It’s always good to downscale BEFORE you use the SLM.
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I don’t bother if I am already using media that is at 640 x 480 or 720 x 480.
SLM is going to upscale it to the default.
Am I mistaken thinking this?
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Exactly. That’s how I use it. 
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I tried the Proteus/focus fix steps prior to comitting to doing the whole program with SLM. I also did samples of SLM at 2X before 3X. 3X was better - noticeably, but not significantly. Since we have the luxury of time - it has to be done before October - I just said “3X it shall be, even if it takes nearly 2 full days for each 5-minute segment.”
Segment 6 of 11 will be done tomorrow at about this time. I may interrupt the process and see what Proteus and focus fix have to offer on one of the segments.
I’ll privately share links to some of the testing, if you’re interested.
That’s all well and good but I still can’t grasp how anyone is getting good quality using 3x with these old beat up videos. Every time I try it, they come out looking horrible. When I leave it up to the default, they come out very nice.
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I am almost to the point of NOT using any other model BEFORE SLM.
Downscale if needed….then SLM….then Proteus sharpen…..done!
I have experimented a ton using the other models before SLM….The best seemed Iris.
One in a while I get a tiny bit of improvement…..but most times the results are much worse…..and I have just wasted that looooong SLM render.
This is on older media….VHS VHS-C and DVDs
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Same here.I was into Iris a lot when I first bought the software, then I started noticing that Iris was just making plastic characters of everyone. 
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But this isn’t old, beat-up video. I don’t know what cameras were used when it was shot in 2019, but I’d guess that they may have been lower tier (or maybe just a little older…) prosumer-grade. It was shot by volunteer amateurs with varying degrees of experience and expertise that resulted in some soft focus and headroom issues.
The finished product was supplied to me as 1280x720 AVI.
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I see. I think our wires were a little crossed. I thought the videos were pretty horrible.
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Thank you for weighing-in, johnrr6. I’ve also read several of your posts with interest, because my projected ‘typical’ use will be with older, poor-quality, low-res material similar to what you’re using.
I’m sure hoping that your prediction turns out to be accurate!
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LOL, nope, not mine.
Remember one of Murphy’s corollaries: ‘When trying to make something perfectly clear, someone will be confused’…
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As some other people had mentioned and I agree… SLM does best with terrible video for some odd reason. 
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To be clear, you choose proteus auto, keep all settings at 0 except sharpen? For Sharpen, use anything from 20-50? I still haven’t tested this method out yet.
Also, focus fix normal doesn’t cause the video to lose quality?
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Hello. Which card is faster? 4080 or 5070ti .
Based on a quick search of the benchmark forum for 7.x 5070ti is faster by a small margin.
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First Murphy’s Law of being a soldier….
Friendly fire……..isn’t
That one is true….trust me.
Making things clear to others is a mysterious art form….at least for me.
I have both…the 5070 ti is slightly faster…but you will not notice a difference SLM…..or even games for that matter.
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Correct in your thoughts….and all focus fix does is downscale the video first…then run a pass…then puts it back to normal and run a second pass.
And it’s really fast.
It absolutely does not cause the video to lose quality in my experience.
@Tommy chime in if I am incorrect.
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thank you very much
Thanks, I’ll keep it in mind
