Panorama of New York in 1905: Spectacularly enhanced and colorized using the latest A.I. technology!
Вставка
- Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
- Following our recent, very successful restoration work about French refugees at the end of World War 1 in 1918 ( • Incredible and emotion... ), we decided to do some experiments to see what can be achieved with the latest video enhancer software based on Artificial Intelligence, A.I.
For that purpose we used a very old film fragment from 1905 that shows a panorama of New York city, filmed from the Times building. As can be seen, the original footage is of poor quality. The film is wobbly, unsharp, not very clear and has an extreme amount of image noise.
We went through the four steps that we normally use to enhance B&W film footage. This process is described in detail in the welcome video on my channel. However, as the fourth step we used the new A.I. enhancer and here is the result. The resolution of the footage was 480p, so we upscaled it to HD level of 1080p.
This footage was still not motion-stable enough, probably due to the stabilizer not being able to properly recognize objects in the footage, due to the image noise. So we stabilized it for a second time. This time with more success.
Finally, we wondered what would happen if the film would be processed for a second time by the new enhancer. This time the resolution was kept at 1080p. To our amazement the result was even better! The reason most likely is that the A.I. was able to better recognize all the objects in the video because of the preceeding enhancement steps.
There was one more final step to do, namely to speed-correct the film and to use frame-interpolation to do so and thus make the motion even more smooth.
At the end of the film the original version and the final enhanced version are shown side by side. We think that the results are spectacular and a stimulation to use this method often again in the near future.
Let us know what you think in the comments and don't forget to subscribe to my channel! Thanks for watching.
Music: David Celeste & Trevor Kowalski
Source: Archive.org
Time line
01:00 Hotel Hotel Spalding at 127 W. 43rd St. 2 years later, in 1906,
01:05 It changed to Hotel Woodstock, now Woodstock house is a nursing home near Time Square
01:20 View from Times Building
01:47 Bryant Park and New York Public Library Main Branch was under construction.
02:54 Church of St. Mary the Virgin in the heart of Times Square at 133-145 West 46th Street.
02:57 This church is still there, now historical landmark
03:48 Hippodrome Theater, double the size of the Metropolitan Opera, demolished in the 1930s
03:53 Algonquin Hotel. opened in 1902, still in operation
![Take a trip by boat around New York (Manhattan) in 1935 in color! [AI enhanced & colorized]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/vHuK6Q-lC-Y/mqdefault.jpg)
![Take a trip by boat around New York (Manhattan) in 1935 in color! [AI enhanced & colorized]](/img/tr.png)
![Harlem, New York 1930s in color, [60fps, Remastered] w/sound design added](/img/n.gif)
Our incredible video about French refugees at the end of WW-1 can be watched here: ua-cam.com/video/f_Ku5S0uifQ/v-deo.html
*Don't forget to subscribe to my channel* ! There are 270+ restored & colorized historic videos on my channel!
We can also enhance your film and video footage (like old wedding footage, holidays, family or business events etc.). Just look on www.ricksfilmrestoration.com and/or send an e-mail: ricksfilmrestoration@gmail.com
You know, just like stepping into a Jules Verne time machine. Imagine floating above New York 110+ years in the past and watching someone's laundry floating in the breeze on a rooftop. Or any of 1000 other details of a time we can no longer experience except through the lens of a camera.
Indeed! In the poor quality original it is hard to notice the hanging laundry. What also amazed me was the clarity of the trams and people walking in the street towards the end. I know this A.I. can be subject to criticism because there is a danger that it starts to fantasize details that were not or could not exist in the original footage. However, so far I have hardly noticed that, apart from the rare occasion whereby the A.I. re-generated people´s eyes that caused the result to look unnatural.
Jules Verne did not write any time travel stories, but did set one novel in the future. Perhaps you meant HG Wells?
This is one of the best channels on UA-cam. Just stunning work. Thank you so very much.
Thank you very much! Pity that UA-cam has no competition and prize for "Best Historic" channel, ha ha!
