Encoded video does not have expected data rate

Question

Hi
I've been encoding with Flash Media Encoder (CS3) recently
and come across a contradiction which I can't seem to make sense
of. Can it be possible that the longer the video, the harder it is
for the encoder to maintain data rate?
This was revealed when I started using FMS2 (space on a
shared server as opposed to my own server). I encoded a video at
what I thought was a data rate which was within my data rate limit
for my stream and it stuttered on playback over the stream. The FMS
supplier informed me that the FLV I thought I'd encoded at 400kbps
video 96 kbps audio actually had a data rate of around 700kbps in
total. But if I open the video in a FLV player, and look at info,
it still shows the setting I originally intended. However, my
supplier suggested checking data rate using this equation:
(filesize in MB x 8)/videoduration in seconds = video
datarate in kbits/sec
If you apply this calculation to my video it does indeed show
what they said:
Using Flash Media Encoder:
Encoded at 400kbps video - 96 kbps audio
Compressed filesize = 26,517 kbytes
Duration = 240 seconds
CALCULATION GIVES DATE RATE OF 880k/b a second
(note file contains an alpha channel)
Furthermore, applied to a shorter video, we get the following
more logical results:
Encoded at 400kbps video - 96 kbps audio
Compressed filesize = 6,076 kbytes
Duration = 90 seconds
CALCULATION GIVES DATA RATE OF 527 kb/sec
(no alpha channel)
The only differences between the two vids is the alpha
channel and the duration. Somethings doesn't add up here.
Any clues?
Thanks
Simon

Answer 1

I've just partly answered my own question. Funny how writing
a post can help you think your problem through sometimes.
The issue is the alpha channel, which adds to the file size
thereby making the data rate "incorrect". In other words, the same
file encoded without the alpha channel provides the expected
results. I guess this changes my question to: How do I create
predicatable data rates when encoding using an alpha channel. I
could just estimate of course and see what comes out, but is there
a better way?
SImon.