How much storage space will an hour of TV recording use?

[clayto]

Can someone advise me how much storage space in gigabytes an hour of TV recording will use? In SD and in HD? I have just got a STB that can record on a Memory Card and on a USB Flash Drive and need to know what size of Card and Flash Drive I will need for TV programs of different lengths. The format is ALIDVR. The 'hour' is to act as a yardstick. I have the impression at the moment that half an hour is taking about a quarter of a gigabyte.

[DB83]

There is no such format as 'ALIDVR'

Your manual should tell you the actual format of the recording (as opposed to what tv station transmits) beit mpg2, mp4(avc) etc. The manual should even answer your question since I doubt anyone here can.

As a guide

An hour of 'good quality' mpg2(SD) could use 4 gig whereas HD could be 10-15 gig. So your figures are way out.

[KarMa]

Completely depends on the bitrate of the channel you want to record. 10-15Mbit is a pretty normal bitrate range for TV in the US, giving you 4-6GB per hour of recording. And 1-2 GB per hour for SD. Some satellite companies like to cut the bitrate even more to save bandwidth on their transponders, so they drop the bitrate even further below 10Mbit.

All comes down to bitrate.

[redwudz]

Size = Bitrate * Running Time

Or for some bit less basic calculators, look here:https://www.videohelp.com/software/sections/bitrate-calculators

Then you can just plug in the numbers.

[clayto]

Thanks for that bitrate information. I am in the UK. I suppose I can find out the bitrate that applies here. The figures above give me an idea of what to expect, as I hadn't a clue --- it is something I have not encountered before.

ALDIVR is the extension to the files created by my STB and as I found Exporters and Converters for ALDIVR to AVI, MPG, MP4 on the internet I assumed it was an uncommon format. If not, what is it?

[NiGHT-WiNG]

I am in the UK

Bitrate will be between 5to8Mbit for HD because of the broadcasters using H.264 while SD will be anything from 2to3Mbit
for example i have a recording from FreeviewHD which is 23mins long 823MB in size at 1080p, can i ask what feed are you recording from satelite or freeview ?

[clayto]

Freeview

[DB83]

It will also help if you state the model no of your stb/dvr

I found some models and none of these actually support recording on flash drives or usb (these are just for back up). The manual I read states


"2.2.1 Installing an HDD in the DVR
If you purchased your DVR without an internal HDD, you must install one for the DVR to function properly. Follow the procedure in
“APPENDIX C HDD Installation” on page 113. If your DVR has an HDD, skip this procedure and continue installing the system with
step “2.2.2 Placement” on page 9."

ALIDVR is just an file extension used by the DVR. It could be a proprietory format exclusive to these DVRs or just simple .ts files with a standard codec as the recording format.

But we do need the model no to establish more info.

[lordsmurf]

How long is a piece of string?

[Bjs]

1 hour of sd equals 1 gigabyte used ... hi def is about 1.5gb per hour with my strong stb

Of course it depends on how the top setbox handles the source / recording, and any bonus audio streams it may carry.

Lordsmurf got it in one ... grab an 8 gb flash drive and do some tests is the only accurate way of knowing.

[Bjs]

1 hour of sd equals 1 gigabyte used ... hi def is about 1.5gb per hour with my strong stb

Of course it depends on how the top setbox handles the source / recording, and any bonus audio streams it may carry.

Lordsmurf got it in one ... grab an 8 gb flash drive and do some tests is the only accurate way of knowing.

[clayto]

1 hour of sd equals 1 gigabyte ---- that is what I was looking for ---- of course I realise it is only a 'rough rule of thumb' but it gives me a ball park guide. For recording, the device (a) has a Memory Card slot but it takes SD not SDHC so that is only 2 to 4 GB and (b) a USB 2 port which I know will at least take an 8 GB Flash Drive (c) plus, Multi Card Readers / USB Hubs can be attached via the USB port. I think the recordings are in MP4 and AVI but my PC and conversion software does not recognise them so far.

I bought the STB (see below) just to enable our standby analogue TV to receive digital broadcasts for which it is very effective, but as it has this additional recording functionality I though I might as well give it a try, although we have a Panasonic HDD / DVD recorder / player.

