This is the killer feature. AI models in 2020 were finally able to separate facial features from video noise. Watch the episode Duet (S01E19). Harris Yulin’s (Marritza) agonized close-ups in the holding cell are transformed. You see the tears, the micro-expressions, the sweat—emotional beats lost in SD compression now hit like a hammer.
This is where AI upscaling, specifically using ESRGAN, Topaz Video Enhance AI, and custom neural networks, changed the game. Between 2019 and 2022, a dedicated group of fans (led by projects like "Project Defiant") began feeding DS9 through AI models trained on high-quality film grain and facial recognition. star+trek+deep+space+9+s01+ai+upscale+4k+2020+better
However, not all upscales are equal. Many early attempts in 2019 produced “wax museum” faces, smeared details, or over-sharpened halos. The breakthrough came in 2020, with refined models that understood Star Trek’s specific lighting—the dark shadows of the Promenade, the metallic sheen of the runabouts, the subtle textures of Bajoran earrings. This is the killer feature
The release tagged as “2020 better” refers to a specific iteration of these models that corrected two critical errors: “Better” meaning: Likely a second pass or improved
Original: Commander Sisko’s bald head often blended into the dark background of the ready room.
AI 4K: You can see the pores in his skin, the individual hairs in his goatee, and the fine threads of his Starfleet uniform. The emotional weight of "The Emissary" is amplified because you can actually see the micro-expressions.