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Yes. Keep one OBS encoder session connected to YouTube, and switch between two OBS scenes that each contain a prerecorded video. Scene changes happen inside OBS; they do not require ending and restarting the YouTube stream. Rehearse the playback and transition behavior before going live, because the setup does not guarantee a gap-free switch on every computer or with every file.
Set up two scenes with prerecorded videos
- Create the scenes: In OBS, add a scene for each clip if you want to choose transitions yourself or give each video a different layout.
- Add each video: In each scene, add a Media Source and select the local video file. OBS Media Sources support common video file types and provide playback controls, including looping, restarting when active, and hiding after playback ends. See the OBS Media Sources guide.
- Choose what happens when a scene becomes active: Set the Media Source playback behavior to match your intent. Check restart behavior if the clip should begin again when its scene is shown. If you enable Close file when inactive, the source may need a short time to reload when you return to that scene.
- Connect OBS to YouTube: In YouTube Live Control Room, get the stream URL and stream key, then configure OBS to send its encoder output to YouTube. Start the encoder session as described in YouTube’s encoder setup guide.
- Switch scenes without stopping the broadcast: While the encoder session is running, switch between the two scenes in OBS. Stop the encoder only when the broadcast is finished; YouTube’s guide says to end the stream by stopping content from the encoder.
- Rehearse first: Test privately or as an unlisted stream. Confirm picture, sound, and whether each clip restarts or resumes as intended. OBS documents the available controls, but does not promise a seamless transition for every file, computer, or configuration.
Choose scenes or a playlist
Use separate scenes when clips need different layouts or you want to control when the active video changes. If the goal is simply to play several files in sequence from one source, OBS’s VLC Video source provides a playlist with loop and shuffle options. VLC must be installed for that source to work.
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| Consideration | Separate OBS scenes | One VLC Video playlist |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Different layouts or operator-controlled changes between clips | Playing multiple files sequentially from one source |
| Playback control | Each scene has its own Media Source behavior | Playlist offers loop and shuffle options |
| When hidden | Review Media Source restart and close-when-inactive settings | OBS documents the default visibility behavior as stopping when hidden and restarting when visible; review it if scene changes will hide the source |
| Dependency | Media Source is built into OBS | VLC must be installed and available to OBS |
These options and playback behaviors are described in the OBS Media Sources guide and OBS Sources Guide.
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What the continuous stream does—and does not—mean
OBS scenes and sources define the outgoing layout, while YouTube receives the encoder stream. Changing the active scene changes what OBS sends within that session; it is not the same as ending the YouTube broadcast and starting another one.
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YouTube says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived in its encoder guide. Treat that as YouTube’s documented archival threshold, not a guarantee about stream stability or transition quality.
Having the technical ability to rebroadcast a recording does not establish that you have the rights to it or that it qualifies for monetization. Check the rights for every video and review YouTube’s applicable channel and content rules separately.
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Troubleshoot scene changes and playback
- The clip starts over when you return to its scene: Check the Media Source’s restart-when-active behavior. Change it if you want a different playback result.
- The clip takes a moment to appear: If Close file when inactive is enabled, the file may reload when its scene returns. Test with that setting disabled if a reload delay is disrupting your transition.
- A playlist stops or starts over after a scene change: Review the VLC Video source’s visibility behavior. OBS documents that it stops when not visible and restarts when visible by default.
- The playlist source is unavailable: Install VLC and make sure it is available to OBS, then check the source again.
- YouTube stops receiving the broadcast: Check that OBS is still sending content through the configured encoder session. YouTube’s encoder guide specifies stopping encoder content as the way to end the stream; it does not establish a fix for every interruption.
- A transition has a gap or other unexpected result: Rehearse the same files, scene settings, and computer configuration you intend to use live. The documentation describes controls, not a universal guarantee of gap-free switching.
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