How to upscale an SD source to HD?

mikeheenan · Jan 26, 2013, 03:37 PM

I have a movie which is on bluray, and a dvd of the same movie which is in it's uncut version. I'd like to do a hybrid fan cut, using the HD source as the main movie, and splicing in the SD DVD into the HD source. My question is how can I upscale the SD DVD source?

Bkxmnr · Jan 26, 2013, 04:26 PM

I don't think you can. You can't create resolution that isn't there.

puckhead193 · Jan 26, 2013, 04:38 PM

you can't. You could do what a lot of news outlet do when they have SD footage. If you have final cut or other software is to create 2 video track. the lower track (V1) should have the video zoomed in/increase the size to fill the frame and then maybe add a little blur to it. then the V2 later has your video

jpine · Jan 26, 2013, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeheenan

I have a movie which is on bluray, and a dvd of the same movie which is in it's uncut version. I'd like to do a hybrid fan cut, using the HD source as the main movie, and splicing in the SD DVD into the HD source. My question is how can I upscale the SD DVD source?

You can't. What you are wanting to do is analogous to to taking a 12 ounce soda can, stoping it flat (the compression for DVD) and then taking the can to a machine shop and asking them to not only restore the can to its original form, but to make the can 2+ times bigger without altering the appearance or the physical integrity of the can.

mikeheenan · Jan 26, 2013, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by puckhead193

you can't. You could do what a lot of news outlet do when they have SD footage. If you have final cut or other software is to create 2 video track. the lower track (V1) should have the video zoomed in/increase the size to fill the frame and then maybe add a little blur to it. then the V2 later has your video

Oh ok... I'll try this. Thanks!

----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpine

You can't. What you are wanting to do is analogous to to taking a 12 ounce soda can, stoping it flat (the compression for DVD) and then taking the can to a machine shop and asking them to not only restore the can to its original form, but to make the can 2+ times bigger without altering the appearance or the physical integrity of the can.

Good point. I was slightly aware of that, but not fully aware of the technical issues with doing so. I've seen SD footage in HD documentaries on Blu Ray supplements, but like one of the other posters suggested, is to do the V1/V2 track, and when I need the SD footage, to stretch/expand the footage to fill the frame. I know it'll probably look like crap but it's only about 1 or 2 minutes that I need.

Criterion seems to do really good work on their SD to HD footage. On the Brazil disc, they have the TV version in SD, but it fills a HD frame. I'm guessing they had access to the 1" master (or whatever it was), and were able to tweak it a bit so it doesn't look too bad.

Thuc5dides · Jan 27, 2013, 12:13 AM

Teranex units have great upscaling, look for local dub shops that have the hardware. Otherwise use the cheaper software option.

phrehdd · Jan 27, 2013, 03:43 AM

I think there is a semantics problem here or rather, a misuse of terms. Yes, you can convert 720 to 1080p. You are not upscaling but interpolating the information (video). Some software/hardware combinations do better than others.

What I suggest you do is look at Final Cut Pro forums and also information on a software called ffdshow.

Understand that interpolating is not without drawbacks. If you want to do it with some reasonable amount of success and make it look somewhat decent, you will have to go over the video and possibly do some colour correction, adjust contrast and more.

Also - the output should be in m2ts file format as are blu ray. Some software will let you re-edit media by inserting the 720 files among the 1080p files and then at the end save it all to 1080p. This is the brute way to do things and results don't look very good without some work on the 720 media. Since not all proportions are the same, you will have to take that into consideration along with the fact you have now taken the 720 media and made it a lot larger so that should be considered with the final product being a bit "bulky." Also - remember the audio should be matched if you can. If your blu ray is DTS HD and your 720 files are AC3 or DTS, you'll want to reduce the DTS HD to its core of DTS to match and for AC3 convert the DTS (assuming you have the software tools to do it).

So the short answer is yes it can be done and there are some challenges that you will have to deal with to make a decent looking end result.

matteusclement · Jan 27, 2013, 02:39 PM

doesn't red giant have a plug in for this?

