Upscaling DVD to high definition

[DigiMagic]

I have some DVDs that I like very much, and that will probably never come on blu-ray. Now, on a high resolution projector, they all look somewhat blurry, compared to higher quality sources... so I would like to try upscaling them to higher quality.

I know that PowerDVD already does the upscaling, but it is "dumb", it only interpolates new pixels from surrounding ones.

Instead, I would like something like this: http://www.thedeemon.com/VideoEnhancer/ - except this particular application simply doesn't work for me.
After Effects + some specialized plugin is too expensive (~ $1000).

Is anyone aware of some other affordable alternative? Or has additional ideas?

 

[Ajax]

I have some DVDs that I like very much, and that will probably never come on blu-ray. Now, on a high resolution projector, they all look somewhat blurry, compared to higher quality sources... so I would like to try upscaling them to higher quality.

I know that PowerDVD already does the upscaling, but it is "dumb", it only interpolates new pixels from surrounding ones.

Instead, I would like something like this: http://www.thedeemon.com/VideoEnhancer/ - except this particular application simply doesn't work for me.
After Effects + some specialized plugin is too expensive (~ $1000).

Is anyone aware of some other affordable alternative? Or has additional ideas?

The one problem that you mentioned is auto upscaling in PowerDVD and how it works... The problem with all software used for upscaling all of them use different methods and algorithms to do the same basic thing...

You can only upscale with the Video Information available... ie if you have Mpeg2 from a DVD you will further stretch the current amount of video info you will not be able to create more out of less the video quality will be blurry and very hard on the eyes... RipBot264 is your best bet on free software that can upscale your DvD's to bluRay it will create the whole bluRay disk structure ready for you to burn... But just know just because you have a higher res picture doesn't mean you have better picture it actually means that you have lost some in the process of gaining size...

 

[DigiMagic]

You can only upscale with the Video Information available... ie if you have Mpeg2 from a DVD you will further stretch the

Yes, I would only use original DVDs as source material (no divx or anything).

RipBot264 is your best bet on free software that can upscale your DvD's to bluRay it will create the whole bluRay disk structure ready for you to burn... But just know just

This looks potentially useful, thanks.

because you have a higher res picture doesn't mean you have better picture it actually means that you have lost some in the process of gaining size...

While I agree that majority of upscalers work that way - I am interested here in those using "superresolution" algorithms, meaning really providing higher resolution pictures with really higher amount of information, which is done by analyzing details in several neighbouring frames.

Some examples here: http://www.thedeemon.com/articles/video_upsize_methods_comparison.html
... scroll to the bottom of page, hover mouse over table cells.
(I don't work for that company and I'm not advertising it, their software even doesn't work for me, just showing this as an example.)

 

[Ajax]

I have seen the picture posted at that web site and the only thing used was a blur and blur more effect there is no new info added just a clever look for old technology... if you want to learn more about upscaling and video res and blur/blur more and stuff you could post your questions on http://forum.doom9.org Just know once signed up you will be asked to wait a week before you can post why this is; is because it deflects alote of spammers... Make sure you find the right forum for your topic... I would post it in one of the AVISynth forums or the newbie forms... Anyhow good luck on your quest for better video...

 

[TM2-Megatron]

Although far from free, I've heard that Red Giant Software's Magic Bullet Instant HD plug-in is quite effective at upscaling. I believe it's more focused on converting DV material, though, rather than MPEG-2 from DVDs. Upconverting DV probably gives better results, overall.

 

[Rathbone80]

Why not use ffdshow (for free) in combination with TheatertekDVD or MPC (also for free)? WinDVD 9 Plus has all2HD which is also very nice to watch on large displays.

 

[DigiMagic]

Indeed, I have WinDVD as well, forgot about it... Will try it with all2hd over weekend. (Also plan to start building my unRaid file server over weekend...)
Thanks everyone for great ideas, I will try other recommended things as well.

 

[DigiMagic]

I played a little with WinDVD and one of my favorite DVDs... All2hd indeed does an excellent work, some (rare... but at least some) scenes are almost as good as blu-ray. On some scenes it has totally no effect, most are somewhat sharpened; overall, it's a good improvement.
There is also "digital natural motion" function... which I don't know exactly what it's supposed to do , but I like final effect: it leaves all movement within the scene untouched (at least it seems so, subjectively, to me), but it manages to minimize camera shaking.

Now I'll be grateful for an additional advice... If audio track on DVD is 5.1, and I have 7.1 speakers, should I set number of speakers in WinDVD to 6 or 8? And, I can choose between "Intervideo ICE" and "DTS Neo 6" audio enhancement - how do I tell WinDVD not to use any "enhancement"?
(Audio configuration is done so much better in PDVD...)