Playback performance took a major hit, not sure the reason

System, application, project and source specs at the end.

I'm looking for a reason why playback performance took such a nosedive for me lately. Not sure if it's a bug in the application or something outside the application (some random driver config changed unbeknownst to me). Either could be equally likely. Looking for someone with similar experiences or input from a dev.

For what it's worth, I'm not averse to technical discussion. I'm a systems engineer for embedded systems by day; not exactly the kind of Windows/Mac environment here, but willing to learn.

Problem symptom: Playback video from source material or timelines in the Edit tab runs ~10-20% slower than project settings/timeline settings/source material. This results in somewhat choppy playback; more importantly, very inconsistent and choppy audio. From stopped media, video playback commonly "ramps up" to this 10-20% slower FPS as if it's the target FPS in an overdamped () system. I can not reasonably edit in this performance environment.

Background: I've had the application for a few months, learning video editing as I create a personal project with screen captures in my spare time. Wednesday everything was just dandy - I was playing the source media at just about 60fps (sometimes seeing drops to 59fps but only for a half second at most - unnoticeable). Friday I started a new project and loaded in some source video and it wouldn't play back at 60FPS. Instead I observed the aforementioned stuttering and performance degradation. I started doing some research, finding the following threads here and elsewhere ([I have 4 links but not allowed to post links yet], not to mention a few youtube videos on optimizing DR for low-end PCs and laptops) but none with any improvement. I've tried fumbling around with the following, all with no change unless otherwise noted:

1) Restarting my PC without needless applications starting up (such as my screencap application: XSplit Gamecaster or any other applications that may push screen overlays)
2) Application Settings - All OFAT'ed (one factor at a time)
2a) GPU processing mode
2b) All 3 decode options
2c) Release video and audio I/O on defocus
2d) Enable farlight audio accelerator (didn't work - application didn't init)
2e) Audio interface (didn't work - application didn't init)
2f) Resize image in viewer to square pixels
2g) output signle field when paused
2h) stop playback when a dropped frame is detected
2i) hide UI overlay (suggested in linked thread)
2j) minimize interface updates during playback
2k) tried all performance modes, including all permutations of the manual optimization options
3) Project Settings - All OFAT'ed
3a) Video formats (dropped video format for project without changing source video all the way to 720p30.. only hit 25fps!! Of course it sounded bad anyways due to source/output mismatch)
3b) SDI configuration options (tried all)
3c) Data levels (vid+full)
3d) video bit depth
3e) monitor scaling: basic + bilinear
3f) I messed around with cache settings - cached media didn't solve anything at any resolution DNxHR HQ. Uncompressed 10bit or 10bit float HDR (at half res) predictably didn't help either
3g) Updated working folders to my SSD (see #5 below)
3h) Played with image scaling a bit
3i) played with input scaling
3j) purposely mismatched output scaling settings. No change in indicated FPS performance
3l) Use Timecode from source clip frame count
4) Reinstalling audio and video drivers. Didn't reinstall chipset and BIOS drivers (in case the PCIe bus is "bad"? Nevertheless I'm still playing AAA games at 1080p60...)
5) Moving all media, cache locations and the project db to a 1Tb 860 Evo SSD
6) Reinstalling Resolve
7) Generating optimized media (yes, this was the first time I've felt the need to do so!)
7a) At best, quarter resolution DNxHR HQ runs at 58ish FPS, enough that the audio does not frequently cut. Good enough, but pretty bad experience in general - the only reason I would continue using Resolve at this setting is because my other projects are not yet delivered and I may go back to edit them as this project matures.
7b) I tried half resolution but the playback was the same as in the problem statement.
7c) Uncompressed 10-bit at half resolution was the same as in the problem statement.
7d) Ran uncompressed 10-bit FP HDR - took an overnight cook but of course it ran the same as source material.

