To loop a prerecorded devotional video on YouTube Live from Ubuntu, use FFmpeg to pace the file in real time, encode H.264 video and AAC audio, and send it to the RTMPS ingest address and stream key shown in YouTube Live Control Room. The command below is a configurable template—not a tested command—so check your media, FFmpeg build, upload connection, and YouTube preview before relying on it.
Before you encode: inspect the video and your FFmpeg build
Do not assume a devotional recording is 1080p30 or even that it contains an audio stream. Match the output to the source where practical, and verify that your installed FFmpeg has the encoder the command will use.
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Inspect the file’s streams and properties with
ffprobe -hide_banner input.mp4. Note its video dimensions, frame rate, pixel format, and whether an audio stream is present. Ifffprobeis not installed, install the FFmpeg package appropriate to your Ubuntu release.Free tools Windows power users keep installed
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Check the installed FFmpeg version with
ffmpeg -version. -
Check available encoders with
ffmpeg -hide_banner -encoders. Confirm thatlibx264appears before using the example below. FFmpeg builds differ; if it is absent, use a build with that encoder or investigate a hardware encoder supported by your machine and driver. Ubuntu Noble’s codec manual documents H.264 VAAPI support when the platform and driver provide it, but that does not establish support on every Ubuntu installation: Ubuntu Noble FFmpeg codecs manual.
FFmpeg’s command-line options generally apply to the next input or output, so their position matters. Its documentation describes -re as reading input at its native rate for real-time output and -stream_loop as an input option: FFmpeg documentation.
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Choose compatible video and audio settings
YouTube’s live encoder guidance supports RTMP/RTMPS ingestion and recommends RTMPS. It lists H.264, H.265/HEVC, and AV1 video, AAC or MP3 audio, up to 60 fps, and constant bitrate (CBR). For a broadly compatible FFmpeg setup, H.264 video with AAC stereo audio over RTMPS is a practical choice. Follow YouTube’s current live encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions for the resolution and frame rate you select.
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Resolution, frame rate, and bitrate
Choose bitrate for the output resolution and frame rate, rather than applying one number to every video. YouTube recommends 5 Mbps for H.264 at 1080p30 and 8 Mbps for H.264 at 720p30. For other combinations, consult the current table on YouTube’s settings page. YouTube detects resolution and frame rate automatically by default; manual resolution selection is available with a custom stream key.
| H.264 output | YouTube recommended video bitrate |
|---|---|
| 1080p at 30 fps | 5 Mbps |
| 720p at 30 fps | 8 Mbps |
These are YouTube configuration recommendations, not a guarantee that your computer can encode in real time or your connection can sustain the upload. If FFmpeg’s reported speed falls below real time or the preview has trouble, lower the output resolution or frame rate and choose a matching bitrate from YouTube’s table.
Keyframes, scan, and audio
YouTube recommends a two-second keyframe interval and says not to exceed four seconds. Set the GOP length to about twice the output frame rate: 60 frames at 30 fps or 50 frames at 25 fps. The GOP must track the selected frame rate.
YouTube’s advanced settings recommend square pixels, progressive scan, two B-frames, one reference frame, CABAC, and Rec. 709 for SDR. Its stereo audio guidance recommends 44.1 kHz and 128 kbps. These are alignment targets; the appropriate settings depend on the encoder and input media.
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Prepare YouTube Live and keep the key private
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Open YouTube Live Control Room and prepare the live stream according to your channel’s available live-streaming options.
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Copy the ingest URL and private stream key shown for that stream. Prefer the RTMPS endpoint when YouTube offers it. YouTube’s LiveStreams API documentation describes ingestion URL handling; creators should take their actual endpoint and key from Live Control Room.
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Do not publish the key in a script, screenshot, shared shell history, or logs. Treat it like a password: anyone with access to it may be able to send a broadcast to your stream. If it is exposed, replace or reset it through YouTube’s available stream-key controls before continuing.
