AI Enhanced Trek: Upscaling DS9 for Modern Screens” encapsulates the ardent efforts of fans utilizing AI to revamp Deep Space 9, striving for improved visuals on contemporary displays. Despite lacking official remasters akin to Star Trek: The Next Generation, enthusiasts have embraced AI upscaling, bridging the quality gap. This pursuit, albeit legally grey, showcases the transformative potential of AI, urging studios to acknowledge and harness this technology. Joel Hruska’s dedication highlights the intricate art behind AI upscaling, emphasizing the nuanced challenges and prospects. The clash between legality and the quest for enhanced content mirrors the ongoing struggle within the entertainment industry.
I’ve been exploring the realm of ‘AI upscaled’ Star Trek, and surprisingly, it’s not as bad as I expected. For years, die-hard Star Trek enthusiasts have employed AI technology to enhance the quality of the revered series Deep Space 9, especially for modern television sets. It might sound a bit far-fetched, but to my amazement, the results are rather commendable. This endeavor deserves attention from media companies instead of merely hitting enthusiasts with copyright strikes.
My interest in the show was piqued recently. Although I occasionally caught glimpses of the fan-favorite Deep Space 9 when it aired on TV, I never paid much attention to it. However, after witnessing the exceptional remaster of Star Trek: The Next Generation, I felt compelled to revisit its less expansive yet more character-driven sibling. But alas, there were no such plans in the works!
The remarkable success of remastering The Next Generation was overshadowed by the emergence of streaming services, resulting in poor sales for the costly Blu-ray set. With a production cost exceeding $10 million, the franchise’s most consistently popular series struggled to justify the investment. Unfortunately, this dimmed the prospects of a similar treatment for DS9, despite its fervent fanbase.
Consequently, accessing DS9 (and Voyager, for that matter) means settling for the quality of the ’90s broadcast. Like TNG, it was shot on film but converted to videotape, capping at a 480p resolution. Although the DVDs offered slightly better quality, they were limited by the original format.
Unlike TNG’s extensive remastering process that involved re-editing, redoing effects, and substantial costs, DS9 currently lacks any such plans. Even if a remaster were announced tomorrow, it would take years before it materialized.
As someone eager to experience DS9 but put off by the idea of viewing it in subpar quality on my high-definition screen, I discovered I’m not alone in this plight.
Enter the world of upscaling…
Fans left disappointed by official HD releases have clandestinely strived to uncover and distribute superior versions. The most notable instance is the original Star Wars trilogy, which underwent irreversible changes during the official remaster, prompting fans to seek alternative sources from laserdiscs, limited editions, and forgotten archival reels. These unofficial editions are constantly evolving, now integrating AI-based tools.
AI upscaling primarily focuses on intelligent upscaling and denoising, critical especially in scenarios like the grainy or degraded original Star Wars film footage. But why involve AI in upscaling when there are seemingly straightforward methods?
While basic upscaling methods exist, simply stretching an image to fit a higher resolution does not enhance its quality. However, an advanced upscaling process aims not to add detail that isn’t present but to recover implied information within the image.
Consider a basic example: envision an old TV displaying a fuzzy green circle against a backdrop transitioning from blue to red. Despite the fuzziness, hidden details are implicit in the image. By applying AI-based techniques, these obscured details can be reconstructed, effectively enhancing the image’s quality.
Upscaling intelligence
Recovering hidden details isn’t new and has been a part of restoration efforts in various fields, both digital and analog. Today, upscaling software, from open-source tools to commercial suites like Topaz, has gained mainstream traction. These tools employ machine learning techniques, analyzing images contextually to enhance specific elements such as skin, water, or starship hulls.
However, utilizing these tools poses challenges. Adjusting settings that work for one scene might be unsuitable for another. The algorithms are computationally intensive, consuming considerable processing power, and refining parameters for a single frame can be time-consuming. But dedicated enthusiasts like Joel Hruska have embraced this process as a passion project.
Hruska’s meticulous work, documented on ExtremeTech, is driven by personal satisfaction rather than public release. His dedication involves exhaustive efforts, encoding episodes repeatedly, and employing diverse upscaling techniques. His ultimate goal is to create an enhanced DS9 episode that approximates early 720p quality, although achieving this requires merging various upscales from different video versions.
While this seems excessive, it showcases both the capabilities and limitations of AI upscaling. The process is far from automated, demanding taste, technical familiarity, and serendipity — truly an art form.
AI’s expanding accessibility
AI-powered tools and services are becoming more accessible, facilitated by dedicated chips designed for complex mathematical computations essential to machine learning. Real-time intelligent image upscaling is complex, yet widely acknowledged as part of the future of digital content.
Imagine the potential bandwidth savings if platforms like Netflix could send signals upscaled intelligently by your TV. Presently, achieving real-time upscaling remains a challenge for most devices, but it signifies a shift toward optimizing digital content creation and consumption.
The legal conundrum surrounding AI-enhanced versions of copyrighted content persists. While unofficial upscaled versions offer improved quality, they exist in a legal gray area. Yet, if enthusiasts can achieve such enhancements, why haven’t professional studios like Paramount or CBS embraced this potential?
Hruska acknowledges the expertise within these studios and their capability to produce superior results. However, their lack of initiative suggests a missed opportunity, leaving dedicated communities to enhance beloved shows.
In my quest for enhanced content, I encountered an AI-upscaled version of Deep Space 9. While flawed, it was a marked improvement over the official release, enabling me to enjoy the show without constant reminders of its format limitations.
My encounter led to a copyright strike, raising questions about the legality and moral justification of opting for fan-enhanced versions over officially released content. Nevertheless, the pursuit of quality in content consumption persists, prompting enthusiasts and industry professionals alike to reconsider the untapped potential of AI upscaling.
“AI’s Call to Studios – Embrace Upscaling Potential” resonates as AI-enhanced content navigates legality in the entertainment landscape. The unyielding dedication of enthusiasts like Joel Hruska echoes the untapped potential within studios to harness AI upscaling. The clash between legality and transformative technology reflects the industry’s reluctance to embrace innovation. Despite legal grey areas, the quest for enhanced content persists, spotlighting AI’s transformative prowess. The saga of AI-enhanced DS9 echoes a broader narrative urging studios to acknowledge, leverage, and revolutionize content creation. The intersection of AI’s transformative capabilities and content legality beckons studios to embrace the future of entertainment.
