Review of the Matrox MXO2 Mini

Production Apprentice by John DeMaio

Matrox was kind enough to send over an MXO2 Mini for us to try out. After seeing the demonstration at the Matrox event in Orlando, I was excited to see what this little box could do – so I gave it a test drive.

I was amazed by the results. The video below highlights some of the features of the MXO2 Mini.

Installation

The Matrox MXO2 Mini was a breeze to install. Just don’t download the wrong driver software like I did. I was using the MXO2 software instead of the MXO2 Mini software. I would like to think it was a common mistake, but no. I just picked the wrong one. After I selected the proper software, the installation process was less than 10 minutes.

You can install this on a Mac or PC and you can either choose to install it on your laptop with an Express Card slot or on your desktop computer with an empty PCIe slot. When you purchase the MXO2 Mini, you can choose which installation method you want (Express Card or PCIe card) and Matrox will include it in the package. It’s also good to note that you can purchase them separately if you want to move the Mini between your laptop or desktop. Pretty convienent.

It’s also important to note that this will only work with a laptop computer that has an Express Card slot or a desktop with a PCIe slot. If you’re using an iMac to do your editing, you’re out of luck. You’ll have to find another way to get component, composite, s-video and HDMI into your system.

Capturing video

The Matrox MXO2 Mini captures Component HD or SD, S-Video or Composite video along with analog audio. The connections are standard RCA jacks for both video and audio. It will also capture HDMI video and audio – this is my favorite part. If you have a camera or deck with an HDMI connection, you’re in for a treat. It’s a nice simple connection. read more and WATCH the video...