Fri May 03, 2013 3:28 pm
We're planning on setting up a Resolve system this summer and I'm wondering if some of you can help with deciding on the platform we'll build it on. We are a mixed-platform studio. All of our editing, capture, and After Effects work is done on Macs with Blackmagic capture boards. However, all of our authoring (BD and DVD), Encoding, and film restoration and scanning is done on Windows.
We have found that capturing at ProRes HQ is fine for most of what we need to do - the files work fine cross platform and they're reasonable in size. This is important because we do mostly feature film work, so they can be huge files if they're Uncompressed. We need the files to be a format that works seamlessly on both platforms and isn't massive, if possible.
Resolve will need to work with both Quicktime and DPX source (Quicktime from our capture systems and film scanner, DPX from the film scanner and restoration system). For Uncompressed and DPX, we sneakernet hard drives and copy to local RAIDs, for smaller files we use gigabit ethernet to move them around.
All that said, we have a pretty kick-ass PC that we built last winter to be a DDR, which is not currently in use. That could easily run Windows 7 (Core i7, 16GB RAM, 16TB SAS/SATA RAID), and has a Cuda-compatible GPU in it, so it should work with Resolve without modification. I'd prefer to use this machine as it won't cost us anything on the hardware side.
Now, the questions:
1) Can we import and export ProRes HQ or 4444 files on the Windows version of Resolve? It's unclear from the tech specs on the blackmagic site.
2) If we can't and we need to use a mac, can we get away with an older MacPro? Don't really want to spend too much on new hardware if we can help it.
3) What third party control surface do you recommend? The Avid Artist looks nice and at $1400 it's pretty reasonable. Does Resolve fully support this, or just a little? If not the Avid, what would you recommend?
Thanks!
-perry
We have found that capturing at ProRes HQ is fine for most of what we need to do - the files work fine cross platform and they're reasonable in size. This is important because we do mostly feature film work, so they can be huge files if they're Uncompressed. We need the files to be a format that works seamlessly on both platforms and isn't massive, if possible.
Resolve will need to work with both Quicktime and DPX source (Quicktime from our capture systems and film scanner, DPX from the film scanner and restoration system). For Uncompressed and DPX, we sneakernet hard drives and copy to local RAIDs, for smaller files we use gigabit ethernet to move them around.
All that said, we have a pretty kick-ass PC that we built last winter to be a DDR, which is not currently in use. That could easily run Windows 7 (Core i7, 16GB RAM, 16TB SAS/SATA RAID), and has a Cuda-compatible GPU in it, so it should work with Resolve without modification. I'd prefer to use this machine as it won't cost us anything on the hardware side.
Now, the questions:
1) Can we import and export ProRes HQ or 4444 files on the Windows version of Resolve? It's unclear from the tech specs on the blackmagic site.
2) If we can't and we need to use a mac, can we get away with an older MacPro? Don't really want to spend too much on new hardware if we can help it.
3) What third party control surface do you recommend? The Avid Artist looks nice and at $1400 it's pretty reasonable. Does Resolve fully support this, or just a little? If not the Avid, what would you recommend?
Thanks!
-perry
Perry Paolantonio
Gamma Ray Digital - 288 Walnut St Suite 105, Newton MA 02460
14k Film Scanning -- Color Grading -- Film Restoration
www.gammaraydigital.com
Gamma Ray Digital - 288 Walnut St Suite 105, Newton MA 02460
14k Film Scanning -- Color Grading -- Film Restoration
www.gammaraydigital.com
