To allow a transmitting side to confirm the quality of sound to be sent to the other party in multimedia communication equipment.

Data encoded by the sound encoding part 102 of a transmitting part 50 is supplied to a multiplexing part 103 and also supplied to a transmission sound level detecting part 104. The part 104 decides whether or not the level of sound to be transmitted surpasses a specified level in a fixed period or whether or not the average value of sound levels at a fixed time surpasses the specified level. And, when transmission sound is decided as sound having much noise, the decided results are communicated to an on-screen display processing part 108 through a status signal line 156, and a message notifying that sound having much noise is sent to the other party is displayed in characters, an image or the like while being overlaid on a display picture.