Video Upscaling Help Needed Please

[RetroGam3rGuy]

Hello all, I could really use some help please. I have n old 90's pc game that cane be played on modern PC's, but it needs videos from the original cd-roms which I have, but the playback quality is very poor with the cd-rom videos, but is mway better if the videos are up-scaled to either 1080p or 4k.
I tried online AI up scaling, but no luck, they either want you to pay, there's a watermark, the up scaling fails or there is a size restriction. I'm disabled nd on a fixed income so I can't afford to pay for software that frankly, I wouldn't even know how to use. So I was wonder if someone here could up scale the videos in .avi format. I linked to either 1080p or 4k please?
Thanks in advance.
Here is the link to the videos.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pynjHXCufQAgphbSnV53ntOVOROZ6W9T/view?usp=sharing

[Selur]

• I assume the avi file should have the same characteristics the input file has.
  Problem, there is I don't know of any truemotion1 encoder or what max resolution&co are supported by the decoder in the game.
• With 'normal' machine learning, and conventional filtering there is not much hope, since your start resolution simply is rather low.
  Even something like CodeFormer,
  I doubt you can get any decent output from those files unless something like so Google Veo ?, OpenAI Sora or similar supports video restoration and doesn't case about copyright.

I think 1080p or 4k is a pipe dream, maybe something watchable at SD resolution is possible,... (but there is still the problem with encoding to truemotion1)

[Frieren]

The best free one I came across is this:

https://github.com/sczhou/CodeFormer

python inference_codeformer.py --bg_upsampler realesrgan --face_upsample -w 1.0 --input_path [video path]

With reasonable processing time on an average GPU

[RetroGam3rGuy]

• I assume the avi file should have the same characteristics the input file has.
  Problem, there is I don't know of any truemotion1 encoder or what max resolution&co are supported by the decoder in the game.
• With 'normal' machine learning, and conventional filtering there is not much hope, since your start resolution simply is rather low.
  Even something like CodeFormer,
  I doubt you can get any decent output from those files unless something like so Google Veo ?, OpenAI Sora or similar supports video restoration and doesn't case about copyright.

I think 1080p or 4k is a pipe dream, maybe something watchable at SD resolution is possible,... (but there is still the problem with encoding to truemotion1)

Hi, yes they need to be in avi format. They are for a modern version of an old pc game and they need to be in avi format for the game to work. If possible, I'd like to go from this before pic, to the after pic.
Before Pic. https://ibb.co/5WDjWRLh
After Pic. https://ibb.co/B59txF5r

As far as using AI, I've tried every "Free" AI software I could find and they all wanted pay before even allowing me to see what the finished video would look like. With being on a fixed income, I can't afford to pay for software that I'm only gonna use once.

[RetroGam3rGuy]

The best free one I came across is this:

https://github.com/sczhou/CodeFormer

python inference_codeformer.py --bg_upsampler realesrgan --face_upsample -w 1.0 --input_path [video path]

With reasonable processing time on an average GPU

Sorry, but that is beyond my computer skills.

[videoAI]

@RetroGam3rGuy

Can you provide a small sample of one of the avi files?

I do have a free tool in mind .. but want to test upscaling on a sample first.

Hi, yes they need to be in avi format.
If possible, I'd like to go from
this before pic, to the after pic.
Before Pic. https://ibb.co/5WDjWRLh
After Pic. https://ibb.co/B59txF5r

[Frieren]

The best free one I came across is this:

https://github.com/sczhou/CodeFormer

python inference_codeformer.py --bg_upsampler realesrgan --face_upsample -w 1.0 --input_path [video path]

With reasonable processing time on an average GPU

Sorry, but that is beyond my computer skills.

Don't even require any skills, it's just running a command.

