Summary: The article offers an overview of the top 10 best video interpolation tools available in 2024, which can convert videos to 60 fps by leveraging AI algorithms. It discusses the benefits and drawbacks of using these tools, as well as their key features and pricing.
Are you still watching 16 fps, 24 fps, and 30 fps videos and want to learn how to get higher fps? This article will help you convert videos to 60 fps with AI frame interpolation technology.
AI Frame Interpolation is a unique and powerful method to upscale frames in any video without worrying about image ghosting, stutter, and distortion. Many tools and platforms use this technology as it is proven to be much more reliable than the conventional methods. Thanks to artificial intelligence, these tools easily analyze the background, foreground, and other elements in the video to naturally upscale it without any visible artifacts at all.
Today we will explore AI Frame Interpolation VS Conventional Frame Interpolation as well as the 5 best AI interpolation tools available now.
AI Frame Interpolation VS Conventional Frame Interpolation
How Does AI Frame Interpolation Work?
AI video Interpolation uses machine learning models and precisely understands the video's motion to add pixels accordingly. With the help of AI, these models can smartly distinguish between background and foreground elements which helps in a logical reconstruction of the video. A realistic reconstruction of the video is achieved by giving the tool up to ten neighboring frames immediately surrounding the Interpolated frame instead of just two. Using these images, it can predict what the missing elements look like and fill it in when it becomes visible. This process helps to tackle many problems like image ghosting, distortion, and stutter.
What is Frame Averaging?
Frame Averaging is the most basic Interpolation method and works by overlaying two neighbouring frames on top of each other. This technique may be easy to implement but not worth it to use on every footage. If a video has either too much or too less motion, the results will look unnatural. Slightly blurry Interpolated frames are formed when frame averaging is used on videos without much motion. On the other hand, videos with more motion will suffer from ghost frames, artefacts, and blurriness. This conventional method is perhaps not the most useful when your target is to create smooth footage.
What is Motion Estimation?
Motion Estimation is a sophisticated frame Interpolation method that works by breaking up the frame into a collection of blocks and estimating their movement between frames. This algorithm generally uses dynamically sized blocks that change depending on the difference between two frames, rather than smaller and fewer blocks. Using fewer blocks might speed up the process but can distort detailed movements. A velocity vector is calculated for each block after dividing a frame. The velocity represents the movement of a block between two frames and thus, the frames in between can be constructed by distorting the image, so the cells move to their next location.
Is AI Interpolation better than Conventional Frame Interpolation?
AI Interpolation is better than conventional methods like frame averaging and motion estimation. You must put in very little effort in AI Interpolation and at the same time, you can get the best results using this technique. Frame averaging is also a simple overlaying method, but it cannot produce good results, especially in videos with no motion or too much motion. Motion estimation is a sophisticated method, but it does produce decent results. However, it requires a lot of human effort, and it still lags when it comes to dealing with complex movements in a video. Therefore, AI Interpolation is the best possible way to smartly enhance your videos.
Top 5 AI Frame Interpolation Tools for 60 FPS Videos
Tool Name | Processing Speed | Output Quality | Free/Paid | Support File Format | Suitable For |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Smoother AI | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | Freemium | MP4, MOV, AVI | Professional filmmakers and video editors who want to create high-quality interpolated slow-motion videos |
Runway | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★✩ | Paid | MOV, MP4, M4V, AVI | Professionals and hobbyists looking for a high-quality video interpolation tool with advanced machine learning capabilities |
Flowframes | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | Free | Image Sequences | Casual users or amateur video editors who want to enhance their videos with smooth slow-motion effects |
SVP Team | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | Paid | AVI, MP4, MKV, WMV | Advanced users who need fine control over video frame rate and motion |
AnimeInterp | ★★★★☆ | ★★★✩☆ | Free | MP4 | Anime fans and creators who want to improve the visual quality of their animations |
1. Smoother AI
Price: $44.99/mo, 89.99/year
Compatibility: Winodws 11/10/8.1/8/7
Smoother AI has a powerful AI Interpolation Engine that allows you to increase video frame rate up to 60 fps automatically.The invention of this AI interpolation software marks the transition of such technology from mere research into real applications.
