New image algorithm upscales 8-bit images without jagged edges

[BeyondTheStatic]

This looks pretty cool...

Posted by Bradley Wint on 26/05/2011

Two researchers have come up with a new scaling algorithm called Depixelizing Pixel Art that extracts a resolution-independent vector which allows for any level of magnification without image degradation. It also has a special feature that takes sharp pixelated edges and transforms them into smooth curves with the relevant matching color grades.

the rest of the article :http://www.blogtechnical.com/1111/8-...e-upscaling.bt

the abstract: http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/...art/index.html

[Lazy Bastard]

If it's consistently of that quality, that's pretty nice.

[BeyondTheStatic]

I've been looking at the comparison page, and it fails in many of the tests. Compared to Hq4x, the Depixelizing filter seems too "loose," often rounding out certain areas beyond recognition. Yoshi's nostril in the "Yoshi 3" example becomes a mere sliver. In the "Mario 2" example, his eyes turn out really funky... If the splines they used could be adjusted to approximate the behavior of the HqNx filters, everything would look much nicer and would capture the essence of the original pixel art like other filters. Even so, it would be good to have another option.

[OldSchoolGamer]

it would be good to have another option.

Yea that would be good to have another option. But, I'd like to see someone make a video filter that is better than HQ4X.

[BeyondTheStatic]

The biggest problem with making new filters is that you often need a huge lookup table to interpret the small scale features. You need to discern between straight lines, curves, areas that should be blended. Using a lookup table, these filters run pretty fast, but generating the table in the first place is tricky, and might need to be created manually. The HqNx series needs 256 entries, one for each combination.

Here's the Wikipedia article, if you haven't seen it already:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hqx

As it turns out, there's a standalone application you can get to scale single images:
http://www.hiend3d.com/hq4x.html

It's command line-based, but if you make a *.bat file, it's pretty easy to use. Here's an example:

hq4x input.tga output.bmp

It's a cool little utility

[kh2k4]

It comes down personal preference, I prefer them look as close to original as possible and the filters tend to dissort the image Scale4x being the worst imo
2XPM http://2xpm.freeservers.com/
EPX Plus
Guest-R's HQXx
hq4xS (mudlord) http://vba-m.com/forum/Thread-what-i...vourite-filter
which is the best?
http://www.mobianlegends.com/emulati...in-render.html

[OldSchoolGamer]

It comes down personal preference, I prefer them look as close to original as possible and the filters tend to dissort the image Scale4x being the worst

Scale4x is a different filter than HQ4X. And if you prefer the game to look as close to original as possible, then you shouldn't use any filters.

[kh2k4]

No I meant I don't want them to look dissorted look at the text on those sonic pics it's like it's not lined up properly the top half of the S of Score is to the right whilst the bottom is to the left, it's repeated every few lines.

[OldSchoolGamer]

HQ4XS, Scale4X, and HQ4X are three different kinds of filters. Some people get confused and talk about HQ4XS and HQ4X as if they are the same filter.

HQ4X is widely considered the best filter if you prefer filters. Basically, if you are going to use a filter, HQ4X would be your best bet. It practically has no blur to it. Now if you like seeing the individual pixels or if you like seeing how the game was meant to look, then you shouldn't use any filters at all.

Also when comparing screen shots using different filters, alot of times bilinear interpolation is enabled for some screen shots and not others. People often post screen shots using the HQ4X filter and they have the bilinear interpolation enabled and it will look alot different than a screen shot using the same HQ4X filter with bilinear interpolation disabled. This happens often and the cause of this is that some people don't realize that bilinear interpolation is enabled, or they don't even know what bilinear interpolation is, or they don't realize that bilinear interpolation changes the way images look.

When you look at screen shot comparisons of different filters, you need to know more than just what filter is being used. You need to know if that screen shot was taken when bilinear interpolation was enabled or disabled.

HQ4X looks the best when bilinear interpolation is DISABLED. Alot of people have bilinear interpolation enabled when using this filter and it decreased the quality of the image and they don't even realize it. And then they go and compare screen shots against other filters, and they are like "hey this filter seems to look almost as good or better than the HQ4X filter". Which is not true because they are not using the optimum settings while using the HQ4X filter.

HQ4X is the best filter. It is the clearest and there is practically no blur/smudge. If you want the least amount of blur/smudge and the clearest and highest quality of graphics, then HQ4X is the way to go. It improves the way games look more than any other filter. Now there could be a couple of games in which a person might think that a different filter looks better instead of HQ4X. Maybe for a particular game, a person might want some blur/smudge for whatever reason. But that is just their personal preference. But in general, there is no better video filter than HQ4X.

So in my opinion, a gamer should either use the HQ4X filter or no filter at all. If the HQ4X filter is not available on the emulator I am using, then I use the HQ3X filter.

[kh2k4]

HQ4XS and HQ4X there not? I thought from reading that forum that HQ4XS was a updated version of HQ4X made by (mudlord) do you have some comparsion shots then with Bilinear on and off? do V-Sync, Anti-Aliasing, Anisotropic, Trilinear effect it also? should I turn them all off? is V-Sync the issue with S in Score tearing?

[OldSchoolGamer]

Google is your friend. Read what V-Sync, Anti-Aliasing, Anisotropic, Trilinear effects are and does.

HQ#XS are like variations of HQ#X.

V-Sync does not affect it. V-sync synchronizes frame drawing to the monitor's refresh rate. This may reduce frame rate on your computer, but will reduce screen tearing. Only enable V-Sync if you are experiencing screen tearing.

[kh2k4]

I know what they do i'm asking you directly are they responsable for the tearing shown in that pic or if it's a issue with the filter itself, show a pic of your optimal setup with the same game running please as I want to rule it out.

I use Kega Fusion one game that still looks horrible is Arton Senna's Monaco GP II master system look at pic of him on the start screen i've tried cleaning it up with various filters and it still looks horrible, the same with the in-game tracks it either makes the game too dark or bright.
My best setting for it is

[OldSchoolGamer]

First of all, you probably used the worst example possible. It's better to compare gameplay screen shots than title screen and menu screen shots. And the example you chose is impossible for it to look clear, you know that right? He will never look as clear as a real photograph even if you are using futuristic filters ten years down the road. You play the game during gameplay, not during title screens and menu screens. So you should be comparing gameplay screen shots and not title/menu screen shots. You said the gameplay is too dark... well the bottom screen shot I posted doesn't look too dark for me. And some games are just naturally darker than other games. Also the darkness could be due to what type of color palette the emulator is using. Some color palettes are darker than others. For example, the gameplay of games when using the HQ4X filter in Nestopia looks darker than the gameplay of games when using the same HQ4X filter in FCEUX. That is because Nestopia uses a different color palette than FCEUX.

[OldSchoolGamer]

Those two screen shots I posted were from the emulator, Kega Fusion 3.64.

[kh2k4]

Just as I thought no better with cracks in the white lines towards the kerb and when you turn they tear along with the overround text the same issue in sonic with the text
Green lines represent tear areas.