Why do I have to restart to get real-time playback?

I noticed this since I use Resolve, I started using Resolve 15 back in the day. I noticed that sometimes after I worked for hours the playback is lagging and I keep getting frame drops, even if no driver component is bottlenecking. I restart Resolve - sometimes the PC - and the same project, the same clip (Only Resolve opened) plays back in real time with no issues again.

Did anyone experience this phenomena?

I use Resolve 18.6 on Windows 11
PC: i9-13900K
GTX 1080 - latest nVidia driver
32 GB DDR4 3200 Mhz RAM
4 TB WD M.2 x4 SSD - SSD Western Digital Black SN850X 4TB PCI Express 4.0 x4 M.2 2280 WDS400T2X0E
ProArt B760-CREATOR D4 - with latest BIOS update

The interesting part is that I get real-time playback for the same clip after a restart. I think it's some RAM or GPU memory problem.

I think your GPU is the bottleneck and not powerful enough for Resolve, but I could be wrong. Let's hear from the experts.

Did you checked Windows Task Manager to see what was happening and also Windows Event Viewer if there was any error at same time issues were occurring?
I concur with Yasser that you have a GPU that is technologically old for current Resolve.

I usually watch Task Manager, it's always opened to see what the software is doing with the resources. It would be the GPU if the playback would lag every time, but after a restart what it can handle it handles.

I don't expect anything from this GPU that it can't do, this plays back smoothly the h.265 FullHD or 4K clips. The right question is why it starts to slow down. A restart of Resolve and/or the PC solves this.

Not sure if it's GPU driver issue or Resolve doesn't using it correctly over time.

This is what Chat GPT recommended.

A GTX 1080 (or any GPU for that matter) may slow down after a while due to various reasons. Here are some common factors that can contribute to a slowdown:

Overheating: When a GPU gets too hot, it will often throttle its performance to prevent damage. This can happen if the cooling system is not functioning properly, if there's dust buildup in the heatsinks, or if the thermal paste between the GPU die and the heatsink has degraded.

Driver Issues: Outdated or corrupted graphics drivers can cause performance problems. It's important to keep your GPU drivers up to date.

Background Processes: Other software running on your computer can consume system resources, potentially impacting GPU performance. This could be anything from antivirus scans to resource-intensive applications.

Power Settings: If the GPU is not receiving the required power, it might underperform. This can be due to a faulty power supply unit (PSU) or issues with the power connectors.

Software Optimization: Some games or applications may not be optimized for the specific hardware configuration of your system. This can lead to suboptimal performance.

VRAM Limitation: If the GPU doesn't have enough VRAM (Video Random Access Memory) for a particular task, it may lead to slowdowns, especially in high-resolution gaming or content creation scenarios.

Memory Leaks: Sometimes, poorly optimized software can cause memory leaks, which gradually consume system resources, leading to performance degradation.

Aging Hardware: Over time, electronic components can degrade, and this can lead to reduced performance. While this is less common, it's a possibility.

Malware or Viruses: Malicious software can hog system resources, leading to performance issues.

Power Throttling: Some laptops, especially those with Nvidia Optimus technology, may throttle GPU performance when running on battery power to conserve energy.

To address these issues, you can try the following:

Clean Dust: Ensure your GPU and computer are free from dust and have proper airflow.

Update Drivers: Make sure your graphics drivers are up to date.

Check Temperatures: Monitor GPU temperatures to ensure it's not overheating. Consider improving cooling solutions if necessary.

Close Background Applications: Close unnecessary programs and background processes while using GPU-intensive applications.

Verify Power Connections: Ensure that the GPU is receiving adequate power from the PSU, and all power connectors are properly seated.

Check for Malware: Run a malware scan to ensure your system is clean.

Adjust In-Game Settings: Lowering graphics settings in games can sometimes improve performance.

Consider Upgrading: If your GPU is several years old, it might be approaching the end of its usable life. Upgrading to a newer model could provide a significant performance boost.

If none of these steps resolve the issue, it may be a good idea to consult with a professional technician or consider contacting the GPU manufacturer's support for further assistance.

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Maybe I have to change the heat paste on the GPU, though it's usually 60-70* at 100% load.

I don't expect anything from this GPU that it can't do, this plays back smoothly the h.265 FullHD or 4K clips. The right question is why it starts to slow down. A restart of Resolve and/or the PC solves this.

Not sure if it's GPU driver issue or Resolve doesn't using it correctly over time.

You can likely rule out the GPU by switching to Intel for decode.

Slow downs maybe running out of memory. Drive bandwidth. I don't think it's your GPU if you're only seeing playback issues. If it was overheating a simple reboot shouldn't be enough.

Is the media on the NVME?

I don't expect anything from this GPU that it can't do, this plays back smoothly the h.265 FullHD or 4K clips. The right question is why it starts to slow down. A restart of Resolve and/or the PC solves this.

Not sure if it's GPU driver issue or Resolve doesn't using it correctly over time.

You can likely rule out the GPU by switching to Intel for decode.

