For one continuous recording, estimate storage from the average bitrate and the hours recorded. At 1 Mbps for 30 days, NVIDIA’s documented formula works out to about 316 GB, but the title “children’s videos” does not tell you what bitrate your OBS recording uses.
Treat the figures below as one-stream calculations, not fixed storage requirements for children’s content. They exclude filesystem overhead, additional recorded tracks, separate recordings and an operating reserve; check your own settings and leave more usable space than the calculation suggests.
Estimate storage from bitrate and recording time
The first-order calculation is bitrate multiplied by recording duration, converted from bits to bytes. NVIDIA documents it as Storage (GB) = (Bitrate (Mbps) × Duration (seconds)) / 8 / 1024. The division by eight converts bits to bytes, and the division by 1024 expresses the result in gigabytes using that formula’s units.
For 24/7 recording, duration is the number of seconds in the period. A day contains 86,400 seconds, so one day at 1 Mbps is about 10.55 GB under the formula. Multiply that daily estimate by the number of days you intend to retain. A 30-day estimate is daily storage multiplied by 30.
This is an estimate for a single continuous stream at an average 1 Mbps, not a promise that a particular file will have precisely that size. If you record at 4 Mbps, for example, the estimate is four times the 1 Mbps result, provided the average bitrate is steady. With variable-bitrate or quality-based encoding, actual size changes with the material and settings.
Be clear about the period. A calendar month can have 28, 29, 30 or 31 days; “30 days” is a useful planning period, not a synonym for every calendar month. If you want to keep recordings for a full calendar month, use the actual retention period, or use the longer period you need to cover. To adapt the calculation, replace 30 with your number of days.
The calculation answers how much data one recorded video stream contributes. It does not include the space used by the operating system, applications, temporary files or other media on the PC. Nor does it mean your drive should be filled to the estimated figure. You need extra usable capacity beyond the recording estimate, and the following sections show why.
Use the 30-day per-Mbps estimate
At the documented rate, each sustained Mbps contributes about 316.4 GB over 30 days. This gives you a quick way to translate the bitrate shown in your recording settings into a first estimate. The table rounds to two decimal places for larger totals and uses decimal-style TB for readability; the source formula’s figures are in GB.
| Average bitrate | 30-day estimate, one stream |
|---|---|
| 1 Mbps | 316 GB |
| 2 Mbps | 633 GB (0.63 TB) |
| 4 Mbps | 1.27 TB |
| 6 Mbps | 1.90 TB |
| 8 Mbps | 2.53 TB |
NVIDIA’s version 3.0.0 documentation gives 84.375 GB per stream per day at 8 Mbps. Multiplying by 30 yields 2,531.25 GB before buffer, consistent with the rounded 2.53 TB entry. See NVIDIA’s storage formula and example for the source calculation.
These are calculated examples, not a claim that children’s videos need 2, 4, 6 or 8 Mbps. Resolution, encoder choice, quality target, motion in the picture and audio settings influence the resulting recording. Your actual recording may be above or below a listed line. Use the number as a planning input only after checking OBS or measuring a representative file.
The estimate also assumes only one recording stream. If OBS produces a separate local recording while the PC is sending a live stream, count the local recording’s own settings and file size. If you create two separate files at the same rate and duration, the storage contribution is approximately doubled. Do not use the table as a complete drive capacity specification until you have accounted for those cases and reserve.
Compare example capacities against your plan
Use the table as a comparison of bitrate scenarios rather than shopping instructions. A setup measured near 2 Mbps has a very different 30-day base estimate from one measured near 8 Mbps. Once you add tracks, other files and a reserve, the drive must have more usable free space than the base total.
For instance, a drive with 1 TB of available capacity may accommodate the base estimate for one 2 Mbps stream for 30 days, but that does not establish that it will fit your own workflow. The file system, other content on the drive, multiple tracks or simultaneous recordings can use some of that space. The same nominal capacity may therefore be inadequate if your observed average bitrate is higher or your retention period is longer.
Similarly, the 4 Mbps row is about 1.27 TB before any additions. A nominal 1 TB drive would not cover even that base calculation if all capacity were available, which it will not be in ordinary use. The 8 Mbps row is about 2.53 TB before reserve. Choose capacity by comparing usable free space with your full plan, not by matching a product label to a rounded estimate.
If you record locally on the streaming PC, consider whether the destination should be an internal drive or an external one based on the PC and your workflow. The research does not establish that a specific capacity or drive model suits every user; “8 TB internal hard drive for video recording storage” is a search phrase, not a universal recommendation. Check the drive’s usable capacity and leave space for the machine’s other work.
This sort of storage planning sits alongside channel continuity, but it solves a different problem from keeping the broadcast running. If your focus is continuity while you are away from the PC, see how to monitor a 24/7 Indian music YouTube stream remotely. Monitoring helps you notice a dropped broadcast; it does not measure local recording capacity.
Check OBS’s configured or observed bitrate
The most useful input is the bitrate of the file you actually intend to keep. OBS settings can use the same video encoder settings as the stream or a separate recording encoder and quality setting. The OBS recording output guide explains configurable recording output, including encoder and audio-track choices. Do not assume the broadcast bitrate is also your recording bitrate without checking the output mode.
In OBS, inspect the Output settings and note whether recording uses “Same as stream” or a separate recording configuration. Confirm the video encoder, recording quality or bitrate setting, output resolution and audio-track selection. The OBS recording encoder presets guide describes the available preset behaviour; a higher quality setting can make larger files, and some choices can affect performance.
