The tablet is firmly established as more than just a slick piece of consumer kit, with enterprise installations popping up across a growing range of sectors. As an interactive touch point, the compact tablet kiosk is ideal for displaying one-to-one content to your users. However, if you want to run a live presentation at your event, or highlight stunning video footage in your busy retail store, making an impact requires something more than 10” wide.
Combining the tablet’s ease of interaction with the eye-catching appeal of a large-scale display screen is a simple solution for managing and showcasing your content. Save the messy cabling by connecting wirelessly, using one of the methods below:
Connecting your iPad
Airplay Mirroring is a feature available on the iPad 2 and above. To use Airplay, you will need an Apple TV (2nd or 3rd generation). This is a small set-top box that connects to your display screen or TV via HDMI cable (you can find Apple’s guide here). Using a security bracket, this can be mounted next to your display screen.
Set-up Airplay Mirroring on your iPad:
Connect your iPad and Apple TV to the same WiFi network by selecting: Settings > Wi-Fi > and select an option under ‘Choose a Network’ Access your Control Centre by swiping up from the bottom of the screen and selecting Airplay (if the swipe feature is disabled, Airplay can be found under Settings instead) Select the Apple TV you wish to connect to, and tap Mirroring: once enabled, your device should start mirroring to your display screen
Apple TV is the streamlined option if you’re using an iPad kiosk and has great reviews, particularly for the latest 3rd gen. model, which displays full HD 1080p. With a sleek, compact design and weighing just 27g, this fits in effortlessly with any display.
Connecting your Android or Windows tablet
With a vast range of Android tablets available on the market, there are a variety of options for connecting your device to a display screen.
This includes Google’s Chromecast, which requires Android OS 4.4.2 or higher. The compact Chromecast works via a dongle connected to the display screen using the USB and HDMI ports (you can find Google’s guide here)
Set-up Casting on your Android device:
–Connect your tablet and Chromecast to the same WiFi network (this may vary according to your device): Settings > WiFi > and select your chosen connection
–Install and open the Chromecast app and select ‘Cast Screen’ from the navigation
–Tap the ‘Cast Screen’ button and select your Chromecast: your device should now be mirrored on to your display screen
This is the most compact connector by far and comes at a low cost of just £30.
Although the mirroring feature of Chromecast is still in Beta, it supports a range of Samsung, Nexus, HTC and LG tablets. Check out the full list of supported Android devices for Chromecast.
Another option is to use a Miracast dongle, like the Belkin Miracast Video Adaptor. This works via WiFi Direct technology, in a similar way to Bluetooth. Again, this is connected to your display screen via HDMI and USB.
Set-up Miracast on your Android or Windows device:
–Connect your tablet and Miracast to the same WiFi network by selecting Settings > WiFi > and select your chosen connection from the list
–Turn on screen sharing (this setting will vary according to the device used)
–Your device should now be mirrored on your display screen
The benefit of this over Google’s Chromecast is that it supports a wider variety of devices, including a range of Windows devices.
General set-up Tips
Wireless connections look great, but not if your content cuts out half way through: ensure your WiFi connection is reliable and strong enough for the purpose
Check the compatibility of both the device and screen before choosing a connector, and leave time for purchasing extra extension cables or adaptors if needed
Test your content before putting to use – you may want to toggle the brightness, resolution or volume. Bear in mind that some set-ups may need external speakers if no audio port exists on your display screen