Total system performance with the choppy video is actually good. The CPU is pegged at ~80-85%. I can run a few chrome tabs, some playing youtube videos, some playing music on spotify, and the performance of playback in Resolve doesn't take a noticable hit while CPU usage rises only slightly (~5%). Seems Resolve limits itself to certain CPU loads, or it just uses APUs the rest of the system doesn't need. CPU/GPU temps are good - my fan profiles ramp up at 60/70 and I don't see temps north of 65/80, respectively. I know my system is far from optimal for this program and especially my project, but I was using the application without too much difficulty (some lag here and there, but overall usable) before Friday.

So there's something going on. I wish I knew what it was. I will continue editing at 1/4 resolution optimized media for the time being, but I'd really like to figure this out or I may lose interest in my project. Thanks in advance for reading through.

System Specs: Windows x64, Intel i5-6400, AMD R9-390, 256GB Samsung 850 Evo boot drive, source material on a Baracuda 7200rpm 3TB or 1TB 860 Evo (see point 4 above), Intel Z170 chipset

Source material: from screencaps recorded in H.264 1920x1080 60fps 8-bit depth; Audio in AAC 2ch 48kHz 10-bit depth; Typically videos are 20-25 minutes in length and 5.1 Gb large (automated cutoff set in XSplit screencap application). Yes these are unusually large files - I get the impression this isn't the standard use case for video editing based on Resolve's workflow features - but again I didn't have usability issues for months until the other day.

Project settings: 2560x1080 resolution (21:9 cinema scaling - should be a default option, guys! At least at 24fps amirite?!) matched to source at 60fps. I zoom every video to 1.34; the screencap application cuts off the top and bottom third of the video anyways, because it's designed to capture 16:9 aspect ratios.

Application: version 15.2.3.015 (free) is installed in full (all installation options enabled) on the boot SSD.

TL;DR: Something inside or outside Resolve changed the other day. I went from playing 1920x1080 source material scaled (zoomed) to 2560x1080 at 60fps to being unable to play half-resolution DNxHR HQ above 50fps overnight. Looking for advice.

[Peter Chamberlain]

Can you try with the 15.3 released last week as there were improvements in that release.

Something inside or outside Resolve changed the other day. I went from playing 1920x1080 source material scaled (zoomed) to 2560x1080 at 60fps to being unable to play half-resolution DNxHR HQ above 50fps overnight. Looking for advice.

Playing devil's advocate here: why do you need to deliver at 60fps? What network or online service or playback device needs 60fps? I think you'll find 30fps is far easier to play back and will be more compatible with a wide range of devices in the world, particularly online and on DVD, Blu-ray, network TV, and so on. I think 60fps is total overkill for most situations. 30fps (and even 24fps) is much more practical for most purposes and will work with a wide range of systems for editorial, sound, VFX, and color.

Sorting out the right workflow for projects requires a lot of thought and coordination between production and post and distribution, and generally you have to make the right decisions at the very beginning. If you don't, the problems can cascade and wind up creating a huge amount of trouble and/or expense at the end.

Can you try with the 15.3 released last week as there were improvements in that release.

Sure, I'll give that a shot tomorrow.

Playing devil's advocate here: why do you need to deliver at 60fps? What network or online service or playback device needs 60fps? I think you'll find 30fps is far easier to play back and will be more compatible with a wide range of devices in the world, particularly online and on DVD, Blu-ray, network TV, and so on. I think 60fps is total overkill for most situations. 30fps (and even 24fps) is much more practical for most purposes and will work with a wide range of systems for editorial, sound, VFX, and color.

Sorting out the right workflow for projects requires a lot of thought and coordination between production and post and distribution, and generally you have to make the right decisions at the very beginning. If you don't, the problems can cascade and wind up creating a huge amount of trouble and/or expense at the end.

Appreciate the note. Uses for this project, at best, is youtube to share with friends. Youtube supports native 60fps as does my TV and monitors. To your point, I did a test of the first bit of the project and streamed it back to my PC and TV from youtube and it came through at 60fps. Being that I played this game as I screencapped it, I can recognize the jump to 60fps. Gaming in general is tricky - you don't want to make your audience dizzy with fast motion, but at the same time the whole media is designed for higher framerates so motion blur and other effects are toned down or nonexistent.

