MXO2 Awards and Reviews
Matrox, Thunderbolt, Broadcast Monitoring with FCP X
By Heath McKnightdigitalproducer.digitalmedianet.com
February 27, 2012
Matrox recently released their Thunderbolt adapter, which can be purchased at their site, or added to your order of one of their devices, like the MXO2 boxes. This is a significant little box, because you can use a MXO2 device with a Mac that doesn't have a PCI Express card slot or ExpressCard/34 slot by connecting the adapter to your Mac and the MXO2 box. I'll also talk briefly about Matrox's new software update allowing their devices to offer broadcast monitoring with the latest update of Final Cut Pro X.
Gear Review Blog
By: David Hurddhpvideo.com
Since TV broadcast is in the process of being replaced by the web, I find myself encoding in H.264 a lot more frequently. The downside is that Apple Compressor is just too slow. The good news is that Matrox has a product that seriously cuts down your rendering time. And I mean seriously.
Read the complete Matrox MAX Technologies review
DV Magazine honors Matrox Thunderbolt Adapters for MXO2 Devices with 2011 NAB Best of Show BLACK DIAMOND AWARD - April 2011
The DV Black Diamond Awards recognize outstanding achievement in the advancement of the art and science of video technology. NewBay Media's Broadcast & Video Group of products, which also includes DV.com, Digital Video Expo, Videography magazine, videography.com, DigitalContentProducer.com, Millimeter.com, and the Creative Planet Communities, is uniquely poised to recognize the full spectrum video technology displayed at NAB. A select panel of engineers, editors, and production and post professionals joined the magazine staff to judge the Best of Show awards for DV.
"Our teams searched the NAB show floor for products that were truly deserving of recognition," says NewBay Media Broadcast & Video Group Vice President & Group Publisher Eric Trabb. "Recognition with an award at NAB from the Broadcast & Video Group is a strong vote of confidence and admiration from this leading industry publication."
Videography Magazine honors Matrox MXO2 Support for Adobe Flash Media Live Encoder with 2011 NAB Best of Show VIDY AWARD - April 2011
The Best of Show Vidy Awards recognize outstanding achievement in the advancement of the art and science of video technology. NewBay Media's Broadcast & Video Group of products, which also includes videography.com, DV magazine, Digital Video Expo, DigitalContentProducer.com, Millimeter.com, and the Creative Planet Communities, is uniquely poised to recognize the full spectrum video technology displayed at NAB. A select panel of engineers, editors, and production and post professionals joined the magazine staff to judge the Best of Show Vidy Awards for Videography. "Our teams searched the NAB show floor for products that were truly deserving of recognition," says NewBay Media Broadcast & Video Group Vice President & Group Publisher Eric Trabb. "Recognition with an award at NAB from the Broadcast & Video Group is a strong vote of confidence and admiration from this leading industry publication."
Nine News Airs Breaking News with Matrox MXO2 and Streambox
Digital Media World
February 1, 2011
"The Matrox MXO2 acts as a capture card and a breakout box with professional audio and video inputs and outputs. It also has calibration controls for HDMI video monitoring including blue-only. It works in facilities, installed in an OB van or on the road with a MacBook Pro or PC laptop. It can fit into HD and SD workflows with Final Cut Studio and Adobe Creative Suite 5 because it has a 10-bit hardware scaling engine and supports a number of file-based formats and codecs."
Watch cameraman Mitch Wall describe his workflow starting at 7 minutes 30 seconds into this video on YouTube.
Matrox's MXO2 Speeds Workflow
By Steve Oakley, TV Technology
November 19, 2010
"We're extremely happy with great visual quality provided by our Matrox MXO2s, and with their day-in/day-out reliability."
Creative Cow's Jerry Hofmann looks at Matrox MXO2
"This is definitely a Five COW rating."
Read the complete Matrox MXO2 product review
Lifelong Learning Magazine
Matrox MXO2 and MXO2 Mini with MAX
by Herbert J. Kellner
"We found using the Matrox MXO2 very rewarding. Setting it up was quick and simple. We used the MXO2 with Final Cut Pro and a Sony PMW-EX1. Capturing, editing, monitoring in HD and SD and exporting footage in different formats was easy and resulted in excellent videos. The MXO2 comes packed with input and output options. It converts from SD to HD and back. This is one of the important features for training departments and training production companies. You can still use your SD equipment and up convert to HD. In our opinion, the MXO2 and the MXO2 Mini are the most advanced and cost-effective I/O devices of their kind to date and provide a professional solution for training departments and training production companies to bridging the gap between the ever-increasing number of formats present in professional video today. The MXO2 with MAX has quickly become one of the most valuable additions to our studio and field production equipment, therefore we recommend it to anyone."
Studio Monthly Magazine
ROI: Matrox MX02
THIS POWERFUL I/O DEVICE CAN MAKE YOUR WORK FLOW
Jem Schofield
ROI Rating: SWEET
"Things were supposed to get easier with HD. They didn't. That's where products like the MXO2 come in. They provide tremendous flexibility when dealing with all of the formats, both HD and SD, that we work with now. Until we settle on one format (ha!), we will need our hardware and software to help us along.
