Abstract: The picture transmission system is used in a monitoring system etc., and which transmits picture information obtained through video camera unit and sound information from a microphone, speaker or such via networks. The picture transmission system is composed of a video camera unit selected to meet the intended purpose in combination with a common picture transmission unit, which compresses the output signal from the video camera unit according to a prescribed coding format and transmits it to network etc. according to a prescribed protocol at a prescribed transmission rate.