Slow downs maybe running out of memory. Drive bandwidth. I don't think it's your GPU if you're only seeing playback issues. If it was overheating a simple reboot shouldn't be enough.

Is the media on the NVME?

Yes, I no longer use HDDs for work. When Intel iGPU is turned off it's better for the playback. Not sure if it's Intel or DaVinci not using it correctly but my experience is that it's smoother to edit when Intel is not involved in video decoding.

I think Premiere is better at using both iGPU and nVidia at the same time, less laggy.

I see a similar behaviour, when things get choppy/sluggish restarting Resolve usually fixes that.

This is why I feel BMD should stop and polish off the software for the next couple of releases instead of adding new stuff.

I have a 3070 but my 2060 would do the same.

I noticed this since I use Resolve, I started using Resolve 15 back in the day. I noticed that sometimes after I worked for hours the playback is lagging and I keep getting frame drops, even if no driver component is bottlenecking. I restart Resolve - sometimes the PC - and the same project, the same clip (Only Resolve opened) plays back in real time with no issues again.

Did anyone experience this phenomena?

I use Resolve 18.6 on Windows 11
PC: i9-13900K
GTX 1080 - latest nVidia driver
32 GB DDR4 3200 Mhz RAM
4 TB WD M.2 x4 SSD

The interesting part is that I get real-time playback for the same clip after a restart. I think it's some RAM or GPU memory problem.

Your GPU is weak and your platform has 20 PCI links.
16 link use GPU
4 link use every single M.2 SSD

So if you use 4 SSDs and 1 GPU, you utilite 32 out of 20... So there is an bottleneck too.
But the main reason is GTX1080... this is very weak peace of hardware.

For example. I have RTX3080 12GB and Davinci is super choppy and I have to restart Davinci almost every 5 minutes

First, I don't think that the number of PCI Express lanes justifies the fact that Resolve gets choppy after a while.

Second, M.2 drives are likely SATA drives? Those are managed by the chipset which is then connected to the CPU.

Third, there is no "using 32 lanes", if you exceed the available lanes some devices will work at a reduced bandwidth - which might not mean it's slowing down as the fact that a video card uses 16 lanes doesn't mean it's using them at capacity all the time!

In other words, sure, it's not the fastest system on the planet but if the bottleneck is the problem then Resolve would be choppy all the time.

My SATA SSDs are nowhere near being used at capacity so even though - and I don't think that's the case - the controller was working at reduced bandwidth, I don't think that that is an explanation for what's being reported. After all ONE PCI express lane can offer 1GB/s of transfer, that is plenty for SATA SSD - and more.

So the bottom line is: let's not blame the HW not being the "latest and greatest" for every problem we encounter.

M.2 drive is directly installed into the motherboard. It works properly, it's in its x4 slot.

Not the latest but works fine. Only a few GPU intensive shots need Render in Place. I just don't get why simple 4K, h.265 Main10 clips start to get choppy and gets fixed after a restart.

I remember when I worked with X AVC L files on multicamera track, after one hour length they became choppy, too.

if the bottleneck is the problem then Resolve would be choppy all the time.

Exactly. This is why I started this conversation. I wonder if the same config would do this if it was a MAC. Maybe some optimalization needed, since Premiere doesn't do this slowing down over time.

Maybe one day I will try to run a Hackintosh to see if there is a difference, but I am not sure I would get the right drivers.

Indeed, Premiere is slow all the time!

The SSDs are on their slots but they all eventually go back to the CPU via PCI Express. My B550 AMD chipset/CPU only allow me to have EITHER an extra PCI Express board OR the second SSD on the motherboard because of the limited amount of lanes for example.

Still, that's not your problem IMHO.

I find difficult to report problems sometimes as there are many users around who will ALWAYS blame the hardware. Either you have a 100K workstation or then it's expected that you're having problems (any sort of problems) on your small RTX3070.

It's not always the hardware, sometimes the right optimization can do magic tricks.

I have this motherboard:
ProArt B760-CREATOR D4

One of the M.2 slot shares bandwith with some WiFi stick if connected so I don't use wifi modules like that and that socket is empty.

I use this slot> M.2_3 slot (Key M), type 2242/2260/2280/22110 (supports PCIe 4.0 x4 mode)
With this SSD> SSD Western Digital Black SN850X 4TB PCI Express 4.0 x4 M.2 2280 WDS400T2X0E

I think it's some GPU acceleration issue.

Maybe you need to repair windows
Run this 2 commands in an administrator allowed command prompt

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
Sfc /scannow

Maybe you need to repair windows
Run this 2 commands in an administrator allowed command prompt

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
Sfc /scannow

Thanks.

I have a theory about this, I have a 4K Philips BDM4350uc screen and it drops the refresh rate slightly from 60hz. Maybe the GPU tires to keep up with the represented images, while staying in real time and that's why it drops from 60p to 55-57. But maybe it should do this after restarting, too.

Can I force the program to play it even if the screen lags behind?