DS9UP is a fan-made workflow for enhancing DVD-derived video of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. It aims to make the episodes look better than existing standard-definition sources—not to create a native-HD version, a studio remaster, or a perfect restoration.
What DS9UP is—and what it is not
The DS9UP guide documents a process for deinterlacing and upscaling a high-quality DVD rip, then rebuilding the episode while retaining its original timing and other tracks. Its author describes the aim as improvement, with visible limitations; it is not an official release.
Other fan projects use different sources and methods. DS9: Redefined describes preservation, restoration, and enhancement work on Deep Space Nine and Voyager, using LaserDisc stacks for DS9 seasons 1–3 and American NTSC DVDs for later seasons, according to its project page and repository. A separate Topaz Community post describes a PAL-DVD workflow aiming for 1080p in 4:3. These are distinct efforts, not steps in the DS9UP process.
DS9: Redefined explains that DS9’s postproduction involved standard-definition videotape editing, compositing, and effects. As that project notes, a film scan alone would not reproduce elements created in video postproduction. It places AI-upscaled results between the SD source and full-HD film scans; an upscale should not be mistaken for a recovered HD master.
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How the documented DS9UP workflow handles video
The guide assumes a high-quality DVD rip in a format accepted by the Topaz software version it describes. It advises preserving variable frame rate (VFR) and deinterlacing the input, because that version of Topaz did not accept interlaced video.
Why frame timing matters
The guide characterizes most scenes as roughly 24 frames per second, while some scenes—particularly CGI—are around 30 fps. According to its author, directly encoding VFR material through the described Topaz version could make 30-fps sections play too quickly and cause audio to lose sync. A fixed-rate output can therefore be wrong even when individual enhanced frames look acceptable.
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Export frames, then rebuild and remux
- Prepare the source: Deinterlace the DVD-derived video while retaining its variable frame-rate timing.
- Enhance frames: Export the upscaled frames as PNG images rather than relying on direct Topaz encoding of the finished VFR video.
- Record source timing: Count the original frames and retain their timestamps so the rebuilt video can match the source duration and cadence.
- Rebuild the video: Use FFmpeg to assemble the enhanced images into a video stream.
- Remux original tracks: Use MKVToolNix to restore the source timing and carry over the original audio, subtitles, and chapters.
This sequence is the guide’s documented workaround, not a guarantee that current software versions behave the same way. The guide’s historical Topaz references are Video Enhance AI 1.2.2 and 1.2.3; current compatibility and requirements are not established here.
Historical settings, tools, and setup assumptions
The guide used the Artemis-LQ model with a 200% scale preset. It says 400% scaling is possible but takes longer. Those are settings reported by that guide, not current recommendations for every DVD, scene, or software version.
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Its example setup included a recent-ish Nvidia GPU (a GTX 1660 Super), Windows 10, Topaz Video Enhance AI, WSL with Fish Shell, FFmpeg, MKVToolNix, and substantial free storage. Fish Shell was optional; the guide says its simple scripts could be ported to another shell. The guide described FFmpeg and MKVToolNix as free utilities and Topaz as paid software with a trial in the version era it covered. These are historical details, not verified present-day requirements, prices, or terms. Check current software documentation before attempting to reproduce the workflow.
Time, storage, and output size reported by the guide
The following are setup-specific estimates from the DS9UP guide author. The source does not state a publication year, and these figures are not independent benchmarks or current guarantees.
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| Measure | Guide author’s figure | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Processing time | A little over 6 hours per episode | Guide-author estimate; varies with hardware, machine use, and settings. |
| Temporary free space | At least 100 GB per episode in flight | Guide-author recommendation for a job in progress. |
| Completed upscale size | Usually under 2 GB | Guide-author report; output depends on encoding choices. |
| Normal-length episode encoded with the guide’s suggested H.264 settings | Around 1.5 GB | Guide-author estimate for those settings. |
The guide says longer episodes—including the pilot, the season-four premiere, and the finale—take roughly twice the time and space. Treat that as the author’s approximate planning guidance, not a measured rule for other hardware or settings.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Visual trade-offs and quality limits
The DS9UP author reports occasional added or more noticeable jitter, better results in close-ups than in wide shots or backgrounds, and possible oversharpening. The author also cautions that an apparent glitch may already exist in the source. These are observations from the project’s own workflow, not results from a controlled comparison.
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AI enhancement can make SD material appear sharper or more detailed, but it cannot reliably recover detail that is absent from the source. The separate DS9: Redefined project likewise describes its AI-upscaled output as falling between the SD source and full-HD film scans. Results depend on the source edition, scene, preparation, model, and finishing choices; no single setting is established as best for every shot.
How DS9UP differs from other fan workflows
| Workflow | Source stated by project | Preparation or enhancement stated | Output and trade-offs established |
|---|---|---|---|
| DS9UP guide | High-quality DVD rip; region or DVD format is not specified in the guide excerpt. | Deinterlacing, PNG frame export, timing-aware rebuild with FFmpeg, and MKVToolNix remux; historical Artemis-LQ settings. | Retains source timing and original audio, subtitles, and chapters in its documented remux step. Author reports substantial render time, temporary storage needs, and possible visual artifacts. |
| DS9: Redefined | LaserDisc stacks for DS9 seasons 1–3 and American NTSC DVDs for later seasons, according to its repository. | Project describes capture, digital editing, and AI enhancement. | Its page discusses preservation and enhancement; a single shared output specification or render-time figure is not stated. |
| PAL-DVD Topaz Community workflow | PAL DVDs, as stated in the June 9, 2025 post. | The post documents a separate chain of tools and enhancement choices; it is not the DS9UP workflow. | The post targets 1080p in 4:3. The DS9UP guide’s timing, storage, and artifact figures do not apply to this separate workflow. |
These projects cannot be compared as if they processed identical source material. Source format, preparation, frame-rate handling, enhancement, finishing, and track preservation all affect both the result and the work involved.
Sources
- DS9 Upscale Workflow — the DS9UP guide for its workflow, assumptions, historical settings, estimates, and reported limitations. Publication year not stated.
- About – DS9: Redefined — the project’s account of its methods and technical background.
- DS9: Redefined repository — the project’s stated source choices by season.
- Star Trek – Deep Space Nine Upscaling Project by Leland Kovich — a separate PAL-DVD workflow post dated June 9, 2025.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does DS9 need an upscale project?
DS9UP is a fan effort to improve the appearance of DVD-derived episodes; it does not claim to produce a perfect restoration or an official HD release.
Can an AI upscale make DS9 look like a native HD remaster?
No such result is established by the project. DS9UP describes its goal as improvement, and DS9: Redefined places AI-upscaled material between SD and full-HD film scans.
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The DS9UP guide refers to Topaz Video Enhance AI 1.2.2 and 1.2.3 and historical hardware and operating-system assumptions. Current software compatibility and requirements are not established here; consult current documentation.
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