Independent HDMI / USB-C Audio Routing and Pre-Cue on iPadOS

Suggestions
1

Hello,

I would like to suggest a possible improvement to the audio routing system in djay for iPadOS, particularly when using HDMI and USB audio devices simultaneously.

I am using an iPad with USB-C connected to an Anker 565 USB-C Hub. The hub has both a USB audio device and an HDMI connection to a video projector.

The setup works correctly: djay can route the signal to either output without any problem. When I select HDMI output, the signal is correctly sent to the video projector. When I select the USB audio device, the audio signal is correctly sent to the mixer.

The limitation I am experiencing is that these two destinations cannot currently be used simultaneously.

In my case, I would like to use djay in a video-DJ setup, with the following routing:

HDMI → Video → Projector / TV

USB Audio OUT 1/2 → Master Audio → Mixer → PA / Speakers

USB Audio OUT 3/4 → Pre-Cue → Mixer → Headphones

In other words, it would be very useful to have an independent routing system, similar to a routing matrix, allowing the different functions to be freely assigned to the available outputs.

For example:

Video: HDMI
Master: USB Audio Output 1/2
Pre-Cue: USB Audio Output 3/4

This would allow HDMI to be used simultaneously for video and a multichannel USB audio interface to be used for Master and Pre-Cue, keeping the signals completely separate.

What I find particularly interesting is that this does not appear to be a hardware compatibility problem. In my setup, both the HDMI output and the USB audio device work perfectly when selected individually. The limitation seems to be the ability to use them simultaneously and assign different functions to each output.

A feature like this would be particularly useful for professional setups involving external mixers, PA systems, projectors or TVs, and headphone cueing.

Before considering this a feature request, I would also like to ask whether this configuration is already supported by djay, but I may simply have missed the correct procedure or documentation.

If there is already a way to achieve this type of independent routing on iPadOS, I would greatly appreciate it if you could point me to the correct procedure or documentation.

In the meantime, I am considering using an HDMI Audio Extractor as a workaround. This would allow me to keep the video signal on HDMI to the projector while extracting the audio and sending it to the mixer.

This can solve the problem from a practical point of view, but I believe it would be much more useful to manage this separation directly within djay, without requiring additional hardware.

Native routing would provide a much more flexible and professional setup, for example:

HDMI → Video
USB Audio 1/2 → Master
USB Audio 3/4 → Pre-Cue

all directly within djay.

If this functionality is not currently available, I would like to propose it as a feature request for a future version of djay.

Thank you for your excellent work and for continuing to develop the professional audio features of djay.

3

Hi @DJ_Enrico, welcome to the Community!

Thanks for laying the routing out so clearly. I think most of what you’re after should already be possible, because on iPad the video output and the audio output are set in two different places. HDMI only needs to carry the picture, not your audio.

Here’s what I’d try:

  1. Connect the hub and interface, then open Dashboard > Settings > Audio Devices.
  2. Leave Mixer Mode on Internal and set Main output to your USB interface (1/2).
  3. Set Pre-cueing to the interface’s second stereo pair (3/4).
  4. Tap Apply.
  5. Open Video mode. If the projector shows the iPad screen, unplug and replug HDMI, then choose Show Video Output.

One thing to check: pre-cueing on its own pair needs an interface with at least two stereo outputs. On a stereo-only device, 3/4 won’t appear.

Give that a go and tell me what the projector and the mixer each get. If the video drops off HDMI as soon as the USB interface is selected, that tells us exactly where the gap is, and I’ll take it from there. I hope that helps!

4

Hello! It’s been a week since my last reply. I’m going to consider this topic completed for now so I can focus on others. However, please feel free to respond and we can definitely revisit this. Thanks!