Blackmagic Design announced Blackmagic Replay, a new way of creating live action replays for broadcasters. Blackmagic Replay is totally unique because it uses multiple HyperDecks to record into shared storage, while DaVinci Resolve is connected to the same shared storage as a powerful playback engine. However, the true power comes from having DaVinci Resolve handle the playback. That’s because it’s not just replay, but an extremely powerful editor with multi user collaboration features. Plus color correction, visual effects and audio post production. Now replays can be converted into promos, title sequences and instant social media updates. DaVinci Resolve Replay is available now in DaVinci Resolve 19 public beta which is available for download from the Blackmagic Design website.

The DaVinci Resolve Replay Solution will be demonstrated on the Blackmagic Design NAB 2024 booth #SL5005.

Now customers don’t need to throw away a replay after it’s gone to air. That’s because it can be converted into an edit timeline for posting to social media. Blackmagic Replay is more powerful than a traditional replay system because it’s built into DaVinci Resolve. This means replay operators can load exciting camera angles into the timeline to edit, color correct and add visual effects. These edits can then be posted to social media in seconds. With Blackmagic Cloud, customers can have more than one DaVinci Resolve system working on the job. Imagine every replay at a sporting event being transformed into a social media post. By creating instant social media posts, a new audience can be engaged at a massive global scale.

DaVinci Resolve lets operators do replay in a few simple steps. It can be as simple as watching the input view in the viewer and then pressing the POI button when an exciting event happens. Pressing the POI, or point of interest, button will switch operators from the input view to playback media, where they can see the different camera angles they have in a multi-view. Now replay operators just scroll back a little, select a camera and users are ready to to play by pressing the run button.

Because replay is built into DaVinci Resolve, replay operators can arrange the specific views they want for replay simply by loading them into the bin. For example if they wanted to record 8 cameras but just do replay off 4 cameras then they only need to load those 4 cameras into the bin. Different users can load in different cameras and do replay customized for each workstation. This means more than one DaVinci Resolve can be used for replays. DaVinci Resolve builds its multi-view based on the media that’s loaded into the bin, however with shared projects, they can create different folders in the same project with different cameras loaded.

To start working with replay, customers simply load the HyperDeck recordings into the bin. One of the reasons DaVinci Resolve can be used for replay is it can edit media files even while those files are still being recorded on disk. The viewer will automatically advance as the files grow in length, so customers can scroll forward and get to the latest media being recorded. It updates fast and customers can get to media recorded less than a second ago.

Multi source is where DaVinci Resolve automatically lines up all their recordings that match in time and displays them in a multi-view. This allows replay operators to visually browse their media and see all the angles matched in time. As the clips are all being recorded on HyperDecks at the same time, customers see events all aligned in time. The best way to get aligned recordings is to connect all the HyperDecks to a switcher so they get the same timecode. Now all the angles can be seen and different cameras can be selected to view full screen. Customers can also append and insert edits from the multi source. This means edits can be created fast, all while doing replay.

Shot sequencing allows operators to play multiple camera angles during the same replay. It allows the single DaVinci Resolve system to handle complex replays. When playing the first camera angle to air using the run button, the view switches to a multi-view, even though the video output is the selected camera. This lets replay operators review all the angles as they play the first camera, and look for the next angle to use. This means they only need to get the first shot on air fast. Operators can review the other angles while playing the first. Then press a time key and second cam button and the playback will jump back to that timed number of seconds before the POI and keep playing. Even with transitions. All live.

Live productions often use complex automation for stingers. However DaVinci Resolve has built in auto stingers. These reduce workload as it’s like having automation built in. Select auto stinger and DaVinci Resolve will then play the selected stinger when the run and dump buttons are pressed. It will also output the alpha channel in the stinger on the hardware key SDI output. Selecting run starts the stinger and then plays the clip. Dump runs the stinger again and then stops playback. The dump can be slightly delayed if an edit has just occurred, however double pressing the dump button stops playback immediately.

Markers are better in DaVinci Resolve 19 and can be used to log events when customers will be editing the replay media later. Markers are very different to the POI as customers can have multiple markers and they are attached directly to clips or the timeline. Markers are also remembered in the project when saved or shared. With markers, it’s like having metadata tags on clips and timeline so replay operators can find shots. Plus markers can be exported into video files to set chapters on YouTube.

The add to timeline selection will automatically add their entire replay into the timeline. Replays append at the end of clips already in the timeline, or create new timelines for each replay. This means each replay can become a separate social media post. Everything done during the replay is remembered and added into the timeline, including transitions and speed changes. If customers have a shared project, then other editors can get these timelines and add color correction and titles. This means their replay system can be integrated into a global network of post production. Someone in another country could even prepare their titles and they would automatically appear back into the replay system.

The DaVinci Resolve Replay Editor is a hardware control panel that combines features for both replay and for multicam editing. It’s affordable design has the same high quality keys that gaming keyboards use, so it’s reliable and feels nice to use. With features for both replay and editing, it means the same operator can work on replays while loading them into the timeline with the keyboards editing features. This makes it incredibly fast to use. Plus the buttons have been spaced so customers can location them by feel. Even the trim keys work with the large search dial for greater speed and accuracy. The panel can connect via USB or Bluetooth and the large internal battery lasts for hours.

“Over the years we have continued to work on adding features for broadcasters into DaVinci Resolve such as Fusion effects and Fairlight audio,” said Grant Petty, Blackmagic Design CEO. “We want broadcasters to have access to the same high end features used in digital film, and now we’ve added a whole new way of creating broadcast replays. It might be the craziest thing we’ve ever added into DaVInci Resolve but I can’t wait to see the creative ways that broadcasters use Blackmagic Replay to create instant live replays.”

Availability and Price

DaVinci Resolve Replay Solution is available now as a free download from the Blackmagic Design website in DaVinci Resolve 19 public beta.

DaVinci Resolve Replay Editor will be available starting in May from US$495, excluding duties, from Blackmagic Design resellers worldwide.