Apparatus for retrieving and presenting digital data

An apparatus for retrieving and presenting digital data, comprising:

• a network comprising a data archive including a plurality of digital data;
• a terminal configured to be connected to the network;
• retrieval unit configured to retrieve digital data using a database of digital data retrieval information comprising predetermined item information added to each digital data item that can be presented over the network;
• communication quality determination unit configured to measure a throughput in bits per second of a network path from a data archive containing digital data hit by the retrieval unit falling under search conditions which are based on the item information specified by the user via the terminal, and determines a quality of communication with the hit digital data by the use of a speed of communication obtained through measurement of the throughput in bits per second;
• and
• information presentation unit configured to list hit digital data sorted into an order in accordance with a priority specified by the user, based on item information and the communication quality of each digital data of a digital data group hit by the retrieval unit and determined by the communication quality determination unit.