Method of and arrangement for converting the temporal rate of high definition television pictures, in accordance with which, after the division by two of the line period in a line period changing circuit (100) and storing the fields of the picture for a working period corresponding to one period with the aid of field memories (90, 80, 70, 311), these fields are processed in parallel by simple field repetition, by taking a motion compensated half-sum and by filtering and, by the selection of one of the three field sequences thus processed e.g. with the aid of digital assistance signals provided in the HD-MAC high definition television standard. This method and device can be used in high definition television receivers.