BEST DaVinci Resolve YouTube Settings

What Is The Best Quality For Youtube On Davinci Resolve?

Depending on what type of YouTube video you're making, the render settings you choose can significantly impact the final output's quality and viewer experience. Whether you're showcasing a cinematic masterpiece, sharing a tutorial, or uploading gameplay footage, the right settings ensure your content looks crisp, vibrant, and free from unwanted artifacts. Just as a painter selects the right canvas or a musician tunes their instrument, video creators must fine-tune their render settings to achieve the desired visual and auditory harmony.

What I'll Cover In This Blog:

The significance of choosing the right codecs and their impact on video quality.
How render rates influence file size and clarity.
The importance of resolution and its role in preserving the authenticity of your footage.
Frame rate considerations for smooth playback.
Expert recommendations for optimal YouTube render settings in DaVinci Resolve.

Category	Details	Ideal Use Cases
Codecs	DNxHR: Best quality, 8-10x larger files. H.264: Smallest file size, worst quality. H.265: Not specified in content.	DNxHR: Archival purposes. H.264: Smaller file sizes.
Render Rates	10, 25, 50, 100, and 150 mbps.	Depends on footage and platform requirements.
Resolution	Upscaling: 1920x1080p to 3840x2160p UHD. Timeline: Match to footage's native resolution.	Match render resolution to footage's native resolution.
Frame Rate	Match Timeline frame rate to original footage. Can render at a slower frame rate but not higher.	Match render frame rate to footage's native frame rate.
Recommendation	h265 codec, upscale to UHD, data rate = framerate x 2 x 1000kbps.	General recommendation based on tests.

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Step 1: Choosing the Right Codec

When you're ready to render your video in DaVinci Resolve, the first thing you'll want to look into is the codec. Think of a codec as the language your video speaks. Different codecs have different qualities and file sizes.

DNxHR: This codec is like the luxury car of codecs. It offers top-notch quality but comes with a large file size. If you're archiving your video or need minimal compression, DNxHR is for you. You'll find this option in the 'Codec' dropdown menu.

H.264: On the other hand, H.264 is more like an everyday car. It's efficient, has a smaller file size, but the quality isn't as pristine as DNxHR. This codec is commonly used for YouTube uploads.

H.265: This is a newer codec, similar to H.264 but with better compression. It's like the upgraded version of H.264. It's also in the 'Codec' dropdown menu.

Step 2: Setting the Bitrate

Bitrate is like the amount of detail you're packing into each second of your video. Higher bitrates mean better quality but also larger file sizes. In DaVinci Resolve, you'll see options like 10, 25, 50, 100, and 150 mbps. If you ask me, for most YouTube videos, 25 to 50 mbps is a good balance between quality and file size. You'll find this under the 'Quality' section.

Step 3: Deciding on Resolution

Resolution is the size of your video, like the dimensions of a canvas. In DaVinci Resolve, you'll have options like 1920x1080 (known as 1080p) or 3840x2160 (4K).

How to Choose:

If your original footage is in 1080p, stick to that. No worries, it's a popular choice and looks great on most screens.
If you shot in 4K, you can either keep it at 4K or downscale to 1080p. But, seriously, never upscale from 1080p to 4K. It's like trying to stretch a small image onto a big canvas; it'll look blurry.

To set this, go to the bottom right corner of DaVinci Resolve and click on the little gear icon. This is where you access the 'Project Settings'. Under the 'Master Settings' tab, you'll see 'Timeline Resolution'. Choose the one that matches your footage.

Step 4: Frame Rate Matters

Frame rate is the number of images shown in one second of your video. Common frame rates are 30 FPS (frames per second) and 60 FPS. If your original footage is in 30 FPS, stick to that when rendering. On the other hand, if you shot in 60 FPS, you can choose to render in either 60 or 30 FPS. But, believe me, don't try to increase the frame rate too much to the point where it looks unnatural.

In the 'Project Settings', right below 'Timeline Resolution', you'll see 'Timeline frame rate'. Make sure it matches your original footage.

Step 5: Final Touches and Rendering

Now that you've set everything up, guess what? You're ready to render. Go to the 'Deliver' tab at the bottom of DaVinci Resolve. Input all the settings we discussed, give your file a name, choose a destination on your computer, and hit the 'Add to Render Queue' button. Then, click 'Start Render'.

This part is always the most fun. It's when your vision truly comes together. Using the settings we've discussed, you can ensure your video looks its best. All in all, the idea here is to have everything set up correctly so that you can make the best creative decisions at this phase. And, by the way, always review your rendered video to ensure everything looks as expected.

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