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Using the Smart or User Cache Improves Effects Performance
Another option for achieving real time performance when the GPU Status indicator is in the red due either to Timeline effects, Color page grading, or processor-intensive media in the Timeline, is to use the Smart Cache or User Cache modes of the Render Cache. What DaVinci Resolve calls “caching” is sometimes referred to by other applications as “rendering.” Both terms refer to the behind-the-scenes creation of new media, with all effects “baked in,” which DaVinci Resolve plays back in real time in place of the original source media containing processor-intensive effects at the same time. This results in smooth playback without the risk of dropped frames.
The settings governing caching in the Master Settings panel of the Project Settings
The DaVinci Resolve Smart Cache and User Cache automatically render and cache clips, including simple video clips, compound clips, Fusion clips, and nested timelines that have processor-intensive grades and effects applied to them, or that you manually flag for caching by right-clicking any clip in the Color page or Edit page timeline and enabling the Render Cache Clip Output option. When the Smart or User Caches are enabled, frames of each automatically or manually flagged clip are cached either during playback in the Timeline, or automatically whenever you pause work, to the “Cache files location” specified in the Master Settings panel of the Project Settings.
Once you’ve cached clips in the Timeline, they play back in real time until they’re modified, which automatically flushes the now out-of-date cache files for those modified clips and triggers the need to re-cache.
— Choose Playback > Render Cache > Smart to set DaVinci Resolve to automatically cache computationally intensive effects and timeline clips in formats judged too processor-intensive to play in real time.
— Choose Playback > Render Cache > User to set DaVinci Resolve to cache clips and effects that you manually choose to cache, as well as automatically caching processor-intensive effects (transitions, composites, and Fusion Effects) you specify in the Master Settings of the Project Settings.
— Choose Playback > Render Cache > Off to disable all render caching.
— In the Color and Edit pages, press Option-R to cycle among Off, Smart, and User.
— Press CACHE MODE on the T-bar panel of the DaVinci control panel to toggle among the available options.
Choosing the Appropriate Cache Media Format for Your Project
You have the option of choosing the Format of the cached media you create, using controls in the Master Settings panel of the Project Settings. Be aware that the format you choose via the “Render Cache Format” menu will determine whether out-of-bounds image data (also known as “overshoots”) and Alpha Channels are preserved when the clip is cached.
— Preventing Clipping: You should use 16-bit float, ProRes 4444, ProRes 4444 XQ, or DNxHR 444 if you plan on grading using cached media. This is particularly true for HDR grading.
— Preserving Alpha Channels: Also be aware that the format you choose will determine whether Alpha Channels will be preserved, if they’re present in the clips being cached. Currently, the Uncompressed 10-bit, Uncompressed 16-bit Float, ProRes 4444,
ProRes 4444 XQ, and DNxHR 444 formats preserve alpha channels.
Choosing the Appropriate Cache Media Format for Your Project
You have the option of choosing the Format of the cached media you create, using controls in the Master Settings panel of the Project Settings. Be aware that the format you choose via the “Render Cache Format” menu will determine whether out-of-bounds image data (also known as “overshoots”) and Alpha Channels are preserved when the clip is cached.
— Preventing Clipping: You should use 16-bit float, ProRes 4444, ProRes 4444 XQ, or DNxHR 444 if you plan on grading using cached media. This is particularly true for HDR grading.
— Preserving Alpha Channels: Also be aware that the format you choose will determine whether Alpha Channels will be preserved, if they’re present in the clips being cached. Currently, the Uncompressed 10-bit, Uncompressed 16-bit Float, ProRes 4444,
ProRes 4444 XQ, and DNxHR 444 formats preserve alpha channels.
Choosing the Appropriate Cache Media Format for Your Project
You have the option of choosing the Format of the cached media you create, using controls in the Master Settings panel of the Project Settings. Be aware that the format you choose via the “Render Cache Format” menu will determine whether out-of-bounds image data (also known as “overshoots”) and Alpha Channels are preserved when the clip is cached.
— Preventing Clipping: You should use 16-bit float, ProRes 4444, ProRes 4444 XQ, or DNxHR 444 if you plan on grading using cached media. This is particularly true for HDR grading.
— Preserving Alpha Channels: Also be aware that the format you choose will determine whether Alpha Channels will be preserved, if they’re present in the clips being cached. Currently, the Uncompressed 10-bit, Uncompressed 16-bit Float, ProRes 4444,
ProRes 4444 XQ, and DNxHR 444 formats preserve alpha channels.
