April 8, 2024

Video - DaVinci Resolve - second attempt to install on linux

I am installing on my Fedora 39 system, and a kind soul has published instruction on just what to do:

Clean up after my first install

You won't need to do this, but I want to start clean. 
su
cd /opt
rm -rf resolve

Install some packages

su
dnf install apr apr-util
dnf install libxcrypt-compat libcurl libcurl-devel mesa-libGLU
No doubt libxcrypt-compat installs the older libcrypt.so.1 that my first attempt tripped over.

Install some nvidia related packages

su
# the following says "already up to date"
dnf update
# the following says "you already have this"
dnf install https://download1.rpmfusion.org/free/fedora/rpmfusion-free-release-$(rpm -E %fedora).noarch.rpm https://download1.rpmfusion.org/nonfree/fedora/rpmfusion-nonfree-release-$(rpm -E %fedora).noarch.rpm
# the following says this stuff conflicts with things you already have from Fedora updates
dnf groupupdate multimedia --setop="install_weak_deps=False" --exclude=PackageKit-gstreamer-plugin
# the following does nothing (I already have everything)
dnf groupupdate sound-and-video
# the following says I already have it.
dnf install akmod-nvidia
# the following installs 3 packages
dnf install xorg-x11-drv-nvidia-cuda
So, most of the above was already in place, except for the last item. On my system anyway. The conflict report from "multimedia" is worrisome, but I am going to forge ahead with my fingers crossed.

Install DaVinci Resolve

I do this as user "tom", not with "su" 
cd /u1/DaVinci
./DaVinci_Resolve_18.6.6_Linux.run
An installer GUI fires up, I agree to a license and read various things. Then it brings up a dialog that tells me I am running as "tom" but it needs my root password. Then away it goes. When it gets to 99 percent it asks for my root password again. Then the GUI shows 100 percent and there is a "Finish" button at the bottom right. It is done. And I see a DaVinci Resolve icon on my desktop.

Fix up DaVinci Resolve Libraries

This is from the kind fellow who published the F39 instructions. I did all this as user "tom" with no sudo or su necessary. 
cd /opt/resolve/libs
mkdir disabled-libraries
mv libglib* disabled-libraries
mv libgio* disabled-libraries
mv libgmodule* disabled-libraries
I click on the desktop icon. I get a warning about an "untrusted launcher", but tell it to go ahead anyway. Then I get a black thing in the middle of my screen. The launcher warning has a button saying "mark executable". I click that, then immediately I get the DaVinci splash screen, and after a wait DaVinci launches.

The launcher has the Command "/opt/resolve/bin/resolve %u" and working directory /opt/resolve/. I try it again and now it works. And it starts! Fantastic. Now I just need to learn how to use it!!

A better video card?

I know my Nvidia GeForce GT 1030 is very minimal. It is a $99 card without a fan that supports 4K resolution, and has been just fine for 2D work with linux thus far. But it is almost certain that DaVinci will run better with a fancier Nvidia card. There are dozens of models, and you can spend almost any amount of money.

My advisor Dallan tells me:

I'm actually a Windows user, both at home and work. I have that Intel i9 Macbook Pro that I use in the shop for searching the web and opening up datasheet PDFs, which is about the only good a Mac computer is for (in my opinion anyway). At home, I'm using an older powerful desktop that I built about 5 years ago: Intel i9 Extreme (18 core), 32GB ram, NVidia RTX 2080 Ti, and a bunch of NVMe SSDs + 3TB spinning HD. At work, I just built a new desktop since I'm ramping up a project for Flandrau in my spare time and needed a powerful computer to make a 4K submersible simulator game with Unreal Engine and lots of 3D and video assets. I went with the latest Intel i9 14900KF (24 core, K=unlocked clock, F=no GPU on the die), 64GB ram, Samsung 990 NVMe 2TB (I plan to add another 4TB for drone video archives). I went way overboard with the graphics card, which cost as much as all of those other parts combined, but I wanted enough power to do detailed CAD models and SolidWorks like assemblies which my 2080 Ti would start bogging down on: NVidia 4500 Ada.

If you build a new PC, these specs are great for Resolve, but you could should find a much more sensible graphics card for a few hundred (maybe a GeForce 4070 or 4080 super).

Here are two possible candidates:
Feedback? Questions? Drop me a line!

Tom's Digital Photography Info / [email protected]