How to Improve Video Quality with VLC

There is no need for costly software or challenging learning curves to improve the quality of your video playback. You may revitalize your favorite movies and clips with a variety of easy yet powerful improvements, ranging from output module modifications to NVIDIA integrations, thanks to the VLC upscaling tools incorporated within the popular VLC media player. This tutorial will take you step-by-step through the process of using VLC's upscaling option to improve video quality, regardless of whether you're a casual viewer seeking crisper images or a power user seeking exact control over color and rendering.

Part 1. Can I Improve Video Quality with VLC?

Yes, you can use the built-in capabilities of VLC Media Player to enhance the quality of your videos. With VLC, you may add video filters like denoising or edge enhancement and change the contrast, brightness, saturation, and sharpness. These adjustments can improve playback quality, particularly for videos with low resolution or dim lighting. These modifications, however, are only transitory and do not alter the file permanently. It is advised to use specialized video editing or enhancement software for complex or sustained video quality improvements.

Part 2. How to Upscale Video Using VLC?

VLC provides a number of manual techniques to improve the quality of video playback. You can still adjust some settings to make videos appear crisper and clearer, even though it doesn't support true AI upscaling. Here are four effective ways to upscale videos using VLC.

Method 1: Change Color Range

Contrast and detail perception can be significantly impacted by changing the color range of your display. For high-definition content, the transition from a limited to a complete dynamic range makes highlights sparkle and gloomy areas richer. To apply full-range color settings and reveal hidden features in each frame of your VLC upscale video playing, follow these steps if you have an NVIDIA GPU:

Step 1. Use the Windows search bar to launch the NVIDIA Control Panel. Then, select Video from the Advanced Settings menu.

Step 2. Click Advanced after selecting Adjust video color settings and selecting With the Nvidia settings.

Step 3. Modify the dynamic range from limited (16–235) to full (0–255). To use the improved color range, restart the VLC media player.

Method 2. Adjust VLC Settings: Output Modules

The output modules of VLC control the processing and display of video frames. You can achieve richer tones and finer edges by choosing the best module that allows you to manage color rendering and chroma conversion. For people who wish to maximize detail without using extra plugins, this approach is perfect. The comprehensive instructions for configuring your VLC upscale video output for better DirectX playback are provided below.

VLC may employ Windows graphics acceleration to render videos more smoothly thanks to the DirectX (DirectDraw) rendering module. It improves color output and motion stability, especially on Windows PCs.

Step 1. Please click Tools and see Preferences after starting VLC. From there, please change Simple to All under Show Settings.

Step 2. Click on Video, then choose Output Modules.

Step 3. For video output, select DirectX (DirectDraw) and deselect Use hardware YUV→RGB conversions. Now, play your DVD or video after clicking Save and restarting VLC.

Method 3. Adjust VLC Settings: Filters

You can manually modify image characteristics like sharpness, saturation, and contrast to your preference with VLC's built-in filtering features. You can adjust the playback images to your display's capabilities and the lighting in your environment by using these filters. When you need fast, personalized adjustments without the use of third-party software, this method works well:

Step 1. Go to Tools to see Effects and Filters after opening a movie in VLC.

Step 2. Choose the tab for Video Effects. Use the Color Threshold filter under Essential.

Step 3. Adjust the sliders for Hue, Brightness, Contrast, Saturation, and Sharpen until the image appears clear. Please click Save, then Close, and resume playback to see the effects.

Method 4. Enable NVIDIA’s RTX Video Super Resolution in VLC

With the use of AI algorithms, NVIDIA's RTX Video Super Resolution (VSR) upscales videos in real time, producing visuals with greater clarity and detail. By turning on this VLC upscaling option, you can take advantage of near-AI quality enhancements without ever leaving the video player. Use these steps to activate VSR and adjust its power for VLC AI upscaling:

Step 1. Select Video and see Advanced Settings from the NVIDIA Control Panel.

Step 2. Locate RTX video enhancement and click Adjust video image settings.

Step 3. Verify the super resolution before selecting an upscaling level. Level 4 offers the most detail but uses more GPU power.

Step 4. To see AI-driven upscaling, click Save and restart VLC.

Part 3. Limitations of VLC for Upscaling and Best Alternative

Although VLC's upscale tools are free and practical, they have drawbacks that can turn off customers looking for enhancements of a professional caliber. You can choose the best tool for your needs and control expectations by being aware of both sides. The primary benefits and disadvantages of using VLC video upscaling are outlined in the list that follows.

Limitations of the VLC Upscaler Feature

VLC is excellent for making simple playback adjustments, but it is not very good for actually improving videos. It only provides basic modifications like brightness, color, and sharpness; it lacks advanced AI-driven upscaling techniques. The user must manually configure everything; there is neither content-aware optimization nor detail reconstruction. VLC is therefore not appropriate for those looking for sophisticated or automated video enhancement because low-resolution films cannot be converted into high-quality HD or 4K material.

For users who desire real, high-quality video enhancement, VLC isn't the best option due to these drawbacks; in this case, it makes more sense to use a more sophisticated alternative like VidHex. Please check it out below:

Best Alternative to VLC Upscaler

VidHex is a game-changer for actual, long-lasting video quality improvement. Videos are upscaled, noise is reduced, details are sharpened, and even faces in fuzzy film are restored using AI algorithms. With a few clicks, VidHex transforms your videos into sharp, polished videos, regardless of whether you're working with low-resolution files or ancient clips.

Key Features

• AI Upscaling: Transform low-resolution videos into HD, 2K, or 4K resolutions.

• Noise Reduction: Automatically smooth out pixelated or grainy videos.

• Face Enhancement: Use AI to precisely restore and sharpen facial features.

• One-Click Processing: Simply upload and improve; no manual settings are required.

• Batch Processing: Enhance several videos simultaneously with quick rendering.

Part 4. FAQs about VLC Video Upscaling

Does VLC enhance video quality with time?

No, VLC's enhancements only take effect while the video is playing. When you close the player, the original quality is retained because it doesn't save or export those changes to the video file itself.

Is VLC a suitable choice for improving videos?

Although it lacks AI, automation, and export features, it's a good free tool for small visual adjustments. Professional software like VidHex is much more effective for significant improvement, particularly on low-resolution videos.

Can I export VLC videos that have been upscaled?

No. The improvements made by VLC are only used when the video is playing. The visual edits won't be included in the saved file, even if you record or stream using VLC. You will want a specialized video enhancing tool to achieve long-lasting results.

Is VLC suitable for novices who want to improve videos?

Because the majority of the improvement settings are concealed under advanced menus, VLC's UI might be challenging for novices. It works well for tech-savvy individuals who understand video jargon. One-click improvement with superior results is possible with simpler tools like VidHex.

Conclusion

A simple and free method of improving video playback with output modules, color correction, filters, and NVIDIA integrations is VLC upscaling. Although these techniques aid in improving and enhancing the viewing experience, they are not as effective as specialized AI upscalers at producing truly high-resolution content. Use a tool like VidHex to enhance your VLC adjustments and enable full AI-powered upscaling up to 8K for results that are professional or enthusiast-grade.