[Full Guide] What is Sony 4K UHD Upscale? And How to Use It?

Do you own a Sony 4K UHD television, but only to find that much of your precious video playback, like old movies, family DV recordings, or even high-definition streaming media, doesn’t make good use of its potential when played on this screen? Sony TV offers excellent built-in upscaling technology designed to convert non-4K content to a clear 4K display. But how’s its performance? Is it worth a trial?

This article will comprehensively explore the Sony 4K UHD Upscale with its performance and limitations. Additionally, we will introduce you to a revolutionary video upscaling solution - AI video upscaling. Continue to read more.

Part 1. What is Sony 4K UHD Upscale

Sony, as the global industry leader in display technology, has adopted the advanced picture processing engine in its 4K UHD televisions. For example, the popular Bravia series. You can find that some famous technologies, like X-Reality PRO and XR 4K Upscaling, are applied to its newer models. These technologies use sophisticated algorithms to analyze and process incoming non-4K content, such as 1080P, 720P, or even standard definition video, in real-time. Its primary goal is to intelligently fill in the missing pixels, making the image appear as sharp as possible on the TV’s 4K panel.

How Sony 4K UHD Upscale Works

As for Sony’s integrated upscaling. It relies heavily on interpolation algorithms and database matching, especially in some advanced systems. This upscaling analyzes the color and luminance information of neighboring pixels, as well as predicting and generating intermediate pixels to enlarge the lower-resolution picture to 4K.

And for High-end Sony processors, they mainly utilize vast, pre-programmed image databases. During upscaling, the television can intelligently identify object edges, textures, and other fine details by matching patterns from the video that is playing to these databases. This more intelligent upscaling can help create a more natural 4K image than simple pixel stretching.

Part 2. Sony 4K UHD Upscale’s Performance Review

Let’s take Sony BDP-S6700 as an example, this program has been designed with 4K UHD Upscale technology to enhance the quality of your video signals. This feature can upscale your video quality up to 4K and output the result via HDMI OUT jacks on your receiver. The whole operation is mostly automatic, but you need to send a signal to the TV correctly.

Step 1. This feature only works on non-4K content. So make sure your incoming video is below 4K resolution, not from 4K streaming apps like Netflix, or not in PlayStation 5/Xbox Series X with a 4K game.

Step 2. Use the right HDMI ports and cables. For external devices like a cable box, gaming console, or Blu-ray player, remember to use the HDMI inputs on your TV. To acquire the best signal quality, use High-Speed HDMI cables (often named as Premium High Speed or Ultra High Speed).

Step 3. The most important step is to set your external device to output its native resolution. For example, if you have a 1080P Blu-ray player, go to its video settings and set the output resolution to 1080p or Auto. This will send the pure 1080P signal to your Sony TV and command the TV’s processor to handle the upscaling to 4K.

Note: Do not set the device to output 4K, which will make the cheaper processor do the upscaling, and your Sony TV’s superior processor will be bypassed.

Besides, for streaming (like Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, etc.), the easiest way is to use the apps built directly into your Sony TV. These apps automatically play content at the best available resolution, and the TV’s processor seamlessly upscales lower-resolution content without your setting.

Part 3. Best Sony 4K UHD Upscale Alternative – VidHex.AI

Unlike conventional interpolation, AI upscaling tools adopt the power of sophisticated deep learning neural networks. These programs have been trained on vast datasets comprising millions of low-resolution and corresponding high-resolution video pairs. Their upscaling is good at restoring intricate patterns, natural textures, and the fundamental structures of objects within images. With this said, VidHex Video Upscaler is one of them for efficient and fast upscaling.

• Transform standard-definition or low-resolution footage into breathtaking clarity with advanced 4K/8K enhancement capabilities.

• User-friendly interface for both beginners and professionals to finish upscaling with just a few clicks.

• Identify and eliminate unwanted visual noise and imperfections without sacrificing crucial details.

• Offer cloud acceleration to finish upscaling offline.

Step 1. Hit the following button to download VidHex on your computer. Follow the instructions to complete the installation.

Step 2. Open VidHex and head to the top to click the Click or drag & drop file(s) here area. This will open a folder to import your low-resolution footage.

Step 3. FIn the new window, you can see that there is an AI model list on the right. Choose one based on your video types, like enhancing face video, colorizing B&W video, correcting low-light video, etc. Then, move to the bottom right corner to click the Output Resolution tab. Here you can customize your upscaling target with 100%, 200%, 400%, 720P, 1080P, 4K, or even customized 8K.

Step 4. Under the picture window, there is a Preview button to compare the original and the upscaled. If satisfied, hit the Export Full Video button to receive your upscaled result.

Conclusion

Sony 4K UHD Upscale is a feasible and powerful upscaling choice when you play your video on TV. Yet, its upscaling is not actually added to your video. For permanent upscaling on your video file, an AI tool like VidHex Video Enhancer is more efficient and convenient to upscale your footage to any customized pixel. Don’t hesitate, download one and experience it on your own.