Outstanding work!
This was absolutely amazing! Having built high-rises in Manhattan for over 31 years, I really enjoyed this. Thanks for this amazing footage and lifelong memories!
Beautiful way to time travel.This work has to bring you much joy because it’s a wonder to watch.Magnificent!
Thank you. You have articulated my thoughts perfectly. Joy iand wonder are the perfect words to describe Rick and his channel.
Your passion and effort has brought life to old film,it makes great breathtaking viewing and very addictive to watch. If a picture speaks a thousand words then sympathetically restored,speed corrected,stabilised and coloured film tells volumes,appreciate you showing before and after and explaining as it's very interesting,sending best wishes to yourself,family,friends,fellow followers and a big thanks for these fine uploads.
Thank you very much!
@@Rick88888888 My pleasure, Best wishes.
That is just outrageously good. Mind blown.
YOU MAKE A WONDEFUL WORK.....HUGE THANKS MR RICK. YOUR VIDEOS ARE A MASTERPIECE .....
Very nicely done and I like the split screen comparison you did of the before and after film.
Rick, the technological magic you have created with this old film is simply amazing!!!!!
you people that do this should be honored from all humanity. The more of this I see...as a old man....the more I know that they lie about the past..... today isnt the beautiful world we were told we were going to have......
Lie about the past u mean, most of the old world buildings were inherited ?? I was actually diggin through videos of crazy beautiful structures all over the world and probably we are not told what people were those who actuall built it. Have u looked into the Worl's Fair?
Astonishing as always, amazing as always!! 🔝🙌
Remarkable job, just beautiful! I especially enjoyed the side-by-side comparison.
Excellent work!!
You are the best!
Your films are a privilege to watch. I can’t express how much I appreciate your work and effort. That being said, I also would like to see the original 1905 version untouched. If anything as an example of how far filmography has come and to pay homage to the pioneers who filmed the original version
Excellent use of technology. Yesterday I struggled to watch an old 1930 public domain Hollywood movie for it was fuzzy both in sound and video from over duplication. How wonderful this technology would be for forgotten classics. Thanks.
Indeed, but I don't dare to enhance these classics because they are all copyrighted
Rick, this presentation is superb. You should for forward some of your work to the New York Historical Society or the Skyscraper Museum.
Good idea, thanks!
You keep perfecting the time machine more and more, to our delight! Thanks!
Our pleasure!
@@Rick88888888 Credit to who deserves it!
Excellent work, congratulations!!!!
Thank you! Cheers!
Staggering results as always, thank you so much !
Spectacular film and enhancements! Absolutely love this channel!
Glad you enjoy it!
Thank you. It looks like a cold January or February Bryant Park and the Library whose construction started in 1897. Then 42nd St towards Fifth Avenue (not visible). Those buildings are gone, now there are office highrises. Then 43st St and Sixth Ave.. Then the Hippodrome theater which was gone in 1939, but its fire escape looks similar to those of some Broadway theaters. The water tanks are still the same as today's. Then blocks of buildings are gone. Then Seventh Avenue and Times Square.
Thanks, but could you please add time stamps to each location?
It is incredible and beautiful and fascinating. There is so much film out there that is just collecting dust, and being saved to "preserve" it. Well this is what they've been saving it for. It was meant to be watched, but before it was like looking through dirty glass and you came along with some Windex and cleaned it. Thank you so much.
Phantastische einmalige Aufnahmen und toll restauriert.
Absolutely fantastic. What a great application of AI !
Rick, this is stunning work; even by you and your team's standards, you've managed to outdo yourselves yet again. Thank you so much for this channel - I can only describe it as magical.
Thank you very much!
Thank You !! very nice work!! Great quality!!!
