Chapter 2

General Enhancements

With the release of DaVinci Resolve 20, several general improvements have been made to improve workflows, increase performance, and improve user experience. Blackmagic Design has improved fundamental features in editing, color grading, Fusion visual effects, and Fairlight audio, building on the strong basis of earlier iterations. To enable users-from small creators to major post-production studios-to work more effectively and intuitively, these improvements concentrate on enhancing speed, flexibility, and creative control. A lot of the changes have been made in response to community feedback and the changing needs of professional content producers.

This chapter discusses significant enhancements such as faster project load times, increased timeline performance, extended codec and format compatibility, updated media management features, and new AI-assisted tools incorporated throughout the software. It also identifies common UI optimisations that make the product feel more responsive and accessible. Users will have a solid foundation for utilizing the complex capabilities covered in following chapters if they comprehend these fundamental modifications.

AI Voice Convert Tool

The AI Voice Convert Tool, a significant advancement in post-production audio processing, is one of DaVinci Resolve 20's most notable features. This program uses cutting-edge machine learning algorithms to realistically alter, improve, and even completely change recorded sounds. The AI Voice Convert Tool can preserve natural speech traits like tone, rhythm, and emotional intonation, unlike conventional pitch-shifting or modulation effects, resulting in converted voices that sound genuine rather than synthetic. From dubbing and localization to voice replacement and restoration in both film and TV projects, this creates a plethora of creative opportunities.

The AI Voice Convert Tool's capacity to adapt voice performances to various ages, genders, and emotional tones without requiring re-recording is one of its main advantages. For instance, the dialogue of a young character can be aged for a different narrative effect, or the dialogue of a male actor can be changed to sound like a feminine voice while maintaining performance characteristics. Directors and editors who need to fix audio irregularities without rescheduling costly voice-over sessions or who deal with last-minute casting changes will find this tool especially helpful. The tool is a great asset for international productions because it supports numerous language models and can change voices across accents and dialects.

Practically speaking, users can execute conversions with granular control and without causing any damage thanks to the AI Voice Convert Tool's close integration with the Fairlight audio page. Editors can adjust factors like breathiness, pitch stability, and resonance, preview various voice types in real time, and apply voice conversion to particular clips or parts of a track. Furthermore, AI Voice Convert is tuned for low latency and high fidelity, guaranteeing that voice changes won't result in undesired artifacts or deteriorate audio quality-problems that are frequently encountered with less advanced voice manipulation tools.

The AI Voice Convert Tool makes DaVinci Resolve 20 a more independent post-production tool from an industry perspective, lowering dependency on outside audio studios or third-party plugins. This capability significantly increases the amount of work that editors and sound designers can do in a single setting, whether it is for ADR (Automated Dialogue Replacement), documentary narration repairs, gaming voice-overs, or creative narrative projects. Blackmagic Design's incorporation of AI technology demonstrates their dedication to providing creators with state-of-the-art, yet approachable, tools as AI continues to expand the possibilities in digital media.

Extras Download Manager

A new and very useful feature in DaVinci Resolve 20 is the Extras Download Manager, which makes it easier for users to access and install optional content, plugins, and updates right within the program. Instead of having to search for resources outside of the program, users can now browse a carefully curated selection of Blackmagic Design-certified extras, including additional LUTs (Look-Up Tables), Fairlight audio effects, Fusion templates, sound libraries, title packs, and camera LUT updates, through a centralized, integrated portal. This new tool makes it much easier to expand creative resources, while guaranteeing compatibility and security and saving time.

The Extras Download Manager functions similarly to an app store that is integrated into DaVinci Resolve. Before downloading and smoothly installing extras, users can check their descriptions, file sizes, and compatibility notes. Blackmagic may offer commercial or third-party material in future upgrades, but many items are free, and options are categorized for ease of use (e.g., "Audio", "Color", "Fusion", "Titles"). Crucially, downloadable extras are set up immediately for instant use, doing away with the need for laborious manual setup procedures.

Update management is one of the Extras Download Manager's primary features. With Blackmagic Design, customers can now update or expand particular extras on their own without needing to update the entire program. If new Fairlight FX plugins are made available, for example, they can be downloaded separately without affecting ongoing projects or necessitating a system reinstallation. Users can toggle notifications about changes and available extras in their options, keeping them informed without interfering with their work.

All things considered, the Extras Download Manager enhances DaVinci Resolve's standing as a comprehensive professional editing tool. It enables users-whether novices or seasoned pros-to continue improving their projects without ever leaving the DaVinci Resolve environment by making expansion content easier to access and control. In addition to enhancing the user experience, this well-considered update shows Blackmagic Design's dedication to securing Resolve's ecosystem for the future as it develops in complexity and creative adaptability.

Remote Monitor Integration on macOS

A major improvement in DaVinci Resolve 20 is the Remote Monitor Integration feature on macOS, which enables users to transmit their video output locally or wirelessly to a secondary display, such as an iPad, MacBook, Apple Studio Display, or even an Apple TV. With the removal of the conventional reliance on specialist video output hardware, editors, colorists, and VFX artists working in a variety of flexible setups will have much easier access to high-quality external monitoring.

Resolve on macOS may find compatible devices connected to the same network or via direct link (like AirPlay) by using the built-in Remote Monitor capabilities. After linking, users can watch a low-latency, color-accurate video feed of their graded or timeline playback on an external screen. Editors that operate in cramped quarters, collaborate remotely, or require client preview configurations without spending a fortune on reference monitors and SDI output cards may particularly benefit from this.

Crucially, Resolve 20 makes sure that signal integrity and color space labeling are maintained when transmitting remotely. When the linked display is capable, the system provides precise Rec.709 output, HDR10, and Dolby Vision previews, guaranteeing that artistic choices based on color grading or subtle adjustments stay dependable. Additionally, users can adjust compression, frame rate, and resolution according to their network capacity to maximize performance without significantly compromising visual quality.

For macOS users, this increased degree of monitor flexibility is revolutionary since it improves mobility without sacrificing standards of professional quality. The Remote Monitor Integration simplifies workflows and highlights DaVinci Resolve's ongoing commitment to seamless, professional-grade creative freedom, whether working from separate rooms within a production area or collaborating in person by rapidly putting up a client review monitor.

Dual-Screen Support for Ultrawide Displays

Dual Screen Support for Ultrawide Displays has been greatly improved with DaVinci Resolve 20, giving users a more versatile and potent workspace arrangement. Dual-screen functionality was formerly limited to configurations that included two distinct monitors. But with Resolve 20, users can mimic a dual-monitor workflow on a single physical...