And there's already remastered version available:
https://borgremastered.com/

One example for one of the videos:
https://borgremastered.solsector.net/001a_intro_1440p.mp4

I don't see why you have the need to do that

[RetroGam3rGuy]

The best free one I came across is this:

https://github.com/sczhou/CodeFormer

python inference_codeformer.py --bg_upsampler realesrgan --face_upsample -w 1.0 --input_path [video path]

With reasonable processing time on an average GPU

Sorry, but that is beyond my computer skills.

Don't even require any skills, it's just running a command.

And there's already remastered version available:
https://borgremastered.com/

One example for one of the videos:
https://borgremastered.solsector.net/001a_intro_1440p.mp4

I don't see why you have the need to do that

Thanks, but the remastered version isn't playable offline. I have an offline version, but the video quality is bad which is why I'd like to upscale my videos so I can have an offline version that looks like the remastered or as close to the remastered version as possible.

[RetroGam3rGuy]

@RetroGam3rGuy

Can you provide a small sample of one of the avi files?

I do have a free tool in mind .. but want to test upscaling on a sample first.

Hi, yes they need to be in avi format.
If possible, I'd like to go from
this before pic, to the after pic.
Before Pic. https://ibb.co/5WDjWRLh
After Pic. https://ibb.co/B59txF5r

Hi, thanks you. Yes, here is a link to the videos.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pynjHXCufQAgphbSnV53ntOVOROZ6W9T/view?usp=sharing

[Frieren]

The best free one I came across is this:

https://github.com/sczhou/CodeFormer

python inference_codeformer.py --bg_upsampler realesrgan --face_upsample -w 1.0 --input_path [video path]

With reasonable processing time on an average GPU

Sorry, but that is beyond my computer skills.

Don't even require any skills, it's just running a command.

And there's already remastered version available:
https://borgremastered.com/

One example for one of the videos:
https://borgremastered.solsector.net/001a_intro_1440p.mp4

I don't see why you have the need to do that

Thanks, but the remastered version isn't playable offline. I have an offline version, but the video quality is bad which is why I'd like to upscale my videos so I can have an offline version that looks like the remastered or as close to the remastered version as possible.

u just have to download the remastered videos from the website, why is there a need to upscale videos?

[RetroGam3rGuy]

The best free one I came across is this:

https://github.com/sczhou/CodeFormer

python inference_codeformer.py --bg_upsampler realesrgan --face_upsample -w 1.0 --input_path [video path]

With reasonable processing time on an average GPU

Sorry, but that is beyond my computer skills.

Don't even require any skills, it's just running a command.

And there's already remastered version available:
https://borgremastered.com/

One example for one of the videos:
https://borgremastered.solsector.net/001a_intro_1440p.mp4

I don't see why you have the need to do that

Thanks, but the remastered version isn't playable offline. I have an offline version, but the video quality is bad which is why I'd like to upscale my videos so I can have an offline version that looks like the remastered or as close to the remastered version as possible.

u just have to download the remastered videos from the website, why is there a need to upscale videos?

I already tried that. They're videos from the dvd that was used for the remaster. They're different from the cd-rom based videos required for the game version that I have and won't work.

[krykmoon]

I already tried that. They're videos from the dvd that was used for the remaster. They're different from the cd-rom based videos required for the game version that I have and won't work.

You seem to miss the point: all games such old worked at some fixed resolutions, so upscaling videos without ALSO modifying the code that sets the resolution of the game when the videos are played.. will never work and it will only make things worse (probably the game will crash).

And even if you're a skilled programmer with a robust 386 assembly knowledge and modify the binaries to set a new resolution when the game is playing videos (and it's not always possible.. old binaries are often a mess to tamper with, and this is the only thing you can do, if the source code never gone public domain.. and I know exactly what I'm saying since I tampered with a lot of them.. most of the times getting only big headaches and wasting a huge amount of time.. ) there are usually a lot of sections of the binaries involved, "hacking" the screen resolution is only the simplest task.. you have to manage with all the sections of the executable that "draw" the video on screen (settings things like position, scaling.. ).. and that's the hardest part, especially with old very messy binaries with no source code to access.

