The experimental new feature uses machine learning to remove blocky compression artifacts and increase the resolution of low-quality video.
Microsoft has introduced Video Super Resolution (VSR), an experimental video upscaling feature for its Edge web browser. By utilizing machine learning, VSR enhances the resolution of low-quality videos and removes blocky compression artifacts, leading to improved text clarity on video platforms like YouTube. Microsoft announced this on the Edge Insiders blog, and the feature is still being tested. Currently, only half of the users running the Canary channel of Edge in Microsoft’s Insider program have access to it.
In order to try Microsoft VSR, there are some conditions to keep in mind. The feature will only function on videos with resolutions of 720p or lower, as long as both the height and width of the video exceed 192 pixels. Additionally, the video cannot have digital rights management (DRM) technology such as PlayReady or Widevine, which would render frames inaccessible to the browser for processing. This could limit the content that can be upscaled using the feature, as popular streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Max use DRM technology for copyright protection.
To run Microsoft VSR, the device must have an Nvidia RTX 20-, 30-, or 40-series graphics card, or an AMD Radeon series GPU from the RX5700 to the RX7800. This requirement also applies to gaming laptops that use discrete versions of the supported GPUs. However, the laptop must be connected to a power source, and users must manually adjust their Windows settings to force Edge to run on the laptop’s discrete GPU. It is unclear if VSR can enhance 720p resolutions to full HD 1080p, as Microsoft has not provided any information on this matter.
Edge users have already had access to video upscaling features prior to this recent release. Microsoft had previously introduced Clarity Boost spatial upscaling for Xbox Cloud Gaming in June of last year, which was specifically developed to enhance the clarity and sharpness of Xbox games streamed on the Edge browser.
Microsoft’s VSR technology is not unique, as other companies like Intel and Nvidia are also developing video upscaling features. For instance, Nvidia has been offering an early version of their own AI upscaling technology, called RTX Super Resolution (RTX VSR), on Shield TV devices since 2019. This technology has been well received, and has since been made available on Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge browsers, although it is currently only compatible with PCs equipped with GeForce RTX 40- and 30-series GPUs. However, Nvidia has disclosed that Super Resolution may cause a slight reduction in performance when used while playing games or running GPU-intensive creative applications. On the other hand, Microsoft has not made any mention of such performance impacts for VSR. We have contacted Microsoft to clarify this and will update this story if we receive any further information.