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What technical process is used to upscale old movies and TV shows from low resolution to high definition?
Old movies and TV shows shot on film can be converted to high-definition (HD) or 4K digital video, as 35mm film can be considered around 20 megapixels or greater in resolution.
Even 8mm film, used for low-budget TV shows and movies, has a relatively high resolution, making it possible to scan and convert into HD or 4K digital video.
The process of converting old movies and TV shows to HD involves scanning the original film reels and digitizing them at a high resolution, resulting in a restored digital version of the film that is much closer to the original print.
Some TV shows, such as "Star Trek," "Dallas," and "M*A*S*H," were all shot on film, making it possible to convert them to HD or even HDR (high dynamic range) if the original film reels are available.
Shows that were originally recorded on video tape can also be remastered to improve their resolution, but the quality may not be as high as those shot on film.
Major motion pictures were shot on 35mm film, which has a resolution comparable to something over 4K, making it possible to scan and convert to HD or 4K digital video.
TV shows shot on film before the 1980s can be converted to HD, but those shot on video tape may not be convertible to HD due to the lower quality of the original recording.
The restoration process typically involves scanning the original film reels at a high resolution, which can take days or even weeks for a single movie, depending on the resolution and quality desired.
When remastering old TV shows, the original high-film quality is scanned and converted into HD, whereas newer old shows captured in TV quality technology cannot be remastered to HD due to the lower original resolution.
The original film reels are the key to restoring old movies and TV shows to HD or 4K, making archiving and preserving these reels crucial for future generations.
4K makes old films look better than they did in the cinema, providing a much better experience than when the film was first released into cinemas.
Some TV shows and movies may not be able to be converted to HD or 4K due to the original recording medium, such as early digital cameras, which will always be stuck at whatever resolution they were originally recorded in.
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