Now you can use your Meta Quest as a display for HDMI devices

Key Takeaways

• Meta has released an HDMI Link app for Quest headsets
• The app requires a compatible graphics card and cables
• The HDMI connector supports connection to various devices such as consoles, laptops, and phones

Meta released a new version of Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest 3 again Meta Quest Pro which allows you to connect HDMI, USB-C, and DisplayPort devices directly to your VR headset. I Meta Quest HDMI Link The app adds this highly requested feature, which allows you to use your Meta Quest with devices such as The PS5 or yours smartphone and display content on a large viewing screen. The Meta Quest HDMI Link app can display games on 1080p again 60 fpsand Meta claims almost zero latency. You can’t just plug in your earphones, though. To use the app, you’ll need a compatible capture card.

A compatible capture card and additional cables are required

Yours Meta Quest Headset it doesn’t have all the hardware needed to display the output to HDMI devices. To use the Meta Quest HDMI Link app, you’ll need additional hardware, though this doesn’t have to break the bank.

The key piece of hardware you will need is a capture card. This is a device that captures video and audio from your output device, like yours The PS5 and converted to digital information that can be transferred to your Meta Quest. Not all capture cards will work, either. You will need a compatible capture card UVC (USB Video Class) and UAC (USB Audio Class) and Meta recommends in their blog post to use one that can capture 1080p contained in 60 fpsas this is the highest resolution available when using the Meta Quest HDMI Link app.

The key piece of hardware you will need is a
capture card
. This is a device that captures video and audio from your output device, such as your PS5, and converts it to digital information that can be transferred to your Meta Quest.

A quick search on Amazon reveals that there are quite a few options that seem to be worth it, starting at prices as low as $20. You will also need a HDMI cable connecting your output device to a capture card (or a USB-C to HDMI cable or DisplayPort to HDMI cabledepending on the output from your source device). You may also need a cable to connect the output of your capture card to the Quest headset, which requires a USB-C input, although some capture cards have an integrated output cable.

Content from streaming services may not be displayed, however

If your device has HDMI, USB-Cor DisplayPort output, you should be able to connect it to our Meta Quest using the Meta Quest HDMI Link app, as long as you have the right cables and capture card.

With the Meta Quest HDMI Link app and the appropriate additional hardware, it should now be possible to display the output of a variety of devices on a large virtual screen. For example, you can connect to PS5 or Xbox and play games in 1080p. You should also be able to do the same with a The Steam Deck or Nintendo Switch .

Meta said that apps that use copy protection software may interfere with the Meta Quest HDMI Link’s app, so it’s less likely that you’ll be able to watch content from apps like Netflix or Disney+.

It’s also possible to connect to your smartphone and see your phone’s small screen as a large display inside the Quest headset, making mobile gaming even more appealing. You’ll also be able to connect to your laptop, too, if you want to be productive using VR.

If you’re planning to connect your phone or laptop to your Meta Quest so you can watch streaming apps on the big virtual screen, you might be disappointed, though. Meta has pointed out that applications using copy protection software may interfere with the Meta Quest HDMI Link application, so it is unlikely that you will be able to view content from such applications. Netflix or Disney+ . It is still possible to access these sites from the headset browser, however. Some streaming services also have their own dedicated VR apps that you can use.