A configured bitrate gives a useful estimate for constant-bitrate recording. With variable bitrate or a quality-based preset, the setting may not represent a constant rate throughout the file. Make a representative recording using the same content and settings you plan to use, then check its file size and duration. Divide the file size by the recording time to get an observed average, and use that average in the duration calculation.
A sample should reflect ordinary use. If your children’s video playlist includes still illustrations and also animated sequences, measuring only a still image may not represent the busier material. Use a sample that includes the kinds of scenes, transitions and audio you expect to record. You are not trying to predict every future file exactly; you are replacing an unsupported guess with evidence from your own configuration.
Record locally for long enough to make the file size meaningful, but first ensure the destination has room and that the test will not interrupt a live session. Note the recording duration, file size, settings and whether OBS created one file or several. Repeat the check if you change the encoder, output resolution or quality setting. A new configuration can invalidate an old estimate.
Account for overhead and extra recordings
The bitrate table covers one video stream’s calculated data only. Your actual storage use can be larger for several reasons. Filesystem overhead and normal drive use consume capacity, audio tracks add recorded data, and separate outputs create additional files. Keep each of these distinct rather than treating the table as an all-in total.
OBS lets you choose which audio tracks are recorded. If you capture more than one track, budget for every track in the output. The exact increase depends on the audio settings; do not invent a flat multiplier without measuring. Make a sample in the intended configuration and use the resulting file size as a more inclusive basis for planning.
Check whether OBS is recording at the stream’s output resolution or rescaling the recording relative to the canvas. A separate resolution or encoder setup can change how much data is written. If you record multiple simultaneous outputs, each output’s file contributes to storage. A second recording is not free just because it shares the same source video.
The lossless recording preset is a special case and should not be confused with the compressed bitrate examples. OBS Project states an approximate lossless recording rate of around 7 GB per minute. Sustained for 30 days, that is about 302,400 GB, or roughly 302 TB in decimal units. This is OBS’s published approximation, not a measurement from your PC; it shows why a lossless workflow has a radically different storage scale.
Recording reliability also matters when you keep long files. OBS recommends MKV when an unforeseen interruption is a concern, because an ungracefully stopped recording will not corrupt the whole file; OBS also provides a remux function to convert a completed recording to MP4. Choose a recording format with your editing and recovery needs in mind, and verify that your downstream workflow accepts it. Format choice does not remove the need to plan capacity.
If your actual goal is to leave a pre-made video running as a YouTube live channel rather than retain a month of local recordings, a local storage estimate may not address the operational burden you are trying to solve. StreamNeo can remove the need to keep the streaming PC on for an uploaded file that runs as a YouTube live stream, rather than requiring you to maintain a month of local recording files. It is YouTube-only, and this does not change the capacity calculation for recordings you choose to keep locally.
Add a planning reserve
After calculating the base estimate, leave additional capacity. NVIDIA advises a 10–20% planning buffer to allow for variation in encoding and variable-bitrate behaviour. Apply that guidance to your estimated recording data, then add any known space needed for extra tracks or separate recordings. It is a planning buffer, not a guarantee that every setup will fit.
For a simple example, if your measured rate is close to 4 Mbps, the one-stream 30-day base estimate is about 1.27 TB. A 10–20% buffer on that base is roughly 0.13–0.25 TB, so the buffered recording estimate is around 1.40–1.52 TB before additional tracks, overhead and other files. These are arithmetic illustrations, not fixed requirements; your usable free capacity must also accommodate the rest of the PC’s work.
Do not buy exactly to the buffered number if the drive will also hold other files or if you need to keep old recordings while new ones are being made. Decide your retention policy first: are you keeping every day for 30 days, or deleting older files as new ones arrive? If you retain a rolling archive, the maximum number of days present at once determines the storage calculation. If a full month must coexist with incoming files, allow space for that transition.
A practical check is to compare the planned total with free usable capacity, rather than the drive’s nominal label. Then confirm the drive remains below its capacity while recording, with room for temporary files and normal system activity. Recheck after a few days of ordinary operation. Early file sizes can reveal a misread setting before a month of material depends on the estimate.
If the channel also uses scheduled metadata or a playlist workflow, storage is only one part of preparation. For a music-based channel, the guide to scheduling song titles and artists on a 24/7 YouTube stream addresses the separate task of organising what viewers see. For a local playback setup, you may also find how to download a playlist to a VPS and stream it to YouTube with FFmpeg useful; it concerns a different workflow, not a shortcut to sizing a PC recording drive.
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
How much storage do I need to record 24/7 for 30 days?
Start with your average recording bitrate: at 1 Mbps, the one-stream estimate is about 316 GB for 30 days under NVIDIA’s formula. Scale in proportion to your measured bitrate, then account for overhead, extra tracks, separate files and a reserve. The title of the video does not determine its bitrate.
How many GB per day does a 1 Mbps video use?
The documented calculation gives about 10.55 GB per day for one continuous 1 Mbps stream. Actual file size may vary if you use variable-bitrate or quality-based recording. Measure a representative OBS file if the configured rate is not constant.
Is an 8 TB drive required for a month of children’s videos?
Not necessarily. The estimate depends on the actual bitrate, number of recordings and tracks, retention period and usable free capacity. Use the 30-day table as a starting point, not a fixed requirement, and choose capacity after checking a representative recording and adding reserve.
Does OBS’s lossless preset fit the bitrate table?
No. OBS’s approximate figure for lossless recording is around 7 GB per minute, far beyond the compressed-stream examples when sustained. If you intend to use lossless recording, calculate from a representative file and plan for a very different storage scale.