THE NUMBERS, EXPLAINED
How to use this calculator.
Constant measured bitrate, decimal GB and Mbit/s; usable storage must already exclude system overhead. Recording schedule repeats daily.
Start with your inputs
Enter actual recording bitrate (mbit/s), recording hours per day, usable storage (decimal gb). Keep amounts in the units shown on each field. The example is a starting point, not a recommended value.
| Input | Example value |
|---|---|
| Actual recording bitrate (Mbit/s) | 2 |
| Recording hours per day | 12 |
| Usable storage (decimal GB) | 108 |
A worked example
With the example inputs above, recorded data per day (gb) is 10.8. Change the inputs to explore your own scenario.
| Result | Example answer |
|---|---|
| Recorded data per day (GB) | 10.8 |
| Recorded footage retained (h) | 120 |
| Calendar retention (days) | 10 |
How this is calculated
Recorded data per day (GB)
Multiply Mbit/s by recorded seconds and divide by 8,000 to obtain decimal GB.
Recorded footage retained (h)
Divide usable storage by recording data rate.
Calendar retention (days)
Divide usable storage by daily recorded data.
Symbols and units
- a
- Actual recording bitrate (Mbit/s)
- b
- Recording hours per day
- c
- Usable storage (decimal GB)
Use the units shown. A list keeps the order in which you enter its values. The symbol ^ means “raised to the power of”.
Assumptions and limits
Constant measured bitrate, decimal GB and Mbit/s; usable storage must already exclude system overhead. Recording schedule repeats daily.
Calculations use the values you enter. Blank or invalid inputs show an error instead of silently substituting zero. Results are displayed to useful precision; calculations retain the underlying numeric precision.
Questions about this tool
What does the result tell me?
Recorded data per day (GB); Recorded footage retained (h); Calendar retention (days). The result applies to the method and inputs described above. Check the units and assumptions before using it in a decision.
Why might another calculator differ?
Differences in units, rounding, timing or model definitions can produce different answers. Compare the input definitions and the method, rather than only the final number. For this tool: Constant measured bitrate, decimal GB and Mbit/s; usable storage must already exclude system overhead. Recording schedule repeats daily.
Are my inputs stored or sent to AI?
Calculations on this page happen in your browser. The separate AI question finder sends its submitted conversation to OpenAI; these calculator fields are not sent. Favourites and recent tool names are stored locally. A shared link contains the inputs you choose to include.
Further reading
NIST: Decimal and binary prefixes; one byte is eight bits ↗
Background reading; this does not imply endorsement or independent review of SumFizz.
Review status
Software example and browser checks are recorded in our quality report. No external expert review is claimed. Created with coding assistance; calculations run as ordinary browser code.
Read the quality report →