Developed by DVDFab, a leading multimedia solution provider, Smoother AI uses advanced deep learning algorithms and interpolation techniques for movies, TV Shows, animation videos, home videos, and more.
Pros: | Cons: |
Pioneer in the application of AI Interpolation | Above-average pricing |
Convert videos to 60 FPS with AI | The interface looks quite outdated |
Fast performance based on latest GPU acceleration technologies despite the hassle of download and installation |
Rating: 10/10
2. Runway
Price: Free; Paid ($12/mo for Standard, $28/mo for Pro)
Compatibility: Online
Runway offers a powerful video interpolation tool that uses machine learning to create smooth and natural-looking slow-motion videos.
What sets Runway apart from other frame interpolation tools is its ability to intelligently analyze the motion in each frame and generate new, interpolated frames that seamlessly blend with the original footage. With Runway, users can simply upload their video files and let the tool handle the rest.
Runway's video interpolation capabilities are particularly useful for content creators who want to enhance the visual quality of their videos, especially in scenes with fast-moving objects. Besides, Runway offers a bunch of AI Magic tools like Gen-1 video to video, image to image, text to image and so on.
Pros: | Cons: |
Accurate motion analysis for natural results | Limited free version with watermarked output |
User-friendly interface for easy navigation | Requires a powerful computer for optimal performance |
Ability to handle high-resolution videos |
Rating: 9/10
3. Flowframes
Price: Free & Paid
Compatibility: Winodws
FlowFrames is a powerful AI tool for Windows that uses advanced AI frameworks to interpolate videos. It preserves the necessary details like audio components and subtitles in the footage without compromising on quality and increases the frame rate in the most natural looking way possible.
The tool is focused on RIFE AI but also supports DAIN and FLAVR. It supports video formats like MP4, GIF, WEBM, MKV, MOV, BIK, etc, and can also take image sequences as PNG, JPEG, and more. The common advanced video codecs such as H265/HEVC, VP9, AV1 are available for export as these are highly used formats for uploading content on social media.
For 2D animation, it has a Built-in Frame De-Duplication and speed compensation feature which works flawlessly.
There is a patreon exclusive version of FlowFrames which includes a few more features with speed improvements.
Pros: | Cons: |
Includes components to interpolate both 2D animations and real-time footage | Requires patreon exclusive version for more features |
Supports maximum video formats and advanced codecs | |
Preserves important detail like audio and subtitles |
Rating: 8/10
4. SVP Team
Price: Free
Compatibility: Winodws
SmoothVideoProject (SVP) is a frame interpolation software that can upscale any video up to 60 FPS and even higher. It uses frame interpolation technique as seen in high-end TVs which increases the frame rate by generating intermediate frames between the existing ones to produce a very smooth and clear motion.
What's even better is that you don't have to play videos in this app separately, you can enjoy watching in your favourite video player and let SVP perform in real-time in the background.
With this revolutionary application, you can convert animations, photo sequences, and video footage to 60/120/144+ FPS without any visible artefacts or distortions.
It also supports GPU acceleration with NVIDIA optical flow support and runs in most video players including VLC. HDR, VR, and BD3D is also supported in some players which makes it feel like a complete bundle for quality streaming.
Pros: | Cons: |
Increase frame rate to 60/120/144+ FPS | Requires few additional downloads as extensions |
No visible artefacts and distortions | |
Supports maximum video players along with HDR, VR, and BD3D |
Rating: 7/10
5. AnimeInterp
Price: Free
Compatibility: Winodws
AnimeInterp is a dedicated tool to create and enhance animated content. It was built to tackle the problems faced in interpolating cartoons like the lines and smooth colours of the characters and environment and exaggerated expressions with non-linear and large movements.
