For those unfamiliar: A “sprite” can be a magical creature, a tiny person, a two-dimensional image in computer graphics, an electrical discharge above thunderstorms, or a lime-flavored soft drink. Jon Frydensbjerg usually means option 3, but encompasses all five in his work. "Real-time" means computers process video streams without significant delay.
Jon Frydensbjerg, the mind behind Pixop, didn’t initially aim to transform video. In the early 90s, he was captivated by making pixels move on his Amiga. Immersed in the "demo scene," Jon fell in love with graphics programming, driven by the excitement of creating visuals from code. His passion for visual aesthetics has remained constant.
For thirty years after playing with sprites, Jon continues working to improve pixel appearance, now on a grand scale using cloud-based AI. As the technical force behind Pixop, Jon’s dedication to visual quality empowers broadcasters to deliver clearer and sharper video with no new equipment.
Before digital video, broadcasters improved quality by removing noise and tweaking colors. The shift to digital brought tools like deinterlacing and upscaling, but these had limitations. With faster GPUs and accessible deep learning, neural networks could learn from high-quality and degraded footage. Jon's team developed AI filters to enhance live and archived video, upscaling HD to UHD and converting SDR to HDR in real time.
Jon says "It’s like a spa treatment for your video." A live video feed is processed through Pixop software, addressing issues like motion blur and washed-out colors. AI models are applied, and the improved video is ready in seconds. These filters are customizable, allowing for adaptive models that cater to different content types.
While devices are becoming smarter, they often use universal solutions. Pixop's models are trained on diverse footage, handling challenging scenarios before the content reaches the screen. Jon emphasizes the sustainability aspect: "We’re doing more with less… You’re using a lot less energy, and a lot less resources."
Pixop aims to help broadcasters meet growing viewer demands without costly upgrades, maintaining high quality, low cost, and simplicity. As Jon aims to make the future of video more visually appealing and affordable. Read More:Jon’s LinkedIn page.