Abstract: The invention relates to the phase correction of a vertically distorted digital picture, which is divided into two half pictures in accordance with the interlaced scanning method. To take into account a vertical decimation factor (vscale), which changes in the vertical direction of the digital picture, it is proposed that a phase correction (vphscor) be generated for the second half picture as a function of the particular vertical position in the second half picture. This phase correction must be considered in generating the second half picture. It is derived directly from information (vinc) about the change of the vertical decimation factor.