Difference between revisions of "Bitrate"

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(Undo revision 36229 by Sphery (Talk Google doesn't work--doesn't recognize distinctions between binary and SI prefixes))
(Fix table (Google "broke" the original with the lack of distinction between binary and SI prefixes) and mention Google's shortcoming.)
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A megabit is a unit of digital information storage, abbreviated Mbit (or Mb).
 
A megabit is a unit of digital information storage, abbreviated Mbit (or Mb).
  
1 megabit = 1,000,000 bits which is equal to 125,000 bytes. In kilobytes this is either 125 kB (decimal meaning) or about 122 kB (122 KiB) (binary meaning).
+
1 megabit = 1,000,000 bits which is equal to 125,000 bytes. In kilobytes this is either 125 kB (decimal units, where 1 kilobyte = 1000 bytes) or about 122 kiB (binary units, where 1 kibibyte = 1024 bytes).
 
The megabit is most commonly used when referring to data transfer rates in network speeds, e.g. a 100 Mbit/s (megabit per second) Fast Ethernet connection. In this context, like elsewhere in telecommunications, it always equals a million bits. Residential high speed Internet access is often advertised incorrectly in megabits (a unit of information) rather than megabit per second.
 
The megabit is most commonly used when referring to data transfer rates in network speeds, e.g. a 100 Mbit/s (megabit per second) Fast Ethernet connection. In this context, like elsewhere in telecommunications, it always equals a million bits. Residential high speed Internet access is often advertised incorrectly in megabits (a unit of information) rather than megabit per second.
  
Video streams are often referred to as being "N megabit" streams (which means N Mbit / second). Novice users often confuse Megabits and Megabytes. The conversion factor is that there are 8 Megabits in 1 Megabyte - (so divide Mb/sec by 8 to get MB/sec).
+
Video streams are often referred to as being "N megabit" streams (which means N Mbit / second). Novice users often confuse Megabits and Megabytes. There are 8 bits in 1 byte; likewise there are 8 Megabits in 1 Megabyte (so divide Mb/sec by 8 to get MB/sec).
  
 
Here are some helpful numbers:  
 
Here are some helpful numbers:  
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|+'''Megabit values'''
 
|+'''Megabit values'''
 
|-
 
|-
! Source !! Mb/Sec  !!  MB/sec !! MB/hour !! GB/hour !!
+
! Source !! Mb/sec || MB/sec !! MB/hour !! GB/hour !! MiB/sec !! MiB/hr !! GiB/hr
 +
|-
 +
! N/A
 +
| 1.0 || 0.125 || 450 || 0.45 || 0.119 || 429 || 0.419
 
|-
 
|-
 
! DVD (max peak bitrate)
 
! DVD (max peak bitrate)
| 10.08 || 1.26 || 4536 || 4.43
+
| 10.08 || 1.260 || 4536 || 4.536 || 1.202 || 4326 || 4.224
 
|-
 
|-
 
! HD-PVR Recording (adjustable settings)
 
! HD-PVR Recording (adjustable settings)
| 13.5 || 1.6875 || 6075 || 5.93
+
| 13.5 || 1.6875 || 6075 || 6.075 || 1.6093 || 5793 || 5.658
 
|-
 
|-
 
! HD Recording (ATSC) (max bitrate)
 
! HD Recording (ATSC) (max bitrate)
| 19.4  || 2.425 || 8730 || 8.53
+
| 19.4  || 2.425 || 8730 || 8.73 || 2.313 || 8326 || 8.130
 
|}
 
|}
  
 
== Conversions between Mb/sec to MB/sec - Google is your friend ==
 
== Conversions between Mb/sec to MB/sec - Google is your friend ==
 
One of the easiest ways to perform megabit to megabyte conversion (aside from dividing by 8) - is to go to enter a [http://www.google.com/search?q=+19+Mb%2Fsec+to+MB%2Fsec query on google with the terms "X Mb/sec to MB/sec"] (replace X with the megabit value you wish to convert)
 
One of the easiest ways to perform megabit to megabyte conversion (aside from dividing by 8) - is to go to enter a [http://www.google.com/search?q=+19+Mb%2Fsec+to+MB%2Fsec query on google with the terms "X Mb/sec to MB/sec"] (replace X with the megabit value you wish to convert)
 +
 +
Note that Google does not distinguish between binary and SI prefixes, so when using this approach, the "byte" units will be treated as binary (i.e. GB or gigabyte will be treated as gibibyte).

Revision as of 20:03, 16 January 2009

A megabit is a unit of digital information storage, abbreviated Mbit (or Mb).

1 megabit = 1,000,000 bits which is equal to 125,000 bytes. In kilobytes this is either 125 kB (decimal units, where 1 kilobyte = 1000 bytes) or about 122 kiB (binary units, where 1 kibibyte = 1024 bytes). The megabit is most commonly used when referring to data transfer rates in network speeds, e.g. a 100 Mbit/s (megabit per second) Fast Ethernet connection. In this context, like elsewhere in telecommunications, it always equals a million bits. Residential high speed Internet access is often advertised incorrectly in megabits (a unit of information) rather than megabit per second.

Video streams are often referred to as being "N megabit" streams (which means N Mbit / second). Novice users often confuse Megabits and Megabytes. There are 8 bits in 1 byte; likewise there are 8 Megabits in 1 Megabyte (so divide Mb/sec by 8 to get MB/sec).

Here are some helpful numbers:

Megabit values
Source Mb/sec MB/sec MB/hour GB/hour MiB/sec MiB/hr GiB/hr
N/A 1.0 0.125 450 0.45 0.119 429 0.419
DVD (max peak bitrate) 10.08 1.260 4536 4.536 1.202 4326 4.224
HD-PVR Recording (adjustable settings) 13.5 1.6875 6075 6.075 1.6093 5793 5.658
HD Recording (ATSC) (max bitrate) 19.4 2.425 8730 8.73 2.313 8326 8.130

Conversions between Mb/sec to MB/sec - Google is your friend

One of the easiest ways to perform megabit to megabyte conversion (aside from dividing by 8) - is to go to enter a query on google with the terms "X Mb/sec to MB/sec" (replace X with the megabit value you wish to convert)

Note that Google does not distinguish between binary and SI prefixes, so when using this approach, the "byte" units will be treated as binary (i.e. GB or gigabyte will be treated as gibibyte).