Methods and systems are described for detecting a video field parity pattern in a video signal comprising a plurality of interlaced video fields, wherein each video field includes a plurality of pixels located in a plurality of positions in a plurality of scan lines. One method includes receiving pixel data of a plurality of current pixels in a current video field, and pixel data of a plurality of first pixels in a first previous video field, where the first previous video field immediately precedes the current video field and together form an image frame. The method continues by determining, for each of the plurality of current pixels in the current video field, a first and a second set of absolute differences between a current pixel in a current position in a current scan line and at least one first pixel in the current position in at least one vertically adjacent scan line relative to the current scan line, where the first and the second set of absolute differences is based on a first field parity pattern and a second field parity pattern, respectively. A first accumulated value based on a sum total of each of the first set of absolute differences and a second accumulated value based on a sum total of each of the second set of absolute differences are determined, and a correct field parity pattern of the current video field is determined based on the first accumulated value and the second accumulated value.