A low-power Intel N100 mini PC is a reasonable class to investigate for running a software encoder, but the available evidence does not establish a single best model for a 24/7 YouTube Live stream. If you want to estimate local storage, start with the recording’s bitrate: YouTube playback does not require you to keep a month of video on your computer.
The Beelink Mini S12 Pro is one example with a published idle-power measurement, not a proven around-the-clock streaming winner. Before buying, distinguish a playlist playing on YouTube from a computer continuously sending a live feed, then test any proposed machine with your actual video and stream settings.
Playback on YouTube is not local recording
A viewer who watches a YouTube playlist is watching material delivered by YouTube. That viewing does not mean the viewer’s computer needs to save a month of video locally. The storage question in this article is about the files kept by the channel operator: source videos, working copies, exports, and any local recordings made during the stream.
A continuous live broadcast is different from a playlist. In a self-hosted arrangement, a computer runs an encoder or streaming application, reads video and audio files, and sends a live signal to YouTube. The computer needs access to the files it is playing, but that does not by itself mean it must retain a separate 30-day recording. A cloud or dedicated encoder can also send a continuous prerecorded stream without your personal computer being the machine doing the work.
This distinction matters when you compare mini PC storage with bitrate calculations. If you have a short loop file that the encoder repeatedly plays, the source file may be small even though the stream runs continuously. If instead you are producing or keeping a continuous local recording, its size depends on the recording bitrate and duration. Do not multiply a month of broadcast time by the bitrate unless you really intend to retain that much recorded video.
For a practical walkthrough of the software-based route, see this guide to looping prerecorded video on YouTube Live from Linux. It covers a particular way to create the outgoing stream; it does not make a local archive mandatory.
Choose a machine for the workload, not the label
An N100 mini PC is a sensible starting point to research when you want a compact, modest-power machine for a software encoder. It is not a guarantee of continuous stability or suitable performance for every resolution, frame rate, codec, overlay, or source file. A computer that plays a simple video smoothly may behave differently when it must encode, composite graphics, reconnect after a network interruption, and run unattended.
Notebookcheck reported 9.02 W average idle power with an external monitor in its test of the Beelink Mini S12 Pro. That is a measurement of that tested configuration while idle. It is not an encoding figure, a 24/7 stream measurement, or a prediction of what the same machine will draw in your room. The monitor condition is part of the result, too; compare like with like when assessing power use.
Treat a named mini PC as a candidate to test rather than a winner established by the available evidence. For a useful comparison, look at power measured at the wall while your actual stream is running, whether the encoder supports your chosen settings, wired network options, noise, restart and recovery behaviour, warranty and support, and full purchase and operating cost. No comparative 24/7 test results are available here to rank the N100 against other models.
YouTube also describes options beyond a general-purpose PC, including the cloud service Gyre and the AJA HELO Plus hardware encoder. Those may suit you better if you would rather not maintain a computer, or if a purpose-built appliance fits your workflow. Compare current features, terms and costs directly; do not assume that a mini PC is the right answer just because it is small or has a low idle reading.
If you are choosing between a spare computer and a new machine, this article on running a nonstop sermon stream on a spare PC can help frame what the local-computer route involves. Either way, judge the setup by the stream you can test, not by a product name alone.
Estimate from the recording bitrate
Bitrate is the amount of data encoded each second. For storage planning, use the bitrate of the file you intend to retain, rather than the bitrate of a different stream setting or a number found in a generic PC listing. Video and audio may have separate bitrates; when both are included in the stated total, use their combined rate.
The examples below assume a constant bitrate and count decimal storage units: 1 byte is 8 bits, and 1 GB is 1,000,000,000 bytes. Real files can differ because of variable bitrate, audio, container overhead, metadata, and how the encoder handles the content. The calculations are transparent planning estimates under the stated assumptions, not exact predictions for every file.
There is also an important distinction between a source file and an outgoing live stream. A prerecorded file already on your computer has the size it was encoded to have; repeatedly playing it does not create another copy for each pass. A local recording of the outgoing programme is a new file, whose size follows its recording bitrate and the time recorded. Keep those two cases separate in your budget.
