What's the best video format to render in?

[TheSibs.]

Right now we can't afford an external hard drive to put all the recorded & finished takes onto. So what would be the best format to save? I'm thinking about size, quality, render time, YouTube compatibility, all those combine.

 

[ToxicSludge]

Advanced encoding settings
Recommended bitrates, codecs, and resolutions, and more
Container: .mp4

• No Edit Lists (or you may lose AV sync)
• moov atom at the front of the file (Fast Start)

Audio codec: AAC-LC

• Channels: Stereo or Stereo + 5.1
• Sample rate 96khz or 48khz

Video codec: H.264

• Progressive scan (no interlacing)
• High Profile
• 2 consecutive B frames
• Closed GOP. GOP of half the frame rate.
• CABAC
• Variable bitrate. No bitrate limit required, though we offer recommended bit rates below for reference
• Chroma subsampling: 4:2:0

Frame rate

• Content should be encoded and uploaded in the same frame rate it was recorded.
• Common frame rates include: 24, 25, 30, 48, 50, 60 frames per second (other frame rates are also acceptable).
• Interlaced content should be deinterlaced before uploading. For example, 1080i60 content should be deinterlaced to 1080p30, going from 60 interlaced fields per second to 30 progressive frames per second.

Bitrate
Standard quality uploads
Type Video Bitrate Mono Audio Bitrate Stereo Audio Bitrate 5.1 Audio Bitrate
2160p (4k) 35-45 Mbps 128 kbps 384 kbps 512 kbps
1440p (2k) 10 Mbps 128 kbps 384 kbps 512 kbps
1080p 8,000 kbps 128 kbps 384 kbps 512 kbps
720p 5,000 kbps 128 kbps 384 kbps 512 kbps
480p 2,500 kbps 64 kbps 128 kbps 196 kbps
360p 1,000 kbps 64 kbps 128 kbps 196 kbps
High quality uploads for creators with enterprise quality internet connections
Type Video Bitrate Mono Audio Bitrate Stereo Audio Bitrate 5.1 Audio Bitrate
1080p 50,000 kbps 128 kbps 384 kbps 512 kbps
720p 30,000 kbps 128 kbps 384 kbps 512 kbps
480p 15,000 kbps 128 kbps 384 kbps 512 kbps
360p 5,000 kbps 128 kbps 384 kbps 512 kbps

 

[Fwawless]

.mp4 is probably the most common, and compresses very well. I don't know about other formats that much, but YouTube only accepts certain formats, like .mp4, .wmv, and .flv. Like ToxicSludge said, .mp4 with the h.264 codec should be best for YouTube and other video sites like it.