How good is FREE vs. PAID video upscaling? 🤔 Video2X vs. Topaz Video AI

The speaker begins by explaining that they will compare Video2X, a free video upscaling tool, with Topaz Labs Video AI, a paid app that costs $300 (though the speaker got it for a discounted price of $224). The speaker clarifies they are not sponsored by Topaz Labs nor Video2X, and the test is not scientific. They will demonstrate a side-by-side comparison of an upscaled video to see if the extra cost is justified.

The speaker discusses how the videos are processed and how the frame rates differ slightly, even though the audio is aligned. They present a 480p original video upscaled to 3416x1920 resolution and invite the viewer to guess which tool produced the middle and right upscaled images. The original footage is from 2007 and was captured at 1280x720 but is being tested at 480p, resembling DVD quality. The speaker references their use of Video2X, available on GitHub, and Topaz Labs Video AI, noting potential security warnings when visiting Topaz’s website.

Topaz Video AI requires an Nvidia 900 series GPU or newer with at least 4 GB of video RAM, or a Mac with an M series chip. The speaker used a laptop with an Nvidia 1060 GPU and Windows 11, upgrading their drivers to version 12 to meet Topaz's requirements. Video2X, on the other hand, can work without a discrete GPU but is much slower. The speaker shares their experience of Video2X sometimes taking more than two days to process a 20-minute video. They recommend not using the computer for other tasks during the process to avoid interruptions.

The speaker explains that Video2X is primarily a command-line tool, though there are two graphical user interfaces (GUIs) available: one from GitHub and another called Waifu2x Extension GUI. They note that Video2X excels at upscaling text and animations but struggles with speed and lacks frame interpolation or hardware acceleration. The Waifu2x Extension GUI, however, offers frame interpolation and hardware-accelerated encoding, making it up to 10 times faster.

The speaker explains how Video2X handles upscaling by performing multiple passes. For example, to upscale from 720p to 4K, it first scales to 1440p, then to 2880p, before downscaling to 2160p (4K). The speaker highlights the minimal controls available in both the standard Video2X GUI and Waifu2x Extension GUI, with the latter offering better speed through hardware acceleration. They also mention other command-line tools like FFmpeg and RIFE used in the process.

The speaker transitions to Topaz Labs Video AI, praising its user-friendly interface and ease of use. They describe the various features offered, including enhancement AI, frame interpolation, motion D blur, stabilization, and grain. The software downloads the necessary models in real time and performs operations one at a time to avoid errors. The speaker notes that Topaz is more efficient when doing one task at a time, such as enhancement followed by frame interpolation, and praises the interface for its intuitive design.

When comparing the two tools, the speaker prefers Topaz Video AI’s output, especially for camera footage. They note that Topaz offers more detail and better resolution, while Video2X is optimized for animations, indicated by its Waifu model. The speaker explains that the Video2X model excels at making pixelated lines sharp, especially for animations, but falls short when compared to the more consistent and refined output of Topaz, particularly for live-action footage.

The speaker continues the comparison by testing a 240p video from the 1990s. Topaz Video AI significantly improves the quality, adding details like strands of hair that were absent in the original. While the improvement is remarkable, the smaller picture-in-picture view introduces some issues, like 'smooshed' facial details. Topaz handles large text and 3D objects well, provided there is enough initial resolution to work with.

The speaker concludes by affirming that Topaz Labs Video AI is worth the $300 price tag, or in their case, $224. The improved user experience, speed, and overall quality make it a superior option compared to Video2X. Topaz performs tasks 5-10 times faster and is more optimized for live-action footage, whereas Video2X is slower and better suited for animations. The speaker encourages viewers to explore other options and tweaks but recommends Topaz for its efficiency and quality.