YouTube’s live encoder settings guidance lists settings and bitrate guidance for streams. Choose output settings for the content and quality you need, then use the bitrate for the file you are estimating. The stream’s upload requirement and the disk space for an archive are related to bitrate but are different planning questions.
The 30-day storage formula
For constant bitrate in megabits per second (Mbps), the decimal estimate is:
GB = Mbps × seconds × 1,000,000 ÷ 8 ÷ 1,000,000,000
Thirty days contain 30 × 24 × 60 × 60 = 2,592,000 seconds. Substituting that duration and simplifying gives:
30-day GB = Mbps × 324
The shortcut works because a rate in megabits per second is multiplied by the number of seconds, converted from bits to bytes, and then expressed in decimal gigabytes. It assumes the bitrate remains constant for every second of the entire recording. It does not say that YouTube itself needs a 30-day local copy, and it does not account for spare capacity or files other than the one recording.
For example, a 1 Mbps recording held continuously for 30 days works out to 324 GB under those assumptions. If you only record the stream for part of each day, substitute the actual number of seconds recorded instead of 2,592,000. If you have a loop source file rather than a continuous local recording, use the source file’s actual size and keep a separate allowance for any exports or backups you choose to retain.
Use decimal GB when comparing with manufacturers’ advertised drive capacity. A computer may show capacity in a different unit convention, and the operating system, applications, cache, and other files also occupy space. The formula gives the recording component only.
Worked examples at four bitrates
These examples apply the same constant-bitrate assumption for an entire 30-day period. They are not estimates of what a YouTube channel must store, nor do they imply that YouTube archives every continuous stream as one file.
| Constant bitrate | Calculation for 30 days | Decimal storage estimate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Mbps | 1 × 324 | 324 GB |
| 8 Mbps | 8 × 324 | 2,592 GB (2.592 TB) |
| 14 Mbps | 14 × 324 | 4,536 GB (4.536 TB) |
| 42 Mbps | 42 × 324 | 13,608 GB (13.608 TB) |
A 1 Mbps recording may be a useful illustration of a low data rate, but whether it preserves acceptable picture and sound depends on the content and settings. An 8 Mbps recording is simply eight times the 1 Mbps estimate in this calculation. Likewise, 14 and 42 Mbps multiply the same duration by a higher data rate; the table does not claim that any one of these values is the correct setting for your channel.
To adapt the table, multiply the bitrate by 324 for a 30-day recording. If your file has a combined video-and-audio rate of 8 Mbps, the estimate is 2.592 TB in decimal units. If you instead keep several separate source files, add their actual sizes. If you overwrite a rolling recording or retain only selected segments, calculate the amount you actually keep rather than the full month of uninterrupted output.
The same logic can help you decide whether a mini PC needs a large internal drive. If it only reads one source file and sends an encoded stream, a large disk sized for a month-long archive may not be necessary. If you require a local rolling archive, multiple retained programmes, or working exports, include those explicitly in the capacity plan.
When the month has 31 days
For 31 days, the duration is 31 × 24 × 60 × 60 = 2,678,400 seconds. Under the same constant-bitrate and decimal-unit assumptions, each Mbps adds 334.8 GB over the month. That is 30 days’ 324 GB per Mbps plus one further day’s 10.8 GB per Mbps.
| Constant bitrate | Calculation for 31 days | Decimal storage estimate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Mbps | 1 × 334.8 | 334.8 GB |
| 8 Mbps | 8 × 334.8 | 2,678.4 GB (2.6784 TB) |
| 14 Mbps | 14 × 334.8 | 4,687.2 GB (4.6872 TB) |
| 42 Mbps | 42 × 334.8 | 14,061.6 GB (14.0616 TB) |
The additional day is three per cent more duration than a 30-day estimate, not a separate overhead factor. Months do not all have 30 or 31 days, so for a precise planning window use the actual number of days or, better, the actual hours you plan to record. The calculation is still an estimate because the bitrate assumption may not match the file’s real average.
