USB device vs host, for controlling an ipad

[tones]

I’d like to use my Hermod to sequence software running on an ipad. I’m using Apple’s “Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter”.

I find that it works perfectly I plug the ipad into the Hermod’s USB Device jack. It’s great — except that I want to keep the Device jack free so that I can use it for my computer.

I find that when I plug the ipad into the Hermod’s USB Host jack, it does not work. The ipad does not appear to recognize the Hermod or receive MIDI from it.

Any thoughts on what might be going wrong here? The difference between the host and device ports confuses me!

[thetechnobear]

iPad’s can only act as USB host not usb device… (like computers)
so its a limitation of computers - nothing ‘going wrong’

(k, some SoC can act as usb devices , but they are pretty rare)

there are ways around this , look up usb host to host adapters.

[tones]

That is super helpful. Thanks, Techno Bear!