Not always an after tought.
The Anthem AVM50 and D2 are both using the Gennum VXP chip for de-interlacing and scaling, with true inverse telecine and per-pixel motion adaptive de-interlacing, even with 1080i.
The AVM50/D2 can now do (with the latest firmware upgrade) custom resolutions, multiple per-input memory banks, custom gamma curves, one of the best CUE filtering in the industry, anamorphic stretching, frame-locking, and they even accept 1080p24 and properly ouput 1080p48 if you need it (really useful with the new Blu-ray players outputting 1080p24...)
I was able to compare the DVDO VP50 to the D2, and the D2 was better for alot of things. And don't forget that you don't have the headaches you can get with passing the new HD audio formats with those external scalers when everything is done in the pre/pro (or the receiver).
2 of my friends sold their Lexicon + VP50 combos to go with the D2 instead, and put alot of money back in their pockets. And they both prefer the D2 now...