Vidcalc helps you calculate aspect ratio, filesize (based on raw bitrate data), and time-of-delievery for your downloads.

How to use the VidCalc

• Ratio Tab:
  • Enter your video's original dimensions to see what ratio your source is in.
  • For an example, enter 720 x 480, and you'll get 1.5 (3:2) returned.
  • Use the bottom section to find out what a resized resolution would be if kept at the same aspect ratio.
  • Enter 540 in the box, and you'll see that 360 is returned. So a video with a width of 540 would have a height of 360 if it were to have an aspect ratio of 1.5 (or 3:2).
• Bitrate tab:
  • Remember that this calculator is a constant-bitrate (cbr) calculator, it does NOT take into account compression algorithms, frame-rate tweaks, or variable bitrate (vbr).
  • Enter the length of your video in the "Length" section.
  • Enter the video bitrate that you are compressing at (500kbps for example). You can also use the radio buttons to selected the output container (the radio button selection is really only used to tell you if your movie will play in a Flash 6 video player, so if you only want numbers, you can leave it on FLV).
  • Enter the audio bitrate (in this example 128kbps), and once again you can make a selection using the radio buttons (and once again, you may skip that step...) to determine if your video will playback in Flash 6.
  • With the above steps complete the middle-block should now give you a calculation for your video.
  • Videos are compressed in sections that are then subdivded into blocks, these blocks can be cut up into multiple sub-blocks. For optimal processing and compression, blocks that are cut into either 8 or 16 sub-blocks work best. If the calculator tells you that your video is not in a multiple of 8 or 16, you may want to resize your ratio to match at least one.
• Bandwidth tab:
  • This tab gives you a time-of-delivery guestimation at different bandwidth speeds. Since its based on file size, this can be used for anything, not just videos ;) .
  • Enter in your file size by using the input box and drop-down menu to select KB, MB, or GB
  • You can simulate various amounts of lag by using the "Cable", "Peak", and "Lag" buttons.

VidCalc is free for commercial and personal use. However if you find it useful, or want to thank me for my work, you can donate to my "dublin dr. pepper" fund.

Use the badge to the left to install VidCalc now. VidCalc runs on the Adobe Air platform, it has been tested on Windows XP, Vista, 7, Max OS Leopard, and Snow Leopard. If you don't have air installed, click on the install badge for VidCalc and Air will be downloaded and installed. You can learn more about Adobe Air here.