Liquidsoap can send a continuous music program to YouTube Live using either an RTMP output or an HLS output. To keep it running around the clock, you also need a compatible Liquidsoap build and encoder, an always-on host with stable upload bandwidth, a valid YouTube stream key, and a plan to supervise and recover the process. Liquidsoap’s documentation shows the output and encoder pattern, but the exact script depends on the installed release and its build; verify the syntax and capabilities on your host before relying on it unattended.
What you need before configuring Liquidsoap
- An always-on host: a server or other computer that can remain powered and connected continuously. Check that its outbound connection is stable and can sustain the stream bitrate.
- A Liquidsoap build with the required output and encoder support: available encoders can depend on optional libraries included in the build.
- A continuous music source: for example, a playlist or another source that can keep providing audio. Plan what should happen when a file ends or a source becomes unavailable.
- A YouTube Live stream key: create or select the stream in YouTube’s Live Control Room. Treat the key like a password; anyone who obtains it may be able to broadcast to your stream.
- Music and visual rights: confirm that you are allowed to use every track and any accompanying visual in a live broadcast.
This is an operational outline, not a tested, release-independent Liquidsoap script. Check the syntax against the documentation for the Liquidsoap version installed on your host before starting a production broadcast.
Choose an output: RTMP or HLS
Liquidsoap documents both output paths for YouTube Live. The right choice depends on the output supported by your installed Liquidsoap build and encoder, as well as YouTube’s current ingestion requirements.
| Path | What Liquidsoap needs | Trade-offs and checks |
|---|---|---|
| RTMP | A YouTube stream key and a configured encoder. Liquidsoap’s documented default endpoint is rtmp://a.rtmp.youtube.com/live2. |
YouTube recommends RTMPS for encrypted transport. Confirm the exact endpoint and settings in YouTube’s current Live Control Room instructions. YouTube’s RTMP/RTMPS guidance supports H.264, H.265 (HEVC), or AV1 video and AAC or MP3 audio. |
| HLS | A YouTube stream key and an HLS output. Liquidsoap’s documented default endpoint is https://a.upload.youtube.com/http_upload_hls. |
HLS has additional ingestion requirements and higher latency than RTMP because it sends media in segments. YouTube’s HLS guide specifies TS segments, an HTTPS POST/PUT workflow, a rolling playlist with no more than five outstanding segments, and segment durations of 1–4 seconds. Verify that your Liquidsoap version and configuration meet those current requirements. |
Do not treat the two paths as interchangeable. Choose one your installed output and encoder can produce correctly, then confirm that YouTube accepts the configuration in the Live Control Room preview.
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Check the Liquidsoap build and encoder
- Inspect the installed build: run
liquidsoap --build-configand check whether the optional libraries and encoder support needed for your planned output are available. - Choose an encoding path: Liquidsoap’s current development documentation identifies
%ffmpegas the appropriate path for video and codecs or containers outside its other encoder set. Its homepage example uses an FFmpeg encoder with H.264 video and AAC audio for YouTube RTMP output. - Verify the release-specific syntax: compare your configuration with the documentation for the exact Liquidsoap version and build on the host. Do not assume an example written for a different release will work unchanged.
- Validate the output before unattended use: start with a private or unlisted test where appropriate, confirm the Live Control Room receives the signal, and check both audio and video in the preview.
Set encoder parameters for YouTube
YouTube’s current live encoder guidance recommends constant bitrate encoding (CBR), a keyframe interval of 2 seconds, and says the interval should not exceed 4 seconds. It supports up to 60 frames per second. Its listed recommended video bitrate depends on codec, resolution, and frame rate, so the examples below are not universal targets.
| H.264 video setting | YouTube’s listed recommended video bitrate |
|---|---|
| 1080p at 30 fps | 14 Mbps |
| 720p at 30 fps | 8 Mbps |
For audio, YouTube’s advanced guidance lists stereo at 44.1 kHz and 128 kbps. Match your encoder configuration to the current YouTube guidance for your chosen codec and resolution, then test that the actual output is stable. A music stream does not automatically need a high video resolution: choose video settings that fit your visual, encoder capability, and available upload capacity.
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Build a continuous source and start the output
- Prepare the program: arrange the music files or playlist in the order you want them played. Decide what should happen when the playlist ends, a file cannot be read, or a source temporarily fails.
- Configure a source that can continue: use the source composition appropriate to your Liquidsoap release. A source that simply reaches its end is not, by itself, a 24/7 program.
