Matrox adds Thunderbolt support to MXO2 interfaces
updated 08:25 pm EDT, Mon April 11, 2011
MXO2 demos run Final Cut Pro on MacBook Pros
Matrox has announced that its MXO2 family of audio/video hardware will be able to take advantage of Intel's Thunderbolt interface on Apple's latest MacBook Pro lineup. The company is demonstrating the new capabilities this week at the NAB expo, where visitors can preview MXO2 boxes attached to 15-inch MacBook Pros running Final Cut Pro.
The MXO2 hardware is geared for notebook or desktop systems, with PCI Express and ExpressCard/34 connections available alongside the new Thunderbolt option. The boxes manage HD/SD video and audio input or output, along with H.264 encoding, with overall features geared for software such as Adobe's CS titles, Apple's Final Cut utilities and Avid Media Composer.
Matrox is not the only company showing off Thunderbolt-equipped production equipment, as similar offerings have been announced by other hardware makers such as Blackmagic. The latter company is using the technology to handle advanced tasks, such as separate left- and right-eye channels for stereoscopic 3D video, directly from a MacBook Pro.
Thunderbolt support is being added to the MXO2 line as an adapter, which will be bundled with new products or available as an add-on for existing hardware, according to an update on the company's Facebook page.
