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Introduction
Pixelfusion is a new technology that enhances digital video,
and has taken over 5 years to develop to its current standard. From the start,
it was designed so that it could be implemented in software and run in realtime
on a home PC, but we also made sure that quality was a high priority.
We noticed that most downloaded or streamed video tend to look 'blurry' due to
a reduction in the resolution of the video in order to reduce download time.
When viewed, it is usually stretched, or resampled, to a higher resolution. This process is what causes
the video to become blurry. Video could be viewed
at the original resolution, but it tends to be very small, making it difficult
to watch.
The key is in the algorithm which enlarges the video to a reasonable viewing
size. Usually, a standard bilinear or bicubic algorithm is performed, which
work by interpolating the existing pixels in an image to create more pixels.
Because they only perform a simple mathematical interpolation which reproduces
smooth transitions from one pixel to another, they will always cause an image
to appear more blurry.
Pixelfusion is different, in that it attempts to
more accurately predict the pixels that existed in the original high
resolution source, to create a much
crisper and perceptually clearer image.
We have incorporated the technology into a wmp plugin for Windows Media Player,
which is available for free via the download link at the bottom of this page.
The technology has also been implemented in the
Neuview
media player, with more options than the WMP plugin including a Pixelfusion ULTRA-MODE for even better quality media playback.
Features of the plugin -
- Pixelfusion resolution enhancement at Medium quality (150% x 150%)
- Auto lighting option, to allow automatic adjustment of
brightness and contrast according to how dark or bright a scene is.
- Ability to manually enable/disable Pixelfusion, or let
the plugin automically decide depending on the CPU speed and video resolution.
- Fully optimized code, utilizing MMX and SSE2 instruction sets
where available.
Release notes
6 April 2005 - First release of free WMP plugin version 1.20,
based on Pixelfusion technology v1.2
- Plugin tested and currently works with DivX, XviD, MPEG-4, WMV and MPEG-1, some
compression formats are currently not fully supported.
- RGB colour formats are currently not supported, due to an apparent incompatibility
in WMP to allow resizing of RGB video.
25 April 2005 - Version 1.21 released.
- Compatibility improved for some MPEG-4 resolutions, and processing now works
correctly when using the MainConcept MPEG-2 decoder.
3 July 2005 - Version 1.30 released.
- Updated to reflect new version of Pixelfusion technology v1.3. Processing is more
precise and faster, giving an even clearer and sharper image.
15 December 2005 - Version 1.40 released.
- Bug fix - Sharpness slider was ignored when processing in YV12 mode, which resulted in a non-sharpened image.
21 February 2006 - Version 1.50 released.
- Updated to reflect new version of Pixelfusion technology v1.5. Updated pixelfusion lighting and sharpness algorithm, to better complement 200-300 kbs streaming video
content
14 August 2008 - Version 1.60 released.
- Added support for Stream+ Technology, less digital artifacts with streaming video.
- Minimum spec machine : 1.0Ghz CPU, 128Mb RAM, 16Mb Graphics Card, Windows Media Player 7.0
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Recommended spec machine : 2Ghz CPU, 256Mb RAM, 32Mb Graphics Card, Windows Media Player 10
Download here
Watch the image change to see the difference with Stream+

Stream+ Included with Pixelfusion V 1.60
Plugin properties
Edge crispness - Allows adjustment of output sharpness to suit personal taste.
Pixelfusion - Manually enable/disable Pixelfusion resolution enhancement, or
automatically depending on source resolution and CPU speed.
Enable Automatic lighting control - Allow auto contrast/brightness and anti-glare
filter, to increase dynamic range and visibility of details in dark/bright areas.
Bypass on High Definition Video - Bypass all processing on HD video, only uncheck with modern PCs.
Download free WMP Pixelfusion 1.60 plugin
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