AnimeInterp works on two dedicated modules to tackle these problems. First, segment-guided matching that uses global matching among color pieces to tackle the problem of lack of textures and analyzing smooth colours. Second, recurrent flow refinement that resolves the problem of non-linear and extremely large motion by recurrent predictions using a transformer type architecture.
This approach outperforms the existing Interpolation methods for animations and makes the work much easier while preserving or even upscaling the quality of your projects.
Pros: | Cons: |
Dedicated to creating and enhance animations | A project under development and subject to change |
Segment-guided matching to tackle lack of textures | Quite complicated for a normal individual |
Recurrent flow refinement for non-linear and extremely large motions |
Rating: 7/10
AI Interpolation Examples
Gaming
The power of AI Interpolation is most felt while associating it with games because we are constantly focused on it, and we control most of the movement. Everyone desires to play their favourite games on a high-end PC which delivers smooth gameplay. But it's only possible when you get a good frame rate out of it. AI has the power to upscale the frame rate without requiring a high-performance computer. It can work quite well in a mid-range PC and enhance your overall gaming experience by ten times. You can check out a side-by-side comparison of a few fragments from the game Akira by clicking on this link.
Animation
If you ever watch an animation at 60 FPS or more, then you'll never want to go back to the conventional 24 FPS. Animations in 60FPS look a lot more natural and aesthetic. The smooth motion makes much more sense as it makes a lot of difference for the viewer. Most animations have non-linear motion which is quite difficult to interpolate. But now, since there are a few tools which work exceptionally well for such videos, watching cartoons will become a completely different experience in no time. You won't be able to unsee the differences in motion after going through the link below which contains a side-by-side comparison of a few animations in different frame rates.
Old films
Reviving old films and broadcasting them on several OTT platforms has become a trend. This was possible through many AI based tools including AI Frame Interpolation. With the help of these tools, old films and documentaries are being colorized and upscaled in 60 FPS. Consumers find it hard to believe as the films seem like they were shot yesterday. Netflix is one of the first platforms to adopt this technology and use old footage to create documentaries like World War 2 (In Colour). The link below contains footage from 21 old films from 1895 to 1902 which were colorized and upscaled in 60 fps.
Also read: Top 15 AI Video Editing Tools Review
Conclusion
AI Interpolation is one of the most advanced tools for upscaling and enhancing videos and animations. It will completely dominate the video editing and enhancing world in no time as it is seamless and requires very little human effort. With its help, low quality content will eventually vanish from the internet and a high standard of video quality will be maintained forever regardless of the camera gear used to cover it. It seems too good to be true, but it is the future and the present. However, several advancements in this technology and its availability can result in the loss of employment on a large scale. Also read: Top 10 AI Translation Tools Review
FAQs
1. What is 60 fps?
A 60Hz screen can refresh its image 60 times per second, therefore, its refresh rate becomes 60 frames per second. Similarly, a video with a higher refresh rate would require a screen with a higher frequency to enjoy watching it in its true sense. A higher FPS results in better quality and smooth flow of the video.
2. How to get 60 fps videos?
You can shoot a 60 FPS video with a smartphone camera as most of them have this feature. Otherwise, you can take any video of your choice and convert it into 60 FPS using any of the AI Interpolation tools mentioned above. Other methods like motion estimation can also increase the frame rate of your footage.
3. What is frame interpolation?
Frame Interpolation is a form of video processing in which Intermediate frames are generated between existing frames to make the flow more fluid and to avoid display motion blur, distortion, and fake slow motion effects. It helps to increase the frame rate and overall quality of any video or animation to make it appear even better than original.
4. Is 60 fps better than 24 fps?
60 FPS is used to capture quick movements and to create a smooth slow-motion footage. 24 FPS is the standard speed for cinematic viewing worldwide. However, it's always better to shoot at higher frame rates like 60 FPS as it can easily capture all kinds of motion and the footage can be processed in 24 FPS later, as per your needs.