Although the device seems good' the 'manual' which came with it is a useless little booklet which tells you little more than things like the ON button turns it on and the OFF button turns it off! However, I have just discovered a substantial pdf manual on the net (which the retailer did not seem to know about):

AKDVB30

http://lifastleg1680.com/ebay_install_guide/SCART%20manual.pdf

[DB83]

That manual does not mention tv recording to a SD (or any other) card. Only to a usb drive.

Even my dvd/hdd recorder in 3-hour mode will take 1.4 gig per hour but ultimately it does come down to the recording format. If your PC does not recognise them it is a proprietory format but you can always do a short recording and upload that here. But pay attention to the recoding folder. The files could have strange names that bear no resemblance to what you recorded. There could also be a 'control' file which the stb uses to list them.

[clayto]

"That manual does not mention tv recording to a SD (or any other) card. Only to a usb drive."

My copy of the manual does refer to SD and other cards.

Quote: "7. MOVIE, MUSIC AND PHOTO Your AKDVB30 is equipped with a simplified function multimedia player that allows you to play certain kind of files. You can connect a USB device or a SD/MMC memory card to your AKDVB30 and play music in MP3 format, images and some kind of video files (as the files recorded by your AKDVB30)."

I think perhaps you missed that?

[bendixG15]

How long is a piece of string?

Oh my, that brought back memories of my freshman engineering college years.(That was many years ago)

And of course , upperclassmen gave us freshmen the answer to.....

How long is a piece of string ???
Easy ..........It's twice the distance from the center to the end.

[DB83]

So have you actually recorded to a SD card ?

It comes down to interpretation of an ambigious sentence IMO. The line says 'play' and then it mentions mp3 and images. But you can not record mp3 or images can you ?

So my interpretation is that you can put in a SD card from your camera or phone to view your images or previously saved mp3 or video as long as the format is supported.

[clayto]

The STB records and plays TV broadcasts on both SD Card and USB Flash -- which is its principal function, apart from turning an analogue into a digital TV. I have not experimented with MP3 and Images yet but expect it only plays MP3 and Images recorded elsewhere.

[clayto]

PS to make it clear, yes I have recorded from the TV onto an SD Card, without difficulty.

[DB83]

Fine.

Yet the manual does not mention that. It only mentions the 'usb device' for recording.

And had you quoted the entire section about multimedia playback I could have saved some finger print.

So how about now uploading that short sample to see if we can make any sense of the recording format.

[clayto]

The file will not upload. I have converted it from DVR (which does not upload, and is not listed) to mpeg. This also will not upload. Nor will it play in any of my players, including VLC (which has never lived up to claims for it) or Real Player, but it does play perfectly in File Viewer Lite. The extension is mpeg2.mp2.

I will continue to experiment but would welcome advice.

[DB83]

We do not want a conversion.

Just copy from your SD card to the PC and upload as an attachment here. We only need a short sample - 20 seconds is enough.

[clayto]

The last time I looked at Videostream it was not available for Windows. Now it is. It is good, it plays (and casts) whatever video I have asked it too, unlike my other players. It not only plays the converted TV clips I saved to the SD card, it even plays the original VDR files perfectly well. So the issue I originally posted about is resolved. I was not able to get a VDR file to upload to the forum.

[DB83]

Well you might still like to assist others and provide the following.

1. Post a mediainfo report of an original recording
2. Answer the question you originally asked. i.e How much actual storage space will an hour of tv recording (on this unit) use - both SD and HD.

Info quite useful to guage the real quality of the recording etc.

[theewizard]

My homeworx digital pvr, recording to USB
One hour of hd ota broadcast is 4~6 gigabytes

[clayto]

I have uploaded the file. Where does it appear? It has not appeared here.

[theewizard]

Goto your uploaded files
Copy the link
Paste it in a post

[DB83]

To upload an attachment you go to advanced reply, click on the paper clip (attachment) and follow the instructions (do not close the window until you are told.

For mediainfo, select 'text' and copy/paste the report direct to a reply.

[clayto]

http://files.videohelp.com/u/127896/VideoBBC2%202015-12-11.txt

I hope this is what you want.

[DB83]

Ok. Some quick maths shows that 1 hour of that SD footage will occupy 1.8 gig - fairly close to 2-hour mode for a single-layer dvd.

The actual video is slightly proprietory since it has variable GOPs. That is what is probably throwing the other players.

Would still like to see the actual video though. If you can not handle the attachment process, just do what you did with the mediainfo report ie link from your own files.