Converting Video Files to Resolume's DXV Codec

This is the single biggest performance lever in your whole Resolume setup. The codec your video files use determines whether Resolume runs butter-smooth or chops up the second you add effects. This lesson covers why DXV is the codec Resolume was built for, how to convert with free Resolume Alley, and the file-size tradeoff you need to plan around.

Lesson 5 in our beginner course, right after the Display Output walkthrough.

Prefer to watch? Here's the full walkthrough — keep scrolling for the written version.

Why Codec Matters More Than You Think

You're probably familiar with common codecs like H.264 or file extensions like .mov and .mp4. Resolume technically supports them — but those codecs were designed for streaming and distribution, not real-time playback. They lean on your CPU to decode every frame on the fly, which means the moment you add effects, stack layers, or push the BPM, you start dropping frames.

Resolume has its own native codec: DXV. It's GPU-accelerated — meaning your graphics card decodes the video, not your CPU. That single difference lets you run higher resolutions, more layers, more effects, and faster frame rates with significantly lower CPU and RAM usage.

Whenever Rex or any of the more experienced VJs in the Academy show their composition running smooth as glass with a dozen layers and a stack of effects, this is the codec doing that work in the background.

Meet Resolume Alley

When you installed Resolume Arena (or Avenue) back in lesson 1, it actually installed three programs:

  • Resolume Arena (or Avenue) — the main VJ software
  • Resolume Wire — the node-based shader builder
  • Resolume Alley — the codec converter (pink "A" icon)

Alley is the tool we're using here. Free, included, and the fastest DXV converter available.

Step 1: Drag and Drop Your Files Into Alley

Open Alley. The main window is a drag-and-drop target. Pull in a video file (MP4, MOV, whatever) and it shows up in the left-hand panel along with:

  • Original codec
  • Resolution
  • Frame rate
  • Length
  • File size

You can drop in batches — multiple video clips, image files (PNG, JPG), or any mix. Alley converts everything you queue. For now we'll walk through one at a time so the options are clear.

Step 2: Choose Your Output Codec

Click on a clip and hit Convert one file. You'll get options for the output codec:

  • DXV (Resolume's native — what we want)
  • ProRes (Apple — see below)
  • H.264 (don't convert to this for live use)
  • Motion JPEG (legacy)

Default answer: DXV. Fastest playback in Resolume, full stop.

When to use ProRes instead

The one case where ProRes is the right call: if you're working with Resolume's 10-bit color feature (introduced in 7.24). DXV is 8-bit, so for high-end gradient-heavy content where banding would show, ProRes preserves the extra color depth. We'll go deeper on 10-bit workflows in a future lesson — for now, stick with DXV unless you have a specific reason not to.

Step 3: Quality Setting — Normal vs High

Alley gives you Normal quality and High quality. Stick with Normal (the default) unless you have a specific reason to go higher.

Normal quality is on par with your source file's visual quality anyway — and the file size jump from Normal to High is steep enough that you'll fill your SSD a lot faster.

Step 4: Alpha Channel — Yes or No?

If your file has transparency (logos, overlays, masked content), tick the With alpha channel option. If it's a regular full-frame visual, leave alpha off.

DXV supports both — Resolume preserves the transparency in the converted file so it composites cleanly on top of layers underneath.

Step 5: Resolution and Trim (Optional)

You can resize on conversion — bump up to 4K, drop down to save space. You can also strip audio if the clip has any, and trim to specific start/end points without going back into your video editor. Useful for quick edits, especially when batching.

Step 6: Queue and Convert

Hit Queue and Alley starts converting. It's fast — noticeably faster than running the same conversion through Adobe Media Encoder.

Adobe Media Encoder can output DXV too (Resolume ships a plugin for it), but Adobe is paid and Alley is free. No reason to use Media Encoder for this unless you're already deep in an Adobe workflow.

Plan for the File-Size Jump

Heads up: DXV files are significantly larger than the source. In the video example, a 156 MB MP4 became a 1.84 GB DXV file — roughly 12× bigger. That's the tradeoff: file size for playback performance.

What this means in practice:

  • Don't keep both versions on your show drive. Convert, archive (or delete) the source, keep only the DXV.
  • Budget for storage. A full content library converted to DXV will eat a serious chunk of SSD space. External fast SSDs (NVMe over Thunderbolt or USB-C) are the standard play for VJs with big content libraries.
  • High-quality DXV is even bigger. Another reason to stick with Normal unless you have a reason.

DXV vs MP4 — The Side-by-Side

Drop a regular MP4 into Resolume and play it. Looks fine at first. Now bump the speed up, add a layer underneath, throw an effect on it. Watch it start to chop. Frame drops, stuttering — especially the moment anything reactive kicks in.

Now do the same with the DXV version of the exact same clip. No stuttering. Speed up the playback — frames stay locked. Add layers and effects — still smooth. That's GPU acceleration in action.

For live performance, that difference isn't subtle. It's the difference between a show that lands and a show that crashes mid-set.

Convert Your Images Too

Quick win most beginners miss: you should also convert your still images (PNG, JPG) to DXV. Drop a PNG into Alley, tick alpha channel if it has transparency, queue it up — conversion is nearly instant.

What comes out the other side is technically a movie file, but Resolume treats it as a static image (no transport controls to mess with on newer versions). The performance gain: a comp full of native PNGs can drag on the GPU; the same comp with DXV stills runs noticeably smoother.

Bottom line: everything in your show folder should be DXV. Video, stills, logos, transparencies, all of it.

Quick Checklist

  • Open Resolume Alley (pink A icon, installed alongside Arena)
  • Drag and drop video and image files in (batch is fine)
  • Codec: DXV (use ProRes only for 10-bit color work)
  • Quality: Normal
  • Alpha channel: tick if the file has transparency
  • Queue and convert — fast
  • Plan storage: expect ~12× file-size growth
  • Replace source files in your show folder with the DXV versions

What's Next

Your media is now optimized for live performance. The next lesson is where Resolume stops being a clip player and starts being a real VJ instrument: Lesson 6 — Setting Up Audio Reactivity walks through FFT gain, VoiceMeeter for internal audio routing, the Direct Sound trap, and how to make any effect parameter react to incoming sound.

The full beginner course path:

  1. Install & interface
  2. Composition Settings
  3. Composition Layout
  4. Display Output
  5. Codec Conversion (you're here)
  6. Audio Reactivity

From here, the highest-leverage next moves:

Go Deeper Inside the Academy

Hit a conversion error or curious about ProRes / 10-bit color workflows? Drop a comment on the YouTube video above or email vjacademy@outlook.com and we'll dig in with you.