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Before you build the playlist
- Have the video files ready as MP4s, or add videos already stored in Castr Video Hosting. Castr’s current help article lists MP4 as the supported upload format. File size and file-count allowances depend on your subscription, so check the limits shown for your plan before preparing a large playlist. Castr’s Pre-Recorded Streams instructions provide the current workflow.
- Choose whether you want the playlist to repeat or begin at a particular time. Scheduled start times use the device’s time zone, so confirm the time zone on the device you use to configure the stream.
- Make sure your YouTube channel is ready to receive a live stream and that the videos are yours or that you have the rights and permissions needed to broadcast them. A live presentation of recorded files is still a YouTube stream; it is not the same as uploading an ordinary on-demand video.
Create a Castr Pre-Recorded Stream and add videos
- Sign in to Castr and open Pre-Recorded Streams.
- Choose the option to create a new pre-recorded stream and give it a recognizable name.
- In the Playlist section, add videos using one of the available sources: upload files, import them from cloud storage, or select videos already in your Castr Video Hosting library.
- Add each video you want included. Drag entries into the order in which you want them to play. Use an individual entry’s toggle to include or exclude it without removing it from the playlist.
- Check the playlist duration shown by Castr. It updates automatically as you assemble the list; confirm the total matches the length you intend to broadcast.
Choose looping or a scheduled start
Castr offers two different ways to run a playlist. Choose Loop when you want the playlist to repeat, or Date & Time when you want it to start at a specific time. These are different scheduling modes, not interchangeable labels. Castr’s scheduling documentation says the scheduled time follows the device’s time zone. Review Castr’s scheduling-mode details if the timing behavior matters to your setup.
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For a repeating stream
Select Loop if the selected videos should play as a repeating playlist. Check the final order and the enabled state of every entry before starting.
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Select Date & Time, enter the intended start time, and verify the device’s time zone before saving. If you are scheduling from a device set to a different zone than the audience or channel operator expects, convert the intended start time before entering it.
#1 Best Overall
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- 【Package Content & Note】 1x HD Audio Capture Card , 1x USB 3.0 to USB C Adapter (A-side 3.0, B-side 2.0), 1x user manual. Please note that you need to restart the OBS Studio software after the audio setup is complete, otherwise it will result in no sound output. When using an adapter, if the device is recognized as USB 2.0, try using the other side with the USB-C port. Simply flip the capture card and reconnect it to be recognized as USB 3.0
Connect YouTube as the destination
Add YouTube to the stream’s destinations and verify that its destination toggle is switched on. Castr documents two connection approaches: authorize a connection through YouTube Events/API, or configure YouTube using its streaming server and stream key. The instructions for YouTube connection were published by Castr on May 19, 2023, so interface labels may differ from the current dashboard. See Castr’s YouTube connection instructions.
| Connection approach | When it fits | Metadata note |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube Events/API connection | Choose this when you want to connect through YouTube’s account-authorized events/API workflow. | Follow the current Castr dashboard prompts for the authorization and event setup. |
| YouTube streaming server and key | Choose this when you have YouTube’s streaming server and stream key available and want to configure the destination manually. | Castr says that with the stream-key route, the stream description must be edited in YouTube’s dashboard. |
If you already created a Castr livestream and want to use it as the destination, Castr documents Add Stream within Castr as an alternate route. It is optional; most users do not need it for the basic pre-recorded playlist workflow. See Castr’s troubleshooting guidance.
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Check the video settings Castr recommends
Castr’s recommended-settings article, dated December 18, 2023, suggests MP4, constant bitrate, a two-second keyframe interval, 1920×1080 resolution, 30 fps, and 4,000 Kbps. It also recommends adding 10–20 seconds of video at the beginning and end. These are Castr’s recommendations for recorded-video streaming, not universal YouTube requirements or independently tested guarantees. If you need to export or revise source files, use these as a starting point and make sure your actual files are supported by your plan. Read Castr’s recorded-video settings guidance.
Start the stream and verify the result
- Review the playlist order, enabled video entries, and displayed duration.
- Confirm the selected mode: Loop for repetition or Date & Time for a scheduled start.
- Check that YouTube is present as a destination and its toggle is on.
- Start the stream, or save the configured schedule and let it begin at the selected time.
- Check the YouTube stream in the channel’s dashboard to confirm that the live event is receiving the broadcast as expected.
When to use TV Playout instead
A regular Pre-Recorded Stream is designed for a playlist of recorded videos that loops or starts on a schedule. Castr’s separate TV Playout workflow is for a continuous channel-style timetable that can include video on demand, livestreams, and breaks. Choose TV Playout when you need programmed channel scheduling rather than one looping or scheduled pre-recorded stream. Castr explains TV Playout separately.
Rank #3
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Troubleshooting common setup problems
A video will not upload or appear in the playlist
Check that it is an MP4 and that your subscription permits its file size and the number of playlist items you are trying to add. If the video is already in Castr Video Hosting, add it from the library instead of uploading it again.
The stream does not start on time
Check the device time zone used when you configured the schedule, then verify the scheduled time and selected destination. Castr’s scheduler follows the device’s time zone.
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The playlist starts but a video is missing
Return to the Playlist section and check the individual toggle for that entry. An entry can remain in the playlist while toggled off.
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YouTube is not receiving the stream
Confirm that YouTube was added as a destination and its toggle is on. If you used the server-and-key method, verify the destination details against YouTube’s current stream settings. If you meant to use an existing Castr livestream as the destination, use the documented Add Stream route.
The stream information or description is wrong
For a YouTube connection configured with a stream key, Castr says the description must be edited in YouTube’s dashboard. Check the YouTube event there rather than assuming the description is controlled entirely from Castr.
Or let it run in the cloud
If your goal is simply to keep uploaded videos playing live on YouTube, StreamNeo is a separate cloud option: upload your recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It loops uploaded videos from the cloud, so nothing has to stay on at home. StreamNeo supports whatever quality you upload up to 4K 60fps at one price per slot, automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream, and includes the first day free with no card. Monthly pricing is $9.99 per month. See StreamNeo or its pricing page for details. Start your free first day with StreamNeo.
Quick Recap
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