Anyone aware of why Deep Space 9 still hasn't been upscaled? 7 Sept 2025 —
Released in September 2020, this became one of the most popular versions. It focused on "1080p+"—a process of upscaling to 4K first and then downsampling to 1080p using x265 compression to maintain visual fidelity while keeping file sizes manageable (roughly 26 GB per season).
For nearly three decades, fans of Star Trek: Deep Space 9 have lived with a specific, frustrating cognitive dissonance. The show is widely considered the darkest, most serialized, and narratively richest gem of the Berman-era Trek universe. Yet, visually, it has remained trapped in the amber of 1990s standard-definition television. While The Next Generation received a multi-million-dollar, studio-backed HD remaster, DS9 (and Voyager ) were left in the dust, their original videotape edits and CGI renders seemingly lost to time.
The 2020 breakthrough did not rely on traditional linear stretching or simple bicubic filters. Instead, it leveraged the power of and Machine Learning via software like Topaz Video Enhance AI. star trek deep space 9 s01 ai upscale 1080p 2020 hot
: On large modern TVs, the original SD footage looks blurry, with visible pixelation and "moire" patterns.
This public link is valid for 7 days and shares a thread, including any personal information you added. This link or copies made by others cannot be deleted. If you share with third parties, their policies apply. Can’t copy the link right now. Try again later.
How the official documentary handled its HD footage. Share public link Anyone aware of why Deep Space 9 still hasn't been upscaled
These projects are purely fan-driven and exist in a legal grey area. You can find detailed technical guides and project updates on GitHub or community forums like Reddit's r/DeepSpaceNine .
Live long and prosper.
The final broadcast masters only existed in 480i standard definition. When viewed on the massive, ultra-bright 4K and 1080p television screens of the modern era, the official DVDs look notoriously muddy. Color bleeding is rampant, fine textures on alien prosthetics are blurred into mush, and the dark, moody corridors of the Cardassian-built station dissolve into a soup of digital artifacts. For nearly three decades, fans of Star Trek:
, were the primary way to view the show in 1080p during that time. Key Upscale Projects (Circa 2020) Project Defiant
Modern 4K TVs make 90s SD footage look blurry and "blocky." AI upscaling bridges that gap, making the station’s intricate details—like the Promenade or Odo’s office—look sharp again.