Speed up your Video Workflow with the Fastest Squeeze Ever!
Today we introduce Sorenson Squeeze 8.5 and believe us when we say that this Squeeze is all juiced up. Get encoding speeds up to and exceeding 3X faster for MP4, MOV, MKV and WebM, FREE 5GB of Cloud Storage on Sorenson 360, new input and output options and much more.
Find out More about Squeeze 8.5
Here is what some of the early users of Squeeze 8.5 are saying:
“Squeeze 8.5 was the fastest single file encoder that I saw on both Mac and Windows, often beating other desktop encoding tools by as much as 500%” – Jan Ozer
“I did some testing with a series of files I am currently working and found that the beta encoding times are significantly faster than the original release of Squeeze 8″ -Jerry Smart
“Using Squeeze 7, the encode of the HD source file took 1 Minute and 43 seconds. Using Squeeze 8.5, the encode was only 32 seconds… I am seeing better sustained multi-threading performance than any other application I have ever seen on my 24 Cores. Fantastic optimization!” – Brian Vasoff
Squeeze 8.5 gives you speed optimization in several different areas including:
Single Output Acceleration: Full Squeeze 8.5 optimization for each of the major output formats, including MP4, QuickTime (MOV), WebM and Matroska (MKV). Parallel rather than sequential processing now drives the Squeeze engine. A significant re-architecture enables the application to systematically break decoded, compressed video files into separate content chunks and partition these simultaneously across multiple CPUs for processing. In internal benchmark tests, the re-architected Squeeze 8.5 has demonstrated speed increases averaging 3X faster than the prior version, Squeeze 8.
Intel Quick Sync Optimization: Sorenson Media has collaborated with Intel engineers to optimize Squeeze 8.5 for Intel’s Quick Sync platform and codec, including optimization for Intel’s Second Generation (Sandy Bridge) and Third Generation (Ivy Bridge) processors on Windows machines. Benchmark tests on these platforms with the new optimization have demonstrated a doubling of speed, over and above the single output acceleration improvements.
Faster Adaptive Bitrate Encoding: As with single output acceleration, adaptive bitrate encoding is now processed in parallel, rather than sequentially. Each rendition can be spread across multiple CPUs, resulting in 200 percent faster encodes on average.
Complete CPU Control: Squeeze 8.5 empowers Squeeze users for the first time to choose how to throttle CPU encoding via an intuitive slider bar – including devoting up to 100 percent of the user’s system resources to a particular encode.
FREE Cloud Storage on Sorenson 360
In addition to the speed improvements, Squeeze 8.5 features new significant workflow enhancements through seamless integration and – for the first time – 5GB FREE permanent storage within Sorenson 360, Sorenson Media’s online video platform. With this free storage, users are able to take advantage of key workflow enhancements, including the ability to seamlessly encode and upload video files to the cloud for storage and distribution directly from the Squeeze interface, including a seamless review and approval process.
Other features include:
Manual Timecode Control: Users now have the ability to reset the playhead or otherwise reassign timecode information to any video file.
New Outputs: MPEG DASH in MP4 with H.264 and AAC
New Inputs: JPEG 2000 Decode – Elementary, MJ2, MP4, MXF wrappers, any resolution
Pricing and Availability
Sorenson Squeeze 8.5 and 8.5 Pro are now available for $799 and $999, respectively, for new Squeeze customers. It is also available for a limited time as a free upgrade for current full version Squeeze 8 customers. Upgrades from older version are available starting at $199. All Squeeze 8.5 customers receive 5 GB of free permanent storage and use of all Sorenson 360 features.
If you have an OEM version of Squeeze that came with Avid you can upgrade to Squeeze 8.5 for $99 or Squeeze 8.5 Pro for $199.
For more information, contact a member of the sales team at sales@sorensonmedia.com.
MP4 Leads Wide Range of Formats Used for Web and Mobile Viewing
Recently we conducted a survey among our diverse, global user base of hundreds of thousands of video professionals. The survey reveals that MP4 leads a wide range of video formats used by video professionals for distribution on the web and mobile devices – 69 percent of users employ it regularly for the web and 58 percent use it for mobile.
The majority of survey respondents selected more than one format from the options provided, revealing a broad diversity among formats used for web and mobile deployment, with no runaway standard emerging. The results included:
For web video, in addition to MP4, the following formats demonstrate strong support from video professionals: Flash (54 percent); QuickTime (45 percent); and Windows Media (34 percent). The emerging WebM format was selected by only 5 percent of respondents, underscoring its low adoption to date.
For mobile video, MP4 adoption significantly outpaces all other formats: Flash (16 percent); HTML5 (16 percent); Windows Media (9 percent); and WebM (3 percent).
In addition to the formats selected, 78 percent of respondents indicated that they use the H.264 codec to encode their video content.
Sorenson Media at NAB 2012
Today we announced that we will again be actively participating in the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show this month in Las Vegas, NV. In addition, we will be participating in the associated “Content in the Cloud” conference hosted by Distributed Computing Industry Association (DCIA) on Monday, April 16.
On the Show Floor
We will be demoing our full suite of enhanced video workflow solutions on the show floor, including: Sorenson Squeeze 8; the brand new Sorenson Squeeze 8 Pro, which provides professional level support for Avid DNxHD and Apple ProRes formats; three versions of Sorenson Squeeze Server encoding platform, including on-premise, cloud-based and hybrid solutions; and Sorenson 360, the company’s innovative online video platform (OVP). We will be available to discuss these solutions at the Sorenson Media booth No. 3304 in the South Upper Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Distributed Computing Industry Association
Kirk Punches, vice president of business development, will represent the company on the “Audio/Video Pre-Production, Production, Post-Production Clouds” panel on April 16 at 2 p.m. This panel will examine leading examples and key case studies of how cloud-computing solutions are accelerating processes, improving quality and reducing the costs of collaboration, editing, animation, applying metadata, formatting, transcoding and other functions.
“The power and promise of cloud computing is at the center of Sorenson Media’s expertise and product development focus,” Punches said. “We are honored to share the expertise we have developed as the leading provider of video encoding and workflow solutions with the top-flight video professionals who will be at NAB and the Content in the Cloud Conference.”
Read the Press Release.
Avid to Squeeze Workflow
Last week we presented a webinar entitled: “The Avid to Squeeze Workflow” and hundreds of Avid users saw first hand the powerful workflows that Squeeze and Squeeze Pro can provide. Now, we have made the on-demand recording of the webinar available to anyone who would like to view it.
To get access to the recording, click here.
In the webinar we covered, in depth, the basic Avid Media Composer to Sorenson Squeeze Workflow and the squeeze user interface for the first 20 minutes. At about minute minute 21 we cover how to encode for adaptive bit rate delivery. Next we jump into various transcoding workflows (about minute 26) where we cover transcoding for Motion JPEG, DNxHD and ProRes. Lastly we touch on a very valuable workflow tool, integrated Review & Approval.
Utilizing these tips and tricks will not only make it easier for you to encode great looking video, but they will help you save time and money so you can focus on creating and telling stories.
Avid to Sorenson Squeeze Webinar
Join us on Thursday March 15th at 11am Pacific for 1-hour webinar where we will cover the Avid to Squeeze workflow. We will cover the basic workflow and then jump into more advanced workflows including: Review & Approval as well as pre-editing transcoding workflows. We will end with a live Q&A with Squeeze Director of Product Management Randon Morford and Sorenson Media’s Director of Marketing Coby Rich.
