Abstract: In the digital processing of video signals, a vertical detail enhancement system is provided that has a transfer characteristic with a transitional region between a coring region and an active region split into three steps. The slopes of the first, second and third step regions are 25%, 50% and 75% of the enhancement gain, respectively. The levels of enhancement in the step regions are set at 25%, 50% and 75% of the level of enhancement in the active region. A vertical detail signal is compared with a coring level selected by a coring multiplexer among a plurality of hardcoded coring levels to set a coring point at the transfer characteristic. Then, the vertical detail signal is successively compared with the coring level incremented by the selected widths of the step regions to control a step choice unit defining a required attenuation of the vertical detail signal value. A paring level is selected by a paring multiplexer among a plurality of hardcoded paring levels.