Provides methods and apparatus to reduce effects on playback of moving picture data caused by variations in data transmission rate that occur on a communication line, a receiving and playing back apparatus includes a receiver for receiving moving picture data transmitted over a communication line; playback modules for playing back the received moving picture data; buffer B for temporarily storing the moving picture data received by the receiver and outputting the stored moving picture data at a desired speed; and buffer A for providing the playback modules with moving picture data required for playback processing.