Auron Studio’s Video Assist App Released – Turn Your iPad Into a Camera Monitor or Extra Screen

Software News

by Alexandra ThompsonOctober 30^th, 2023

Auron Studios Pty Ltd has released Video Assist, a Pro HDMI & SDI Video Monitor app for iPad. With compatible USB capture cards, the app enables you to utilize your iPad as both an external monitor and a recording device, allowing you to record videos or capture frame grabs from any HDMI or SDI video source, like a camera. Let’s take a closer look at this app!

Smartphones and often tablets like the iPad feature screens that rival and sometimes even exceed the quality of professional camera monitors. In the past, getting a clean video feed into such a device was difficult and sometimes impossible. Those times have changed, which means that having dedicated apps that allow you to use your smart device as a professional camera monitor has become a reality. Today, we’re taking a look at the Video Assist app for iPad by Auron Studios Pty Ltd. – but please note that this is a news post, not a review. We haven’t had a chance to test the app yet.

When connecting an iPad (iPadOS 17 is required) to a USB capture card, the interface that pops up looks clean and user-friendly. After allowing access to your video and microphone, the app displays the video resolution and frame rate information for all inputs that are compatible with your particular source. From there, you can choose your input and click “Record”.

Frame capture while recording … or not

Next to the Record button is a dedicated button for capturing frames, available whether you are actively recording or not. During playback, you can pause and scrub back and forth to any selection on your timeline, taking frame grabs as needed. Additionally, there is an on-screen button that allows you to view your recorded clips and frame grabs, so you can zoom in for a closer and more detailed look.

The full-screen display mode can be locked, and there is a minimal recording toolbar as well. The app can turn your iPad into a camera monitor, a Director’s monitor, or even a second display for your computer. It can also be connected to various gaming consoles.

Video Assist during Clean Video Output

Clean Video Output is available for both live video and playback. Connect your iPad to an external monitor via AirPlay or with a USB-C to HDMI DisplayPort adapter, and you can control Video Assist while delivering a clean video feed to another monitor. (You will need to use a USB hub if you are planning to use USB Video Output alongside a USB capture card.)

Automatic Record Trigger

In Settings, you can change your recording codec as well as set a recording trigger for specific cameras. Automatic Record Trigger is enabled for ARRI Alexa, Sony Venice, RED, and Blackmagic Cameras through a tailored computer vision model. To activate Record Trigger, your camera’s output must provide status information; it won’t function with a clean video feed.

A full suite of Video Assist tools available

The full suite of various Video Assist tools includes Color Correction, Video Transform (rotate, scale, and zoom), Grid Lines, Mask Effects, and more, which you can use in either Record or Playback modes. A preview of how these tools would look is available during both recording and playback.

The following is a pre-release demo of the Video Assist.

Alternatives

Although this particular app has a lot of extra features for filmmakers, there are other apps out there. For example, the CamX USB camera is free but is mainly geared toward those who simply want an extra monitor, and the Orion app offers some extras if you upgrade.

Price and availability

The Video Assist app is available now at the Apple Store for $99.99.

Have you thought about using your iPad as a monitor when shooting, or do you already use one? What other things would you like to see in this kind of app? Let us know in the comments below!