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Use FFmpeg’s concat demuxer to assemble the episodes in order, loop that playlist with -stream_loop -1, and loop the artwork separately. Map the image and audio explicitly, encode H.264 video and AAC audio, then send the output to the RTMPS URL and stream key from YouTube Live Control Room. The command below is a starting pattern, not a tested command for every FFmpeg build or system.
Prepare an episode playlist
Put episodes.txt beside the MP3 files, or use paths relative to the playlist file. Add one line per episode in the order you want them played:
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file 'episode-01.mp3'
file 'episode-02.mp3'
file 'episode-03.mp3'This simple quoting works for filenames without apostrophes or unusual characters. For more complex filenames, follow FFmpeg’s concat-demuxer escaping rules rather than copying these lines unchanged. The concat demuxer resolves relative paths from the playlist file’s location.
The command uses -safe 0 to allow paths the concat demuxer might otherwise reject. Use it only with a playlist you control and trust.
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Run FFmpeg with looping audio and artwork
Replace artwork.jpg with your still image and replace the output placeholder with the RTMPS ingest URL and key shown for your event in YouTube Live Control Room.
ffmpeg -re
-loop 1 -framerate 1 -i artwork.jpg
-stream_loop -1 -f concat -safe 0 -i episodes.txt
-map 0:v:0 -map 1:a:0
-c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -tune stillimage
-pix_fmt yuv420p -r 30 -g 60 -keyint_min 60 -sc_threshold 0
-b:v 4M -maxrate 4M -bufsize 8M
-c:a aac -b:a 128k -ar 44100
-f flv 'rtmps://INGEST_HOST/APP/STREAM_KEY'Confirm your FFmpeg build supports the libx264 video encoder and AAC encoding before relying on this command. Builds differ, and the exact syntax and available encoders depend on the installed version. Check the build’s help or encoder output locally.
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What the key options do
-rereads file input at real-time pace for streaming.-loop 1keeps the image input repeating. It is separate from audio playlist looping.-stream_loop -1repeats the concat input indefinitely; FFmpeg uses-1for infinite repetition.-map 0:v:0 -map 1:a:0explicitly selects the first input’s video (the image) and the second input’s audio (the episodes).-c:v libx264and-c:a aacencode a live-compatible audiovisual stream; an MP3 input is not by itself a complete output for a still-image video stream.-r 30sets 30 fps. A GOP size of 60 frames at that frame rate gives a two-second keyframe interval.-b:vand-maxrateset the example video rate to 4 Mbps;-bufsizesets its rate-control buffer. Treat these as example values, not a universal YouTube preset.-shortestis deliberately omitted: the intended stream continues indefinitely rather than ending when a finite input ends.
Match output settings to YouTube and your connection
YouTube’s live encoder guidance recommends H.264 video and AAC or MP3 audio for RTMP/RTMPS, CBR, up to 60 fps, and a two-second keyframe interval that must not exceed four seconds. The sample uses H.264, AAC, 30 fps, and a two-second GOP. Check the event’s current settings in Live Control Room and align your output resolution and bitrate with them.
| Output format | YouTube H.264 bitrate guidance |
|---|---|
| 720p at 30 fps | 3 Mbps minimum; 8 Mbps recommended |
| 1080p at 30 fps | 5 Mbps minimum; 14 Mbps recommended |
These figures are Google / YouTube Help’s live encoder recommendations accessed in 2026; use the current guidance for your event rather than assuming the example’s 4 Mbps suits every resolution. YouTube also recommends leaving 20% upload-bandwidth headroom. A connection disruption can still break the stream.
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Get the event stream URL and test before going public
- In YouTube Live Control Room, create or open the live event and retrieve its stream URL and stream key. Use the RTMPS destination when available and supported by your setup. The key grants access to the event’s ingest; treat it like a password and do not publish it.
- Replace the output placeholder in the command with the event-specific destination and key. Keep the key out of screenshots, public logs, and shared scripts.
- Run a private or unlisted test first. Confirm that the image appears, the audio plays continuously across episode boundaries, and YouTube reports healthy stream status.
- Use representative audio and monitor stream health during the event. YouTube’s encoder guidance says, “Make sure to test before you start your live stream.”
Sources: YouTube Live Control Room setup and YouTube live encoder settings.
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Choose the right input arrangement
Separate MP3 episodes
The concat playlist is useful when you need to reorder episodes or edit the lineup. Its audio input is looped as a whole, so the sequence repeats after the final listed file. Check transitions during the test: the cited documentation does not prescribe cross-episode loudness normalization or guarantee gapless playback for every set of files.
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If the episodes are already concatenated into one audio file, point -stream_loop -1 directly at that file instead of using the concat demuxer. This avoids maintaining a playlist, but changing the episode order requires rebuilding the combined file.
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Alternative still-image loop
The command loops the image at input via image2’s -loop option. FFmpeg’s video loop filter can also repeat decoded frames; its documentation defines loop=-1 as infinite and includes a one-frame example. The approaches differ in where repetition occurs—input demuxing or a filter graph—so the input loop is the simpler fit for this command.
FFmpeg references: FFmpeg command-line documentation and FFmpeg loop filter documentation.
Troubleshoot common failures
- “Unknown encoder” for
libx264or AAC: your build may not include that encoder. Check the installed build’s encoder list or use a build with the needed encoder support, then verify the command syntax for that version. - Playlist file or episode not found: relative paths are resolved from the playlist’s directory. Correct the paths or use absolute paths in a playlist you trust.
- Concat playlist rejects a path:
-safe 0relaxes path restrictions, but use it only for a playlist you created and trust. Escape unusual filenames according to concat-demuxer rules. - Image appears but audio does not: verify the playlist entries and audio stream selection, and keep the explicit maps
-map 0:v:0 -map 1:a:0. Test each episode file and the playlist before starting a public event. - Stream will not connect or YouTube reports poor health: recheck the event-specific URL and key, confirm the event is ready to receive the stream, match the selected resolution and bitrate to Live Control Room, and check that your upload capacity includes the recommended headroom.
- The stream ends unexpectedly: ensure you did not add
-shortestor another duration limit, and confirm that audio and artwork inputs are configured to loop.
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