You might have come across some remastered versions of old classic movies from the 1900s, which were originally blurry, but now are available in 4K. This is done using generative AI which adds a new life to those old classic videos. The technology is now widely available on the internet, and you can get similar results on your computer of laptop. In this guide, we have tested two powerful and open-source AI video upscaler that you can use for free.

(Also Read: Here Are 5 Fun AI Videos That I Created Using PixVerse)

AI Video Upscalers: How They Work?

AI video upscalers are powered by large language models which can identify missing pixels in a single video frame. The quality of a video improves when it contains more data, which comes from individual pixels. Video upscalers use AI to analyse each frame of a video, add more pixels to enhance that frame, and repeat the same process on the entire video. This concept is also used on the latest AMD and Nvidia GPUs for higher gaming resolution.

Let’s understand this from an example. You draw a sketch of a subject by only tracing the outline. To improve the sketch quality, you add more textures, patterns, and other elements either from your imagination, or something similar that is closer to real life. This is exactly how AI video upscalers work. Here are two open source tools that you can download for free to upscale videos. Note that these tools only work on Windows and Linux computers.

1. Video2x AI Upscaler

Video2x is a powerful tool that uses machine learning techniques to upscale videos. It can scale videos from 360p to 4K. The tool uses your local system’s CPU, GPU, and other resources. We recommend trying this on a system with a dedicated GPU. It will also work with integrated graphics, but the process will take more time. Follow these steps to upscale videos using Video2x.

1. Download Video2x from its official GitHub page and install it on your computer.

2. Drag and drop the video that you want to upscale.

3. Under Filter Selection, choose Real-ESRGAN.

4. Set the Scaling factor to 4.

5. Now in Model, select realesr-animevideov3. Click on Apply, and then Start.

6. Video2x will start processing your video. Note that you may notice some lags or slowdowns on your computer during the process as the tool utilises your GPU to its maximum potential.

7. The upscaled video will get saved at the same location as your original video.

We took a video sample from Tom and Jerry; The Million Dollar Cat video from 1944. Here are the before and after results.

The original video was grainy and contained some artefacts. The upscaled version looks cleaner and sharper, and more pleasing to the eyes. There’s a slight jellying effect on the processed video, but that happens due to the nature of AI tools. Overall, the upscaled video looks much better and higher quality, as it was designed with modern CGI.

2. Waifu2x AI Video Upscaler

Waifu2x is an open-source video upscaling tool designed for animations and cartoons. It is very popular among anime enthusiasts. It also works with regular videos, and offers a variety of processing models which you can select based on your preference for processing speed and video quality. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use Waifu2x AI video upscaler.

1. Download Waifu2x from its GitHub page, and extract the file.

2. Now open Waifu2x-Extension-GUI.exe.

3. Drag and drop the video file in the software.

4. Set your desired output resolution, and click on Apply.

5. In Quick Engine Switch, select RealESRGAN-NCNN-Vulkan.

6. Now click on Start.

7. Waifu2x can take a considerable amount of time to process the video. We suggest leaving your system running overnight.

8. Once the processing is complete, the upscaled video will automatically get saved on your computer at the same location.

In our testing, Waifu2x did a decent job of enhancing the overall clarity of the video. it removed a major part of the grainy effect but there was some amount of haze which kept the retro feel. But if we compare, the results from Waif2x were not as good as Video2x. You may achieve better results at a higher resolution, but note that the process will take longer.

FAQs

Q. Which is the best free AI video upscaler?

Video2x is an excellent free and open-source AI video upscaler that can enhance your video quality from 360p to 4K on any Windows or Linux computer.

Q. How can I upscale my old DVD videos?

You need to convert your old DVD videos into MP4 format. After which, you can use free tools like Video2x and Waifu2x to upscale and improve the quality of those videos.

Wrapping Up

AI video upscalers have made it easy to improve the quality of low-resolution or old videos. You can use it to restore classic old movies, TV shows, and old VCR recordings. The best part is that the solutions discussed in this guide are open-source and free to use.

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