What's nice is that the engineering team behind the MXO2 is constantly adding functionality with each new version of the software that's released. It appears that Matrox is listening to its customers and wants to make sure you can use the device as workflows change and evolve.
For me, live capture, monitoring and HD-to-SD output are the three things I will use this box for the most. For people in broadcast-based environments, there will be different reasons to use the MXO2. The same goes for independent filmmakers or editors at a post house. Itfs a great all-around I/O device. And, it's really affordable."
HD Warrior
Matrox MXO2 vs AJAioHD
"When I was re-kiting for HD there was only one option, the AJA box, that cost me £2500 at the time and had a few bugs. Eighteen months later it's still my mainstay I/O box when editing with Final Cut Pro. I don't like the fact that it uses the FW800 port and it clearly tells you that using other FW devices will impair the AJAs stability. I was very interested to see the MXO2 had a PCIe connection and comes with a PCIe card that fits into your Mac. I also like the fact that the MXO2 is not restricted to one codec PRO REZ. Creative video sell the MXO2 for £1125.
A new Max version is also available with Matrox MAX technology for faster than realtime high definition H.264 file creation. I have to hand it to Matrox, if I was buying today I would plum for the MXO2 Max because you get a lot more for your money and save £1000 in doing so."
Matrox MXO2
HD/SD I/O for Mac
Heath McKnight
"Matrox delivers another hardware solution for Mac video users, the portable MXO2 HD (high definition), SD (standard definition) I/O box. No need for a full I/O capture card and/or breakout box, and if you're on a laptop you can finally use an I/O solution without shelling out a few thousand dollars. If you're using a suite of Mac Pros, you only need one MXO2 box instead of an I/O capture card for each system. I love saving money, and I know several of my colleagues do, as well."
Rick Young from MacVideo investigates Matrox MXO2 and MXO2 Mini
Box'a'tricks - investigating the Matrox MXO2 and MXO2 Mini with H.264 Max technology - Matrox monitor calibration and encoding technology
Wayne Andrews explains new features for MXO2 and details of the new rack-mounted model
by Rick Young
DV Award of Excellence for Matrox MXO2
Matrox MXO2
The March 2009 issue of DV Magazine contains a review of Matrox MXO2 by Ned Soltz.
Ned's conclusion is: "I strongly recommend it for anyone who needs to acquire video from just about any HD or SD source, edit it in Final Cut Pro, monitor 5.1 surround audio, and deliver in just about any format to just about any device."
Read the article from DV Magazine
Read the extended version of the review that appears online
A Digibeta Quality Edit Suite in a bag - Could it be done using the MXO2?
Read the article on Creative Cow
Investigating Matrox MXO2
Broadcast monitoring with format conversion ability
by Rick Young
"The Matrox MXO2 is a well-thought out device which serves several key functions. One can monitor HD or SD video at broadcast quality onto a HDMI LCD or Plasma television - and one can convert formats. The ability to down-convert, up-convert and cross convert is provided, enabling transcoding of video in real-time. The MXO accepts a multitude of video inputs including HDMI, SDI, YC, Composite and Component. Both balanced and unbalanced audio is supported.
This is a sophisticated device which can literally save hundreds of hours of encoding as video input into the MXO is transcoded in real-time to the format of your choice.
While other cards and boxes may do some of these functions, the MXO is portable and can be powered from battery or mains - therefore if one powers a MacBook Pro from battery and uses bus powered drives, this can provide a solution which is independent of AC power."
Broadcast Engineering Pick Hit 2008
(Broadcast Engineering, US, April 2008)The Pick Hit Awards are the industry's longest running new technology awards. They are presented in recognition of the innovative technology developed and shown at NAB 2008. An anonymous panel of Broadcast Engineering readers who are working professionals in the broadcast, post, network, and satellite industries selected the winners.
Black Diamond Award 2008
(DV Magazine, US, April 2008)
The Black Diamond Award is presented by Digital Video Magazine to outstanding developers and manufacturers who have helped advance the technological art of production and post. The Black Diamond Awards are nominated by an impartial jury of industry professionals. Final selections are made unanimously by editors of the Video Division of NewBay Media.
2008 STAR (Superior Technology Award Recipient)
(TV Technology, , US, April 2008)
The STAR Awards showcase outstanding technological innovations available to the broadcast industry. The recipients are chosen by TV Technology Magazine's editorial staff.
The Vidy Award 2008
(Videography, US, April 2008)
The Vidy Award is given by Videography Magazine to "Best of Show" winners recognizing outstanding achievement in the advancement of the art and science of video technology. A select panel of engineers, production and post production professionals, and the magazine's editorial staff are the judges.
Videoguys.com Top 10, US, 2008
When I want the best I/O solution for FCP, with incomparable flexibility, versatility, performance and value the choice is clear ? give me a Matrox MXO2. I guess that's why so many news organizations are putting them in their mobile trucks; local call letter stations are specking them into their new digital suites; and broadcasters all over the world are designing them into their workflows. As an independent producer it makes sense to take advantage of the same value, at $1,595 it's clearly the best choice.