- Configure the YouTube output: select RTMP or HLS, provide the stream key securely, and attach the compatible encoder configuration. Liquidsoap’s official homepage demonstrates the RTMP pattern with FFmpeg, H.264 video, and AAC audio; check its current example and the installed release’s output reference rather than copying syntax blindly.
- Start with a test broadcast: use the Live Control Room preview and inspect stream-health messages. Confirm that the music is audible, the video is present if your chosen output includes it, and the stream remains connected through normal playlist transitions.
- Plan supervision separately: configure the host’s process supervisor to detect an exited Liquidsoap process, restart it according to your recovery policy, and alert you when it fails. A Liquidsoap output or fallback source alone does not establish a complete unattended recovery and alerting design.
Size the connection and monitor stream health
YouTube advises that the total stream bitrate must fit within the host’s available upload bandwidth, recommends leaving about 20% headroom, and recommends testing and monitoring stream health. Account for the full output bitrate—not just audio—and choose a rate the connection can sustain consistently. A connection that only barely matches the configured bitrate leaves little room for variation.
- Test from the actual always-on host and network you intend to use.
- Check the YouTube Live Control Room preview and stream-health indicators before treating a test as successful.
- Monitor both the Liquidsoap process and the YouTube ingest status. A process that is running does not by itself prove that YouTube is receiving a healthy stream.
- Set up alerts and a recovery procedure appropriate to your host. The documentation example does not guarantee that your server, network, encoder, or YouTube ingest will never fail.
Protect the broadcast from copyright interruptions
YouTube scans live streams for third-party material. If copyrighted content remains after a warning, YouTube may temporarily interrupt or terminate the stream. A license alone may not prevent interruption: the rights holder may also need to add your channel to its Content ID allowlist.
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- Confirm live-streaming rights for every song and any video, artwork, or other visual in the program.
- Ask the rights holder whether your channel must be allowlisted in Content ID, and confirm that this has been done before broadcasting.
- Do not assume that buying a track or finding it online grants permission to rebroadcast it.
Plan for failures and the 24/7 archive limit
A continuous broadcast needs more than a playlist: the host, network, encoder, Liquidsoap process, and YouTube ingest can each fail. Decide who or what detects a break, how the process is restarted, and how you will confirm that the stream has returned. Test the recovery path rather than assuming that a fallback source handles every failure.
YouTube says a stream shorter than 12 hours can be automatically archived; a stream longer than 12 hours may not be captured at all. If you need a complete recording of a 24/7 program, keep a separate local or server-side recording plan instead of relying on YouTube’s automatic archive.
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Troubleshoot common problems
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Liquidsoap cannot create the encoder or output | The installed build lacks an optional library or the configuration does not match that release. | Inspect liquidsoap --build-config, verify the encoder dependencies, and compare the syntax with documentation for the installed version. |
| YouTube does not receive the stream | The endpoint, stream key, output protocol, or encoder settings may be wrong. | Recheck the current Live Control Room stream URL and key, confirm the chosen RTMP or HLS requirements, and review YouTube’s stream-health messages. Keep the key private. |
| Stream health reports unstable delivery | The host’s upload path may not sustain the total bitrate, or the network may be unstable. | Test from the production host, verify the configured bitrate, and leave the recommended bandwidth headroom. Reduce settings if the connection cannot sustain them. |
| Audio stops when a track ends | The configured source may end rather than continue through a playlist or fallback. | Check source composition and playlist transition behavior for the installed Liquidsoap release; test file-end and missing-file cases. |
| The stream drops and does not return | The process may have exited, or the output may not have recovered from an ingest or network failure. | Inspect Liquidsoap and host logs, confirm that process supervision is configured, and test restart behavior and alerting. Do not assume a fallback source restarts an exited process. |
| Broadcast is interrupted despite having music permission | YouTube’s live scanning may detect third-party content, or the channel may not be allowlisted. | Review YouTube’s notice, confirm the license covers live streaming, and ask the rights holder about Content ID allowlisting. |
| The full broadcast is missing from the archive | A 24/7 stream exceeds YouTube’s stated automatic archive window. | Use a separate recording plan if you need the full program preserved. |
Or let it run in the cloud
If you want a YouTube music stream without maintaining Liquidsoap and an always-on host, StreamNeo is a cloud service for looping uploaded videos on YouTube. Upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. Nothing has to stay on at home; it plays the uploaded video rather than broadcasting from a camera.
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