In OBS, add your recorded study footage as a looping Media Source, then place a countdown above it as a Browser source or a prerecorded countdown clip. A Text source works for a fixed label, but OBS does not document a built-in countdown timer. Test the complete study-to-break cycle—including how the timer resets—before leaving the stream unattended.
Choose a timer that fits the way your stream cycles
| Option | Best for | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Text source | A fixed label such as “Study” or “Break.” | OBS documents text sources, not a native countdown procedure. A decreasing timer needs a separate timer mechanism or pre-rendered content. OBS Sources Guide |
| Browser source | A webpage timer or an overlay you can control separately from the footage. | It depends on the timer page remaining available. Check loading, transparency, dimensions, and countdown behavior before streaming. OBS supports browser sources. OBS Sources Guide |
| Prerecorded countdown clip | A fixed timer that is part of the recorded study-and-break sequence. | Match the clip’s duration and reset behavior to the intended cycle. OBS Media Source supports local video and looping. OBS Media Sources |
| YouTube Take a Break overlay | A temporary away slate during a YouTube Live broadcast. | This is an operator-controlled Live Control Room feature, not an unattended timer embedded in the recorded scene. You must hide the slate to resume. YouTube Help |
Set up the recorded study stream in OBS
- Open or create the study scene. Select the OBS scene that will contain your recorded study footage and timer.
- Add the footage. In the Sources list, select + and choose Media Source. Select the local recording in its properties and enable Loop so playback starts again after the file ends. OBS lists supported formats including MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI, GIF, and WebM. OBS Media Sources
- Add the countdown. Add a Browser source for a webpage timer, or add another Media Source for a prerecorded countdown clip. Use a Text source only for static wording; text by itself will not count down.
- Layer and position it. Move the timer above the video source in the Sources list. Use the preview’s transform controls to position and resize it. Higher sources appear over lower sources. OBS Sources Guide
- For multiple recordings, make a playlist. Add a VLC Video source, select the files, and enable Loop Playlist. VLC must be installed; if you use 64-bit OBS, install 64-bit VLC as well. OBS Media Sources
- Preview a full cycle. Watch from the start of a study period through the break and back to the next study period. Confirm the countdown resets when intended, stays legible over both light and dark footage, and does not obscure important content. Check source visibility and audio before streaming.
Make the timer restart where you expect
A looped video restarts when its playback reaches the end, but a separate browser timer may follow its own page or control behavior. A prerecorded countdown clip is part of the media sequence, so its duration and position must suit the study-and-break timing. Do not assume that looping the study footage also resets a separately controlled browser timer. Verify the transition and reset in OBS preview before relying on the scene unattended.
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A vendor guide describes controlling a hosted timer through a browser source; this is one possible implementation, not a requirement or an endorsement. Timer vendor guide
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Use YouTube’s break slate only when you can operate it
YouTube’s Take a Break overlay is useful for an operator who wants to show a temporary away screen during a live broadcast. In Live Control Room, open the break overlay settings, copy its overlay URL into a new OBS Browser source, set the source dimensions to match the stream resolution, and enable Shutdown source when not visible. YouTube recommends testing the overlay before going live. YouTube Help
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This slate is not an unattended countdown: return to Live Control Room and hide it when ready to resume. It does not mute other stream audio sources. Mute a microphone separately before stepping away; if the slate includes video audio, check that audio is routed into the stream.
Check copyright and YouTube live-stream rules
Before streaming, make sure you have the rights needed for every part of the recording, including music, background audio, and any third-party footage. A timer overlay does not change the rights status of the video. Review YouTube’s current live-stream and copyright requirements before scheduling a long-running broadcast; do not treat a successful test or a loop as permission to use material you do not control.
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Or let it run in the cloud
If your finished study recording and countdown are already composed into a video, StreamNeo can loop that uploaded video on your YouTube channel without keeping a computer or home internet connection running. Upload the recording, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. StreamNeo runs the stream from the cloud; it does not capture a live camera feed.
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