Finally... the new encoding must also assure EXACTLY the same codecs/specifics the old videos had.. but .. that's a joke, compared to the rest.


So.. I think that what you are trying to obtain is unachievable.. and I'm sorry, really.. I know how frustrating it is when you can't play a game you love at a decent quality/resolution.

[RetroGam3rGuy]

I already tried that. They're videos from the dvd that was used for the remaster. They're different from the cd-rom based videos required for the game version that I have and won't work.

You seem to miss the point: all games such old worked at some fixed resolutions, so upscaling videos without ALSO modifying the code that sets the resolution of the game when the videos are played.. will never work and it will only make things worse (probably the game will crash).

And even if you're a skilled programmer with a robust 386 assembly knowledge and modify the binaries to set a new resolution when the game is playing videos (and it's not always possible.. old binaries are often a mess to tamper with, and this is the only thing you can do, if the source code never gone public domain.. and I know exactly what I'm saying since I tampered with a lot of them.. most of the times getting only big headaches and wasting a huge amount of time.. ) there are usually a lot of sections of the binaries involved, "hacking" the screen resolution is only the simplest task.. you have to manage with all the sections of the executable that "draw" the video on screen (settings things like position, scaling.. ).. and that's the hardest part, especially with old very messy binaries with no source code to access.

Finally... the new encoding must also assure EXACTLY the same codecs/specifics the old videos had.. but .. that's a joke, compared to the rest.


So.. I think that what you are trying to obtain is unachievable.. and I'm sorry, really.. I know how frustrating it is when you can't play a game you love at a decent quality/resolution.

I think you're the one missing the point here. You see, I found someone with editing talent who is helping me clean up the videos. This sample he sent me is just a start and will be way better when he's done..
https://youtu.be/vto_oqOs7dQ?si=5r7Zv5CKfOEpRofT

Go compare it to the stock cd-rom video footage

[krykmoon]

I think you're the one missing the point here. You see, I found someone with editing talent who is helping me clean up the videos. This sample he sent me is just a start and will be way better when he's done..
https://youtu.be/vto_oqOs7dQ?si=5r7Zv5CKfOEpRofT

Go compare it to the stock cd-rom video footage

But you tested the upscaled version in the game ?

It's a 1996 game, with no widescreen support and a (low) fixed resolution.

(that's the point).

[RetroGam3rGuy]

I think you're the one missing the point here. You see, I found someone with editing talent who is helping me clean up the videos. This sample he sent me is just a start and will be way better when he's done..
https://youtu.be/vto_oqOs7dQ?si=5r7Zv5CKfOEpRofT

Go compare it to the stock cd-rom video footage

But you tested the upscaled version in the game ?

It's a 1996 game, with no widescreen support and a (low) fixed resolution.

(that's the point).

Yes they work. It's a new version of the game and there is a bat file that preps the videos so the game will run.

[krykmoon]

Yes they work. It's a new version of the game and there is a bat file that preps the videos so the game will run.

Ah, OK, then. That's good, I thought you were trying to make the upscaled video work with the 1996 original version, instead

[Alwyn]

I found someone with editing talent who is helping me clean up the videos. This sample he sent me is just a start and will be way better when he's done..

Yes they work

A YT video doesn't tell us anything about these new files your guy made because YT completely recodes it.

Attach one of the new files so we can see what they actually are.

[Selur]

quick look: okay, so nowhere near SD quality,...

[RetroGam3rGuy]

quick look: okay, so nowhere near SD quality,...

It's still being worked on lol The video was a TEST T E S T TEST. In case you have trouble understanding.

[RetroGam3rGuy]

I found someone with editing talent who is helping me clean up the videos. This sample he sent me is just a start and will be way better when he's done..

Yes they work

A YT video doesn't tell us anything about these new files your guy made because YT completely recodes it.

Attach one of the new files so we can see what they actually are.

Hopefully it attached. It's just a quick clean up test. He's got more work to do.