An embodiment of the invention may provide a method for predicting buffer size in a system, where multiple encoded bit streams may be multiplexed into a single bit stream. The multiple encoded bit streams may comprise either a constant or a variable rate. Notwithstanding, predicting the buffer size required for encoding, multiplexing and/or decoding prevents overflow and underflow of the buffer. At the demultiplexer, each decoder may have a buffer and there may not be any buffering prior to multiplexing. A plurality of MPEG encoded data bit streams may be multiplexed into a single multiplexed MPEG encoded data bit stream. A size of buffers utilized to buffer the multiplexed MPEG encoded data bit stream may be determined based on a queuing model.