HDR Upconverter with Light Flickering

[Lony]

Hello everyone,

I've already looked for my problem here, but haven't found a useful answer. I installed version 2038 and after converting a 1080p file to HDR I keep getting slight flickering. I then uninstalled everything and installed version 2035, but the problem is still there.

I can't find any other solutions here, so it's probably a bug in your software. It would be nice if this worked this time, after all the program cost a few bucks.

Thanks

[knighter]

Please update to v 3.0.0.0, it fixed the HDR flicker problem.

[Lony]

Thanks,

problem is fixed.

I have tested it.

[Mandalorian1]

Lony - Do you actually see the progress (% completed and time remaining) advance when you run the Upscaler or HDR Upconvert? I don't see it advance during an upscale to 4K, for instance. Haven't tried using the HDR Upconvert. Not happy with the removal of advanced user controls and functionality either in version 3000. Also, noted previously was an over-compression issue with the HDR Upconvert where it shrinks the size of the output from the original (example: 4K/UHD source) to be nearly half the original size. It causes significant, noted degradation of HDR Upconvert output quality (pixelization, etc.).

[Lony]

Mandalorian1

This was not about the progress of the software, but about the flickering during HDR conversion. This flickering has been fixed, but other errors have occurred, such as when I upscale from 720p to 1080p, the sound is no longer synchronized, or the sound is not correctly converted despite passthrough. There are also problems with HDR conversion that, as far as I know, have to do with compression, the best example being when the colors change slightly and do not stay the same. The user interface is self-explanatory, as there is no way to influence it. All in all, just a small step in the right direction, despite poorer user interface overall. Fast conversion is not always the advantage. A lot still needs to be changed.

But the developers should be given time to work on their software.

Fortunately, Unifab is not my main tool, but TOPAZ 6.01 and the results look better with the current version, but this also took a long time.

Unfortunately, complaining doesn't help either.

[Mandalorian1]

Thanks Lony. Can I ask, does Topaz upconvert to HDR and not just upscale to 4K?

I was able to determine that the M2TS file format of the source was to blame for the progress visuals not moving past the zero mark. I did some testing with another MKV source file using the latest 3.0.0.0 version. I noted that the HDR issues have been addressed (flickering and over-compressing output). The source video file I've been using for testing now produces a video output that is somewhat larger in file size than the original source. That is the way it should be. Before, the HDR Upconvert output was nearly 50% smaller compared to the original source. It also produced noticeable adverse quality issues when viewing the output as a result of the file compression issue. I've also confirmed the flickering is gone. HDR looks the best I've experienced thus far since I started using this software (around the 2.0.3.5 version). 2.0.3.6 introduced a red hue on HDR output. I opened a ticket for that and it was addressed in 2.0.3.7. However, 2.0.3.7 had issues still with the flickering and over-compression of output. Glad to see that appears to now be fixed in 3.0.0.0.

My isse now is that I don't have more advanced user controls over bit rate, etc. like before. They seemed to have stripped all that out in favor of some "dumbed-down" UI that limits you to defaults imposed (based on your limited options) by the software developers. I noted the file sizes produced now are smaller than what I'd have produced with earlier versions based on my tweaking bit rate, etc. to enhance output quality. I always opt for higher quality over speed, so I've already opened a ticket to hopefully get them to add these types of advance/experienced user controls and functionality back in.

As far as HDR quality goes at this point, I'm satisfied with the results of the fixes and that they are headed in the right direction at least, aside from further software improvements still needed. The one observation I've noted with this new version is that 4K Upscale produces an inferior quality output in terms of detail and sharpness that was there before in previous versions.

[raven-au]

Lony, interesting, because UniFab wasn't able to produce good enough output (and still isn't) after waiting quite a while for it to improve and because of the functionality reduction (yes, the removal of functionality has been going on for quite a while, or maybe you could call it reshaping of function so that customers to need to buy additional modules) from the original DVDFab where conversion once was I've ended up using Topaz Video AI. I can't say I'm impressed with the HDR functionality, but encoding of older DVDs is quite good, although there's quite a steep learning curve.

[Lony]

Mandalorian1

Topaz 6.01 can do not only 4K but also HDR, please have a look at the screenshot.

You are of course right, as far as the user interface and the options for your own settings are concerned, it cannot stay as it is now, that would simply be too simple and you would not have any possibility of intervening in the process yourself. It is possible that the new AI for 3.0.0.0 would rather get its settings from the software interpreter, the advantage is that you have fewer errors and have to make do with what comes out ;-)

raven-au

I didn't say that the HDR conversion in Topaz 6.01 is impressive, but that it is better than the one in the current version. After all, HDR has only been available in Topaz for a short time (version 6) and for my needs it is already going in the right direction.

By the way, try upscaling with Topaz, for example from 720p to 1080p and compare the two, there are no small differences, thanks to the user interface and intervention.

I hope UniFab continues to work on its tool, because it has potential and I like it.

[Mandalorian1]

Thanks Lony. Topaz does look like it has a steeper learning curve than Unifab, but that isn't necessarily a problem for me as I am pretty experienced with these kinds of tools. I've indicated to support at Unifab that they made a wrong turn with 3.0.0.0 in that they are disenfranchising their advance/experienced user community that wants granular control over their AI-driven output.

I saw there is a good price right now for Topaz 6 Video AI ($209), but it looks like there's a yearly fee of around $149. I presume that annual fee is if you want to retain ongoing rights to updates/upgrades. Is that what the annual fee is for? That sounds almost like an "optional" subscription-based arrangement.

Also, what video file formats does Topaz support (MP4, MKV, M2TS, etc.)?