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Estimate storage from bitrate and retention
Use the bitrate of the file you are recording locally—not simply the resolution or the number of hours live. For a constant bitrate:
Decimal GB ≈ bitrate in Mbps × recording hours × 0.45
For a full-time 24/7 recording, this simplifies to approximately 10.8 GB per day per Mbps. Over 365 days, it is approximately 3.94 TB per year per Mbps. These are arithmetic estimates in decimal units (1 TB = 1,000 GB); they do not include filesystem overhead or spare capacity.
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For example, a 10 Mbps local recording uses about 108 GB per day and 3.94 TB over 365 days, before overhead and headroom. Multiply by the number of copies if you keep a duplicate archive.
Example capacities at YouTube H.264 live bitrates
YouTube’s current live encoder guidance recommends the following H.264 bitrates. The storage figures below apply those rates to continuous recording for 24 hours a day; they are estimates, not measured file sizes.
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| Live output | YouTube-recommended H.264 live bitrate | Approx. storage per day | Approx. storage per 365-day year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p60 | 17 Mbps | 184 GB | 67 TB |
| 1440p60 | 34 Mbps | 367 GB | 134 TB |
| 2160p60 (4K60) | 50 Mbps | 540 GB | 197 TB |
These are decimal capacities and assume a steady bitrate. Allow extra space for filesystem and recording overhead, and size for your actual retention target: a month of continuous capture is very different from a year. If you need a second copy, count that separately.
Use the local recording settings, not the wrong bitrate table
When the local recording matches the live stream
If you record the same encoded stream that you send to YouTube, the live-ingest bitrate is a reasonable estimate for the local file. YouTube’s H.264 live recommendations include 17 Mbps for 1080p60, 34 Mbps for 1440p60 and 50 Mbps for 2160p60. Those are platform recommendations, not a guarantee that every recording will have exactly that bitrate.
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When recording quality is configured separately
Use the local recording’s configured bitrate, or measure a representative file and calculate from its size and duration. Separate recording settings can produce files larger or smaller than the live stream estimate.
Do not substitute upload recommendations for live guidance
YouTube publishes distinct upload-encoding recommendations. For SDR uploads, it recommends 12 Mbps for 1080p high-frame-rate video and 24 Mbps for 1440p high-frame-rate video. Those figures concern uploaded video encoding, not live ingestion; use the table for the workflow you actually have.
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The live bitrate recommendations vary by codec as well as resolution and frame rate. The examples here are specifically H.264. If your encoder uses AV1 or H.265, consult the relevant codec row in YouTube’s live encoder settings guidance rather than applying the H.264 numbers.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Check your real files before buying storage
- Set the retention period. Decide how many days or months of gaming footage you need to keep, and whether you need one local copy or more.
- Identify the local recording bitrate. Check the encoder’s recording settings. If they use variable bitrate or quality-based recording, settings alone may not predict file size reliably.
- Record a representative session. Use the intended resolution, frame rate, codec, audio tracks and recording mode. Measure the resulting file’s size and duration, then extrapolate to your target retention period.
- Add headroom. Allow room for filesystem overhead, recording variation and future files rather than planning to fill a drive to its nominal capacity.
- Assess the storage setup. Compare usable capacity after any redundancy, cost per usable terabyte, expansion options, drive-failure recovery and whether the archive must remain attached to the recording system.
Variable-bitrate gaming recordings can vary in size with the content of a session. A sample that includes representative gameplay is a better purchasing basis than assuming every hour produces an identical file.
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Do not rely on YouTube to preserve every hour of a continuous stream
YouTube says it can automatically archive live streams under 12 hours, but warns that a stream exceeding 12 hours may not be captured at all. It recommends recording a local archive as a backup. A single uninterrupted 24/7 broadcast should therefore not be treated as a dependable, complete platform VOD archive. If complete footage matters, plan local recording or deliberate stream sessions, and verify what is available in your channel after a stream.
See YouTube’s Archive live streams guidance for the platform’s current details.
Or let it run in the cloud
If the goal is keeping a YouTube channel live around the clock by looping uploaded gaming videos—not capturing new gameplay—StreamNeo is a different workflow from maintaining a local recording archive. Upload your video or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live; the cloud loops the uploaded material, so no computer or home connection has to stay on.
- There is nothing to leave running at home.
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StreamNeo plays uploaded videos and streams to YouTube; it does not record new gameplay from a camera or replace a local VOD archive. Learn more at StreamNeo, or start the free first day.
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