High Frame Rate Video Output for Google Glass

Taking turns wearing Google Glass only goes so far! When you need to show the Google Glass display output up on a big screen, here’s a good way to go about it:

1. Start the MyGlass app on a paired Android phone.

2. Select the Screencast option from the drop down.

You now have the Google Glass screen mirrored on your display. Tap the touchpad or use the lookup gesture if you have it enabled to wakeup Glass and test it out.

3. Use a video output adapter from the Android phone to show the Google Glass display.

Video adapters differ by phone, unfortunately. I’m using an MHL which works with recent HTC and Samsung phones to output HDMI video from the micro-USB port. The same port used for charging. The Nexus 4 supports a similar adapter called a SlimPort instead. I’ve also successfully used a Miracast wireless display adapter from Netgear with an HTC One. Since Miracast uses WiFi direct, a connection just between the phone and display adapter, it’s much less laggy than internet and conventional WiFi wireless display options. These are all HDMI output only, so you often need a converter box to then go to VGA for projectors. The SlimPort technology is supposed to support VGA out as well, but I’ve yet to find any actual adapter for sale.

This Screencast method in general has various pros and cons vs. the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) method I previously covered. The frame rate is higher and you don’t need a computer with ADB installed. Comments re my previous post indicated getting ADB working was not easy for non-Android developers. As a drawback, however, you need a phone with video out and need to depend on wireless signals. As such this method may be better for home and office use, or smaller investor or project meetings.

Wireless equipment often performs poorly at conferences, events, and hackathons. At one Google IO keynote, Google had to ask the audience many times to turn off all their interfering devices. Additionally, the Screencast option in the MyGlass app isn’t very reliable across devices. I can’t get it to work on an HTC One, for example, so have to use a different phone than I want to to use it.

Video output methods can also be a good method to record video of the Glass display. Be careful with that, though. In early experiments I bought a very expensive HDMI recorder box, a BlackMagic Shuttle Intensity, only to find out it was incompatible with MHL output. I think recording will require converting from HDMI to something analog, or getting a box to strip out any protection flags on the HDMI signal.

Good luck with any presentations, meetings, and events you need to show off Glass and your apps for it at! I know I’ve won more in prizes at such events than the Google Glass even cost originally. So you can make Google Glass pay for itself with these methods. This explorer edition is so expensive that many forums and communities have banned “glass funds” where people collect money to get one just because they drown out any other activity.

-Lance

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