For years, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine has been the "forgotten child" of the High-Definition era. While The Next Generation received an expensive, film-scanned Blu-ray restoration, DS9 was left behind due to the high cost of re-scanning and re-compositing its extensive visual effects (CGI and models).
In 2020, rendering a single 45-minute episode from 480p to 4K using deep learning could take anywhere from 12 to 24 hours, even on high-end consumer graphics cards like the Nvidia RTX 2080 Ti. It required immense patience and community collaboration. The Legacy of the Community Remaster
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (DS9) has long been regarded as one of the most narratively sophisticated entries in the Trek franchise. However, it holds a frustrating distinction among fans: it is the only 90s Star Trek series never officially remastered in High Definition. While The Next Generation got a lavish Blu-ray treatment, DS9 remains trapped in standard-definition 480p, looking blurry and dated on modern 4K displays. star trek deep space 9 s01 ai upscale 4k 2020
: Close-up shots of faces show significantly improved detail, and static elements like uniforms and station corridors appear much sharper. Weaknesses : The AI often struggled with complex textures
The 2020 upscales (often using Topaz Video Enhance AI or ESRGAN variants) were a breakthrough because neural networks had finally learned to interpret texture . Instead of just stretching pixels, the AI was trained on high-resolution footage to predict what details should exist. For years, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine has
Have you watched the AI upscale? Which fan restoration do you prefer—the 2020 version or a newer model? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Why does the year matter? Because 2020 was the year we all lived on a Deep Space Nine. Quarantined. Isolated. Dependent on shaky supply lines. Watching Kira Nerys rage against a system that failed her felt less like sci-fi and more like a news feed. Watching the "Duet" episode (S1E19) in 4K, where Marritza’s tears are so sharp they cut the screen—that was the catharsis of a locked-down world. It required immense patience and community collaboration
This meant that even if Paramount wanted to scan the original film reels today, they would have to:
By 2020, AI upscaling had matured from a sci-fi concept to a consumer-accessible tool. Software like Topaz Video Enhance AI (then called Gigapixel AI for video), DAIN (Depth-Aware Video Frame Interpolation), and various ESRGAN (Enhanced Super-Resolution Generative Adversarial Networks) models allowed hobbyists to do what studios wouldn’t.
Locate every single reel of original 35mm film stored in vaults. Re-scan those negatives at high resolution. Re-edit every episode frame-by-frame.
Whether you're a longtime fan or new to the series, the AI-upscaled 4K version of Season 1 is an essential viewing experience. So grab some snacks, settle in, and get ready to explore the universe of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine like never before.