FWIW... I use 50fps for most all of my videos (some are 60) because a lot of them are high-motion stuff and the higher frame-rates produce very fluid motion. By comparison, 24/25 or even 30FPS looks jerky and can ruin the lovely flowing motion that the higher framerates produce.

Sure, for low-action, slow-speed stuff 24/25/30 FPS makes more sense... but not for everything.

A couple known things: Use Nvidia 4.17, not the later versions. Skip the last Windows 10 Update. Both slow things down for Resolve.

Resolve 15.2.3 is best for 60/59.94 fps timelines for me, 15.2.4 was broken, 15.3 has v-sync/jitter issues on the edit tab if timeline and panel fps are very close. I meant to capture and report those to Rohit on the weekend, but fail to allocate the time. Will be next weekend, sorry.

Something inside or outside Resolve changed the other day. I went from playing 1920x1080 source material scaled (zoomed) to 2560x1080 at 60fps to being unable to play half-resolution DNxHR HQ above 50fps overnight. Looking for advice.

Playing devil's advocate here: why do you need to deliver at 60fps? What network or online service or playback device needs 60fps? I think you'll find 30fps is far easier to play back and will be more compatible with a wide range of devices in the world, particularly online and on DVD, Blu-ray, network TV, and so on. I think 60fps is total overkill for most situations. 30fps (and even 24fps) is much more practical for most purposes and will work with a wide range of systems for editorial, sound, VFX, and color.

Sorting out the right workflow for projects requires a lot of thought and coordination between production and post and distribution, and generally you have to make the right decisions at the very beginning. If you don't, the problems can cascade and wind up creating a huge amount of trouble and/or expense at the end.

You're obviously right when it comes to industry standards.

I like details of high-res footage. 24fps requires a truck load of motion blur for 180 degree shutter. Then what do you get from high-res if the slightest movement burries everything in blur? No details.

For me high-res makes only sense with high fps. Also the majority of panels on this planet run at 60/59.94 Hz or multiples. There is no way to cleanly sync 24fps to 60hz refresh.

So 60hz enables details at high res and syncs clean to most panels on the planet. Plus I can't really watch 24/30 fps anymore. I got so used to smooth sharp video.

Well this is fun. I booted up Resolve today and performance is perfect. Even deleted optimized media and I'm back to 60fps. I decided not to update the application or even this topic until I got some edits done with the performance back. For what it's worth, I shut down my PC every night.

I suppose if I have this issue again I'll post here and update the application.

Pretty frustrating, though. Half my angst is having performance issues; the other half is not knowing what's wrong. Only one of those issues was resolved overnight

I started having the same sort of performance issues described in this thread, and around the same date.
Someone mentioned the latest Windows 10 update causes slow downs for Resolve?
Sounds like a likely culprit considering the suspicious date confluence.

Your issues resolved themselves, mine have not.
If it were a new Windows update that fixes the issues, I should have benefited from it too...

Which version of Resolve were you using when your problems went away?

There is no fix yet for both the Windows Update and Nvidia > 4.17. Just revert both if you suspect issues. I didn't even try the Windows update.

The is no fix yet for both the Windows Update and Nvidia >= 4.17. Just revert both if you suspect issues. I didn't even try the Windows update.

Thanks!

Have you tried KB4489899 update? Microsoft date 12th March claims to

'Addresses an issue that may degrade graphics and mouse performance with desktop gaming when playing certain games, such as Destiny 2, after installing KB4482887'
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4489899/windows-10-update-kb4489899

I am still on Win 10 1709 so not had this issue. Peter

Just coming back to note that my problems haven't come back. Aside from a long weekend away, I've used DR for the past few days (including after another Windows update) with no suspicious performance issues during playback.

Hello, if anyone is having these issues, here's how I fixed it today.

What I use: Mac M1, 2021

MY ISSUE:
I had proxy media generated for 4K footage on my external storage. Initially playback was very, very bad. I also tried optimised media and quarte res playback, but didn't work.

THE SOLUTION:
I restarted my PC, deleted the old proxy and generated new proxy ON MY MAC rather than on the external drive. Original video files are still on the external drive. Try this, hope you solve it