To provide a re-coder for video data and a video distribution system by which a bit rate is reduced with a deterioration in video quality suppressing in re-coding the video data.

In decoding each video frame f1-f15 read from a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk)-video, a picture type (a2) in re-coding the decoded vide frame is decided in accordance with the picture type (a1) of each video frame. Namely, the picture type in re-coding a P picture is assigned as the P picture. The picture type in re-coding a B picture is assigned as the B picture. The picture type in re-coding an I picture is assigned as the P picture when an inter-frame correlation between the I picture and the other I picture immediately before a reproduction time for the I picture has a specified threshold Th or higher, and the I picture is applied to the other case.