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First identify which connection failed. FFmpeg’s documented reconnect options such as reconnect and reconnect_at_eof apply to HTTP input retrieval; they do not, by themselves, guarantee recovery when FFmpeg loses its RTMP or RTMPS publishing connection to YouTube. Diagnose the source input and YouTube output separately, then configure and test recovery for the connection that is actually failing.
Start by locating the failed connection
A 24/7 music stream has at least two relevant connections: FFmpeg reads a source file or stream, then publishes encoded audio and video to YouTube. A failure opening or reading the source is not the same as a failure opening or writing the YouTube output.
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Read the FFmpeg log around the first error. Determine whether it refers to the input URL or file, or to the output destination. Note whether the failure happened during connection setup, while data was being transferred, or when the source reached EOF. Those details decide whether an HTTP input retry option is relevant.
- Input failure: FFmpeg cannot open or continue reading the source. If the source uses HTTP, the HTTP protocol options below may apply.
- Output failure: FFmpeg cannot connect to or write to YouTube. Check the RTMPS destination, stream key, broadcast configuration, and how the process behaves after the error. HTTP input retry flags are not general-purpose RTMPS output recovery switches.
- EOF: The input has ended. This can be expected for a finite recording, but a looping workflow or a live/endless source may require different handling.
Use reconnect options for HTTP input problems
FFmpeg’s protocol documentation describes these reconnect options for HTTP. They address different failure conditions; enabling them does not ensure that a particular source server will accept a retry or that playback will resume at exactly the same point.
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| Option | Documented role | When it may be relevant |
|---|---|---|
reconnect |
Retries automatically after a disconnection before EOF. | An HTTP source disconnects while FFmpeg is reading it. |
reconnect_at_eof |
Treats EOF as an error and retries. FFmpeg describes live or endless streams as a use case. | An HTTP source is expected to continue producing data, but reaches EOF. |
reconnect_on_network_error |
Retries on TCP/TLS errors during connection setup. | An HTTP connection fails before FFmpeg can establish it. |
reconnect_on_http_error |
Retries for configured HTTP status codes. | The server returns an HTTP response code you have chosen to handle with retries. |
reconnect_streamed |
Allows retries for streamed or non-seekable input. | The HTTP input cannot be treated as a seekable resource. |
FFmpeg’s documentation says of reconnect_at_eof: “If set then eof is treated as an error and causes reconnection, this is useful for live / endless streams.” This describes HTTP input behavior, not a way to reconnect a YouTube publishing output. See the FFmpeg protocols documentation for option syntax and details.
Set and verify retry limits
FFmpeg documents reconnect_delay_max, reconnect_max_retries, and reconnect_delay_total_max to bound retry delay, retry attempts, or total retry time. These bounds affect how long and how often input retries continue. Defaults and behavior can vary with the installed FFmpeg version, so check the documentation and option support for your actual build rather than relying on an assumed default.
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Options must be applied in the context of the HTTP input they are meant to affect. If your command includes multiple inputs or outputs, inspect its ordering and the log to confirm which connection the option applies to. The FFmpeg protocol documentation is the reference for the options’ scope and accepted values: https://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg-protocols.html.
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Check YouTube RTMPS publishing separately
- In YouTube Live Control Room, confirm the intended broadcast and retrieve its RTMPS ingest URL and associated stream key.
- Check that FFmpeg’s publishing output uses that RTMPS URL and the matching stream key. A correct source retry configuration cannot compensate for an incorrect publishing destination or key.
- Confirm that the stream key is not exposed in logs, screenshots, shared command examples, or other public material.
- Review the FFmpeg log to see whether the process exits or remains running after an output error. Plan how to detect a stopped process and, if appropriate, restart it; do not assume an input reconnect flag will do that.
YouTube describes RTMPS as RTMP over TLS/SSL and explains how to obtain the URL and configure a stream key in its RTMPS setup guidance. Google’s RTMPS ingestion overview provides additional context on publishing to YouTube.
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Test the failure and recovery path before relying on it
There is no universal FFmpeg command established here that guarantees recovery from every RTMPS output failure. Test your actual FFmpeg build and setup in a controlled stream before depending on it for continuous operation.
- Record the installed FFmpeg version and check whether it supports the options you intend to use.
- Test an HTTP input interruption and, separately, the case where that input reaches EOF. Check whether the expected retry behavior occurs and how long retries continue.
- Test an output interruption independently. Observe whether FFmpeg exits, keeps running, or reports repeated write errors, and verify your monitoring and restart procedure.
- Confirm the YouTube ingest URL, key, and selected broadcast with a non-critical test. Protect the key throughout the test.
- Review the logs after each test. Change one relevant setting or recovery step at a time so you can tell which change affected the outcome.
Common causes and fixes
| What you see | Likely distinction | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| HTTP source disconnects before EOF | Input transfer failure. | Use the HTTP reconnect behavior where appropriate; check the source server and configured retry bounds. |
| HTTP source reaches EOF unexpectedly | Input ended rather than a YouTube output disconnect. | Decide whether EOF should end playback or trigger another attempt; reconnect_at_eof is documented for HTTP input use cases such as live or endless streams. |
| HTTP connection fails during setup | Network or TLS setup failure on the input side. | Check the source URL and network path; consider the HTTP network-error retry option if it matches the failure. |
| HTTP server returns an error response | Input-side HTTP status failure. | Check the response and whether reconnect_on_http_error is configured for the relevant status codes. |
| FFmpeg reports an output connection or write failure | YouTube publishing connection, not HTTP input retrieval. | Verify the Live Control Room RTMPS URL and matching stream key; determine whether FFmpeg exits and how output recovery is handled. |
| Stream stops and does not resume | The process may have exited, or the output may not have recovered. | Inspect the first error and process status. A reconnect flag for HTTP input does not establish that the publishing process will restart. |
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