PURPOSE: To provide the encoding device capable of encoding either picture signals of pictures with screen ratios of 4:3 and 16:9 or wide-band pictures such as HDTV signals and capable of decoding a signal encoding the wide-band picture by any decoding device decoding picture.
CONSTITUTION: A first encoding means 50 obtaining a picture D with the same horizontal picture element number as a picture B and an additional picture E to be the difference of pictures C and D while band-restricting the picture C and encoding the pictures A, B, or D with high efficiency in the same way on the picture A with the screen ratio of 4:3, picture B with the screen ratio of 16:9, and picture C with the screen ratio of 16:9 and having higher vertical picture element number than the pictures A and B and a second encoding means 51 encoding the additional picture E with high efficiency are provided.
YAMAMITSU CHOJURO
SHIGESATO TATSURO
