Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Season 1 (AI Upscale, 4K, 2020) Review
The project team noted that Season 1 and Season 2 do not "play as nicely" with the upscale as later seasons (Season 3 onward), which typically have better source material for the AI to process. Comparison with Other Fan Upscales Project Defiant was one of the first major 4K efforts, community members on Reddit's r/DeepSpaceNine often compare it to other versions: JoyBell / Joy: star trek deep space 9 s01 ai upscale 4k 2020
“Tell me that’s a rendering error,” Sisko said. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Season 1
For those interested in technical deep dives, the original announcement and ongoing discussions can be found on platforms like the Absolutely
Absolutely. Watching "Emissary" in the 2020 4K upscale is a religious experience. The opening sequence—a zoom out from the wormhole to the golden desert of Bajor—finally looks like it belongs in the 21st century.
For a fan in 2020, watching "Duet" in upscaled 4K was a revelation: the grit in Harris Yulin's eyes, the rust on the ore processing doors, the quiet dignity of a show finding its footing. It didn't look like a show from 1993. It looked like a show remembered.
ExtremeTech's "Rubicon" Project: Author Joel Hruska documented a comprehensive series for ExtremeTech, detailing his journey using Topaz software to upscale the series to 4K. By May 2020, he reached a "season finale" for his technical project, highlighting challenges like variable frame rates in 90s TV DVDs.
