1 fps playback issue, all formats

I'm completely new to resolve, but I've been an editor for a very long time.

I recently installed resolve lite 10.1 to give it a spin, but no matter what type of file I throw at it, playback isn't just slow, it's as if I'm stepping a frame at a time, one every second or so. This is regardless of type of file, whether it's h264, prores, dnxhd, standard def, or HD resolution.

The system is a 2009 Mac Pro, 8 core 2.27ghz, an ati 4870 512mb, mac os 10.8.4, 24gb ram. All these file playback without issue in pretty much any other application on the system, so I feel I'm missing something very obvious here.

Is there something basic about resolve which I am unaware of? Google has been woefully unhelpful on this issue, as virtually everyone is complaining about not being able to playback raw 4k at 60fps on a macbook. That is not my issue at all. I'd be happy for something that resembled a moving picture at this point.

Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

This is your problem: ati 4870 512mb

Resolve needs a much more powerful GPU for image processing. Resolve is not and NLE and so can't really be compared to one when it comes to performance. Resolve works in 32bit float, it takes your footage an converts it on the fly and then applies any colour corrections you might add. To do this is needs a lot of processing power.

In the MacPro4.1 I would pull that card out and replace it with a GeForce GTX680.

Have a read of the Resolve config guide for a better idea of what hardware is needed.
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Thanks Adam for the quick reply.

I understand the 4870 isn't a powerhouse, but I don't understand having this poor of performance, when a macbook pro with the intel iris gpu is a qualified system. Intel has come a long way, but there is no comparison between a dedicated 4870 and an intel iris gpu.

All I'm trying to do is play a file in the media view. There are no effects, nothing - and the thing literally plays one frame, stalls for a second or more, then plays another. Surely this is simply a configuration issue. Even if a gtx680 is an order of magnitude faster (which it isn't...) that still wouldn't make the video playable at the performance I'm currently seeing.

Edit: I'm now seeing things about how the 4870 specifically doesn't support some parts of OpenCL. Well, that's annoying. Could it be the reason for not even allowing playback?

The 4870 is simply not up to the task. It never will be.

I also don't think the Intel Iris is a supported GPU for Resolve. You need way more GPU power.

Resolve does all it's work in the GPU. Even playback. So if the GPU is not powerful enough and with enough VRAM it won't playback.

Well, I guess I'm resigned to upgrade the GPU then.

It's interesting the Mac config guide doesn't specify the dual-GPU configuration is required. It simply mentions you must disable automatic GPU switching, but in the shopping list, it only specifies the CPU needed, and mentions nothing about the GPU.

Thank you very much for your help.

GPU switching applies to MacBook Pro's not MacPros. Read further on...

From page 32 is discusses the MacPro system. It lists various configuration options both single shared GPU and multi GPU.

You don't "need" dual GPU, it just helps with performance. Page 35 & 36 list the slot configs for the cards that will work in the MacPro.

Page 40 has a "shopping list" with details of what cards you should look at getting.

Sorry, I meant to specify in regards to the MacBook Pro, they aren't clear.

Thanks.

Sorry, I meant to specify in regards to the MacBook Pro, they aren't clear.

MacBook Pro's don't have upgradable GPUs. So they specify the processor because the GPU installed is usually based on the CPU. eg: The current 2.3GHz 15" MacBook Pro has an NVIDIA GT750m that is capable of running Resolve. The 2.0GHz 15" MacBook Pro does NOT have a GPU that can run Resolve.

The config guide needs to be updated for MacBook Pros. Generally BM have always specified the top of the range.