Allow for overhead and the files around the stream
A drive plan should include more than the calculated recording. Leave room for the operating system, encoder software, temporary files, source videos, graphics, backups, and any exported edits. If you retain several versions of a programme, the versions add to the storage needed even if each one is shorter than a month-long recording.
Containers and metadata also mean a real file may not match the simple bit-rate calculation exactly. With variable bitrate, some scenes use more data than others, so a single average can be more useful than a nominal peak. If you have a representative recording, check its actual file size and duration; that gives you a more grounded planning rate than treating a setting as a measured file average. Still leave capacity headroom rather than filling the drive to its advertised limit.
For continuous operation, test the whole chain before relying on it overnight: the intended resolution, frame rate, codec, overlays, audio, network connection, and restart behaviour. YouTube recommends testing before going live and monitoring stream health. Its guidance also recommends RTMPS and advises leaving upload headroom; do not size your internet connection from the mini PC’s idle power or from disk storage figures. Read YouTube’s current streaming and encoder guidance and live streaming help before setting up, as platform instructions can change.
Archive expectations deserve their own check. YouTube Help says, “All streams under 12 hours will be automatically archived.” That statement does not establish that a single continuous 24-hour stream will be saved as one complete archive. If keeping the whole programme matters, plan how you will segment streams and save the material, and verify current YouTube guidance rather than assuming a longer broadcast will behave like a shorter one.
You can compare local operation with a cloud route when the machine’s power draw, unattended maintenance, or recovery work becomes the difficult part. StreamNeo turns an uploaded video into a YouTube live stream without leaving your computer on to run the broadcast, which can remove that particular local-computer burden; it does not change what YouTube archives or remove the need to plan your files and channel setup. For an overview of stream operation choices, see VPS versus managed 24/7 streaming.
Make the decision with a real test
Before buying, write down what the machine must do: play which files, output at what resolution and frame rate, encode with which codec, show which overlays, and recover in what way after a loss of power or internet. Test using that workload rather than a desktop idle reading. Check the stream health during the test and keep an eye on the device when it is under load; a short successful test is useful evidence, not a promise about every night that follows.
Then compare the full cost and effort. A self-hosted mini PC gives you local control and may make sense if you are comfortable maintaining a computer, connection, and storage. A cloud or dedicated encoder can reduce the amount of local equipment you manage, but brings its own terms, costs, and control trade-offs. YouTube’s streaming options directory describes third-party and hardware routes, including services and encoders; check the current official listing and each provider’s own current details.
If your only concern is a month of storage, do not buy a larger drive until you have established whether you need a month-long local recording at all. If you do need one, use the formula with your actual recording rate and duration, then add source files, exports, backups, and headroom. If the issue is running the stream unattended, assess the computer’s tested workload and restart plan separately from the storage arithmetic.
Before committing, compare the operating options on the pricing page. When the file and channel are ready, start free — 24-hour trial, no card.
FAQ
Can I stream prerecorded videos on YouTube Live 24/7?
You can send a continuous live stream built from prerecorded material, using an encoder or an appropriate cloud or hardware route. The source file looping locally is not the same thing as a continuous local recording, and YouTube’s archive guidance for streams under 12 hours does not establish that a 24-hour broadcast will be saved as one complete video. Test the stream and plan segmentation and saving if you need a complete record.
Do I need a PC to run a continuous YouTube stream?
No. A self-hosted computer is one route, but YouTube’s own directory also lists cloud and dedicated hardware options. Compare control, recurring cost, setup effort, support, and what happens when a stream drops before deciding which route suits you.
Is the Beelink Mini S12 Pro proven to run a stream continuously?
The evidence cited here does not prove that. Notebookcheck’s 9.02 W figure is average idle power with an external monitor in its test, not a 24/7 encoding measurement. Test a candidate with the resolution, frame rate, codec, overlays, and files you plan to use.
How much storage do I need for a 30-day local recording?
Under a constant bitrate and decimal GB assumptions, multiply the recording bitrate in Mbps by 324. That estimates the recording only; add room for other files and overhead, and use actual duration if you record less than continuously. It is not a requirement for YouTube playback or for a stream that only reads a smaller loop file.