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How much storage do I need to record 24/7 for 30 days?
NVIDIA’s documented calculation is Storage (GB) = (Bitrate (Mbps) × Duration (seconds)) / 8 / 1024. It works out to 10.546875 GB per day for each 1 Mbps of sustained bitrate, or 316.40625 GB over 30 days. The figures below are estimates for one stream recorded continuously, before extra reserve or other files.
| Average bitrate | Estimated storage for 30 days |
|---|---|
| 2 Mbps | About 633 GB (0.63 TB) |
| 4 Mbps | About 1.27 TB |
| 6 Mbps | About 1.90 TB |
| 8 Mbps | About 2.53 TB |
These are calculations from NVIDIA’s formula, not bitrate recommendations for children’s content. NVIDIA’s version 3.0.0 documentation gives 84.375 GB per stream per day at 8 Mbps; multiplied by 30, that is 2,531.25 GB before buffer. A calendar month may be 28, 29, 30 or 31 days, so substitute the actual duration if you need a calendar-month estimate. NVIDIA’s VIOS storage documentation explains the formula.
How to find the bitrate that determines your estimate
Check OBS’s recording setup
In OBS, open Settings > Output and review the Recording section. Confirm whether the recording uses Same as stream or a separate recording encoder and quality setting. OBS says “Same as stream” uses the streaming video encoder’s settings; other recording presets can produce larger files, and some choices affect performance. Output resolution and selected audio tracks also change what is recorded. See the OBS Standard Recording Output Guide and OBS Recording Encoder Presets Guide.
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Measure a representative recording when settings are quality-based or variable
A configured bitrate is a useful planning input when the encoder maintains it, but variable-bitrate or quality-based recording can produce different file sizes depending on the video and settings. Record a representative segment, note its duration and file size, and scale it to your intended recording time. For a direct comparison, use the same resolution, encoder, quality setting and audio tracks you expect to use continuously.
- Check the recording output resolution, including whether OBS rescales it relative to the canvas.
- Count every audio track the recording includes; more recorded tracks mean more data.
- Include simultaneous recordings separately. Each distinct file uses additional capacity.
- Check the resulting file size and usable free space on the drive, not just its advertised capacity.
Add reserve capacity and distinguish compressed from lossless recording
NVIDIA advises a 10–20% planning buffer because encoding efficiency and variable-bitrate behavior can change actual storage needs. Apply that buffer to the estimate and keep additional free space for filesystem overhead, other recordings and normal PC use. A drive with exactly the calculated amount of usable free space leaves no margin.
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Lossless recording is a special case, not a typical interpretation of the bitrate examples. OBS states that its Lossless preset uses the CPU encoder and produces around 7 GB per minute. At that approximate rate, 30 days of continuous recording would be about 302,400 GB (roughly 302 TB decimal). This is OBS’s published approximate figure, not a measurement of your content. Check the selected preset before planning around ordinary compressed-video estimates.
Choose a recording format that can recover from interruption
For a recording that might be interrupted by a crash or power loss, OBS recommends MKV: an ungracefully stopped recording will not corrupt the entire file. OBS also provides a remux function to convert a completed MKV recording to MP4. Choose the format as part of the recording plan, rather than assuming an interrupted recording will always be usable in every container.
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What to do if the estimate does not match your PC
- The drive fills sooner than expected: Check actual file growth over a representative interval. Verify that the recording is not using a higher-quality or separate encoder setting than assumed, and check resolution, audio tracks and any additional recordings.
- The estimate looks implausibly large: Confirm units and duration. The 316 GB-per-Mbps figure is for 30 days, not one day; OBS’s Lossless preset is also a much larger special case.
- A recording is unexpectedly interrupted: Use MKV for future recordings if interruption resilience is important; OBS says an abrupt stop will not corrupt the whole MKV file. Remux completed files to MP4 when needed.
- You need a drive size: Compare usable capacity with the measured or calculated total plus a 10–20% planning buffer, allowing further room for other files. The right capacity depends on your bitrate and workflow; no single drive size follows from the topic alone.
Or let it run in the cloud
If the goal is keeping uploaded children’s videos live on a YouTube channel rather than retaining a month of local PC recordings, StreamNeo is a cloud option: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. Nothing has to stay on at home; it loops uploaded videos, not a live camera feed. It streams the upload as made, up to 4K 60fps, at one flat price per slot; there are no quality tiers or re-encoding. It automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly is $9.99 per month. Start the free first day with StreamNeo.
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