Sorenson Squeeze 6 makes performance improvements
updated 04:10 pm EST, Tue November 3, 2009
Also adds approvals, notifications
Sorenson has launched Squeeze 6, an upgraded version of its video encoding tool. The program is aimed at professionals, and allows users to specify various audio and video controls such as compression, normalization and noise reduction. New to the code is a substantially faster encoding speed, as much as five times better when using H.264 or On2 VP6.
Squeeze has also gained tint, RGB, white balance and timecode filters, as well as support for VC-1 in various input and output formats. An upgraded user interface is said to streamline workflow, and support publishing directly to social sites such as Twitter or YouTube, or else hosting services like Akamai and Limelight. Integration with Final Cut and iMovie allows users to run Squeeze without leaving the Apple software.
The update also lets users send automatic e-mail and SMS notifications when an encoding job is completed. A related feature is a new review and approval system, which automatically sends password-protected videos to selected parties, who in turn can provide feedback. For this a web browser is required, as well as a Sorenson 360 Review and Approval account; each copy of Squeeze 6 includes a free one-year subscription.
Regular and Flash-targeted versions of Squeeze 6 cost $799 and $499, respectively. Upgrade costs vary, but start at $199. Macs running the program require Mac OS X 10.4, along with QuickTime 7.2 or later. A Windows version is also available.
