IP Video Bitrate Calculator
Raw and codec-compressed bitrate for one video signal — pick a format and codec.
- Raw bitrate
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- Stream bitrate (—)
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- Compression ratio
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- Storage (raw)
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How video bitrate is calculated
Uncompressed video bitrate is the product of resolution, frame rate and bits per pixel:width × height × fps × bits per pixel. Bits per pixel is the bit depth per channel multiplied by the chroma factor — 3 for 4:4:4, 2 for 4:2:2 and 1.5 for 4:2:0. So 1080p30 at 8-bit 4:2:0 is 1920 × 1080 × 30 × 12 ≈ 746 Mbps.
A codec then compresses that raw stream. The stream bitrate is the raw bitrate divided by the codec's compression ratio — uncompressed transports (ST 2110, IP10) have a ratio of 1, while H.264/H.265 can reach ratios of 120 or more. These are planning values: the real bitrate varies with content and quality, so the figures here are estimates to size the network.
Worked example
A 1080p30 4:2:0 8-bit signal has a raw bitrate of ≈746 Mbps. Encoded with H.264 (ratio ≈120) the stream drops to ≈6.2 Mbps. The same signal over an uncompressed transport (ST 2110) stays at ≈746 Mbps and needs a 1 GbE link.
Frequently asked questions
What is video bitrate?
Bitrate is the amount of data a video signal uses per second, measured in megabits per second (Mbps). Uncompressed video is large (1080p30 4:2:0 is about 746 Mbps); codecs compress it down for the network.
What is the difference between raw and compressed bitrate?
Raw bitrate is the uncompressed stream (width × height × frame rate × bits per pixel). Compressed bitrate is what a codec actually puts on the wire — usually a fraction of the raw value. The ratio between them is the compression ratio.
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 (24 bits per pixel at 8-bit), 4:2:2 keeps half, and 4:2:0 keeps a quarter (12 bits per pixel at 8-bit).
Which codec should I use for AV-over-IP?
It depends on the link and latency you need. Uncompressed (ST 2110, IP10) suits 10/25 GbE and zero latency; visually lossless codecs (JPEG 2000, SDVoE, Q-SYS Shift) suit 1 GbE; NDI/H.264/H.265 suit lower-bandwidth streaming.
Disclaimer: bitrates are planning estimates. Confirm final figures with your codec and switch vendor.