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Choose the right OBS source for your replay
Use a Media Source for a recorded video file on your computer. It plays the file as part of the OBS scene sent to YouTube; it is not the same as capturing a game that is running live.
- One recorded clip: Add a Media Source and select the file.
- Several recorded clips: Use a VLC Video Source playlist. VLC must be installed, and OBS notes that 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC.
- Live console or external-device output: Use an appropriate video capture source. A capture card is relevant when you need to bring in an external device’s live signal, not to replay a local recording.
OBS lists MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF, and WebM among the formats supported by Media Source. See the OBS Project’s Media Sources documentation for the source options.
How to add and loop a video in OBS
- Create or select a scene. In OBS, choose an existing scene or create one for the stream. Scenes combine the sources viewers see, such as the replay, game capture, camera, graphics, and audio.
- Add the file. In the Sources dock, click the + button and choose Media Source. Create a new source, give it a recognizable name, and select the local gaming video in its properties.
- Set playback behavior. Turn on Loop to play the file again after it finishes. Turn on Restart playback when source becomes active if you want the clip to start from the beginning whenever that source becomes visible in the active scene. Enable Show nothing when playback ends if you do not want the last frame to remain on screen after a non-looping video finishes.
- Position and layer the video. Resize and place the source in the preview. In the Sources list, items higher in the list display over items beneath them. Put the replay above a game source if it should cover the game; place it below an overlay if the overlay should remain visible. Use the eye icon to show or hide a source.
- Check playback before going live. Start the source in OBS and confirm that the picture, framing, loop behavior, and audio are as intended. If you use a scene transition or hide and show the source, check whether its restart setting produces the behavior you want.
OBS documents Media Source playback controls and VLC playlists in its Media Sources guide, and source order and visibility in its Sources Guide.
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How do I play several videos in sequence?
Add a VLC Video Source and configure its playlist rather than creating a separate scene for each clip. Its settings include looping and shuffling. Install VLC first; match its architecture to OBS (64-bit OBS needs 64-bit VLC). For just one file, the regular Media Source is simpler.
Connect OBS to your YouTube stream
- Open YouTube Studio’s Live Control Room. Create or select the stream you plan to use.
- Copy the stream URL and stream key. YouTube provides these in the stream settings. A stream key identifies the incoming encoder feed, so treat it like a password and do not share it publicly.
- Enter the details in OBS. Open Settings > Stream, choose YouTube as the service, and enter or select the stream key and server details as appropriate for the connection method shown in YouTube Live Control Room.
- Start the OBS stream and preview it in Live Control Room. Check that YouTube receives the intended scene and that the picture and audio are working before you make the broadcast public or start the event.
YouTube’s live stream settings help explains the stream URL and key. Keep the key private; if it is exposed, replace or reset it in YouTube’s stream settings before using it again.
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Set stream quality that your connection can sustain
For a stable broadcast, choose an output resolution and frame rate your computer can encode and your upload connection can sustain. OBS’s Quick Start Guide recommends using the Auto-Configuration Wizard as a starting point, then testing. Treat its result as a starting configuration rather than a guarantee for every game, scene, or network.
- Rate control: YouTube’s encoder guidance recommends CBR.
- Keyframes: Use a 2-second keyframe interval; YouTube says not to exceed 4 seconds.
- Frame rate: YouTube’s guidance supports up to 60 fps; choose the rate appropriate for your content and connection.
- Bitrate and resolution: These depend on the selected format and target quality. Use YouTube’s current encoder table rather than treating a single bitrate as universal.
- Upload headroom: YouTube advises testing upload capacity and leaving room for network variation; its streaming tips recommend 20% headroom. Total stream bitrate should not exceed available upload bandwidth.
See YouTube’s current encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions and streaming tips before settling on settings. The required bitrate varies with resolution, frame rate, codec, and stream format.
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Test the replay, audio, and stream before broadcasting
Before the live session, verify the whole path—not just whether the file appears in OBS. YouTube recommends previewing the encoder feed in Live Control Room, while OBS recommends checking audio and testing before a first live broadcast.
- Confirm the Media Source starts, loops, or ends as expected.
- Watch the YouTube preview to check framing, motion, and visible scene layers.
- Check OBS audio meters and listen to the preview or a test recording for game audio, microphone sound, and unwanted duplicate audio.
- Confirm that the scene shown in OBS is the scene you intend to send.
- If possible, run a private or unlisted test stream before a public broadcast.
For OBS’s basic setup and audio checks, see the OBS Quick Start Guide.
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Do you need a capture card?
No—not for replaying a recorded gaming video saved on your computer. A Media Source plays that local file in OBS. A capture card is for bringing a live signal from an external console or device into the computer; it does not need to be part of a local-file replay setup.
If your goal changes from replaying a recording to capturing a game as it is being played, the source choice depends on the device and operating system. OBS says Game Capture is Windows-only; its Sources Guide points users on other platforms to Display Capture, Window Capture, or macOS Screen Capture where applicable.
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Check rights for the video and audio
Before streaming, confirm that you have the necessary rights for both the gameplay footage and any music or other third-party material in the recording. Owning a game or having a playable recording does not, by itself, establish permission to broadcast every component. YouTube’s livestream terms state that the content provider represents that they have the necessary rights to exploit live content on Google services, including music licensing rights. This is a general reminder, not a determination of the license terms for a particular game.
Troubleshoot common OBS replay problems
- The video does not appear: Check that the Media Source is enabled with its eye icon, belongs to the scene currently being sent, and is not hidden behind another full-screen source. Reopen its properties and confirm the selected file path.
- The clip stops at the end: Enable Loop in the Media Source properties if you want continuous replay.
- The clip resumes partway through: Enable Restart playback when source becomes active if it should begin from the start when shown. Test by hiding and showing the source.
- The last frame remains visible: For a clip that should disappear at the end, enable Show nothing when playback ends.
- A playlist source is unavailable: Confirm VLC is installed and that its architecture matches OBS; OBS specifies 64-bit VLC for 64-bit OBS.
- YouTube receives no feed: Check the selected YouTube stream, OBS stream settings, stream URL/key, and network connection. Preview in Live Control Room before starting the public broadcast.
- The stream buffers or drops frames: Recheck available upload bandwidth, reduce output demands if needed, and leave the recommended network headroom. Use YouTube’s current encoder settings for a suitable bitrate rather than raising bitrate beyond what the connection can sustain.
- Audio is missing or doubled: Check OBS audio meters and source/audio configuration, then make a test recording or test stream and listen before going live.
Or let it run in the cloud
If your goal is simply to keep uploaded videos playing on a YouTube channel around the clock, StreamNeo is a cloud option: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. Nothing has to stay on at home, and there is no OBS computer or home connection to keep running. It streams the uploaded video as made, up to 4K 60fps, at one price per slot; it can automatically recover if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. The monthly plan is $9.99 per month.
See StreamNeo for details, or start the free first day.
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