Should I buy Dongle or activation key?

Hi All,

I'm a little confused and not getting clear answers from a shop where I was planning to by either a Dongle or Activation key for Davinci Resolve.

I asked them to explain the pro's and con's for buying the dongle... They said the dongle is a USB stick with the same software that you would have to download when you buy an activation key!

I have worked earlier with software that used a dongle, only with the dongle inserted in the computer all options were available, does the Resolve Dongle work the same way?

Benefits of the dongle:
- no internet connection required (the activation key sometimes wants to call home)
- access to both Studio Resolve and Studio Fusion
- you can use Resolve/Fusion on multiple computers (but not simultaneously)

Benefits of the activation key:
- you can install Resolve/Fusion on up to 2 computers and use them simultaneously
- nothing physical to fail/lose (but store your activation key somewhere safe)

I use the dongle and it works fine for me because I only use one (dedicated) machine for video editing/compositing. If you have multiple computers (such as a desktop in your edit-studio and a laptop for working on the road) then the activiation key would be a better option because you don't run the risk of losing, damaging or forgetting the dongle.

What Bruce said, dongle also use one of your USB ports.... not really an issue in most computers, but if you have a laptop can be challenging.

Just for clarity, the dongle only contains the license key. It doesn't actually have Resolve on it. Whether dongle or activation key, you download and install Resolve from BMD just the same.

Thanks for the replies, it's totally clear for me now.

I'm already using the Free version of Davinci Resolve and it is time to step up and get the full version.

I have both dongle and license key. The dongle really sucks for a laptop. I mainly use the license key now. Also allows use on two machines which is great.

One additional point, if you have a problem with the dongle then that is going to be downtime to get a replacement. The activation key instantly resets when you try to enter it a third time. I had this issue during the 18 Beta version when Resolve mysteriously ate my two keys when opening Resolve. I entered my key again and it said I had no keys remaining, but then it did a full reset and gave my two keys back. Everything has worked fine since then.

For the community's information:

I bought the Dongle to activate Resolve Studio. I got it bundled with the excellent Resolve Speed Editor. I got the dongle because I have 3 (maybe four if I can get my fastest one working again) different computers in three different locations on my farm but will only need to use Resolve on one of them at any particular time.

I was able to get the Speed Editor working fine - although I had to move it from one of the USB C connections on my hub to the other one -- don't know why. Another technical mystery.

The Dongle came with a memory card with Resolve Studio 16 (!??!) on it. Since I already had Resolve 18.1.3 FREE installed, Studio 16 refused to install. So just to test the dongle, I uninstalled free and installed Studio 16. I inserted the dongle into the hub and Resolve Studio 16 wouldn't start.

(Is there some kind of activation procedure for the dongle? There was for the Steinberg dongle)

Then I uninstalled Studio 16, reinstalled 18.1.3 FREE and proceeded to attempt downloading of the Studio 18.1.3 update. Then I found out my internet connection was temporarily hosed and instead of having 600+ Mbps download, I only had 3 Mbps. So I had to terminate the download and instead call my ISP "Tech Support" last night.

My internet problem seems to have "healed itself" this morning, so getting the 600+ Mbps I'm paying for, I downloaded Resolve Studio 18.1.3 "Update".

I'm going to go over to my main Resolve computer in one of my studios now and see if I can install the Studio 18.1.3 update over 18.1.3 FREE and whether the dongle will allow me to use it if I can update.

Maybe Unlike my Steinberg dongle for Cubase and Wavelab, the Resolve dongle won't work through a hub? I guess I'll see, eh?

GOOD NEWS.

I had to uninstall Resolve FREE 18.1.3 in order to successfully install Studio 18.1.3.

Then before trying to fire up Studio, I inserted the dongle into the desktop and Windoze 10 found it and installed it.

Then Resolve Studio 18.1.3 Build 8 came to life!

Alas, on THIS computer my other main Resolve problem wasn't solved by running Studio 18.1.3...

You can read all about it here: Clips Won't Play in "Best" Machine
https://forum.blackmagicdesign.com/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=172548

Apparently this desktop's GPU/Video card can't deal with the latest video codecs or something?

Now to go try this on one of the computers that Resolve is currently working on. Maybe plugging the dongle directly into the laptop FIRST so Windoze can find and install it will allow it to be recognized when plugged into the hub later, eh? We'll find out.

NOW FOR THE BAD NEWS.

DaVinci Resolve Studio 18.1.3 keeps CRASHING while doing simple things that worked fine in Free version like pressing "D" to disable a video track and then crashing after pressing "D" again to re-enable!

DAMN...

how did you "uninstall" it? any special software or just the standard window/mac system?