How To Get Real-Time Playback with Multicam Clips

Patrick, thanks for this informative insight on optimizing DR playback in a multi-cam workflow.

In terms of seeing more insights on DR as an NLE, I would like to see an insight where DR is used in a long form film. The complaint about Resolve not been used as an NLE in long format yet, as AVID and other established NLEs applications is that as the Timeline gets longer in time, DR starts to stop playback in realtime. This is the reason why it’s rare to find long form films cut in DR. For Colorists, larger timelines might not be an issue, since almost all footage, except the VFX, are in a single stream, but for editor it’s a mayor concern.

I believe that all the above is due to the fact that DR as an NLE is still in early develoment. However, it would be helpful if there is a possibility to make an insight covering the actual state of DR as an NLE for this type of editing.

Im surprised it didn’t break realtime. Just curious, what are your system specs, Pat?

+1 on this question

CPU: Intel Corei7-6950X 3.0GHz 10 core 25meg cache
RAM: 128GB DDR4
Boot Drive: Samsung – 960 Pro 512 GB M.2 SSD Hard Drive
Cache Drive: (2) Samsung – 850 Pro 1TB SSD – RAID 0
GPU: (2) GTX Titan X video card: 12GB

I agree with your analysis. Plus, editors are creatures of habit. And at the highest end, there’s no upside to using unproven software when you’ve got a $20 million feature in your hands. You go with what you know works, unless forced to do otherwise by the above-the-line crowd.

I also think R14’s audio subsystem is still causing problems that (predictably) holds back adoption.

Patrick, thanks for the analysis containied in your promt response.

I also agree with your comment on BMD audio subsystem.
Although traditionally audio mixing in film has been treated as a separate workflow from the editing system, the fact that BMD is bringing the audio as a subsystem together with the editing and color grading into in DR, it has the disadvantage of creating a big delay time in placing Resolve at the level of others NLEs. This delay also contributes to create a kind of negative word of mouth in the present time due to the fact of multiple front end BMD is trying to achieve at once in one application. I applaud BMD courage in this difficult journey.
Meanwhile, let’s keep taking advantage of what DR is capable of.

We have very similar specs, aside from GPU (I only have one Titan X Pascal). What type of media storage RAID are you using (and the approx. R/W speeds)?

Is it common for you to run into situations where you need to optimize or cache to your SSD due to R/W bandwidth limitations?

Thanks for sharing! 🙂

Great piece, Patrick. Had an online discussion with a guy complaining that PrPro had such an antiquated code it couldn’t ‘deal with modern media’ like Resolve could. How was Resolve superior? “That optimize media thing … PrPro doesn’t have it!” Tried to explain that it was their term for proxies, such as the proxy-on-ingest thing in PrPro. Arguing with bricks is never useful … but learning precisely how that works is great!