This update includes a new Model Discovery system in the right panel, which shows examples of when to use each Enhancement model:
In addition to the new carousel, users can also switch to a list view for more compact controls:
This new model selection tool will help users navigate our growing collection of AI models and find the right fit for any project. Weāve also added a star icon for models that have very broad applications.
Timeline updates
Video AIās timeline now offers much more functionality, with frame-accurate timeline markers and a new system for timeline zoom:
Just give me back multi GPU rendering. I paid for it when I bought the software. Youāve doubled my render times when Iām on a tight deadline and itās left me really upset.
And then on top of that, the exporting of HDR prores and h.265 is broken. It worked fine a few versions ago, now adobe wonāt even open the Prores 422 HQ file it exports. And then I try h.265 10-bit, itās in rec 709 gamma 2.4 instead of rec2020 and looks awful
For me and as other users mentioned, this carousel is useful for beginners. As soon as you have the app in hand, it becomes useless.
Also, the dropdown menu has been replaced by a fixed box that consumes much more pixels in height. These pixels were very precious to have a complete view of all your sliders, moreover if you use the double enhancer
Carousel should be disableable in preferences
Combo box must be lockable or unlockable to switch combo box / list box
Codec settings is cool, this part must have its own area
Like if you agree with this review
As a developer also, I care about the usability of the GUI
Video for changelog is a nice to have. We would also very appreciate Ć full help file
Hi @UONVISUALS ā I totally understand how the change in licensing can be frustrating for users working with multiple GPUs. Iād be happy to help make this right: please email enterprise@topazlabs.com with the same email address you use on topazlabs.com.
Weāre currently investigating some file-specific issues with ProRes exports, and it would be great to get some specifics on the file that is not opening in your editing tool. You can use an app like MediaInfo to generate a metadata report for this clip and add it to your email.
When are we going to see some bug fixes instead of new features that [checks notesā¦] nobody is asking for? Do you guys understand how broken and useless this product is right now?
And here I am using version 5.2.3ā¦ why didnāt someone tell me it wasnāt working? Iāve produced quite a few videos with this version and they all look fantastic! But that canāt be right, isnāt this product ābroken and uselessā?
Hyperbole is hyperbole, and the developers must get tired of the childish comments and criticism!! Yes, Iād prefer more action on upgraded models, etc, but Iām also an adult and Iām prepared to be patient while we wait for better versions of Topaz.
If I have something to say, it will be constructive because I want to help. I would be very embarrassed to just whine like an entitled Karen!
What was the point in me buying an M! Ultra computer with a 20 core CPU, 48 core GPU and 32 core neural engine? Have I now been restricted to a max of 1 core anything? Video AI has been doing some great processing but now I am lucky to process 1 frame per second when it used to be 10-15. I am forced to tie up this computer for 12 to 20 hours to process a single file while using an older computer to do my editing. Maybe it is time to look elsewhere for software that is more reasonably priced and can use the computerās resources.
What is the point of the Carousel? I see a micro wiggling image that has no reference to my video and doesnāt appear to show any actual effect on the file.
Hi @dpwnoble, Video AI performance on Apple M-series processors has not changed. Users of the Standard and Pro licenses will both experience the same GPU and Neural Engine acceleration.
Weād like to look into some details on the reduction in performance youāre describing. Please email us at help@topazlabs.com so we can help find a solution.
I donāt like the new interface, not streamlined and frustrating to navigate. I still wish the text of the interface was a bit larger and clearer too.
When are we going to get updated models like Nyx Proteus Gaia Iris. Model updated are by far the #1 updates people who use this program are looking for.
These models by now should have been updated 2 or 3 more times.
Not a massive fan of the latest UI changes, Iām afraid.
On the plus side, I appreciate the greater functionality of the timeline and the fact that the carousel (which I really donāt like) can be hidden.
