How to improve old videos

[Mads Nybo jørgensen]

Hey Brigitte,

Going from that kind of resolution, you will want to “upscale” it, rather than just putting a small “picture” into a larger frame.

Check out Video AI 7:
https://www.topazlabs.com/topaz-video-ai

It also comes with a plugin for Davinci and AE.

Free trial with WaterMark.
Yes, more expensive than handbrake, but does a lot more than just up scaling.

There are other options worth mentioning, is Rezup from RevisionFX, who also will offer you a trial:
https://revisionfx.com/products/rezup/

Hope that this helps?

Atb
Mads

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[Brigitte Rasche]

I used Topaz Video enhancer years ago and was not much impressed but it is now very much better as I could see with a test video clip. Problem is just that it takes a long time to render a 45 min. video and I have 58 episodes to improve, I’m afraid I don’t live long enough. 😄 Apart from that is the price really tough.

Your other suggestion wasn’t working even not in the trail mode. So I think I will try to improve as good as possible in Resolve, might also test it in Vegas Pro.

Thank you anyway for your help.

[Mads Nybo jørgensen]

Yes, it is not cheap, although Topaz does have a cloud version that you can use.

The issue that is the hardest to overcome, is the upscaling.

If I was to try something cost=effective, I would upscale the program to the sixe you want it to be.

Then with a combination of grade and in-NLE sharpen tool, that might land you close enough.
But that depends on where you want the program is going next?

This tutorial might help you (I have not tried it):
https://youtu.be/9oMVJ3CizAE?si=DigQkb5k38_8sfeT

Atb
Mads

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[Brigitte Rasche]

Yes I have tried the blur and sharpen toll, works fine. First I’m going to finish the basic work on each episode and after will watch them on TV see see on that bigger screen what parts might need some more improvement. There is also some work to do on the audio but that is easy to do. It is really overwhelming what opportunities Resolve Studio if offering even I only need about half of them.

[Glenn Sakatch]

Is this a paid job? If so I would be asking for better files to start with. If it I just for fun…than you might just have to set it to go overnight, and check in the morning.

[Brigitte Rasche]

No it isn’t a paid job, it’s just for myself as I love this old serie when it was running on TV in the 70/80s I think. It’s called NAM Tour of Duty and I’d like to improve the episodes as good as possible but I will not spent moey on Topaz e.g. which I have used years ago for other videos.
I got the advice to import the clips in their original format into Resolve and upscale them. Will try this weekend.

[Mads Nybo jørgensen]

Hey Brigitte,

Sorry, but what you are asking is not making sense.

Without a doubt, NAM Tour of Dury is getting a high score on IMDB.
Should be interesting to watch.

But why do you want to convert something that looks like it is a Windows Media Player file 4:3 on a low bandwidth, to HD 16:9?

Why not just order the DVD PAL series from Amazon or similar?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tour-Duty-Complete-First-Season/dp/B005DRNXZE

And if you want HD, then starting from PAL video will be much better than what you are working with right now.

Atb
Mads

PS: Do be careful, as CBS and the production companies will be very protective of their content. There is no such thing “personal usage” if your source has come of the “dark web”.
If you are willing to do the work, I would recommend that you contacted the copyright holders, as they might hire you to do it. Who knows, they might even have 2K digital scan of the 16mm / 35mm, that it was originally shot on.

[Brigitte Rasche]

I’d like to get the videos a better look and Resolve is doing this quite alright. Have tried Topaz but it took a long time for a test of 10 min and the result was not overwhelming. Should maybe try some more of their templates but they are too expensive and my laptop became quite hot during the rendering process.
I do know the Amazon offer but these are USA versions. What I have are German versions which where running long years ago on a German TV channel with language dubbed in German and complete other music background then the USA versions. I’m sure the German channel has paid CBS for the right to work on the serie and send them via TV. If I do need permission than I have to ask the German Channel.

These episodes where then uploaded to Dailymonkey or so (can’t remember the name but it was no dark web). I got them downloaded and they are just for my private use, I don’t sell them or give them away for what ever use.

[Mads Nybo jørgensen]

Hey Brigitte,

We have passed the point of Topaz, fully understand your position.

And no, the German channel would not own the TV Series, most likely they would have had a licence to show it, one that in all likelyhood ran out 25+ years ago.

Setting that aside, why not get highest possible picture quality version of the DVD, and then replace the English audio with your German audio track?

Atb
Mads

[Brigitte Rasche]

I’m working with sharpen and blur in Resolve and it looks good. Some of the episodes have too dark parts or the saturation is too high but I leave them mostly as they are, they have a kind of charme as they are proof of the time when they were created. It anyway depends on which screen they are playing, my laptop look is of course not the same as the look on my TV.

I’m thinking about to buy the whole series from Amazon UK and might work on them as you have suggested but it’s a lot of work. Probably worth it, I love the serie so much, each actor and each (German) voice of them. In the German versions each episode is starting with a short version of “Paint it Black” from the Rolling Stones as well as my most beloved Band.

Attached is a screenshot with the data when the serie startet in Germany.