DaVinci Studio - Dongle or Card

[herein2020]

4 hours ago, scotchtape said:

The other thing that I find amusing is how adding a simple title slows playback to a crawl for me. It's so weird.

You have to set render cache to User, Fusion Memory Cache to on, and ideally set a dedicated cache disk (SSD or faster) that is not used by the OS and that is not scanned by Anti-Virus. Even after doing all of that, you have to wait until the title is cached (red line above the title will turn blue) then you can finally playback in real-time. 

The other option is to not use Fusion titles and use regular titles instead. In the titles menu there are a few basic titles and the rest are Fusion titles. If you can get away with basic titles you can bypass all of the Fusion performance issues. Even better, create the title in something else as a png with transparency then add it as an overlay on the timeline; of course this rules out motion graphics but it is another way to workaround Fusion if you just need a simple title.

 

1 hour ago, kye said:

I also don't get it, although I suspect this is more because my projects are too disorganised at the start (multiple cameras without timecode) and my process is too disorganised during the edit.  

One thing that might be useful for you, and which I use all the time, is the Source Tape viewer.  It puts all the clips in the selected bin into the viewer in the order that they appear in the Media viewer (ie, you can sort however you like) and you can just scrub through the whole thing selecting in and out points and building a timeline.  The alternative to that in the Edit page is having to select a clip in the media viewer, choose in and out points, add it to the timeline, then manually select the next clip.  Having to manually select the next clip is a PITA, and I don't think you can do it via key combinations, so it's a mouse - keyboard - mouse - keyboard situation, rather than just hammering away on the keyboard making selects.

The impression that I got from their marketing materials and the discussion around launch was that it was for quick turnaround of simpler videos like 30s news spots, vlogs, or other videos that are simpler and require a very fast turn-around.  They even mentioned that the UI has been designed to work well on laptop screens, which further suggests that editing in the field because of fast turn-around times is a thing.  Watching how YouTubers clamour over themselves to 'report' from conferences like CES, Apple events, etc, trying to be first comes to mind.

If you were a YT or 'reporter' who shoots in 709, does a single-camera interview / piece-to-camera and then puts music and B-Roll over the top, puts on music, end cards (pre-rendered) and then hits export, it would be a huge step up in workflow.

I suspect that it's just not made for you.  I don't use multi cams, Fusion, or even Fairlight, but the Cut page is still too simple for me.

I did check out the Source Tape feature but my entire workflow is optimized around Windows Explorer, I have a source clips folder, I drag clips as I use them to a selected clips folder, and I only import the clip at the time I need it to the media pool where I set an in/out point and drag it to the timeline for editing. For me this makes things very easy and it is easy to see what I have already used and what media I still have to pick from.  Also, after a project is done, if I start running out of space in my archives I know I can delete all of the media in the source clips and discarded clips folders in Windows Explorer without affecting the finalized project. To use the Source Tape feature I'd need to just dump everything into the media pool.

 

I agree with you, its not meant to go much beyond the basics of editing. I do wish Blackmagic Design would focus more on improving Fusion than the Cut page. I think they are more focused on attracting PP and FCP users than they are in fixing the Fusion performance issues. Funny thing is, I think even PP and FCP users will be confused by the Cut page.

[mrtreve]

Keycard all the way (take a picture of it and store it in the cloud / your email). That way you can activate on any computer if you need to.

I'm sure they also got bored of dealing with people who lost their dongles, so it's easier for everyone.

I've been enjoying using Resolve to edit in due to the performance and obvious superiority in colour grading. I still use Premiere for certain types of jobs (e.g. lots of graphics, lots of audio tracks, linked After Affects comps etc). I guess their argument is you use Fusion and Fairlight for that, but that's a real learning curve to face when you've got work to do.

It's much more streamlined, cutting and grading in the same app though. All the headaches/quirks you get from conforming edits are a thing of the past.

I don't really understand the Cut page, but it looks interesting combined with the Speed Editor.

[scotchtape]

I am using regular titles no fusion 🙂

Simple crossfades also kill fps.

My machine is a bit older but still was pretty good at the time (3yrs old?). Original threadripper, 64gb ram, 1080ti, nvme for scratch disk and project files, ssd for os...

Not getting paid enough to do proxy workflow

[filmmakereu]

I wonder the ideal laptop specs for Fusion...

[EphraimP]

Ok, ya'll convinced me to pull the trigger. I have an Resolve activation card and speed editor on the way... whenever B&H gets them in stock, anyway. Looks like 2021 will, among other huge video related changes for me, will be the year of Resolve. I don't imaging I'll entirely ditch Adobe, but it's more than time to learn a new NLE/workflow.

[herein2020]

10 hours ago, scotchtape said:

I am using regular titles no fusion 🙂

Simple crossfades also kill fps.

My machine is a bit older but still was pretty good at the time (3yrs old?). Original threadripper, 64gb ram, 1080ti, nvme for scratch disk and project files, ssd for os...

Not getting paid enough to do proxy workflow

Have you installed the Windows 10 HEVC codec from the Windows Store? I had terrible problems and it took me weeks to figure it out; I think the Windows 10 HEVC codec breaks DR. The way I fixed my system was I created a new user account and the difference was night and day. The extension installs on a per user basis, so if you create a new user account then log in as that user you can test it to see if the performance improves.

5 hours ago, EphraimP said:

Ok, ya'll convinced me to pull the trigger. I have an Resolve activation card and speed editor on the way... whenever B&H gets them in stock, anyway. Looks like 2021 will, among other huge video related changes for me, will be the year of Resolve. I don't imaging I'll entirely ditch Adobe, but it's more than time to learn a new NLE/workflow.

