Calculator
Choose a preset or enter custom bitrates. Use overheads and copies to match your storage environment.
Example Data Table
| Scenario | Inputs | Recommended Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p batch | 12 videos × 15 minutes | 14.58 GB |
| CCTV retention | 8 streams, 30 days | 28.00 TB |
| 4K archive | 4 videos × 90 minutes, 2 copies | 58.33 GB |
Formula Used
The calculator converts total bitrate and total time into raw bytes, then applies overhead and planning multipliers.
How Total Seconds Are Determined
- Batch videos: TotalSeconds = DurationPerVideo × NumberOfVideos.
- Continuous recording: TotalSeconds = HoursPerDay × 3600 × Days × Streams × ActivityFactor.
How to Use This Calculator
- Select Calculation Mode for batch or continuous recording.
- Pick a Quality Preset, or keep custom values.
- Enter video, audio, and optional subtitle rates.
- Fill duration and count, or retention days and streams.
- Set overheads, copies, and reserve space for real planning.
- Press Calculate Storage and review the breakdown.
- Use the download buttons to save results as CSV or PDF.
Bitrate, Resolution, and Codec Choices
This calculator starts with bitrate, the strongest storage driver. Bitrate rises with resolution, frame rate, and scene motion. Typical 1080p H.264 ranges 4–12 Mbps, while 4K often lands 15–60 Mbps. Newer codecs can deliver similar quality at lower rates, but encoding effort increases. Use a preset first, then tune custom values from your own samples reliably.
Estimating Storage from Bitrate and Time
Size is computed from total megabits per second multiplied by total seconds. Because eight bits equal one byte, a 10 Mbps stream yields about 1.25 MB per second, or roughly 4.5 GB per hour before overhead. Batch libraries multiply per‑video duration by the number of videos. Continuous recording multiplies hours per day, retention days, streams, and activity percentage.
Overhead, Containers, and File System Reality
Production storage includes more than media payload. Containers, thumbnails, indexes, and metadata add extra bytes. File systems also consume space through block rounding, journals, snapshots, and versioning. Segment-based delivery such as HLS increases file counts and directory entries. A container overhead of 2–5% plus file system overhead of 1–10% is a practical starting range. Add safety margin for bursts and temporary work.
Redundancy, Copies, and Long-Term Retention
Redundancy can dominate totals. Each additional copy multiplies capacity, and archives may keep multiple generations. RAID or erasure coding adds parity overhead that depends on the layout. Model “copies” separately from “RAID overhead” to see each impact. For regulated retention, consider space for checksums, audit logs, and periodic re‑encodes as standards evolve.
Planning for Growth and Performance
Planning is not only about terabytes. Playback, editing, and distribution require throughput and IOPS. Many small segments can stress listings and metadata operations. Add reserve space for growth, then revisit assumptions quarterly using real measurements: average bitrate, peak ingest hours, and file count per hour. When observed values differ, rerun the calculator and update presets to keep budgets, procurement, and capacity decisions aligned across teams. If you store originals and mezzanine files, calculate them separately. For cloud tiers, compare monthly cost per TB with retrieval fees, then choose retention that balances compliance and playback demand today.
FAQs
What bitrate should I use if I do not know it?
Start with a preset close to your resolution and frame rate. Then check a few real files using your encoder settings and compute average Mbps from file size and duration. Update the custom bitrate so estimates match your typical content.
Why does storage differ between decimal and binary units?
Decimal units use 1,000-based steps (GB, TB). Binary units use 1,024-based steps (GiB, TiB). Drives are often marketed in decimal, while operating systems may report binary. Switching units changes the displayed number, not the bytes.
How should I set overhead and safety margin?
Use container overhead for packaging, thumbnails, and metadata, typically 2–5%. Use file system overhead for snapshots and block rounding, often 1–10%. Add a safety margin when ingest spikes or when you expect reprocessing and temporary files.
Do audio tracks matter much for storage?
They can. A single 128 kbps track adds 0.128 Mbps, but multiple languages or surround tracks accumulate quickly. For long retention or many streams, the audio contribution becomes measurable and is worth modeling accurately.
How do I estimate continuous recording for cameras?
Enter hours per day, retention days, and number of streams. If motion recording is not constant, reduce the activity percentage to represent average capture time. The calculator multiplies these values to estimate total seconds across all streams.
Can I use this for HLS or segmented streaming?
Yes. Set the effective video and audio bitrates you deliver. Then increase container or file system overhead to reflect segments, manifests, and higher file counts. If you create multiple renditions, model each profile separately or use copies as a proxy.