Encoding Calculation Methodology
1.Definitions
1.1"Billable Minute" means an Output Minute multiplied by both the resolution and codec multipliers set forth below.
1.2"Custom Live Configuration" means a Live Encoding that does not start with the feature limited Live Encoding HD option.
1.3"Encoding" means the process of transforming the original input stream into one or more output streams using different configurations (codec, resolution, bitrate, codec parameters, etc.) performed by the Bitmovin Encoding Service (Managed Cloud) and Bitmovin Encoding Software (Cloud Connect).
1.4"Error" means any processing problem that leads to an Encoding job being set to the Error status in the system.
1.5"Excluded Problem" has the meaning assigned to it in Support Packages Definitions and Services, which can be viewed at https://bitmovin.com/_espds/.
1.6"Input Bitrate" means the file size of the input file to be Encoded in MB divided by its duration in Input Minutes, as measured in Mbps and without regard to how many video streams or audio streams are included in the input file. In the case of a concatenated workflow (i.e., multiple files stitched together), the maximum file size of each file will be used for the calculation. In the case that merging is used (e.g. audio merge), the Input Bitrates of each file will be summed together.
1.7"Input Minute" means a minute of the original file or stream inputted into Bitmovin Encoding Service or Bitmovin Encoding Software.
1.8"Live Encoding" means the process of transforming the original real-time input streams into one or more real-time output streams using different configurations (codec, resolution, bitrate, codec parameters, etc.) performed by the Bitmovin Encoding Service (Managed Cloud) and Bitmovin Encoding Software (Cloud Connect).
1.9"Live Encoding HD" means a Live Encoding that starts with a limited number of features that can be implemented and limits on renditions, bitrates and outputs.
1.10"Live Units" means the metered and billable component that a Company pays for, only applied in relation to certain Live Encodings.
1.11"Output Minute" means a minute of encoded output from the Bitmovin Encoding Service or Bitmovin Encoding Software.
1.12"Running Minute" means a minute recorded in the period between a start Encoding and stop Encoding command.
1.13"Resolutions Formats" are defined according to the following table:
| Resolution | Frame Resolution |
| SD | shorter side up to 719px and longer side up to 1279px |
| HD | shorter side up to 1080px and longer side up to 1920px |
| 4k UHD | shorter side up to 2160px and longer side up to 3840px |
| 8k UHD | shorter side up to 4320px and longer side up to 7680px |
1.14"Transmuxing" means the process of putting the raw encoded streams into a container format (fMP4, TS, MP4, etc.).
1.15"VOD Encoding" means the process of transforming the original file-based input stream into one or more output file-based streams using different configurations (codec, resolution, bitrate, codec parameters, etc.) performed by the Bitmovin Encoding Service (Managed Cloud) and Bitmovin Encoding Software (Cloud Connect).
2.Formula
2.1To calculate the applicable Billable Minute, the following multipliers will be applied to the Output Minutes of each Encoding job independently to calculate Billing Minutes. The Usage Fees will be calculated by adding the Billable Minutes of each Encoding job. This formula applies to all VOD Encodings and to Live Encodings that use a Custom Live Configuration.
2.2Live Units will be multiplied by Running Minutes at a fixed rate defined in the section 512 Live Encoding Pricing Options section. This formula applies to Live Encoding HD. The Usage Fees will be calculated by adding the Live Units of each Encoding job.
3.Output
Bitmovin calculates the multiplier for each Encoding job by multiplying the following resolution and codec multipliers:
3.1Resolution Multipliers.
3.1.1No multiplier for SD.
3.1.2Two (2) times Output Minutes for HD.
3.1.3Four (4) times Output Minutes for 4k UHD.
3.1.4One hundred-twenty (120) times for Output Minutes for 8k UHD.
3.1.5For anything not defined in 1.8 “Resolution Formats” custom pricing will be applied.
3.2Codec Multipliers
3.2.1Video
3.2.1.1No multiplier for H.262/MPEG-2 Video.
3.2.1.2No multiplier for H.264/AVC.
3.2.1.3No multiplier for VP8.
3.2.1.4Two (2) times Output Minutes for H.265/HEVC.
3.2.1.5Two (2) times Output Minutes for VP9.
3.2.1.6Four (4) times Output Minutes for AV1.
3.2.2Video Add-ons
3.2.2.1One-point-five (1.5) times Output Minutes for HEVC Main 10.
3.2.2.2One-point-five (1.5) times Output Minutes for VP9 10-bit.
3.2.2.3One-point-five (1.5) times Output Minutes for HDR10 to SDR conversions.
3.2.2.4One-point-five (1.5) times Output Minutes for HLG to SDR conversions.
3.2.2.5Four (4) times Output Minutes for Dolby Vision.
3.2.2.6Five (5) times Output Minutes for Dolby Vision to SDR conversion.
3.2.2.7Four (4) times Output Minutes for Dolby Vision to HDR10 conversion.
3.2.3Audio
3.2.3.1Zero-point-two-five (0.25) times Output Minutes for AAC Audio.
3.2.3.2Zero-point-two-five (0.25) times Output Minutes for MP2/MP3 Audio.
3.2.3.3Zero-point-two-five (0.25) times Output Minutes for OPUS Audio.
3.2.3.4Zero-point-two-five (0.25) times Output Minutes for VORBIS Audio.
3.2.3.5Zero-point-two-five (0.25) times Output Minutes for PCM Audio.
3.2.3.6One (1) times Output Minutes for Dolby Digital Audio.
3.2.3.7One (1) times Output Minutes for Dolby Digital Plus Audio.
3.2.3.8Four (4) times Output Minutes for Dolby Atmos Audio.
