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Author Topic: DaVinci Resolve 14 vs. PowerDirector 15/16 - Anyone with experience of both?  (Read 13598 times)

Dinarius

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I've been making a start in video with PowerDirector 15, and I have found it very easy, and very intuitive.

I really like the User Interface and its layout (can this be replicated in Resolve?)

I also like things such as the way video and sound clips load together into the timeline (in Resolve they only seem to load into separate video/audio lines) and the ease with which audio can be separated from a clip and discarded; e.g. when you have one master audio track that you want to use for everything.

One thing I particularly like in PD 15, and I'm still trying to work out how to do it in Resolve is simply the following: say you have an establishing interview with someone. You run this interview in the first timeline track, along with its audio. You can then inter-cut any other footage you like (minus their audio tracks) in tracks below the main interview track.

As the timeline passes over these tracks, they appear (instead of the interviewees video) in the timeline, but with the audio of the main track. This is simple stuff, and it can be done simply in PD 15.

Can it be done in the same way in Resolve; or does everything in Resolve have to be linear on the same track?

The reasons I'm tempted by Resolve are as follows:
- superb colour editing feature, similar to Capture One.
- sharper image preview, at least on my setup.
- it's free (the bells and whistles in the not-too-expensive paid version, I can do without until I make my mind up about it.)
- It now has Fairlight sound editing.

If I could make it mimic the basic editing approach of PD 15, I'd be sold on it.

But........I can't seem to.

Any experiences anyone wants to share about either program?

Thanks.

D.
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Rhossydd

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Lacking other comments, I'll share some of my limited experience with Resolve.
Can it be done in the same way in Resolve; or does everything in Resolve have to be linear on the same track?
No need to cut on one track, you can have pretty much as many tracks as you're ever likely to need. Just add them.

Resolve is a proper pro editor that will do almost anything, excepting major compositing and CGI.
Your problem, coming from an amateur editor, is having to learn how to use it and there's a LOT to learn. There is an excellent manual for it, at 1329 pages in a PDF it's fair old read though, so just keep a link on your desktop to keep it easily available.
There are also very many tutorials on the web. Your first stop should be Blackmagic's own channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCufB8sMVyP9JEScMjLz74YA

Once you've invested some time learning it, I'm sure you'll find tasks like your interview cutting pretty simple.
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fredjeang2

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Paul is right. If you have to invest time in a learning curve, then your efforts are better rewarded if you point towards an industry standard software such as Resolve. Not only it is a safe route, a good deal of information available by really good users who work on those professionally but you may also be able in the future to be in position to offer your services.

It is like Affinity. Everybody is amazed because it is supposed to match Photoshop...it may well be as good, but, the industry standard is not Affinity but Photoshop. Same with InDesign and Illustrator. Whatever great new stuff comes out, this business will still keep going using the same tools.

As often, the cheap and easy becomes expensive and complicated.
So in terms of learning curve reward there is no doubt that you will be best deserved with Resolve, even if it requires more efforts to master and you feel uncomfortable for a while. It is an investment (in opposition to an entertainment).

Now, beyond the learning curve, there is a factor to consider also: budget.
Is your workstation up to the standard required to run Resolve properly? Can you afford it? And do you really need to afford it?
So the question IMO is to find the best tool you can buy for your goal. Go to the best you can afford always as a golden rule.

So let's say that you can not run Resolve properly on your workstation and don't want or can not upgrade your equipment.
The solution could be to try if an older version works (download in their web page). You then can use a standard NLE that are much less resources consumers and roundtrip to Resolve old version to color/conform.

There is also the possibility to bypass a color app and use a compositing software like Fusion. They are much better implemented to handle computer resources But IMO the learning curve would be way harder.

So in the end, you might well go the conclusion that the color tools available in most NLE like Avid, Edius, FCP, Lightworks, PP...are more than enough for many needs.

Best luck.
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Dinarius

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Thanks for the replies.

Getting used to Resolve now.

Colour editor is a bit like Capture One, so I like that.

Only oddity so far is; I shoot video on 5D Mark IV, Sony RX100 and iphone 6S (via Filmic Pro app)

I loaded footage from all three into one project (separate timelines) to experiment.

For some reason, there is no sound (and no indication of sound on the audio track) for the iPhone footage. Plays perfectly on the phone and in Windows Media Player.

Another thing; hovering the mouse cursor over buttons and tools tells you what some of them do, but not all, which is irritating.

A setting(s) I haven’t checked?

Thanks.

D.
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Rhossydd

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For some reason, there is no sound (and no indication of sound on the audio track) for the iPhone footage.
You'll see the same problem with the RX100 material too.
This is the one major annoyance I've found with Resolve, it doesn't support MP4* and compressed audio files. You'll need to convert them to a more compatible format.
Dali's mustache, http://hdcinematics.com/ , seems to work fine and the trial version will convert two clips for free before needing to be re-launched. Although at $30 it's hardly expensive.

edit; with the RX100 AVCHD @ 1920x1080 sound is a problem with Resolve.
« Last Edit: November 04, 2017, 01:37:01 pm by Rhossydd »
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Dinarius

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Thanks for the reply.

RX100 sound is perfect. Only prob is iPhone.

Will look into that converter.

Odd they don’t support a file from something as common as an iPhone?

