Disclosed are a statistical multiplex system, a statistical multiplex
controller and a method of statistical multiplex, which can assign bit
rates to program data and auxiliary data efficiently, and also improve
image quality. A statistical multiplex system is provided with: a
plurality of image encoders for encoding a plurality of program data; an
information encoder for encoding the auxiliary data; a multiplexing
apparatus for multiplexing output thereof, and a statistical multiplex
controller for controlling each of the image encoders and the information
encoder. The statistical multiplex controller is made to set the bit rate
to be assigned to the information encoder first, and to assign the
remaining bit rates to each of the image encoders.