Bitstream transformation apparatus, bitstream transformation method, distribution system, moving image encoding apparatus, moving image encoding method and computer-readable storage medium

A bitstream transformation apparatus, comprising:

• a syntax analysis unit that analyzes syntax of a bitstream corresponding to moving image data for which a minimum size of a unit according to decoding processing is defined and syntax of an accompanying bitstream that accompanies the bitstream, the bitstream syntax including high level syntax and information related to at least one of block division, an intra-prediction mode, motion vectors, and level values;
• a high-level syntax transformation unit that transforms the high-level syntax obtained as a result of the analysis by the syntax analysis unit into new high-level syntax including a resolution that is lower than a resolution that the high-level syntax includes;
• a unit transformation unit that transforms the information which is obtained as a result of the analysis by the syntax analysis unit and is associated with only the minimum size unit in the bitstream into information associated with a corresponding unit in the accompanying bitstream;
• and
• a syntax synthesizing unit that synthesizes, in accordance with syntax, the new high-level syntax from the high-level syntax transformation unit and the information after the transformation in the unit transformation unit, and generates a new bitstream having a resolution that is lower than a resolution of the bitstream.