screenshots taken within Zwift, if you're familiar with Zwift, we're total black. They've never done that when using the iPad (no idea if unrelated to all of this or not).

Is it possible to just get it like the iPad where it's just simple & easy & shows the screen of my phone instantly - so that when I swipe & select on my phone it shows that exactly on the monitor & therefore also loads Zwift in full screen mode?

PHK

The iPad uses screen mirroring, so what you see on the iPad is what you see on the screen. 

Samsung Galaxy S series phones (and some other Android Phones) use Dex or desktop mode which takes advantage of the bigger screen and can use a mouse etc. You can turn this off in Settings. 

Vitor

When you plug your Galaxy S24+ into a monitor via USB-C → HDMI, Samsung DeX automatically activates. DeX is Samsung’s desktop-style interface that turns your phone into a mini computer, so instead of mirroring your screen, it launches a separate desktop environment.

That “black grid thing” with icons you saw on your phone is the DeX touchpad meant to control the cursor on the external screen.
If you want DeX off permanently, go to Settings → Connected devices → Samsung DeX and toggle “Auto start when HDMI connected” off.

sausage_time

Better still, use a bluetooth mouse and keyboard.  Then the Dex desktop experience really shines.

https://www.samsung.com/uk/support/apps-services/how-to-use-samsung-dex/

B0bbyEwing

Thanks for the info. 

B0bbyEwing

Also, is there such a setup where you can charge the ipad and also transmit to the monitor at the same time? Like some kind of twin port adapter. Would that work? 

sausage_time

B0bbyEwing said:

Also, is there such a setup where you can charge the ipad and also transmit to the monitor at the same time? Like some kind of twin port adapter. Would that work? 

I have used this previously with a Samsung

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B083DZ1X27

Allows charging while using an external display (and USB ports for mice etc if needed).

Not familiar with Apple kit, but if your iPad has a different port there are other options on the same retail site that claim support for different models.

MyRealNameToo

B0bbyEwing said:

Also, is there such a setup where you can charge the ipad and also transmit to the monitor at the same time? Like some kind of twin port adapter. Would that work? 

Yes, you can get a USBC hub and use it with the iPad, wife uses one for her music production so had power going in, a keyboard, headphones and audio capture device all connected by USBC at the same time 

B0bbyEwing

Hmm I have a hub. Not at home to test though. 

So ipad to hub. 
A cable from hub to monitor. 
A cable from hub to mains

Should charge ipad AND mirror it on to a monitor at the same time? 

MyRealNameToo

B0bbyEwing said:

Hmm I have a hub. Not at home to test though. 

So ipad to hub. 
A cable from hub to monitor. 
A cable from hub to mains

Should charge ipad AND mirror it on to a monitor at the same time? 

It does on our iPad Pro. 

I believe it should on any iPad with a USBC port (rather than Lightening) but wouldnt want to be quoted.

One point of note is that with our cheap hub the power and the iPad must be connect to particular ports but the other devices can be connected to any of the spare.