Dc2006ster · Jan 27, 2013, 05:04 PM

Try this:

http://www.larryjordan.biz/compresso...m_medium=email

He shows how to resize SD to HD using Compressor.

mikeheenan · Jan 28, 2013, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dc2006ster

Try this:

http://www.larryjordan.biz/compresso...m_medium=email

He shows how to resize SD to HD using Compressor.

Just skimmed it... looks like a great guide to what I need. Thanks!

LethalWolfe · Jan 29, 2013, 12:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phrehdd

I think there is a semantics problem here or rather, a misuse of terms. Yes, you can convert 720 to 1080p. You are not upscaling but interpolating the information (video). Some software/hardware combinations do better than others.

Speaking of misuse of terms...

Scaling is the proper term (hence video scalers) and 720 refers to 720p HD. Short hand for standard def is 480 (or 576 for 50Hz areas).

Jan 26, 2013, 03:37 PM	#1
mikeheenan macrumors regular Join Date: Aug 2007	How to upscale an SD source to HD? I have a movie which is on bluray, and a dvd of the same movie which is in it's uncut version. I'd like to do a hybrid fan cut, using the HD source as the main movie, and splicing in the SD DVD into the HD source. My question is how can I upscale the SD DVD source?
	0

Jan 26, 2013, 04:26 PM	#2
Bkxmnr macrumors regular Join Date: Feb 2009	I don't think you can. You can't create resolution that isn't there. __________________ Early 2009 Mac Mini, 2.26 GHz C2D, 8GB RAM. 240GB OWC SSD. Mid 2010 iMac, 3.06 GHz Core i3, 8GB RAM. 240GB OWC SSD.
	0

Jan 26, 2013, 04:38 PM	#3
puckhead193 macrumors 604 Join Date: May 2004 Location: NY	you can't. You could do what a lot of news outlet do when they have SD footage. If you have final cut or other software is to create 2 video track. the lower track (V1) should have the video zoomed in/increase the size to fill the frame and then maybe add a little blur to it. then the V2 later has your video __________________ 20" iMac C2D - 2.33GHz, 3 GB ram, ATI X1600 256 MB VRAM 17" MBP i7, 8 GB ram, 500 GB HD @ 7200 - 64 gig iPod Touch 64 GB black Verizon iPhone 5 - Verizon 64 gb iPad 3
	0

Jan 27, 2013, 02:39 PM	#8
matteusclement macrumors 65816 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: victoria	doesn't red giant have a plug in for this? __________________ try this: take an empty pop can, place it on the floor, smash it flat, now try to pull it back to how it was. see how it looks like crap? that's called compression
	0

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Jan 27, 2013, 12:13 AM	#6
Thuc5dides macrumors newbie Join Date: Dec 2012	Teranex units have great upscaling, look for local dub shops that have the hardware. Otherwise use the cheaper software option.
	0

Jan 27, 2013, 03:43 AM	#7
phrehdd macrumors 6502 Join Date: Oct 2008	I think there is a semantics problem here or rather, a misuse of terms. Yes, you can convert 720 to 1080p. You are not upscaling but interpolating the information (video). Some software/hardware combinations do better than others. What I suggest you do is look at Final Cut Pro forums and also information on a software called ffdshow. Understand that interpolating is not without drawbacks. If you want to do it with some reasonable amount of success and make it look somewhat decent, you will have to go over the video and possibly do some colour correction, adjust contrast and more. Also - the output should be in m2ts file format as are blu ray. Some software will let you re-edit media by inserting the 720 files among the 1080p files and then at the end save it all to 1080p. This is the brute way to do things and results don't look very good without some work on the 720 media. Since not all proportions are the same, you will have to take that into consideration along with the fact you have now taken the 720 media and made it a lot larger so that should be considered with the final product being a bit "bulky." Also - remember the audio should be matched if you can. If your blu ray is DTS HD and your 720 files are AC3 or DTS, you'll want to reduce the DTS HD to its core of DTS to match and for AC3 convert the DTS (assuming you have the software tools to do it). So the short answer is yes it can be done and there are some challenges that you will have to deal with to make a decent looking end result.
	0

Jan 27, 2013, 05:04 PM	#9
Dc2006ster macrumors member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Canada	Try this: http://www.larryjordan.biz/compresso...m_medium=email He shows how to resize SD to HD using Compressor.
	0


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