Blackmagic Forum

Hiya, we are getting a third Resolve Studio lisence. I was wondering with the Speed Edit, will it also give you a lisence to Fusion FX?
As I remember the USB dongle was needed to give you both a lisence for Resolve and Fusion.

This Speed Edit:
https://www.scan.co.uk/products/blackmagic-design-davinci-resolve-speed-editor-keyboard

Yes, you need the dongle to authorize both Resolve and standalone Fusion.

And I've read that the Speed Editor bundle isn't available with the dongle, so...

A Resolve Studio license (dongle or activation code) will work with Fusion Studio 17.

A Resolve Studio dongle also works with Fusion Studio 16.

But a Resolve Studio activation code will only work with Fusion Studio 17 or higher.

I'm itching to jump on the DaVinci Resolve Studio/Speed Editor promotion, but I don't know if I should get the License Key Activation or the dongle. I don't feel I've found clear answers in the Licensing FAQ, so here are my questions:

First, I understand that either key or dongle versions of the DaVinci Resolve 17 Studio license will activate both DaVinci Resolve Studio AND Fusion 17 Studio. Dongles are undesirable for me, and the key would give me two activations of both softwares that could run concurrently on separate computers. But, do License Key installations of DRS and FS require a permanent internet connection to run, or just the first time they are launched and activated?

Second, if I were to also buy a BMD camera that includes its own DRS/FS License Key, can I then activate a total of four separate computers in a network configuration (i.e. a small rendering farm)?

Lastly, are either key or dongle any more likely than the other to allow continued support for free upgrades to future versions of DRS and FS?

Many thanks!

One license is activating both programs (version 17) on a single computer.
I'm not sure if the programs check the license on start-up, but they don't do it all the time.
BM never promised that updates will always be free, but I doubt they'd make any difference between keys or dongles.

A dongle is a single seat license, the activation key supports two concurrent seats. We haven't charged for any updates since v8 but we haven't and don't make a commitment to future features nor updates. That said we currently dont expect a change to the what we have been doing.

Currently the Studio version is needed for concurrent project collaboration but for v17 release this will also be possible with the free version.

If you purchase a camera that comes with the Activation key you will again have two more seats.

A Resolve activation key also supports Fusion Studio 17.

Peter Chamberlain wrote:A dongle is a single seat license, the activation key supports two concurrent seats.

Thank you Peter. I'm still unclear whether an Activation Key install will continue to work without an Internet connection once Resolve and Fusion have been activated. If not, I may have no choice but to get the dongle version.

DaVinci Resolve with an activation license can work without internet connections for some time. If you need an extended period of time offline - or an airgapped solution - please go for the dongle.

Thanks Shrinivas, that exactly the information I needed.

(Thanks too, Uli!)

I'm very happy to hear that with a dongle, Resolve does not require an internet connection. My edit systems are not connected to the internet (Not my choice), so I'm looking to move to Resolve. I'm guessing that I can move the dongle from work to home and bring in program updates downloaded at home on an SD card.

Sure you can. The installer works without internet connection.
The only thing you'll be missing at work are update notifications.