Another little note here: My old device had a mode (unfortunately I can’t remember the exact name, let’s just call it “Pure SD-Resolution”) which played files in their natural ratio/size, only going to a max of 1080p, which - funny as it sounds - looked better than the 4K upscale my present device does. So the only way around that is to use a separate player, that can play back the older files in original resolution, since the TV always upscales (which is as I have said fine for everything else, just not the older shows).
So the technical evolution of playback devices may “force” fans to take action in order to keep enjoying their shows because they look worse through enhancements they can’t change manually on the devices themselves.
This certainly has to do with bad deinterlacing… You are right: Especially NTSC-DVDs can be watched best, when you set HDMI to 576i. That may be the mode your player used.
I just looked into the upscaled pilot. Well, I don’t want to be negative, but it’s not for me. And I still think, there is not REALLY much done about new details. Everything Topaz did, seem to me to be also possible with slight sharpenings (if you know how) and simple resizing.
But: This can be the future, and everything new needs pioneers who just do it, become better and better, inspire even better techniques, a. s. o.
Maybe it’s also about youth and age. I watched my first Star Trek episodes in Germany in 1972, so I think I can also wait a few years longer to see something really revolutionary.
But keep on to move forward, where no man has gone before!
I can sympathize with you on many points. My mother was the one who first introduced me to Star Trek (she watched the original series when it aired back around the same time, I grew up with VHS tapes and original effects and still watch those today). And I continued the tradition with doing tv recordings when TNG, DS9 and VOY aired (from kid to teenager in my case) and later went on to collect the first DVDs.
And so it went on and on.
I admit, this is a project I mainly do for myself, since I think even a little improvement is good. And when others like to have these files, I am happy to share, since not everyone can do this work him-/herself.
Also, I am just a beginner and couldn’t hope to compete with you or Joel, but I am content to learn from you guys.
And as you have said: I will continue going forward with this until something better comes along.
(And while we are on the subject of paying homage to the original work, I still own the DVDs and have them as digital backups, my version will just supplement them in case I want to watch or “show off” 😃 )