Mirrorbox Basics:
In this picture you can see the Mirrorbox removed from the packaging. It is pretty small, measuring in at 3.5" x 2.0" x 0.5" (LxWxH). The top of the unit features the model name and company logo, and a power/access light which flickers while transferring files.
The front of the device is the most important part. As you can see here, there are five slots for the various media cards. Each slot is capable of reading multiple types of cards, since many share the same basic dimensions, and that is how such a small device is able to read 32 different types of cards. In the second picture you can see the back of the device which is where the mini-USB connection is located.
In addition to the card reader, Vizo includes a single instruction sheet and a USB cable, which is a standard mini-USB to USB cable.
In Use and Testing:
Installation of the device is extremely easy; simply connect the device to your PC using the USB cable. If you are using Windows XP or Windows 2000 it should automatically recognize the device. Opening Windows Explorer (or My Computer) you will find five new drive icons, each called Removable Media. Insert a card into any slot and you should get the familiar "What do you want Windows to do?" pop-up, otherwise it should react the way you have previously designated to Windows.
I tested the Mirrorbox using a SanDisk 128MB CompactFlash Type I, and a SanDisk 256MB SD. The SD card test was performed using a 122MB file, while the CompactFlash card test used a 65MB file.
In the chart above you can see the read and write speeds of the Mirrorbox as compared to a Kodak brand 6-in-1 card reader. The Mirrorbox was able to transfer files close to the same speed as the Kodak card reader, and the differences were fairly insignificant.