3.2.3.9One (1) times Output Minutes for DTS:HD Audio.
3.2.3.10Four (4) times Output Minutes for DTS:X Audio.
3.2.4Codec Presets
3.2.4.1Pre-defined Presets
3.2.4.1.1H.262/MPEG-2 Video
| Preset | Multipliers |
| XDCAM HD 422 | 2 |
3.2.4.1.1.1H.264/AVC
| Preset | Multipliers |
| LIVE VERY LOW LATENCY | 1 |
| LIVE LOWER LATENCY | 1 |
| LIVE LOW LATENCY | 1 |
| LIVE STANDARD | 1 |
| LIVE HIGH QUALITY | 1 |
| LIVE VERY HIGH QUALITY | 1.25 |
| LIVE ULTRA HIGH QUALITY | 1.5 |
| VOD ULTRA HIGH SPEED | 1 |
| VOD SUPER HIGH SPEED | 1 |
| VOD EXTRA HIGH SPEED | 1 |
| VOD VERY HIGH SPEED | 1 |
| VOD HIGH SPEED | 1 |
| VOD SPEED | 1 |
| VOD STANDARD | 1 |
| VOD QUALITY | 1.8 |
| VOD HIGH QUALITY | 2.2 |
3.2.4.1.2H.265/HEVC
| Preset | Multipliers |
| LIVE LOW LATENCY | 1 |
| LIVE HIGH QUALITY | 1.25 |
| VOD ULTRA HIGH SPEED | 1 |
| VOD SUPER HIGH SPEED | 1 |
| VOD EXTRA HIGH SPEED | 1 |
| VOD VERY HIGH SPEED | 1 |
| VOD HIGH SPEED | 1 |
| VOD SPEED | 1 |
| VOD STANDARD | 1 |
| VOD EXTRA HIGH SPEED | 2.2 |
3.2.4.1.3VP9
| Preset | Multipliers |
| VOD SPEED | 1 |
| VOD STANDARD | 1 |
| VOD HIGH QUALITY | 1.3 |
3.2.4.1.4AV1
| Preset | Multipliers |
| VOD SPEED | 1 |
| VOD STANDARD | 1 |
| VOD QUALITY | 1.8 |
3.2.4.2For any other codec configuration, custom pricing will be applied, defaulting to the highest preset multiplier of the codec used for that configuration.
4.Input
Bitmovin calculates the multiplier for each Encoding job by multiplying the following input codec and bitrate multipliers:
4.1Codec Multipliers
4.1.1Two (2) times Output Minutes for input files with J2K or ProRes Codec.
4.2Input File Bitrate Multipliers will be applied according to the following table
| Input Bitrate [Mbps] | Multipliers |
| 0-100 | One (1) |
| 101-200 | One-point-two-five (1.25) |
| 201-500 | One-point-seventy-five (1.75) |
| 501-1000 | Two-point-five (2.5) |
| 1001-2000 | Four (4) |
| 2000+ | Custom |
5.Live Encoding Options
Bitmovin offers Live Encoding with two pricing options, Custom Live Configurations and Live Encoding HD.
5.1Custom Live Configurations allow the Company to use the complete set of Live Encoding features in any combination that is technically viable. The Usage of Custom Live Configurations is measured in Billable Minutes.
5.1Live Encoding HD offers Live Encoding with a reduced set of features. Usage of Live Encoding HD is measured in one Live Units per Running Minute.
6.Additional Features
Bitmovin calculates the multiplier for each Encoding job by multiplying the following additional feature multipliers:
6.1One-point-one (1.1) times Output Minutes for Per-Title.
6.2One-point-two-five (1.25) times Output Minutes for 2-Pass Encoding.
6.3One-point-three (1.3) times Output Minutes for Quality Control – PSNR.
6.4Two (2) times Output Minutes for 3-Pass Encoding.
6.5Six (6) times Output Minutes for Enhanced De-Interlacing Filter.
7.Errors and Cancelation
7.1Bitmovin does not charge for Errors caused by the Bitmovin Solution.
7.2Any Encoding job which results in an Excluded Problem, which are caused by, including but not limited to, corrupted input files, input contribution live streams, non-accessible output destinations or misconfiguration, Company will be charged for the number of applicable purchased units prior to the Excluded Problem.
7.3In the event that Company cancels an Encoding job prior to such job’s completion, Company will be charged for the number of applicable purchased units prior to such cancelation.
8.Transfer and Egress
8.1Should Company transfer its Encoding outputs out of the cloud provider in which the encoding has been performed, Bitmovin will charge egress Fees to Company. Company will be charged for such transfers at a rate of $0.18 per GB transferred from Bitmovin’s infrastructure to the internet.
9.How Transmuxing Minutes are Calculated
9.1Bitmovin does not apply additional charges for the first output format (fMP4, TS, CMAF, WebM, MP4, MOV, etc.).
9.2Bitmovin charges an additional zero-point-two-five (0.25) minute for each Output Minute of each additional output format which is transmuxed.*
10.Billing Increments
10.1Encoding jobs are billed in 10-second increments, with a minimum of 10 seconds.
11.Prewarmed Encoder Pools
11.1Prewarmed encoder pools are billed per minute, multiplied by the number of instances in a pool. The per-minute price is $0.0206 per minute.
12.Storage and CDN
12.1Storage is billed on a per GB per month basis. The price is $0.0245 per GB per month.
12.2CDN is billed on a per GB of traffic basis. The price is $0.015 per GB.
*files can be unencrypted, encrypted and/or DRM protected, each of them would count as a separate output format.
Last updated May 23, 2024