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What you need before starting
- FFmpeg installed on a computer that can stay on and connected to the internet for the duration of the stream.
- Video files you have the right to stream, plus a text playlist file in a known folder.
- A YouTube encoder stream and its ingest URL and stream key from Live Control Room.
- An upstream connection that can sustain the stream’s selected bitrate.
This method sends prerecorded video as a live encoder feed. The FFmpeg process and host computer must remain running; closing the terminal, losing power, or losing connectivity can stop the feed.
Create a YouTube encoder stream
- In YouTube Studio, open Go Live and create or schedule an encoder stream.
- In Live Control Room, copy the stream URL and stream key into your encoder configuration. Prefer YouTube’s RTMPS ingest option, which encrypts the connection; see YouTube’s RTMPS guidance.
- Choose the stream’s visibility deliberately: private or unlisted is suitable for a setup test; use the appropriate setting for the intended broadcast.
Treat the stream key like a password. Do not expose it in a public script, screenshot, or source repository. If it is compromised, reset it in YouTube and update FFmpeg with the replacement. YouTube’s live stream settings guide covers stream configuration.
Prepare the playlist and video files
Put the playlist text file and clips in a folder you control. A basic playlist.txt can look like this, with paths relative to that folder:
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ffconcat version 1.0
file 'video-01.mp4'
file 'video-02.mp4'
file 'video-03.mp4'The concat demuxer reads listed files sequentially and adjusts timestamps. FFmpeg’s documentation warns: “All files must have the same streams (same codecs, same time base, etc.).” See the FFmpeg concat demuxer documentation and formats documentation.
Make clips compatible
For reliable joins, use matching video and audio streams, codecs, time bases, frame sizes, frame rates, and audio layouts. Inaccurate duration metadata or audio and video tracks of different lengths can produce gaps, timestamp jumps, or artifacts at clip boundaries. If the clips do not match, transcode them to a consistent format before adding them rather than assuming the playlist will make them seamless.
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Use safe, predictable paths
Keep the playlist under your control and use simple relative filenames where possible. FFmpeg’s concat demuxer defaults to a safe-path check; the example below uses -safe 0 to allow paths that the default may reject. Only do this with a playlist you trust. Quote or escape filenames containing spaces or special characters according to FFmpeg’s concat-file syntax.
Run FFmpeg and send the feed to YouTube
Replace the destination with the exact RTMPS ingest URL and stream key shown in Live Control Room. Adjust bitrate and frame rate for your media, upload capacity, encoder hardware, and YouTube’s current recommendations.
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ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -f concat -safe 0 -i playlist.txt
-c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -pix_fmt yuv420p -r 30 -g 60
-b:v 4500k -maxrate 4500k -bufsize 9000k
-c:a aac -b:a 128k -ar 44100
-f flv "<RTMPS_URL>/<STREAM_KEY>"The placeholders are explanatory; substitute your actual endpoint and key. Do not publish or share a command containing a live key.
-repaces file input in real time for live streaming.-stream_loop -1requests indefinite looping of the input.-f concatselects the concat demuxer;-safe 0permits paths beyond its default safe-path rules.-i playlist.txtreads the playlist. Input options appear before-i; output encoding options follow it.-c:v libx264,-pix_fmt yuv420p,-c:a aac, and-f flvselect a common H.264/AAC RTMP-style output combination.-r 30requests 30 frames per second;-g 60sets a 60-frame GOP, nominally two seconds at that frame rate.-b:v,-maxrate, and-bufsizeconfigure video rate and buffering;-b:aand-arconfigure audio bitrate and sample rate.
This is an illustrative command assembled from documented options, not a tested configuration or a guarantee for every FFmpeg build, source file, or endpoint. Consult the FFmpeg command documentation for option behavior.
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Set bitrate and keyframes for your actual stream
Do not copy the sample’s 4,500 kb/s video bitrate as a universal setting. YouTube’s recommended bitrate varies with codec, resolution, and frame rate; use the current applicable row in its encoder settings and bitrate table, and confirm your upload connection can sustain the chosen rate. YouTube recommends a two-second keyframe interval and says not to exceed four seconds. At 30 fps, -g 60 corresponds to two seconds; change the GOP value if your output frame rate changes.
Test the playlist before relying on it
- Start the FFmpeg command with the YouTube stream set to private or unlisted.
- Check the Live Control Room preview for picture, sound, and stream health. YouTube recommends testing with representative audio and motion and monitoring stream health.
- Watch at least one transition between clips. If the feed stutters, loses sync, or errors at a boundary, check file compatibility and duration metadata, then normalize the clips and test again.
- Only switch to the intended audience and schedule after the end-to-end test is satisfactory.
A process that loops its input is not a service-level guarantee: FFmpeg can exit, the host can disconnect, and YouTube can stop receiving the feed. YouTube says streams shorter than 12 hours are automatically archived; that rule does not promise a single automatic archive for a continuous 24/7 broadcast. Plan recordings and archives accordingly rather than treating one live session as a guaranteed full-day replay. See YouTube’s encoder streaming guidance.
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Troubleshoot common failures
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check or do |
|---|---|---|
| FFmpeg rejects the playlist or a file path | Playlist syntax, path quoting, or concat demuxer’s safe-path rules | Check the required first line, filenames, and quoting. Prefer relative paths; use -safe 0 only for a playlist you control. |
| Video or audio breaks at a clip transition | Files have different stream layouts, codecs, time bases, or inaccurate durations | Inspect and normalize clips to matching stream properties and reliable durations, then test the boundary again. |
| YouTube does not receive the feed | Wrong ingest URL or key, or a connection/endpoint issue | Copy the current RTMPS URL and key from Live Control Room; verify the key was not reset and that the host has outbound connectivity. |
| Stream health reports dropped frames or instability | Configured bitrate exceeds sustainable upload capacity, or the encoder cannot keep up | Compare the chosen bitrate with YouTube’s current recommendation for the output and test the sustained upstream rate. Reduce settings if needed. |
| The live feed stops unexpectedly | FFmpeg exited, the computer or network stopped, or YouTube stopped receiving input | Inspect FFmpeg’s terminal output, machine power and network, then restart the feed with the correct key. A basic command does not supervise or restart the process. |
Or let it run in the cloud
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