Astra is a web-based AI video upscaler from Topaz Labs that helps users improve resolution, clarity, and detail online. It includes enhancement modes, scene detection, and output controls for supported video workflows.

Astra

Overview

Astra is a web-based AI video upscaler from Topaz Labs. It is designed to enhance videos by improving resolution, clarity, and detail online.

The interface focuses on a guided upload-and-render workflow with model selection, enhancement modes, scene detection, and output controls. The page also distinguishes between Precise and Creative modes so users can choose between closer fidelity to the source footage and more generative detail changes.

Features

Two enhancement modes

Choose between Precise and Creative enhancement types. Precise mode is described as better for realistic and archival footage, while Creative mode allows more deviation from the original for AI art and CGI work.

Scene-level editing

Use scene detection to unlock scene-level controls for individual parts of a video. The interface warns that scene detection must finish before those controls are available.

Output control

Adjust output resolution, frame interpolation, and HDR/output format from the same workflow. The page notes that HDR and output format work with Starlight and Astra series models.

Web-based upload and render

Upload a video directly in the web app and render from the browser. The page also mentions MP4 support in the web application and points unsupported file types to the desktop app.

Model selection

The interface references model compatibility and includes Starlight Precise 2.5 among the available model labels shown on the page.

Use Cases

  • General video upscaling

    Upload footage that needs a cleaner, higher-resolution result while staying in the browser. The guided workflow fits users who want a straightforward enhancement pass without assembling a manual post-production pipeline.

  • Realistic and archival footage

    Choose Precise mode when the goal is to preserve the look of realistic or archival footage while improving detail. This mode is presented as the better fit when fidelity to the original matters more than adding new visual changes.

  • AI art and CGI enhancement

    Use Creative mode for AI art or CGI content where some deviation from the source is acceptable in exchange for new details. The product positions this mode for footage that can benefit from more interpretive enhancement.

  • Scene-by-scene adjustments

    Run scene detection to unlock scene-level controls and edit individual scenes separately. This is useful when different sections of a video need different treatment instead of a single global pass.

  • Model-dependent output setup

    Apply HDR and output format settings when working with compatible Starlight or Astra series models. The page indicates these controls are model-dependent, so they fit workflows that need a specific output configuration.

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Offers browser-based upload and rendering without requiring a desktop-only workflow for supported files.
  • Provides both Precise and Creative modes, giving users control over fidelity versus added detail.
  • Includes scene detection and scene-level controls for more granular edits.
  • Supports output controls such as resolution, frame interpolation, HDR, and output format.
  • Clearly distinguishes model compatibility for HDR and output format settings.

Cons

  • The collected pricing page returned a 404, so exact plan prices are not available from the source evidence.
  • Unsupported file types are not accepted in the web application, and the page directs some users to the Topaz Video Desktop application instead.
  • Scene-level controls require scene detection to complete before they can be edited.

FAQ

What is Astra used for?

Astra is a web-based AI video upscaler from Topaz Labs. You upload a video, choose an enhancement model and mode, and render the result online.

What file types does Astra support?

The rendered page shows upload support in the web app for MP4 files. It also notes that unsupported file types may be handled in the Topaz Video Desktop application instead.

Can I adjust how closely the output follows the original video?

Astra offers enhancement types including Precise mode and Creative mode, and it supports scene detection with scene-level controls once detection is complete.

Is there a free trial?

The pricing flow says the free trial includes 50 credits, enough to render up to 100 seconds of video, lasts 7 days, requires a payment method, and auto-renews into the selected subscription unless canceled before the trial ends.

Is pricing publicly listed?

The source shows a pricing flow with monthly and yearly options, but the actual pricing page itself returned a 404 in the collected evidence, so exact plan prices are not available here.

Quick Facts

Category
AI video upscaler
Brand
Topaz Labs
Platform
Web app
Primary workflow
Upload video, choose model and mode, render online
Supported file note
Web app mentions MP4 support and unsupported file handling via desktop app
Pricing
Monthly and yearly plans are referenced, but exact prices were not available in the collected source