Sorenson Squeeze and wmv

[Craig Seeman]

Look in Squeeze Preferences and there should be an activation button.

Squeeze 4 is VERY OLD. At the time they included the Flip4Mac installer and you could buy/activate through them. Squeeze no longer includes Flip4Mac but if you have Squeeze 4 the activation button should be in preferences.

How are you viewing the WMV from FCP?
You really need to check with WMP9Mac or WMP11 on Windows.
Don’t check sync in Flip4Mac/Quicktime as it may look like it’s out of sync even if it isn’t.

[Joel Matthew]

Yeah, I’d like to get the newest Squeeze…. but I’ve been avoiding that, hoping that it would all come inside FCP. Do you think I can do everything from within Final Cut? I’ve been using Squeeze mainly to convert my QT movies to Flash (.flv) files. I would hate to spend $500 if there’s a way within FCP.
Using Flip4Mac, I’ve created a setting in Compressor to make .wmv files. And yes, when I watch it in WMP9, it’s in sync, so thanks.

[Craig Seeman]

[joel matthew] “Do you think I can do everything from within Final Cut?”
It all depends on what “everything” is . . . and how fast you need “everything.”

Compressor, Squeeze, Episode all do H.264. Both Squeeze and Episode do it better, Squeeze uses Main Concept. Episode uses Dicas. Both encode H.264 much faster too.

If you need VP6 Flash you have to buy the plugin for Compressor. Actually you had to for Squeeze and Episode too until they decided to include it and add the price. VP6 licensing results in the cost.

For WMV, Compressor requires Flip4Mac purchase.Episode and Squeeze do WMV and do it faster.

Episode also comes with a plugin for Compressor so you can use its setting in Compressor if you’d like.

With Compressor, once you’ve paid for WMV and VP6 you’ve come very close to the cost of Episode or Squeeze.

[joel matthew] “Using Flip4Mac, I’ve created a setting in Compressor to make .wmv files. And yes, when I watch it in WMP9, it’s in sync, so thanks. “
Yes there’s been a bug with Flip4Mac player and sync. Make sure you’ve updated to 2.2.3.7. They’re still tweaking the sync issue but I do think they’ll fix it soon. I do think the whole player world may start to change with HTML 5 though but that’ll take time.

[Joel Matthew]

Thank you for the clear analysis, Craig. That’s really helpful. I’m not a compression expert, just trying to make my way through this forest and sometimes the path is unclear….

I guess I got the basic Flip4Mac at $49. And for $99 I can get VP6. But the new Squeeze pro is $599 (I don’t know if I can upgrade anymore). So I”ll probably start with VP6 as a plugin. Thanks again.