Hello. Two months ago, I tested the Starlight model on a GeForce 3060 GPU. It was processing at 2 fps, completely inoperable. The PC is a HP Elite Tower 600 G9 Desktop PC.
Two months later (two weeks ago), I decided to try again the Starlight model again but after loading the model, I would always get an Error message before the processing starts. However, the GPU was running at 95% capacity. The check procedure for Starlight was telling me that my GPU was compatible.
I decided to update the card with a NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 that passed again the Starlight tests but yet, I am getting an error message just after the model loads at the start of an export process is initiated. I have some logs that I can open and I can send them if needed. As for Proteus, the GPU is now running at 35% instead of 95% but it doesn’t even go faster.
What s wrong with Topaz Video? I can’t accomplish anything with it. The other models (Proteus, etc.) look really bad and it seems that I spent a bundle of $$$ for absolutely nothing. I can’t afford another $3,000.00 machine for that and I am not a fan of the Cloud export at all because I have tone of videos to upscale/fix.
2 fps on a 3060 with Starlight is actually excellent. Starlight is a diffusion model and needs several times more compute than the older GAN models like Proteus/Iris, so it will always be much heavier.
Also, the 3060 → 5060 upgrade isn’t a massive compute jump: the 3060 is about 12.7 TFLOPS FP16 and the 5060 about 19.2 TFLOPS, so you shouldn’t expect dramatic speedups from a “sideways” generation move.
For the crash right after model load, post the logs/error text (Topaz version + NVIDIA driver + export settings). That pattern usually points to a driver/runtime mismatch or VRAM/initialization issue, not “incompatible GPU.”
I, of course, redid all the configuration being a former IT specialist for 35 years. I got it to work but at the same 1-2 fps with the 5060. The rest of the computer was literally idling. How I got it to work? By subscribing to the Pro version. I feel this is unfair because Topaz seems to have ripped this functionality from me while it was working two months ago with the standard version. Nowhere it is specified that Starlight doesn’t work anymore with the standard version except in a message on this board. I lost hours on that and why leave a button for a model that doesn’t even work anymore in the standard version and even promoting that your system has passed the test? Using the cloud and pay for it after removing a functionality from an existing subscription is certainly not best practice. I do not use that for business. I only had the goal of improving old family videos but it seems that either way I go I will get stopped.
How in the world are you getting 1-2FPS with a 3060 or 5060? I’m over here maxing out at 1.6FPS at 1280x720p for Starlight Mini on a 9950X3D + ASUS ROG Astral RTX 5090…
All I can say is if you’re getting 1-2FPS with your current card, consider yourself lucky as that is a phenomenal result!
I’m getting pretty similar results as you, it probably depends on the source file and also, it has a tendency to vary a bit. I’ll recheck it later because this is a new card to me since yesterday. The old card was doing 0.9 fps.
Edit You seem to be right. You are getting more that I do (0.3 fps). I tried so many options since yesterday that I may have seen some other experiment. Since you seem to have tested a lot too, have you been able to get very decent results without Starlight? Proteus seems to produce some granularity on my 320x240 video upscaled to 872 lines.
Please send the logs to the support team at help@topazlabs.com and we can take a look at the errors.
2 fps is a lot faster than most users are seeing, granted you did not list what resolution size the original file is and what the export is as that is a big variable in speed as well.
The 0.3fps makes more sense for your card. Starlight Mini is an extremely heavy diffusion based model.
As for results, I can say with absolute confidence that for the low quality content I’ve upscaled with Starlight Mini (typically a 320 or 480p source), the results I get are nothing short of incredible in terms of overall quality and fine detail restoration.
From what I’ve seen, the quality is very good. For face recovery It will take me a few more videos to appreciate. This is the most difficult thing.
What version of Video Studio are you using? Only the Pro worked after trying for hours with the plain Studio version I had. I’ve seen a few comments about Starlight working just on the cloud for that version. With the quantity of home videos I have, there’s no way I can use Cloud.
I didn’t mean the AI version, the video version. There are three as far as I know. Check this page. Only the Pro allowed me to render locally on Starlight. I’m confused too…
If you’re classed as a Founder Member meaning your Topaz Photo and Gigapixel AI Licences were current during the transition from Perpetual Licenses to the Subscription versions Topaz Photo, Gigapixel and Topaz Video the Studio versions then, as a Founder Member you should have access to Local Starlight Rendering.
On the other hand, if the above information doesn’t apply to you then, I’m afraid you only have Starlight Cloud Rendering available and Local Starlight Rendering is for Pro Subscripers only.
Here’s the link to contact Topaz Support directly because you’ll only get the correct hinformation directly from the Horse’s Mouth.
This is the first time I’m hearing that there are different subscription tiers.
Personally, I wouldn’t pay anything for Topaz Video without local access to the Starlight model. The cloud-only option makes no sense for private consumers who want to upscale hours of their favorite old TV shows or home videos.
There is another option available to you as you have already owned Topaz Video AI previously then you can upgrade to the final version of Topaz Video AI 7.4 for $150 which does allow Local Starlight Rendering if you have a powerful enough NVIDIA GPU
This option is only available though Topaz Support so, here’s the link to contact Topaz Support directly
Yes, I believe I am a founding member. I probably have that communication somewhere. My licenses were indeed converted because I had both versions of each installed up to three days ago on my computer.
I’m using the regular Topaz Video (part of Studio). I get access to Starlight locally because I have founding member status (I owned Topaz Video + Photo + Gigapixel prior to the switchover to Studio).
The only way I see myself ever upgrading to Pro is if they end up releasing Pro exclusive models that interest me.
You should have Starlight Local Rendering with your Founders Status unless I believe you’re using Apple or AMD Machines then, I’m afraid it’s Cloud Rendering only
I’m not an Apple user so, perhaps someone else can confirm this for us
No. Local Starlight (mini) is also there for „founders“ on Mac and AMD - and since this was promised long before the transition to the subscription model everything else wouldn’t be right, btw.
But, unfortunately, Starlight isn’t really of any use with at least AppleSilicon at the moment and currently every new version seems to make things worse, not better (see all those threads).
Best version for Starlight on the Mac is either the last preStudio Beta or the first V1.0.0 Studio release - and even there you seem to have to be lucky to have the right chip (M1/2/3/4).
