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For most stations, OBS Studio is the best starting point for sending radio audio to YouTube Live when you also want station artwork, a video loop, graphics, or other visuals. Route the station’s audio into OBS, build a scene, then connect OBS to YouTube using the server URL and stream key shown in YouTube Studio. If your station already runs AzuraCast, its Liquidsoap radio-video example is a server-side alternative worth evaluating. Mixxx and BUTT can send a live DJ feed to an internet-radio server, but they are not interchangeable with a YouTube video encoder.
Which software should an internet radio station use?
| Station’s situation | Best-fit option | Why it fits | What to account for |
|---|---|---|---|
| You want visuals, scenes, and a YouTube encoder in one desktop workflow | OBS Studio | It can combine an audio source with visuals and send the resulting program to YouTube. | The computer, audio route, and OBS scene must remain configured and running during the broadcast. |
| You already operate an AzuraCast server and want an automated radio-plus-video output | AzuraCast’s Liquidsoap radio-video example | The example pairs radio audio with a video loop for an RTMP destination such as YouTube, and can display now-playing text. | It is an example script, not a turnkey integration; expect to configure and maintain the server-side setup. |
| You need to send a live DJ or program feed to your internet-radio server | Mixxx or BUTT | Both can be used for DJ connections to Icecast or Shoutcast servers. | That radio-server role alone does not create and send a YouTube video stream. Add an encoder such as OBS if YouTube is also a destination. |
OBS is the practical default when the goal is a YouTube video stream containing the station’s audio and visuals. This is a workflow recommendation, not a claim based on comparative reliability, latency, or cost testing. Choose based on your existing infrastructure, the visuals you need, your audio-routing path, and who will maintain the stream.
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How to send your station to YouTube with OBS
- Prepare YouTube Live access. In YouTube Studio, open the Live Control Room and create or select a stream. If this is your first time enabling live streaming, allow up to 24 hours for activation; enable it ahead of your planned broadcast.
- Choose a clean station-audio source. Identify the output carrying the radio program and add that as an audio input in OBS. If your station is using Mixxx, the Mixxx project’s OBS guide describes adding Mixxx audio as an input. Avoid capturing unrelated desktop audio.
- Build an OBS scene. Add the station audio and a suitable visual, such as station artwork or a video loop. Check that the audio is present and does not clip before starting the broadcast. If you use a loop, make sure you have permission to use its video and audio.
- Connect OBS to the YouTube stream. Copy the stream URL/server and stream key from YouTube Studio into OBS’s stream settings. Treat the stream key like a password: do not publish it or share it with people who should not be able to broadcast on your channel.
- Start the encoder and confirm the preview. Start streaming in OBS, then check the preview in YouTube’s Live Control Room. For a scheduled stream, starting the encoder may not be the final step: you may also need to select Go live in the Live Control Room.
- End and check the broadcast. Stop the stream from the encoder when the program is finished and verify that YouTube has ended it as intended. YouTube automatically archives streams under 12 hours; archive availability should not be treated as a guarantee that every stream or recording will remain available indefinitely.
YouTube also documents HLS ingestion for compatible encoders. For an ordinary OBS-to-YouTube radio simulcast, use the normal encoder route unless you have a specific reason and compatible setup for HLS.
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Using AzuraCast and Liquidsoap instead
If AzuraCast is already part of your station, its Liquidsoap radio-video-stream example may suit a server-managed workflow. It is designed to send radio audio with a video loop to an RTMP destination such as YouTube, and can put the current song on screen.
#1 Best Overall
- INTERNET AUDIO ENCODER: Designed for flexible internet audio transmission, enabling live audio streaming, program distribution, network broadcasting, and conference room interconnection without requiring a public IP or self-built media server
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Treat this as a technical example, not a supported, ready-to-run consumer application. Confirm that the script fits your current installation and that someone on your team can configure, monitor, and maintain it. If you do not already operate AzuraCast, OBS is generally the more straightforward place to begin for a desktop production workflow.
Where Mixxx and BUTT fit
Mixxx and BUTT are useful in the internet-radio contribution part of a setup: a DJ can send a live program feed to an Icecast or Shoutcast server. That does not, by itself, establish a YouTube video-encoder workflow. If YouTube is an additional destination, route the audio into a YouTube encoder such as OBS and build the video output there. This distinction matters: broadcasting audio to a radio server and publishing a video stream on YouTube are related but separate jobs.
Rank #2
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Audio, rights, and operational checks
- Keep the signal path understandable. Know which application or device supplies the station audio to the encoder, and check for accidental desktop sounds or duplicate audio paths.
- Check levels before going live. Confirm that program audio is audible and not clipping in the encoder preview. The right level depends on the station’s own signal chain; there is no universal setting established here.
- Confirm rights for YouTube. A license to broadcast music on an internet-radio service does not necessarily establish permission to rebroadcast it on YouTube. Check your catalog, territories, agreements, and platform permissions before streaming or archiving the program.
- Plan for maintenance. With a desktop encoder, the computer and audio route need to stay available throughout the broadcast. With a server-side script, the server configuration and script need an owner who can troubleshoot them.
- Check the archive requirement. Streams under 12 hours are automatically archived by YouTube, but this does not mean every archive is guaranteed to stay available indefinitely.
Or let it run in the cloud
If your goal is to keep a prerecorded radio-style program or playlist live on YouTube around the clock—not to broadcast a live DJ or camera feed—StreamNeo is a cloud option. Upload the recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. The uploaded video loops from the cloud, so nothing has to stay on at home. It streams your upload 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. Monthly pricing is $9.99 per month. StreamNeo plays uploaded videos; it does not send a live microphone, DJ mix, or camera feed. Start your free day with StreamNeo.
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- Fully dynamic FM broadcast RDS encoder with up to four independent communication ports
- USB connectivity for local settings and maintenance purposes
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- Control interface based on ASCII commands and UECP protocol
- Supports internet functions and remote monitoring
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