Technically superb work, well done.
based on the color version @1:30 Hotel Hotel Spalding at 127 W. 43rd St. 2 years later, in 1906, it changed to Hotel Woodstock, now Woodstock house is a nursing home near Time Square. @ 1:48 Bryant Park and New York Public Library Main Branch was under construction. @2:15 Hippodrome Theater (now demolished and rebuilt as the hippodrome building W43rd-W44th/6Ave. @2:20 and 2:25, that tall building behind Hippodrome theater on the upper left corner of the video is Algonquin Hotel still operates under the Marriot hotel group. @2:37 Hotel Gerard, 123 w 44th st. U.S. National Register of Historic Places and NYC Landmark. @2:54 Church of St. Mary the Virgin in the heart of Times Square at 133-145 West 46th Street. Still there, now a historical landmark. @3:10 Finally, THE TIMES SQUARE!! under Budweiser shop is now TKTS Times Square! (facing uptown direction, split between Broadway, the left side and 7th ave, the right side)
Thank you very much. Could you maybe make a compilation in chronological order of all the time stamps and locations?
@@Rick88888888 sure, edited above and done 😄
WOW! I'm at Bryant park and inside the New York Pubic Library right at is second ..... holy cow!
Thank You, Amazing Work!
Wow, the difference is like night and day! Isn’t technology wonderful? Great video 👍🏼👏🏼
Yes! Thank you!
Rick, there is a picture book in print over here in the States called, LOST NEW YORK. It contains photographs of famous and not so famous buildings, parks and public spaces that were of some importance but have long since been demolished, each loss being an example of the loss of the character and history of New York City, i.e. The Pennsylvania Railroad Terminal or the Singer office building. Your series of remastered films going back across much of the 20th century performs much of the same service as the book, but the big difference, the most wonderful difference is, your pictures move. They are alive and in color. The technology you have employed give them the immediacy of yesterday, but a 'yesterday that is mere hours old, even though the truth is the time span is much greater. I can see how much New York has changed and at the same time how little, because the ambitions, the commercial drive, the need to build up, to build more, to build greater, is as much on display in 1905 as it is today. I see why New York was such a marvel to people coming out of the 19th century into the 20th. I can see first hand how New York came to be the "New York" of so many dreams throughout the rest of the century. There was no place like it anywhere. I love watching your films. you bring history alive in the most interesting way.
Thank you very much!
Amazing stuff. What I wouldn't give to be able to go back and wander those streets for a few hours.
Bringing the past to life. Superb.
@1:00 Hotel Hotel Spalding at 127 W. 43rd St. 2 years later, in 1906, it changed to Hotel Woodstock, now Woodstock house is a nursing home near Time Square.
This is incredible thanks! ❤️
Great video Rick, amazing work, details are incredible, well done 👍😀👌
Rick, where would we be without your efforts!!!!
Wow! The Algonquin Hotel in 1905! My home of my first time in New York, august 2012. Incredible!
AMAZING WORK! Thank you for you hard work and dedication. I love your channel!
hi there,,,, absolutely fantastico,,,,,,,
how modern does New York look with your film enhancement
yeah i live in BH,,,,,
did live in Bayshore Long Island Juniper Drive 1970s after came home from Vietnam,,,,,, Edwin J Thompson
Amazing stuff.
At 2:50 we see The Church of Saint Mary the Virgin church at 133-145 West 46th Street
Thank you for this useful information!
Gaaf zeg! Knap gedaan.
Very profound.
Amazing results!
Your work is incredible. Thank you
Thank you! Cheers!
Your video enhancements are excellent. When I see any enhancements like yours or by other you tubers, really good though they are, a universal phenomenon with the colorising is an orangy tinge on a lot of the footage. I wonder if any tech genius has got around to developing a program that can subtract this extra tinge from videos? Thanks for the really interesting and “brought back to life” footage. The high quality makes the videos seem less like history and more like recent times.
Man..., this makes me emotional. Sweet memories...
Thank you for sharing your exceptional skills. The detail from the restoration is outstanding and I am sure your work will be further improved as you experiment with new ideas. Joe
Excellent video - thanks!
A wonderful job many thanks for the upload.
Wonderful, thank you for all the work. 👍
Our pleasure!
Spectacular.
