How to use the Video Bitrate Calculator
Choose the question
Size from bitrate starts at 5000 kbps video and 128 kbps audio. Bitrate from size starts from a file size instead.
Set the length
Use Seconds or Minutes. 10 minutes is the same as 600 seconds, and the number converts when you switch.
Switch MB or MiB
Both are the same bytes. The big number follows the unit you pick.
Summarize with
Decimal MB and MiB
The fixture uses SI megabytes (1 MB = 1,000,000 bytes). Toggle MiB to divide the same byte count by 1,048,576. Neither figure includes container overhead.
Audio defaults to 128 kbps in the example. Set it to 0 for a silent encode estimate.
What the Video Bitrate Calculator does not do
It does not inspect a file on disk and it does not recommend a YouTube bitrate table. YouTube’s own encoding page is linked from the YouTube sizes article.
Common mistakes
Mixing kbps with MB/s. This form is kilobits per second.
Using minutes in the seconds field. 10 minutes is 600 seconds.
Reading the 384.6 MB fixture
5000 kbps video plus 128 kbps audio is 5128 kbps. Times 600 seconds is 3,076,800 kilobits. Divide by 8 to get 384,600 kB, which is 384.6 MB in decimal (1,000,000 bytes). Toggle MiB to divide the same byte count by 1,048,576.
Container headers, B-frames and audio delays are not modelled. Treat the number as a planning ceiling, then check the encoder’s muxed output.
Open the video bitrate calculator before you book a card or a disk. Put the encoder’s target in kilobits per second, add the audio track, and use seconds, not minutes. If the estimate already fills the drive, lower the video rate or shorten the cut. The muxed file will be close to this figure, not identical.
What 384.6 MB assumes
5000 kbps video plus 128 kbps audio for 600 seconds is (5128 × 600) / 8 = 384,600 kB. SI megabytes divide by 1,000,000 → 384.6 MB. MiB divide the same byte count by 1,048,576. Container headers, B-frames and VBR swings are not in that product.
Use this before you pick a card or a disk, not as a substitute for the encoder’s own bitrate control. YouTube’s recommended upload encoding page is linked from the YouTube sizes article if you need platform caps.
Frequently asked questions
How do I use a video bitrate calculator?
Enter video kbps, audio kbps and duration in seconds to get MB or MiB.
Why 384.6 MB?
5128 kbps × 600 s / 8 = 384,600 kB.
Is MB the same as MiB?
No. Toggle the unit to see both.
Does this include audio?
Yes, if you fill the audio field.