Crystal Video Upscaler User Guide: Master Scale Factors & Source Quality

Video Upscaling Without Text Prompts

Most video upscaling tools treat prompts as the primary control mechanism. Crystal Video Upscaler operates differently: it respects the integrity of your source material while enhancing resolution through temporal analysis. This precision-focused approach means your work shifts away from crafting text descriptions toward preparing optimal source material.

Traditional generative upscalers often hallucinate details, adding textures and elements that never existed in your original footage. Crystal Video Upscaler instead analyzes frame-to-frame relationships to enhance what exists without fabricating new content.¹ For professionals working with footage where authenticity matters, whether archival restoration, documentary work, or broadcast applications, this fidelity-first philosophy produces fundamentally different results than creative upscaling approaches.

API Structure and Parameters

Crystal Video Upscaler accepts your source video URL as the primary required input, with additional settings available for customization. There is no prompt field, no style guidance, no creative direction mechanism.

The basic API call requires only the video URL:

const result = await fal.subscribe("clarityai/crystal-video-upscaler", {
  input: { video_url: "https://your-storage.com/source.mp4" },
});

The absence of prompt engineering does not mean the absence of optimization opportunity. Your control points shift upstream to source preparation and downstream to understanding how the tool processes your footage. The model handles temporal coherence automatically, freeing you to focus on input quality.

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Pricing and Cost Calculation

Crystal Video Upscaler uses output-based pricing at $0.10 per megapixel per second, with multipliers based on frame rate:

Frame Rate	Multiplier
Up to 30 FPS	1x
Up to 60 FPS	2x
Up to 90 FPS	3x

For a practical example: upscaling to 2440x1440 resolution (3.5 megapixels) at 30 FPS for 4 seconds costs approximately $1.40. This output-based model means cost scales with your target resolution and duration rather than source complexity.

When planning batch processing or production workflows, calculate costs before submission:

Determine target output resolution in megapixels (width x height / 1,000,000)
Multiply by video duration in seconds
Apply FPS multiplier
Multiply by $0.10

Source Material as Your Real Control Point

Video super-resolution research consistently demonstrates that input quality determines output ceiling. A 2022 study on temporal consistency in video super-resolution found that source characteristics including compression level, frame rate, and motion complexity significantly impact reconstruction accuracy.² This finding has direct implications for how you prepare footage.

Compression and Bitrate Heavily compressed source videos contain blocking artifacts, banding, and detail loss that upscaling magnifies rather than corrects. Work from the highest quality intermediate format available. ProRes, DNxHD, or minimally compressed H.264 at high bitrates (50+ Mbps for 1080p) provide substantially better starting points than typical web-compressed footage.

Frame Rate Considerations Crystal Video Upscaler leverages temporal information across frames. Higher frame rates provide more data points for the algorithm to analyze. Content at 24fps produces excellent results for cinematic applications, but footage captured at inconsistent or very low frame rates may yield diminished enhancement quality. Note that higher frame rates also increase cost through the FPS multiplier.

Motion Characteristics Moderate motion content benefits most from temporal analysis. Fast-paced sequences with significant frame-to-frame changes still upscale effectively, but extremely rapid cuts or strobing effects may challenge consistency algorithms.

Exposure and Dynamic Range Well-exposed footage with preserved highlight and shadow detail upscales dramatically better than clipped or underexposed material. If working with log-encoded footage, consider applying a basic grade before upscaling rather than after.

Content-Specific Optimization

Different source material types warrant tailored approaches.

Archival and Historical Footage: Older footage often exhibits inconsistent quality across frames. The temporal consistency engine smooths frame-to-frame inconsistencies while preserving period-appropriate detail, but heavily degraded sources may reveal artifacts at aggressive scale factors.

AI-Generated Video Enhancement: Crystal Video Upscaler serves as an excellent finishing pass for output from generative models like Runway, Luma AI, or Kling. These models typically output at 720p or 1080p with characteristic softness. Upscaling brings them to professional 4K while the precision approach avoids the over-sharpened appearance that conventional upscalers often introduce.

Social Media and Vertical Content: Portrait orientation footage (1080x1920) upscales effectively for high-quality mobile viewing. The upscaling process treats aspect ratio neutrally, so vertical formats work as expected.

Broadcast Applications: Professional distribution demands predictable specifications. The temporal consistency approach produces reliable results across diverse content types, making it suitable for workflows requiring consistent quality.

Common Mistakes and Solutions

Expecting Style Transfer Users familiar with Stable Diffusion or Midjourney workflows sometimes expect text prompts to guide aesthetic direction. Crystal Video Upscaler enhances resolution while preserving the original aesthetic rather than transforming it. Handle creative adjustments through separate tools before or after upscaling.

Poor Source Material No upscaler manufactures detail that does not exist in the source. Feeding heavily compressed, low-bitrate footage produces technically upscaled output that retains its quality limitations at higher resolution. Apply basic quality improvements first: denoise if necessary, correct exposure issues, and stabilize shaky footage before upscaling.

Ignoring Cost Implications Video upscaling costs scale with output resolution and duration. A 10-minute 4K video at 30 FPS (8.3 megapixels x 600 seconds x $0.10) runs approximately $498. Test with short clips first to validate your approach before committing to full-length content.

Integration and Workflow Patterns

Using Crystal Video Upscaler effectively requires understanding how it fits into broader post-production workflows.

Pre-Processing Pipeline:

Color correction and basic grading
Noise reduction for noisy sources
Stabilization for handheld footage
Export at maximum source quality
Upload to accessible URL
Submit via API

Post-Processing Considerations: Crystal Video Upscaler delivers spatial enhancement, but finishing touches may still be warranted. Light sharpening (applied conservatively), final color grading adjustments, and encoding for target platform specifications happen after upscaling.

The fal platform handles computational requirements through serverless infrastructure. With only the video URL required for basic operation, you can incorporate upscaling into automated workflows where output quality remains consistent across different content types.

Evaluating Output Quality

Quality assessment for upscaled video involves three key indicators: temporal consistency (details remain stable without flickering between frames), edge definition (sharper edges without artificial halos or ringing artifacts), and natural appearance (the result looks natively captured rather than processed). If any of these characteristics fall short, review your source material quality or workflow approach.

Practical Application

Begin with a straightforward test: take a 10-second clip of your typical content, upscale it, and examine the results critically. This approach costs approximately $8.30 for 1080p-to-4K upscaling at 30 FPS, making iterative optimization practical for most budgets.

Once you understand how your specific content type responds, you can confidently scale to full production workflows. Crystal Video Upscaler represents precision upscaling that prioritizes temporal integrity over creative transformation, producing upscaled content that maintains the authenticity of your original footage while delivering the resolution modern distribution demands.

Crystal Video Upscaler Prompt Guide

Video Upscaling Without Text Prompts

API Structure and Parameters

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