This is wonderful! I am in awe and Thank you!!!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Vielen Dank für die Impressionen aus einer vergangenen Zeit 😊
Incredible work... Thank you.
Thank you too!
Thank you.
One of the few good uses of AI. Beautiful video.
Glad you think so! There are plenty of good uses for A.I. Only a minority of A.I.'s are potentially dangerous if abused by the wrong people.
The enhancement is great you can clearly see the people walking and their shadows on the sidewalk I'd like to see more of these enhanced videos
Have you watched the 270+ videos that are already on my channel?
Great job!!!! Thanks a lot for sharing!!!!
Yes, the results are SPECTACULAR! A++++
Spectacular. You could almost imagine yourself in the film.
WOW! I'm at Bryant park and inside the New York Pubic Library right now at is second @ 1:48..... holy cow!
TREMENDOUS!!!
Thank you for maintaining REAL history!
Rick, you (& your crew) are absolutely splendid! I can't get enough of your enhanced early street films.
Great! No crew; I'm just a one-man-band...
Lol,but you are saying "we"
@3:49 Hippodrome Theater! this one was double the size of the Metropolitan Opera. The building was demolished in the 1930s. However, nowadays, that huge office building (with Chase bank, TD bank and Fidelity etc inside) at the same location is called "The Hippodrome Building" haha
First class,
Amazing! I keep hearing how we need to be careful of AI. Yet, with all new technologies, it depends on how it is used. I love peeking back at New York City, as I grew up near there. My father was born in Brooklyn in 1915. These films give me an idea of what life was like. He lived on Flatbush Avenue, now a very commercial street. He used to say that when he was growing up, it was all fields.
Dad born in the Bronx 1920 fresh from Ireland. Mom Born in Manhattan 1920 grandmother was pregnant with her as they left Florence Italy. They were married 50 yrs.....beautiful people a beautiful life... I was the lucky one.
Amazing! Beautifully done. Thank you for your hard work and artistry. Subscribed!
Just, wow.
So awesome excellent job thank you for preserving history
Fabulous enhancement. I am a subscriber. I wonder how many of those buildings have been raised.
The Hippodrome had a tank so large they could stage full-scale naval battles.
Truly Spectacular, There seems to be no limits to technology. Anything is ,or will be, possible. 1905, the year my mother was born, but in Liverpool.
Truly God's work on behalf of history lovers of today and future.
Absolutely amazing thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Weer een geweldige video Rick. I LOVE your work!!!
Yes, definitely spectacular.
Many thanks!
awesome video
Glad you enjoyed it
Stunning..!!
@ 1:47 Bryant Park and New York Public Library Main Branch was under construction.
Yes very spectacular indeed! Thank you for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed it
INCREDIBLE! Thank you for your hard work.
My pleasure!
@3:51 and 3:52 , that tall building behind the (now demolished) Hippodrome theater on the upper west corner of the video is Algonquin Hotel. opened in 1902 and STILL OPERATED as the hotel now (Under Marriott Hotel Group). Well, of course, it is renovated!
So Love your Work.
Thank you so much!
Fantastisch hoe de techniek (die soms ook een hoop narigheid meebrengt) toch ook zulke prachtige dingen kan voortbrengen
Wunderbar
Astounding. It would be interest to see the effects if stabilization is applied first. That seems to have a huge effect on watchablity.
Stabilization is always the first step, but this time it had problems, probably due to the high levels of image noise.
The year Einstein dropped special realitivity.
I don't know who this AI guy is but he's very good.
Artificial Intelligence (A.I.)
Thank you for your work. Would like to see many more videos like this.
Have you watched the 275+ other videos on my channel ?!
Spectacular! History comes to life!
THE PAST WILL NEVER DIES WITH............THE NEW HUMAN EVOLUTION............/
It's amazing that we've reached a point in time now where cameras have been around long enough that we can look at a piece of footage and everyone in it, and in the world at the time, is now dead. Weird.
You are doing important work!
Fantastic!
Thanks