A method for reduced memory and bandwidth motion adaptive video deinterlacing is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) generating a frame by deinterlacing a current field in a first of a plurality of modes, (B) generating the frame by deinterlacing using both of the current field and an opposite-parity field in a second of the modes and (C) generating the frame be deinterlacing using all of the current field, the opposite-parity field and another field in a third of the modes, wherein the method uses at least two of the modes.