Matrox MXO2-Mini review for VJs. Uncompressed HD mixing laptop to laptop.
4 months ago
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25. Matrox MXO2-Mini review for VJs. Uncompressed HD m…
4 months ago
Learn out how to get Uncompressed HD out of one laptop, into another as a video source, through your VJ software of choice.
The Matrox MXO2-Mini is a fairly cheap HD video digitizer meant for post production/editing usage, but the fact that it supports HDMI 1.3 means it should be able to handle RGB DVI input as long as its a valid 'real' video standard frame-rate and resolution.
Using a laptop that has an Express Card 34 adaptor slot we can finally mix in HD with real HD sources, using whatever Quicktime compatible software we want.
This video shows you how to set up the MXO2-Mini, some of the issues it has with being a bit testy, issues with the Express Card adaptor slot on the Mac Book pro, and setting up Avenue, Modul8 and VDMX for HD mixing.
The MXO2-Mini should work similarly on the PC/Windows side of the equation so applications like VVVV and friends should see it; however I was not able to test this as I don't have a Windows XP Bootcamp partition set up.
This video also features me nerd-ing out and cursing, and generally making an embarrassment out of myself.
The MXO2-Mini retails for around $450 US.
Pros:
*) MOTHERFUCKING UNCOMPRESSED HD MIXING FROM LAPTOP TO LAPTOP.
*) Lets you also grab HD via component, and older analog S-Video and composite sources.
*) Works for editorial/post production workflows as expected
*) Really lightweight, portable and small.
Cons:
*) Very finicky, as the video shows. Hopefully this can be addressed with software & driver updates.
*) Express Card 34 on Apple machines can be a bit touchy. Curious how alternatives handle this.
*) Need a really hefty video card to handle multiple effects at HD resolutions. This can crush your FPS fast.
Im honestly unsure if Im going to keep the MXO2-Mini. It's *so close* to being perfect but the fact of the matter is I really don't want to plug in at a gig and have to jump through hoops to get it working, only to have the Express Card get popped out because of a gentle nudge and be forced to reboot. The other issue is, as an Apple developer/Quartz Composer user and being tied to OS X, the next machine Id have to get would be a 17", as the 15" Mac Book Pros no longer have an Express Card slot. I mean, Id *much* rather have a SD card reader, because reading SD cards was absolutely im-fucking-possible to do before we had built in card readers.. right?
So so close, you can taste it. Its coming; portable, usable, cheap HD mixing.
The Matrox MXO2-Mini is a fairly cheap HD video digitizer meant for post production/editing usage, but the fact that it supports HDMI 1.3 means it should be able to handle RGB DVI input as long as its a valid 'real' video standard frame-rate and resolution.
Using a laptop that has an Express Card 34 adaptor slot we can finally mix in HD with real HD sources, using whatever Quicktime compatible software we want.
This video shows you how to set up the MXO2-Mini, some of the issues it has with being a bit testy, issues with the Express Card adaptor slot on the Mac Book pro, and setting up Avenue, Modul8 and VDMX for HD mixing.
The MXO2-Mini should work similarly on the PC/Windows side of the equation so applications like VVVV and friends should see it; however I was not able to test this as I don't have a Windows XP Bootcamp partition set up.
This video also features me nerd-ing out and cursing, and generally making an embarrassment out of myself.
The MXO2-Mini retails for around $450 US.
Pros:
*) MOTHERFUCKING UNCOMPRESSED HD MIXING FROM LAPTOP TO LAPTOP.
*) Lets you also grab HD via component, and older analog S-Video and composite sources.
*) Works for editorial/post production workflows as expected
*) Really lightweight, portable and small.
Cons:
*) Very finicky, as the video shows. Hopefully this can be addressed with software & driver updates.
*) Express Card 34 on Apple machines can be a bit touchy. Curious how alternatives handle this.
*) Need a really hefty video card to handle multiple effects at HD resolutions. This can crush your FPS fast.
Im honestly unsure if Im going to keep the MXO2-Mini. It's *so close* to being perfect but the fact of the matter is I really don't want to plug in at a gig and have to jump through hoops to get it working, only to have the Express Card get popped out because of a gentle nudge and be forced to reboot. The other issue is, as an Apple developer/Quartz Composer user and being tied to OS X, the next machine Id have to get would be a 17", as the 15" Mac Book Pros no longer have an Express Card slot. I mean, Id *much* rather have a SD card reader, because reading SD cards was absolutely im-fucking-possible to do before we had built in card readers.. right?
So so close, you can taste it. Its coming; portable, usable, cheap HD mixing.
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It's on my shopping list.
Thanks
My only note would be that the kerning of your type is a bit too tight. The 'crowding' makes it slightly unreadable and given the amount of time given to read it this can be very trying.
You might even try pausing the video and going to a full black frame with type so that idiots like me can fully absorb the vital information being communicated.
I was thinking quite the same when they realised it... ^^
For the MXO2-mini, it's now 3 weeks I'm working with a mac pro version (the one with pci-express), and had really no problem with it. I'm now attending the xpress card alone option with some excitation to make it works also on my laptop and be able to use it on some other project... ^^
What resolution/framerate are you using from one machine to another? Surprised Resolume does not work. What OS version and quicktime version are you on?
Power off laptop.
Eject Express card.
Power off Matrox external box.
Disconnect HDMI input.
Turn on Matrox external box.
Plug in express card.
Boot mac with express card in it (the one connected to the MXO2)
Let it start up. Once its finished booting and logged in, start the capture app.
Set the capture app for whatever resolution you want, 720p@60
Now, set up your input machine and connect its DVI out to the MXOs HDMI in. Set it to 720p 60
Now, you should be able to start capturing.
This is on OS X 10.5.8 with QT 7.6.2., and MXO2 driver 1.5.1 . Im using a Powerbook DVI out with a monoprice DVI to HDMI adaptor, to my 2.33 Ghz MBP with the matrox, however ive tested MBP to MBP and Mac Mini to MBP all via different DVI adaptors and it worked on my end.
Apparently 10.5.8 causes all of the issues with the reboot/order bullshit, but ive heard of the YUV stuff. I made sure to disconnect everything and power it all up again fresh. Its happened a few times initially, but it seeeeeeeeeeeeeems to now happen now. Ill see if I can re-create the specifics for getting the green / purple to come up.
Good luck.
hook up a converter from vga to component, so you can use even older computers as your input device :-)