Thanks again.

D.

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fredjeang2

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fredjeang2

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You'll see the same problem with the RX100 material too.
This is the one major annoyance I've found with Resolve, it doesn't support MP4 and compressed audio files. You'll need to convert them to a more compatible format.
Dali's mustache, http://hdcinematics.com/ , seems to work fine and the trial version will convert two clips for free before needing to be re-launched. Although at $30 it's hardly expensive.
Paul thanks for this reminder. I had Dali’s Moustache in the past installed in another workstation and thought it was dead. Good link.
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Dinarius

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https://support.microsoft.com/en-sg/kb/2670838

I’m running fully up to date Windows 10 x64.

Shouldn’t everything in that link be installed already?

Thanks.

D.
« Last Edit: November 04, 2017, 01:11:55 pm by Dinarius »
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fredjeang2

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I’m running fully up to date Windows 10 x64.

Shouldn’t everything in that link be there installed already?

Thanks.

D.
Yes. Was just in case as I didn't know your OS.
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Dinarius

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Yes. Was just in case as I didn't know your OS.

Just to be clear: are you implying that if my Windows 10 Pro x64 is up to date, that iPhone files audio should be working on Resolve?

Thanks again.

D.
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Rhossydd

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RX100 sound is perfect. Only prob is iPhone.
It depends on what format you're recording on the RX100, set it to MP4 @ 1440x1080 and it works, set it to full HD 1920x1080 on AVCHD and you'll loose sound.
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fredjeang2

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Just to be clear: are you implying that if my Windows 10 Pro x64 is up to date, that iPhone files audio should be working on Resolve?

Thanks again.

D.
Not really for Iphone. But that would fix issues on some Mp4 with Windows 7. As you are on 10 it does not concern your OS.
MP4 is better to be converted anyway IMO.
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Dinarius

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Not really for Iphone. But that would fix issues on some Mp4 with Windows 7. As you are on 10 it does not concern your OS.
MP4 is better to be converted anyway IMO.

Thanks again.

MP4 best converted to what?

D.
« Last Edit: November 04, 2017, 03:20:37 pm by Dinarius »
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Dave Rosser

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You'll see the same problem with the RX100 material too.
This is the one major annoyance I've found with Resolve, it doesn't support MP4* and compressed audio files. You'll need to convert them to a more compatible format.
Dali's mustache, http://hdcinematics.com/ , seems to work fine and the trial version will convert two clips for free before needing to be re-launched. Although at $30 it's hardly expensive.

edit; with the RX100 AVCHD @ 1920x1080 sound is a problem with Resolve.
You don't really need to pay anything, if you are willing to use the command line ffmpeg is free.  Typical command line incantation is ffmpeg -i xxx.mov -vcodec copy -acodec aac -strict -2 -bia 384k xxx.mp4.
I think most of the paid for converters are a GUI interface on ffmpeg.
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Dinarius

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It depends on what format you're recording on the RX100, set it to MP4 @ 1440x1080 and it works, set it to full HD 1920x1080 on AVCHD and you'll loose sound.

Thanks.

Mine is a Mark 1, so 1440 is max. No 1920x1080.

D.
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Rhossydd

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Mine is a Mark 1, so 1440 is max. No 1920x1080.
Mk 1 shoots 1920x1080, just select AVCHD > 50i 24M(FX) in the movie menu.
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Dinarius

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Mk 1 shoots 1920x1080, just select AVCHD > 50i 24M(FX) in the movie menu.

Thanks!

D.
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fredjeang2

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Thanks again.

MP4 best converted to what?

D.

It depends very much on your storage capacity and implementation.
Transcode creates data.
Mp4 is a container such as QT that holds the datas, so to say.
If your codec is H.264 it's not that great for editing because it requires a lot of calculations and could slowdown.
(I remember that when I started to use Red, it was playing smoother in the NLE with the decode settings to 1/8 than any of the 4k MP4 highly compressed...and that, without the Red Rocket!! That would happen also into Mistika without the help of any Rocket.
Sometimes even HD avchd from certain devices was not that smooth.
AVCHD is a format that uses the codec.

You may well choose DNx on PC or Prores on Mac.
But the reason why you'd have to transcode is what Paul's pointed: if there are audio data issues in some MP4 containers with Resolve then what's your choice?

As you are on PC, my bet would be DNxH.... Check Avid tutos on the use of the different flavours.
But with DNx you are safe everywhere.

Now...I ignore if the Hdcinematics converter Paul pointed above allows an unofficial convert to Prores on PCs.?? Before it was possible with this, that was called clipztool or something like that.
In this case it would be awesome because to my knowledge, the only software that cuurrently allows to export Prores on Pc is Scratch from Assimilate.
Not cheap, big learning curve.

Edit: BM Fusion allows also to write Prores on PCs!
« Last Edit: November 05, 2017, 04:45:46 pm by fredjeang2 »
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Dinarius

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Thanks for all the replies.

We’ve gone a bit off topic, but it all relates to Resolve in some way.

Just to be clear: if I want to get the best quality video out of my RX100 Mk 1, @ 25fps, I must...

1. Use AVCHD/50i 24M(FX)
2. Use a converter to make it work on Resolve.

Correct?

Thanks.

D.
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