Understanding Video File Size

The below table displays the approximate file size for a variety of different Video Resolutions. As you move down the table the Video Resolution improves and the size of the file increases.

Video Resolution

Length of Recording

File Size (approximate)

VGA

1 minute

24.1mb

High Definition (HD)

1 minute

88.3mb

1:1

1 minute

110mb

Full High Definition (30FPS)

1 minute

124mb

Full High Definition (60FPS)

1 minute

205mb

Quad High Definition (QHD)

1 minute

182mb

Ultra High Definition (UHD)

1 minute

348mb

Warning: The default Video Resolution setting on most phones has been set at a minimum of Full High Definition (30FPS). This means that a 10-minute video will produce a file size of just over 1 gigabyte.

Recommended video resolution setting

Recommended resolution: For a standard video assignment we recommend a video resolution setting of VGA. At this setting a 10-minute video will produce a file size of approximately 240 megabytes.

Maximum resolution: The recommended maximum video resolution is High Definition (HD). At this setting a 10-minute video will produce a file size of approximately 850 megabytes.

Note: These recommended settings have been chosen as they provide a balance between resolution and file size. The larger the file size the longer the video takes to upload.

Recommended video assignment length

Individual assignments: For an individual assignment we suggest limiting the length of the video to 5 minutes.

Group assignments: For group assignments we recommend limiting the length of the video to 10 minutes.

How to change your video resolution setting?

In order to change the video resolution setting on your recording device please either refer to the user manual or complete an internet search for instructions.

Example search: “How do I change the video resolution on my iPhone 6?”

Reducing file sizes

Phones

There are a number of free apps available through both the Google “Play Store” and the Apple “App Store” that can assist with reducing the size of a recorded video file. Do a search for “Video Compressor” and select one of the free Apps.

Warning: Some of the free Apps only allow you to compress a maximum video length of 10 minutes.

Computers

If you already have your video file on either your PC or MAC there are some free video compression programs available. For MAC users, IMovie can be used to help reduce file sizes. For those using a PC an example of a free program is the open-source video transcoder “Handbrake” which will be able to compress your video to provide a smaller file.

Uploading

The below table gives an indication on approximate upload times for a variety of connection speeds and file sizes.

File Size

Examples

Upload time in some regions (0.5 Mbp/s)

Upload time on common NBN (20 Mbp/s)

Upload time on UQ Wireless (56 Mbp/s)

120mb 5-minute video recorded in VGA quality33 minutes 33 Seconds50 seconds17 seconds
240mb 10-minute video recorded in VGA quality1 hour 7 minutes1 minute 40 seconds    35 seconds
440mb 5-minute video recorded in HD quality2 hours 3 minutes3 minute 4 seconds1 minute 5 seconds

880mb 

10-minute video recorded in HD quality4 hours 6 minutes6 minute 9 seconds2 minutes 11 seconds

Warning: The times presented in the above table are estimated speeds and should be used as a guide only. Many factors can impact the speed in which a file is uploaded, these include computer hardware, network congestion/interference, distance and protocols.

Recommendation: We recommend that both staff and students should upload videos to Echo360 or the ePortfolio while they are on Campus and connected to either eduroam or using a UQ computer. This will reduce the time it takes to complete the video upload.