Ubiquiti Calculator

Optimize your UniFi Protect deployment with our high-precision ubiquiti calculator. Estimate recording days, bitrate requirements, and disk space accurately.

Camera Spec	Bandwidth (Mbps)	Daily Storage (GB)	Weekly Storage (GB)

Table generated by the ubiquiti calculator for detailed per-camera analysis.

What is a Ubiquiti Calculator?

A ubiquiti calculator is an essential planning tool for IT professionals and home security enthusiasts deploying UniFi Protect hardware. This ubiquiti calculator allows users to input variables such as camera counts, resolutions, and recording schedules to determine exactly how much hard drive space is required for their surveillance system. Without a reliable ubiquiti calculator, users often face the risk of losing critical footage due to premature overwriting or overspending on unnecessary storage hardware.

Who should use it? Network engineers, security installers, and prosumers rely on the ubiquiti calculator to design efficient systems. A common misconception is that all 4K cameras use the same amount of space; however, as the ubiquiti calculator demonstrates, frame rate and compression ratios play a massive role in the final output.

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Ubiquiti Calculator Formula and Mathematical Explanation

The logic behind the ubiquiti calculator involves several layers of data conversion. The primary goal is to convert bitrate (bits per second) into total storage volume (bytes).

Step 1: Calculate Bitrate Per Camera
Base Bitrate = (Resolution Factor * FPS) / 30

Step 2: Calculate Daily Consumption
GB per Day = (Total Bitrate in Mbps * 3600 seconds * 24 hours * Recording %) / (8 bits * 1024 MB)

Variable	Meaning	Unit	Typical Range
N	Number of Cameras in the ubiquiti calculator	Count	1 – 200
R	Resolution Multiplier	Factor	2 (1080p) to 8 (4K)
FPS	Frames Per Second	Hz	15 – 60
C	Usable Disk Capacity	TB	1 – 100+

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Practical Examples (Real-World Use Cases)

Example 1: Small Office Setup
In a small office using our ubiquiti calculator, we input 4 cameras at 2K resolution at 24 FPS. With an 8TB drive and “Always Record” mode, the ubiquiti calculator estimates 14 days of retention. This allows the business to review two full weeks of footage before the drive recycles.

Example 2: Residential High-Security
A homeowner uses the ubiquiti calculator for 10 G4 Pro cameras (4K). To save space, they set motion detection to 20% activity. The ubiquiti calculator shows that even with 4K video, they can achieve over 40 days of storage on a single 12TB HDD.

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How to Use This Ubiquiti Calculator

Using this ubiquiti calculator is straightforward. Follow these steps for the best results:

• Enter Camera Count: Count every G3, G4, and G5 camera in your plan.
• Select Resolution: Choose the highest resolution your cameras support for a conservative estimate in the ubiquiti calculator.
• Adjust FPS: Standard security usually requires 15-24 FPS.
• Check Results: View the primary highlighted box for your retention period.

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Key Factors That Affect Ubiquiti Calculator Results

Several environmental and hardware factors influence the accuracy of the ubiquiti calculator:

1. Scene Complexity: High-motion areas (streets) create larger files than static hallways, a nuance the ubiquiti calculator approximates via the recording mode.
2. H.264 vs H.265: Modern UniFi cameras use efficient compression, which the ubiquiti calculator accounts for in its base bitrate logic.
3. Lighting Conditions: Low-light “noise” can increase file sizes significantly, affecting ubiquiti calculator predictions.
4. Disk Formatting: Real-world TB is slightly less than decimal TB due to binary conversion and RAID overhead in the ubiquiti calculator context.
5. Network Congestion: High bitrate might lead to dropped frames, though the ubiquiti calculator assumes a stable LAN.
6. HDD Speed: While the ubiquiti calculator measures capacity, write speeds are vital for high-camera counts.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Is the ubiquiti calculator 100% accurate?

It provides a high-confidence estimate, but actual storage depends on the complexity of the video being recorded.

2. Does the ubiquiti calculator account for RAID?

This ubiquiti calculator uses usable storage. If you have RAID, enter the final usable capacity, not the raw total.

3. Can I use this for G5 cameras?

Yes, the ubiquiti calculator supports all generations including G3, G4, and G5 resolutions.

4. How many days should I aim for in the ubiquiti calculator?

Most commercial systems aim for 30 days of retention as a baseline.

5. What happens if the ubiquiti calculator says 0 days?

Ensure your storage capacity is higher than 0 and check if you have entered an unrealistic camera count.

6. Does FPS impact the ubiquiti calculator more than resolution?

Both are critical. Doubling FPS roughly doubles storage, just as doubling resolution does.

7. Why is motion recording better in the ubiquiti calculator?

It drastically reduces storage by only saving video when something actually happens.

8. Can I add external drives to the ubiquiti calculator?

Yes, simply add the external capacity to your total TB input in the ubiquiti calculator.

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Related Tools and Internal Resources

• {related_keywords} – Explore our comprehensive guide on network setup.
• {related_keywords} – Learn more about camera hardware specifications.
• {related_keywords} – Detailed analysis of bandwidth requirements for PoE.
• {related_keywords} – A guide to choosing the right hard drives for UniFi.
• {related_keywords} – Understanding the impact of resolution on security.
• {related_keywords} – How to optimize your Protect settings.