Frame handling an input image in an ML-based upscaling process to produce an output image, including: detecting and extracting boxing edge regions from edges of an active picture area of the input image; extending the extracted boxing edge regions by adding extra pixels around each of the boxing edge regions to produce padded edge regions; upscaling the padded edge regions to produce upscaled padded edge regions; cropping each of the upscaled padded edge regions to a size corresponding to the size of each of the boxing edge regions prior to the upscaling multiplied by an upscaling factor; inserting the cropped edge regions into the edges of the output image; and upscaling a non-edge region of the input image and inserting the upscaled non-edge region into the output image.