You made a good choice, I smile now every time Adobe tries to win me back with a 1yr discount on Premier Pro. I'm still actively seeking a replacement for Lightroom and Photoshop but I don't think it will ever happen.

[kye]

double post

[kye]

double post

[kye]

On 12/27/2020 at 5:43 AM, EphraimP said:

With Blackmagic throwing in the Speed Editor right now with DaVinic Studio purchases, it seems like the right time for me to finally pull the trigger. 

So, if I bought the Speed Editor and then sold the Resolve license to recoup some of the cost, how much is the difference?  Has anyone looked at this?

My rationale is that I want the Speed Editor but don't want to pay for it!

[BTM_Pix]

7 hours ago, kye said:

So, if I bought the Speed Editor and then sold the Resolve license to recoup some of the cost, how much is the difference?  Has anyone looked at this?

My rationale is that I want the Speed Editor but don't want to pay for it!

Reversing the equation, there is a Speed Editor available on eBay where the seller is not including the license and the current bidding is £125 which, against a UK price of £280 for a new one with the license will probably end up valuing the license at around £100.

I think you'll see a lot of that type of purchasing, which is the inverse of what you want to do, where people buy the package and will take a view afterwards whether they like the Speed Editor or not knowing they can recoup a chunk by selling it on eBay.

If you already own the Studio license then I think I'd be looking to pick up one of those used Speed Editors as it might prove cheaper and less hassle than trying to sell the license on.

 

[EphraimP]

18 hours ago, kye said:

So, if I bought the Speed Editor and then sold the Resolve license to recoup some of the cost, how much is the difference?  Has anyone looked at this?

My rationale is that I want the Speed Editor but don't want to pay for it!

It's been almost a month since I placed my order, and it's still on backorder at B&H. And the sale is still going. So anyone would be silly to buy a Resolve license without the Speed Editor right now, unless they were getting a steep discount. And, don't hold your breath for getting one.

If there are Speed Editors on eBay or other resellers, BTM_Pix is spot on about that being a better way to go in getting it if you don't want/need a license.

[kye]

16 hours ago, BTM_Pix said:

Reversing the equation, there is a Speed Editor available on eBay where the seller is not including the license and the current bidding is £125 which, against a UK price of £280 for a new one with the license will probably end up valuing the license at around £100.

I think you'll see a lot of that type of purchasing, which is the inverse of what you want to do, where people buy the package and will take a view afterwards whether they like the Speed Editor or not knowing they can recoup a chunk by selling it on eBay.

If you already own the Studio license then I think I'd be looking to pick up one of those used Speed Editors as it might prove cheaper and less hassle than trying to sell the license on.

That makes total sense, and I guess that the lack of them out in the wild (they're radically backordered) will exacerbate current second-hand prices too.  I can't justify the purchase now, so waiting until more people have taken delivery of theirs, and inevitably a bunch of people working out that it's not for them, will mean there are more around and the price might go down a bit.

The way people were talking was that the editor was almost the same price as the license, so the (faulty) conclusion would be that you can get these things for almost nothing!!

Alas.

I think longer-term I would likely end up selling it anyway.  For me, the more important aspect would be learning what techniques it's designed around and then implementing them in some other way.  The only non-keyboard thing that the editor seems to have is the jog wheel, which I already have with my Beatstep Resolve conversion.

[BTM_Pix]

BM said they have a supply issue with one of the keys on it so back orders should ease up after that.

[EphraimP]

6 hours ago, kye said:

I think longer-term I would likely end up selling it anyway.  For me, the more important aspect would be learning what techniques it's designed around and then implementing them in some other way.  The only non-keyboard thing that the editor seems to have is the jog wheel, which I already have with my Beatstep Resolve conversion.

If that's case, you should probably just read up on it, watch a bunch of the tutorial videos and see how the buttons are used, and, if you can, program midi controller with the same functions. Or, if you have a Stream Deck you could probably do the same thing. In my case, I do have an XL Stream Deck, so I'm guessing I could probably set it up to do virtually the same things as the Speed Editor.

On the other hand, the Speed Editor is mainly programed to the new Cut Page and doesn't have as much functionality on the Edit Page. I think I may end up programing my Stream Deck to compliment the Speed Editor on the Cut Page and add, when working on the Edit Page, add functions that get turned off on the Speed Editor. Sounds like a way to use both, anyway. We'll see once I get the dang thing.

[kye]

6 minutes ago, EphraimP said:

If that's case, you should probably just read up on it, watch a bunch of the tutorial videos and see how the buttons are used, and, if you can, program midi controller with the same functions. Or, if you have a Stream Deck you could probably do the same thing. In my case, I do have an XL Stream Deck, so I'm guessing I could probably set it up to do virtually the same things as the Speed Editor.

On the other hand, the Speed Editor is mainly programed to the new Cut Page and doesn't have as much functionality on the Edit Page. I think I may end up programing my Stream Deck to compliment the Speed Editor on the Cut Page and add, when working on the Edit Page, add functions that get turned off on the Speed Editor. Sounds like a way to use both, anyway. We'll see once I get the dang thing.

Yeah, I watched a few videos today and learned a couple of things, but people editing real projects seems to be pretty uncommon, let alone pros who actually know what they're doing and do it day in and day out.

I guess for me there's two parts... One is how they've laid it out, both in terms of which functions they mapped to buttons and also in the overall layout itself.  The other is how people actually use it.  For example, I think there's likely to be a few different schools of thought around workflows and because of that the layout is likely to be designed to cater to each of them, rather than be optimised for just one of those, so the layout alone may not actually be quite so useful.

I will persevere though.