The best settings depend on whether the archive is primarily for speech verification, full-program quality review or long-term storage. The following profiles are practical starting points rather than mandatory specifications.
Suggested profiles
| Profile | Codec | Bit rate | Channels | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Everyday station log | MP3 | 64 kbps | Mono | Speech-focused compliance, advertiser checks and general station history. |
| Quality review | MP3 | 96–128 kbps | Stereo | Music programming, production review and left/right channel checks. |
| Long retention | MP3 | 32–48 kbps | Mono | Maximum retention where speech intelligibility is more important than fidelity. |
A sensible 24/7 starting configuration
- MP3, 44,100 Hz, 64 kbps, mono.
- Split into 60-minute segments and align splits to the clock.
- Date-and-time filenames in year-month-day order.
- A dedicated output folder on a monitored drive.
- Automatic deletion after 365 days, only when that retention period is appropriate for the station.
- Auto mode, Record always schedule, Windows startup and close confirmation enabled.
Approximate storage planning
The estimates below assume continuous recording at the stated constant bit rate. They exclude filesystem overhead, logs and backups.
| Bit rate | Per hour | Per day | 30 days | 365 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32 kbps | 14.4 MB | 0.35 GB | 10.4 GB | 126 GB |
| 64 kbps | 28.8 MB | 0.69 GB | 20.7 GB | 252 GB |
| 96 kbps | 43.2 MB | 1.04 GB | 31.1 GB | 378 GB |
| 128 kbps | 57.6 MB | 1.38 GB | 41.5 GB | 505 GB |
CAPACITY MARGIN: Keep free space beyond the theoretical archive requirement. Windows, temporary files, indexing and unexpected recording growth all require headroom.