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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →To stream a playlist of local video files to YouTube Live, create an FFmpeg concat-demuxer playlist, send it to the stream URL and key from YouTube Studio, and check the Live Control Room preview before going live. This works most simply when the files have matching streams, codecs, and time bases; mixed files usually need re-encoding with FFmpeg’s concat filter.
Before you start
- Install an FFmpeg build that includes the encoders and protocols you plan to use. The example below uses
libx264, AAC, FLV output, and RTMPS; availability depends on how FFmpeg was built. - Have the local video files ready and know their paths. For stream-copy concatenation, files need compatible streams, codecs, and time bases.
- In YouTube Studio, open Live Control Room and create a stream or select a scheduled one. YouTube provides the ingest URL and stream key there. Treat the key like a password: do not share it, commit it to a repository, or show it in a screenshot. Reset it in Live Control Room if it is exposed. YouTube: Create a live stream with an encoder
- Make sure your internet connection can sustain the chosen video and audio bitrate. The actual bitrate depends on resolution, frame rate, and codec.
Create the playlist file
Make a plain-text file named playlist.txt in the directory from which you will run FFmpeg. Add one file directive for each video, in playback order:
ffconcat version 1.0
file 'video-one.mp4'
file 'video-two.mp4'The first line must be exactly ffconcat version 1.0 and must be the first line for automatic format recognition. Relative paths such as these are practical when the playlist and videos are in the same directory. The concat demuxer’s safe mode is enabled by default; keep paths simple and safe rather than disabling it without a specific need. FFmpeg concat demuxer documentation
Check whether your files can be concatenated directly
Use the concat demuxer for compatible files
The concat demuxer reads files sequentially and adjusts timestamps. For direct stream copying, the files must have the same streams, codecs, and time bases. It does not convert an arbitrary mix of media into a consistent format. Incorrect or missing duration metadata can cause timestamp problems, gaps, or artifacts. Add corrected duration directives only when you have established that a file’s stored duration is missing or inaccurate. FFmpeg concat demuxer documentation
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Use the concat filter when sources differ
If files differ in streams or encoding characteristics, use FFmpeg’s concat filter in a re-encoding workflow rather than assuming stream copy will work. The filter requires inputs to be made compatible for concatenation, so plan to normalize properties such as resolution, frame rate, and audio layout as needed. FFmpeg’s filter documentation describes the filter’s requirements and syntax. FFmpeg concat filter documentation
Configure YouTube’s ingest settings
YouTube’s encoder guidance lists H.264, H.265, and AV1 video, and AAC or MP3 audio. It recommends constant bitrate (CBR), supports frame rates up to 60 fps, and recommends a two-second keyframe interval that should not exceed four seconds. Choose a video bitrate from YouTube’s table for your codec, resolution, and frame rate, and confirm your upload can sustain the combined stream bitrate. Its advanced settings list 128 Kbps for stereo audio. These settings are guidance for encoder ingest; use the values appropriate to your stream rather than treating one example command as universal. YouTube live encoder settings
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YouTube recommends RTMPS, which sends RTMP over TLS/SSL. Use the RTMPS server URL shown in Live Control Room if your FFmpeg build supports the required connection. Do not assume the endpoint is fixed: copy the URL and key for the selected stream. YouTube live encoder settings YouTube: Create a live stream with an encoder
Start FFmpeg and inspect the preview
This is a command template, not a tested command or a universal bitrate recommendation. Replace the input filename, URL, key, and encoding values with those appropriate to your files and stream. The example assumes 30 fps, so a 60-frame GOP corresponds to two seconds. Its 4,500 kb/s video bitrate is illustrative only; select a bitrate from YouTube’s guidance for your chosen output. Keep a real stream key out of shared scripts and public command examples.
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ffmpeg -re -f concat -safe 1 -i playlist.txt
-c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -b:v 4500k -maxrate 4500k -bufsize 9000k
-g 60 -keyint_min 60 -sc_threshold 0
-c:a aac -b:a 128k -ar 44100
-f flv 'rtmps://STREAM_URL/STREAM_KEY'-rereads the file input at real-time pace rather than sending it as fast as possible.-f concat -safe 1 -i playlist.txtselects the concat demuxer and playlist file while leaving safe mode enabled.-c:v libx264and-c:a aacencode video and audio. Confirm these encoders exist in your FFmpeg build.-b:vand-maxrateset the example video rate;-bufsizeconfigures the rate-control buffer. Choose values for your actual output and YouTube’s guidance.-g 60 -keyint_min 60 -sc_threshold 0set a fixed 60-frame GOP in this example. At 30 fps, that is two seconds; change the GOP to match your frame rate and target interval.-f flvselects the output container commonly used for RTMP ingest. The destination must be the actual server URL and stream key provided by YouTube, using the format accepted by your FFmpeg build.
Start the command and wait for the incoming feed to appear in Live Control Room. Check the preview, audio, and stream-health indicators before selecting the option to go live. Test with representative motion and sound before an event so issues are not discovered during the broadcast. YouTube says encoder streams lasting under 12 hours are automatically archived after they end; this does not establish reliable operating guidance for continuous 24/7 streaming. YouTube: Create a live stream with an encoder YouTube live encoder settings
Troubleshooting
- FFmpeg rejects a file or reports a concat error: Check the playlist syntax, first-line header, file paths, and safe-mode restrictions. For stream-copy concatenation, verify that every file has matching streams, codecs, and time bases.
- Playback has gaps, jumps, or artifacts at a file boundary: Check source duration metadata and timestamp consistency. Incorrect durations can affect the demuxer’s timestamp adjustments. If the sources are not compatible, switch to a concat-filter workflow that re-encodes them.
- YouTube does not receive a stream: Confirm you copied the server URL and stream key for the selected stream, that the key has not been reset, and that your FFmpeg build supports the chosen protocol. Keep the key private; reset it if you suspect it has been exposed.
- YouTube reports poor stream health or playback quality: Recheck codec, CBR mode, frame rate, keyframe interval, and bitrate against YouTube’s current settings for the selected resolution and codec. Ensure your sustained upload capacity can carry the stream.
- Video arrives but audio is absent or problematic: Confirm the source has an audio stream and that the selected audio encoder and output settings are supported by your FFmpeg build and accepted by YouTube.
Or let it run in the cloud
FFmpeg is a do-it-yourself option, but the computer running it and its network connection must stay available for the stream. StreamNeo is a cloud service for keeping a YouTube channel live from uploaded videos: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. Nothing has to stay on at home; it streams the uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps at one flat price per slot, automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream, and the first day is free with no card. Monthly: $9.99 per month. Start your free day on StreamNeo.
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