Resolve 18 - HDR on Macbook Pro M1 MAX

I've read that Resolve 18 supports HDR grading on the Macbook Pro M1 laptops using the XDR screen, but how do I know I'm looking at a HDR representation of the image on the screen? SDR and HDR can look similar on a screen that's high in brightness and it's hard to know without a reference if the software shows HDR.

I remember another discussion a while back about seeing HDR within the interface of Resolve when using an HDR screen (and not just using a video output card), and was told this is impossible. But the news of Resolve 18 handling HDR with the new Macbook Pro's puzzled me as this should be exactly what I asked about back then; the interface video showing HDR, not just the output.

So what's the settings and how can I confirm this without just going through trial and errors?

Seeing is believing. It is definitely possible to view and grade HDR video within the Resolve interface on a MacBook Pro with XDR screen. If you use the MacBook Pro set to HDR Video (P3ST 2084) preset, attach an external non-HDR monitor and set it as the Video Clean Feed display (Workspace Menu), a clip graded for HDR on the XDR screen within Resolve will look fine on the XDR screen and awful on the external monitor (highlights clipped etc). Or you can simply move Resolve to the external monitor. EDIT Or you can simply change the MacBook Pro display setting to HDTV (BT.709) or any of the other SDR settings.

I am using 17.4.6 with the following settings

Color Science: DaVinci YRGB Color Managed
Turn off Automatic Color Management
Color Processing Mode: HDR DaVinci WideGamut Intermediate
Output Color Space Rec2100 ST2084

IMPORTANT: I also have Use Mac Display Color Profiles for Viewers in the General Prefs on as well as the Use 10-bit precision.

What's more I see pretty much exactly the same in Final Cut Pro as far as my eye can tell.

For anyone in the future that may come across this, look no further! I actually have your solution and I'm so happy to have discovered it for myself!

Follow the following steps to enable this feature in Resolve:

1. Go to DaVinci Resolve Preferences…-> System -> General
2. Enable “Use 10bit precision in viewers if available” and enable “Use Mac Display Color Profiles for Viewers”
3. Go to Project Settings -> Color Management and enable “Display HDR on viewers if available”
4. Restart Resolve to make above settings effective
5. Go your MacOS System Preferences -> Display and disable “True Tone”
6. Disable “Automatically adjust brightness” and set the brightness of your screen to about 50%
   - The brightness levels are relative. Thus, don’t set the brightness to maximum as this will clip the highlights.

"Go to Project Settings -> Color Management and enable “Display HDR on viewers if available”

I use the MacBook Pro M1 MAX but don't see this function Display HDR in the settings.
I looked everywhere but this function is in my Resolve settings missing.
Perhaps somebody can show me where I can install this.

Dirk PEL

Did you ever find this setting?

Never!

[Dwaine Maggart]

For anyone else looking for this setting:

Project Settings -> Color Management and enable “Display HDR on viewers if available”

This was removed in Resolve 18. The setting is automatically applied if you've done the other things mentioned:

Enable “Use 10bit precision in viewers if available” and enable “Use Mac Display Color Profiles for Viewers”

And you have an HDR Output Color Space selected.