Summary: This paper presents a novel data transmission protocol "SVFTP," which enables high-speed and error-free video data transmission over IP networks. A video transmission system based on SVFTP is also presented. While conventional protocols are designed for file transmission, SVFTP focuses on video data as a continuous media. In order to fit a flexible video transmission system, SVFTP achieves higher throughput on the long distance link as well as transmission interruption/resumption and progressive download and play back. In addition, a rate shaping mechanism for SVFTP is introduced in order to control greediness and burst traffic of multiple-TCP sessions. Laboratory and field transmission experiments show that SVFTP achieves high performance and functionality.