Check out the VFX-focused AI video upscaling system Pixell

Korean technology company 4by4 has launched Pixell, its AI-powered video upscaling and video enhancement platform, in free beta.

The technology, previously only available to corporate customers, is now being made available as a web-based service for VFX and post-production professionals.

It allows artists to render footage in 2K and then upscale it to 4K or 8K using Pixell without any noticeable loss in visual quality.

4by4 claims the workflow is “up to 1,000x” faster than rendering directly in 8K.

Upscale videos to ultra high definition and let AI fill in missing details
AI video upscaling technologies increase the resolution of source footage – both raw and rendered elements – using an AI model to reconstruct missing details.

The result is – at least in theory – a high-resolution video that is visually indistinguishable from a video created natively at the same resolution.

For a VFX shot, rendering at a lower resolution than upscaling can be much faster than rendering at the target resolution.

The target group is VFX and post-production work
There are a number of AI upscaling products for professional work – Topaz Labs’ Video AI Pro, for example – but Pixell is unusual in that 4by4 is specifically aimed at “VFX artists and post-production professionals” rather than general video production.

In addition to being focused on upgrading videos to UHD resolutions, 4by4 praises the visual quality of the Pixell output and the speed at which the footage is processed: a one-minute 2K video is processed in “under 60 seconds.”

The technology was previously used to transfer popular Korean comedy “My Lovely Sam Soon” from SD to 4K for online streaming platform Wavve.

4by4 itself has practical experience in UHD production, as it also operates UHD stock footage library KeyCut Stock and content production company Keycut Visual.

Free in beta until early 2025
The Pixell beta includes full access to the service and dedicated technical support.

It’s invitation-only, but 4by4 seems to process applications quickly: we had a response within 24 hours.

Anyone who participates in the beta and provides “insightful feedback” will also be eligible for discounted access to the service once it launches commercially.

Price and system requirements
Pixell is currently in invite-only beta. You can register using the link below. The final publication is scheduled for “early 2025”.

It is a web-based service. 4by4 has not yet announced the final price.

Read more about Pixell on the 4by4 website

Register for the Pixell beta

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