PURPOSE: To avoid at least the discontinuation of reception despite an error and furthermore to display even the line containing an error, by counting the number of picture elements for each line of received picture information, deciding an error of the concerned line if no coincidence is obtained between the count value of the picture elements and a prescribed number and then replacing the concerned picture information with the picture information on a specific line to perform registration.

CONSTITUTION: The number of picture elements is set for a line in response to the decided size of an original. A connection controller 14 counts the received picture information for each line. It is decided whether the counted number of picture information is equal to a prescribed number of picture elements equivalent to a line of the original size. If the coincidence is obtained between the picture elements, the picture information on a line is sent as it is to a central processor CPU12 and registered to a file device 11. When no coincidence is obtained, the received picture information on a line is replaced with the specific line picture information (consisting of a prescribed number of picture elemtents). Then this specific line picture information is sent to the CPU12 and registered to the device 11.