H.265 / HEVC Bitrate Calculator
MPEG (ISO/IEC) · Raw and stream bitrate for one H.265 / HEVC signal.
- Raw bitrate
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- Stream bitrate (H.265 / HEVC)
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- Compression ratio
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- Streams on 1 GbE
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- Streams on 10 GbE
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- Recommended link
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- Endpoint power
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Supports up to 420 · 10-bit. ≈ half the bitrate of H.264 (10-bit for HDR).
About H.265 / HEVC
H.265 (HEVC) is the successor to H.264, delivering the same quality at roughly half the bitrate, with 10-bit HDR support.
HEVC improves on H.264 with larger coding blocks and better prediction, roughly halving the bitrate for equivalent quality. It also supports 10-bit colour, making it the codec of choice for HDR and 4K streaming.
The bitrate is the raw signal divided by the codec ratio (≈240:1 here). A 1080p30 4:2:0 source is about 746 Mbps raw and roughly 3 Mbps on the wire — half of H.264, and even more efficient at 4K.
Worked example
A 1080p30 4:2:0 signal is 746.5 Mbps raw; H.265 compresses it about 240:1, so the stream is about 3.1 Mbps — about half of H.264.
Frequently asked questions
How much better is H.265 than H.264?
Roughly 50% lower bitrate for the same quality, and native 10-bit support for HDR.
Why would I still use H.264?
Broader device compatibility and lower encoder cost — H.265 needs more processing power.
Does H.265 add latency?
Yes, like H.264 it uses inter-frame prediction, so it is best for delivery rather than live switching.
What is the difference between raw and stream bitrate?
Raw is the uncompressed signal (width × height × frame rate × bits per pixel); stream is what the codec actually puts on the wire after compression. The compression ratio is raw ÷ stream.
What do 4:4:4, 4:2:2 and 4:2:0 mean?
They describe chroma subsampling — how much colour detail is kept relative to brightness. 4:4:4 keeps full colour (3× bit depth per pixel), 4:2:2 keeps two-thirds, and 4:2:0 keeps half (1.5×).
Related calculators
- NDI Full Bandwidth Bitrate Calculator
- NDI HX Bitrate Calculator
- Q-SYS MediaCast Bitrate Calculator
- IP Video Bitrate Calculator — compare every codec side by side.
- Switch Configurator — size the switch for these streams.
Disclaimer: bitrates are planning estimates. Confirm final figures with your codec and switch vendor.