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Freedom251 › Blog › concat demuxer

FFmpeg YouTube Live Playlist Stops at the End of a File: How to Keep It Running

By Freedom251 Team · · 4 min read

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For a finite local media file or FFmpeg concat playlist, put -stream_loop -1 before the input’s -i option. That tells FFmpeg to repeat that input indefinitely. Use -re as well when reading a file for live output; it paces the file in real time but does not create a loop.

Loop a local file or concat playlist

For a text file named playlist.txt that lists media files for FFmpeg’s concat demuxer, this is a general pattern:

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ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -f concat -safe 0 -i playlist.txt 
  -c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -c:a aac -f flv 
  'rtmp://YOUR_YOUTUBE_INGEST_URL/YOUR_STREAM_KEY'

Replace the destination with the current ingest URL and stream key from YouTube Live Control Room. Keep the stream key private: anyone who obtains it may be able to send a stream to your channel. This example re-encodes video with libx264 and audio with AAC; it is a starting pattern, not a tested command for every source file, FFmpeg build, or account. Choose encoding settings that suit your media and the current YouTube encoder guidance.

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Why the option order matters

-stream_loop is an input option. FFmpeg documents 0 as no looping and -1 as looping indefinitely. Put it before the -i for the input you want repeated; placing it after that input does not apply it to that input. See the FFmpeg documentation.

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-re reads a file at its native rate (equivalent to -readrate 1). It can pace file input for live output, but it does not make the input repeat. The loop and the pacing solve different problems.

Using a concat text file

The concat demuxer reads a text script and processes its listed files in sequence. For clean transitions, the files should have matching streams, codecs, and time bases. Incorrect or inaccurate duration information can cause artifacts at transitions. If the loop runs but playback glitches or breaks between items, inspect the concat file, media compatibility, and duration entries rather than changing the loop flag alone. FFmpeg’s concat-demuxer requirements are in its documentation.

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First identify what “playlist” means

The command above applies to a finite local file or a concat-demuxer text playlist. It is not a universal fix for every file called a playlist.

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Input you have What to check
A local media file or concat text file Apply -stream_loop -1 before the relevant -i. For a concat input, confirm the listed files are readable and compatible.
An HLS .m3u8 URL or feed Check whether the playlist is updating and inspect FFmpeg’s logs. A live HLS feed may not be a finite input that should be replayed at EOF; diagnose its refresh behavior and protocol configuration.

FFmpeg’s HLS output options, such as omit_endlist, affect playlists it generates. They do not replace looping a finite concat input. See the FFmpeg formats documentation.

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Diagnose a stream that still stops

  1. Check the actual input type. Determine whether the input is a local file, a concat text file, or an HLS feed. Do not assume an HLS .m3u8 URL behaves like a finite local playlist.
  2. Check loop placement for every input. Put -stream_loop -1 before the -i belonging to the finite input. If audio and video come from separate inputs, identify which one reaches EOF; an unlooped shorter input may still end output depending on the filters and output options.
  3. Check the command for stop conditions. Review options such as -t, -to, or -shortest. These can limit output duration or end output when a stream finishes, independently of whether another input is set to loop. Their behavior is documented in the FFmpeg reference.
  4. Check the concat script and its files. Confirm paths are readable, listed files expose compatible streams and time bases, and duration information is accurate if transitions show gaps or artifacts.
  5. Separate FFmpeg input behavior from YouTube ingest requirements. YouTube’s HLS ingestion guidance specifies TS segments, HTTPS POST/PUT, a rolling playlist with no more than five outstanding segments, and segment durations between one and four seconds. YouTube also describes HLS as higher latency than RTMP. These HLS ingest rules are distinct from repeating a finite local FFmpeg input; consult YouTube’s HLS setup guidance if you are sending HLS.
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Or let it run in the cloud

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