1. A method for generating a ripple free output image comprised of one or more output image pixels, the output image being generated as a result of processing one or more source image pixels that comprise a source image sampled at a first rate, the output image being representative of the source image as sampled at a second rate, the method comprising: applying an optimal filter kernel to the one or more source image pixels, the optimal filter kernel being established by convolving a box filter with a filter of fixed integer width and unity area; computing the value of an output image pixel based on the optimal filter kernel and the one or more source image pixels; placing the computed output image pixel value into a memory location allocated for the one or more output image pixels; and repeating the steps of applying, computing and placing for each of the one or more source image pixels.