File Size
A file's size is the amount of data or information it contains. Generally a file will be large if it contains more information, such as a longer song or video, but there are other factors that affect file size related to quality of the files.
Generally speaking, the more complex the file, the bigger it is. A text file is very small because it is only written words, while a video, which has audio and video (much more information), is much larger. Quality is also a factor; a higher resolution photo or video with more visual detail will have a larger file size than one with lower resolution.
Quality also depends on the compression of the data in the file. See below for more information on data compression.
What do File Size Units Mean?
A "bit" is a very basic unit of data and can have only one of two values, commonly represented as either a 0 or 1. A "byte" consists of eight bits.
A kilobyte is 1000 bytes. A megabyte is 1000 kilobytes. A gigabyte is 1000 megabytes. A terabyte is 1000 gigabytes.
| Unit | Size | Abbreviation |
| kilobyte | 1000 bytes | k / kB |
| megabyte | 1000 kilobytes | MB |
| gigabyte | 1000 megabytes | GB |
| terabyte | 1000 gigabytes | TB |
This is similar to metric units for measuring distance- for example, there are 1000 millimeters in a meter, and 1000 meters in a kilometer.
How Much Storage do I Need?
USB drives can range in size. These days, USB drives for sale may be as small as 16GB, and are commonly 64 to 128GB, but may be as large as 1 TB (1000 GB)!
If you are storing Word documents or eBook files (called ePUBs), as well as only a few images, you will not need much storage capacity. A 16GB drive will usually be more than enough space for these kinds of files.
However, if you are working on a number of digital video, audio, or high definition image projects, you will need more storage space.
| Common Media File Sizes | |
|---|---|
| ePUB file | 1-5 MB |
| MP3 file | 1 MB / minute |
| WAV file | 10 MB / minute |
| Digitized video (VHS, 8mm, etc.) | 14 MB / minute (around 1 GB / hour) |
| Library studio recorded video | up to 750 MB / minute (around 45 GB / hour) |
Data Compression
The following information may be more than you need to know at first, but it is useful to be aware of.
Images, audio, or video files that are uncompressed can result in very large files. You may use editing software to reformat your files from uncompressed to compressed, and still retain high enough quality for your purposes- however, depending on how a file is compressed, there may be a loss of quality, and if quality is lost in a file it cannot be regained.
Some file formats are effective at compressing the data of an audio file, and reducing file size, while maintaining audio quality- file formats that can do this are "lossless". Other file formats compress data highly, but at the expense of audio quality- these file formats are "lossy".
- Uncompressed data means there is no data compression. The audio of an uncompressed file is the highest quality, but the file size may be very large.
- Examples of uncompressed formats include:
- BMP, usually (image file type)
- WAV (audio file type)
- Examples of uncompressed formats include:
- Data compression encodes file data so a file is a smaller size than if uncompressed.
- Lossless data compression is a way of compressing data that allows the original uncompressed data to be perfectly reconstructed from the compressed data- that is, files with lossless compression will be smaller than uncompressed files, but the quality will be unaffected (or not very affected) so data is still of the highest quality.
- Examples of lossless compressed formats include:
- PNG (image file type)
- FLAC (audio file type)
- Examples of lossless compressed formats include:
- Lossy data compression approximates information, and although this allows for much smaller files, it does mean a loss of quality. If a file is saved and resaved in a lossy format, the fidelity will be lost each time the file is resaved.
- Examples of lossy compressed formats include:
- JPG (image file type)
- MP3 (audio file type)
- Examples of lossy compressed formats include:
File transfer Saving, Rendering, Burning, Uploading etc.
The amount of time it takes to save your file depends on several factors, including the size of the file, and where it is being saved to.
Direct “saves” to portable storage like USB and hard drives may be fairly quick, even with larger files- although the speed of a USB will affect the amount of time it takes.
Exporting or rendering finished audio and video projects may take some time. However, sometimes this can be due to settings which are causing things to take longer than they should- if unsure, you can ask staff working in the Inspiration Lab.
Burning to a CD or DVD may take some time as well, depending on how much is being burned. Usually it should not take more than 10 to 15 minutes per disc (and burning may be even quicker than this).
Uploading larger files to e-mail, YouTube, or cloud storage - such as HD video, or uncompressed photos - may take quite some time, especially if it is during a busy time in the library.
How Much Space is Needed for a Project?
| Project | Size of files | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Recording songs or spoken word in the recording booths | 600 MB per hour of audio | It is best to archive audio with WAV, a lossless format. A WAV file is about 10 MB per minute. If you are recording a project with multiple tracks, each track adds to the size of the file. For example, if you are recording voice and guitar on separate tracks, as you have two tracks you would need to budget for two times 10 MB per minute, or 20 MB per minute. |
| Filming video in the Terry McBride Recording Studio with the Black Magic Canon camera | Close to 40GB per hour (600 MB per minute of footage) | Although footage can be compressed in size afterwards, the raw footage can take up quite a bit of space. Also allow time to transfer your files if you use the Inspiration Lab camera. |
| Scanning photos, slides, or negatives | Depends on size and resolution | A 4"x6" photo scanned at 300dpi and saved as a TIF would be about 6 MB. |
| Digitizing an audio casette | 600 MB per hour of audio | It is best to archive audio with WAV, a lossless format. A WAV file is about 10 MB per minute. |
| Digitizing a VHS tape | 1 MB per second of footage | Give yourself at least 4GB per hour of footage. If you plan to digitize a four hour tape, make sure you have at least 16GB of space on your storage device. |
If you are working on a eBook project, you will not need a great deal of space. Storage of a few GB will be more than enough.
If you are working on an audio project (recording audio or digitizing cassette tapes), you could get by with a storage drive of a few GB, but at least 8 GB is better.
If you are digitizing a VHS tape, give yourself at least 4GB per hour of footage.
If you are recording footage with the Inspiration Lab's Black Magic Canon camera, allow at least 600 MB per minute. If you plan to record an hour of footage, you will need close to 40 GB of storage space if you want to save everything you film.