Iām less keen on the changes to the list view. For one, I question the accuracy of the model descriptions. Proteus is described as āfor most videosā whilst Iris is āspecialized enhancement for facesā. This does not reflect my experience or usage. I find Iris to be a far better general-purpose model than Proteus (better detail enhancement, better noise/compression removal and fewer introduced artefacts) and use it almost exclusively. I would very much like the option of removing these inaccurate descriptions (or editing them - perhaps we could be given the option of inputting our own descriptions).
Iām also not thrilled with the removal of the codec settings from the main interface (leaving a completely empty space where they used to be). Iām sure opinions will differ on this, but I personally prefer to have necessary controls available in a programās main interface, not hidden away behind extra clicks.
Overall, it seems to me that development focus has shifted too far away from the technical to the cosmetic. This is fine, and perfectly understandable - Topaz needs to keep its revenue stream flowing by attracting new customers and making the interface more āstreamlinedā and showy is one possible way of doing that. However, it isnāt for me. The interface has been perfectly adequate for my needs for a long time and none of the recent changes have been incentive enough to move away from older (and generally less buggy) versions. Like many longer-term users here, what I really want to see is better results; if not new models, then at least further-trained updates to existing ones. Not since the release of Iris, more than a year ago, do I feel that Iāve gotten this. I wish Topaz all the best but every new release, offering nothing more than bug-fixes and UI changes, increases my apathy towards software I was once very excited about. I really hope that, going forward, they can find more of a balance between cosmetic enhancements and under-the-hood improvements.
I am anything but inspired by your update. And to make matters worse, I still have no idea whether your technical staff have corrected the frame dropping on files rendered as Pros Res, that has dragged on for a month.
Why do the powers that be in your company keep changing the UI?
All I - and I suspect many other customers - want from Topaz Labs is the maintenance of house products, with modification to the UI when absolutely necessary. No doubt some younger video artists become over excited by anything that is presented as new to film/ video post production. I do not share this view.
Why canāt I open your current version of Video AI and go straight to Enhance features? You introduce the word carousel as if this were a groundbreaking concept, rather than a distracting novelty. Kindly reverse the UI features in this latest update.
5.2.3 performs indeed well, but what most users experienced are relative to other releases, that may not have been lasting long, but they did the damage in spirits.
To me 5.0.4 is rockstable, 5.2.3 is very useable but keep on getting some anoying bugs, all others must be forgotten.
Have fun with the extra teeth and phantom faces in random places.
The descriptions are correct for those models. If tuned correctly, Proteus will not mess with faces. Iris will, no matter the settings. Sometimes thatās a good thing, other times, itās really bad.
Thatās not been my experience. Perhaps it depends on the quality of your input - I typically only work with DVD or blu-ray material so the existing details are good enough not to be degraded. Proteus, for me, consistently produces plasticky output with distracting artefact patterns that need to be cleaned with other software. I also find it does a less thorough job of denoising and compression reversion.
In any case, surely youāre agreeing with me (albeit for different reasons)? If you find Iris to be bad with faces, then Iām surprised youād consider āspecialized enhancement for facesā to be a correct description.
DVD is absolutely not a way of quality ranking. It can vary so much depending of coding starting from MPEG-2, AVC up to VC-1
AVC is a drama and was heavily used by Warner
Also the grain/noise of original source may lead you to rather chose a model than an other.
Grainy noisy movie can be processed correctly with Proteus
Nyx may badly process things that need detail recovering.
Such support is too old, and most of films hosted on DVD were recorded in silver stock, rather digital. Itās all the drama to restore or upscale it to news formats. With digital itās much more easy to cheat bits.
Moreover many realisators want their movies to stay with argentic grain to especillay let them an old school look
āspecialized enhancement for facesā means it will try to generate a clear face where it detects one. That is how Iris was built, and thatās how it works. The extra teeth and such are outliers, but possible on any input.
Proteus takes no special considerations for faces when enhancing. Though the results are wildly different, those are the core differences in those two models.
As for Proteus looking too plasticky, Reduce Noise must always be at 0 or -100 to avoid that.