Send a looping devotional video with FFmpeg
This illustrative template targets 1080p30 SDR, assumes the input has both video and audio, and uses 5 Mbps video bitrate. It is assembled from published platform settings, not a tested command; confirm that your input, encoder, network, and YouTube preview work before relying on it.
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ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -i input.mp4
-c:v libx264 -pix_fmt yuv420p -preset veryfast
-b:v 5M -maxrate 5M -bufsize 10M -r 30 -g 60
-c:a aac -b:a 128k -ar 44100 -ac 2
-f flv 'rtmps://INGEST_URL/STREAM_KEY'-
Replace
input.mp4with the path to your video. Put-stream_loop -1before-i: it tells FFmpeg to repeat the input indefinitely. Keep-rebefore the input as well, so the file is read at its native rate rather than sent as fast as the computer can process it.Rank #3
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Replace the URL placeholder with the ingest address and stream key from Live Control Room. Do not literally send the placeholder. Avoid saving a real key in a script that may be shared or committed.
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Adapt
-r,-g, and-b:vto your chosen output. For 25 fps, for example, use-r 25and-g 50for the two-second target; select bitrate from YouTube’s table for that output. The example’s-maxrateand-bufsizeaccompany the selected video rate for a constrained, steady output. -
Start FFmpeg and watch its status output. Check that its speed stays around real time and that it does not repeatedly report encoding or connection errors. Then inspect YouTube’s incoming preview and stream status before making the broadcast public or depending on it.
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The -f flv output format is used for the RTMP-family connection. If the source has no audio, the example’s audio options need to be removed or the command otherwise adapted; if it has multiple streams or an unusual format, inspect and select streams deliberately rather than assuming this template fits.
Verify the actual broadcast before relying on it
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Confirm the preview shows the intended framing and aspect ratio, without unexpected stretching or cropping.
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Listen for intelligible devotional audio in the preview; confirm it is neither missing nor distorted.
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Check that FFmpeg continues to encode at real-time speed and that YouTube reports the incoming stream as healthy.
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If the machine cannot encode or the connection cannot upload steadily, reduce resolution or frame rate, then select the corresponding bitrate from YouTube’s current recommendation table.
Make it a single play instead of a repeating broadcast
For a one-time play, omit -stream_loop -1. Decide how you want the live session to end when FFmpeg reaches the end of the file, and verify that behavior with a test broadcast; the looped template is specifically for continuous replay.
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Common problems and fixes
FFmpeg says the encoder is unavailable
If FFmpeg reports that libx264 is unknown or unavailable, confirm the installed version and encoder list with ffmpeg -version and ffmpeg -hide_banner -encoders. Use an FFmpeg build that includes the encoder or investigate a hardware encoder available to your specific device and driver. Do not assume an encoder documented for one Ubuntu release works on another system.
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Recheck that the endpoint and key are current and belong to the prepared Live Control Room stream. Prefer the RTMPS endpoint if offered. A typo, stale key, or wrong endpoint can prevent ingestion; copy them again from the active stream setup and keep the key private.
The video stutters or FFmpeg cannot keep up
Check FFmpeg’s reported speed and YouTube’s incoming preview/status. If encoding speed or upload capacity is inadequate, lower resolution or frame rate and use the matching bitrate from YouTube’s table. The published recommendations do not predict an individual computer’s processing capacity or a reader’s available upload bandwidth.
The stream has no sound or the image looks wrong
Return to the input inspection step: verify that an audio stream exists and identify the source’s frame rate and dimensions. The template assumes audio and a 1080p30-style output; adapt it to the actual file, then confirm audio, aspect ratio, and color in YouTube’s preview.
Copyright and channel-policy checks
Encoding settings do not grant permission to broadcast devotional music, recordings, performances, or video. Before going live, make sure you have the necessary rights to every audio and visual element, including recordings of hymns, bhajans, kirtan, Gurbani, or other devotional content. A stream that loops technically may still face copyright claims or other YouTube policy consequences; check the current YouTube rules and any rights attached to your material.
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