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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Install FFmpeg with Ubuntu’s APT package manager, create a playlist file, and use FFmpeg’s concat demuxer with -stream_loop -1 to repeat it. Send the output to the RTMPS URL and stream key shown in YouTube Live Control Room. For a stream to stay online around the clock, the Ubuntu machine must remain powered on and connected; looping a process alone does not guarantee recovery or uninterrupted service.
What you need before you start
- An Ubuntu computer or server that can stay powered on and connected for as long as you want to stream.
- Local video files you have the right to stream, plus a playlist text file listing them.
- A YouTube channel with live streaming available and access to Live Control Room.
- Enough sustained upload capacity for the video bitrate, with headroom for network variation.
FFmpeg package versions depend on your Ubuntu release and enabled repositories. The commands below use Ubuntu’s standard package manager rather than assuming a particular FFmpeg version.
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Install and verify FFmpeg
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Open a terminal and refresh APT’s package information:
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Install FFmpeg:
sudo apt install ffmpeg -
Check that it is available and note the installed build version:
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ffmpeg -version
If APT cannot find the package, check that your Ubuntu release’s repositories are enabled and that sudo apt update completed without errors. Package availability and versions vary by release.
Make a playlist file
FFmpeg’s concat demuxer reads a text file containing media file paths, then processes the listed files in order. Create a file such as playlist.txt in the directory where you will run FFmpeg:
file '/absolute/path/to/video-one.mp4'
file '/absolute/path/to/video-two.mp4'
file '/absolute/path/to/video-three.mp4'Use one file line for each video, in the order you want them played. Absolute paths avoid ambiguity about the working directory. If a path contains a single quote, escape it according to FFmpeg’s concat-demuxer syntax; do not assume arbitrary filenames can be copied into the example unchanged.
Choose stream copy or re-encoding
Use stream copy only for compatible files
With -c copy, FFmpeg passes the existing audio and video streams through without re-encoding. This is suitable only when the files’ stream properties are compatible for concatenation. Files that merely share an MP4 extension may still differ in codecs, resolution, frame rate, time base, or audio layout. Do not assume the joins will be seamless.
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Re-encode mixed sources to a consistent output
If the playlist contains mismatched files, re-encoding to one consistent video and audio format is the safer approach. It uses more processing capacity than stream copy. The example below encodes H.264 video and AAC audio; select a resolution, frame rate, and bitrate that suit your source material and available upload capacity.
Set up YouTube Live ingest
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Open YouTube Live Control Room and create or select the live stream you intend to use.
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Copy the stream URL and stream key shown there. Prefer the RTMPS URL; YouTube’s interface may show an RTMP URL by default and provide an option to reveal RTMPS.
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Keep the key private. YouTube describes stream keys as like the stream’s password and address. Do not publish it in screenshots, public scripts, or source control. If it is exposed, reset it in Live Control Room.
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The exact ingest URL is supplied by YouTube, so use the URL shown for your stream instead of relying on a hard-coded endpoint.
Match YouTube’s encoder settings
YouTube’s live encoder guidance consulted on October 3, 2026 recommends RTMP/RTMPS ingest, CBR encoding, a keyframe interval of about two seconds (not over four), and H.264, H.265 (HEVC), or AV1 video with AAC or MP3 audio. For stereo audio it recommends 128 Kbps. Check the current Live Control Room settings and YouTube guidance before publishing, because platform recommendations can change.
| Output example | YouTube H.264 bitrate guidance |
|---|---|
| 720p at 30 fps | 3 Mbps minimum; 8 Mbps recommended |
| 1080p at 30 fps | 5 Mbps minimum; 14 Mbps recommended |
These are YouTube’s recommendations consulted on October 3, 2026, not independent measurements. Leave upload headroom above the chosen stream bitrate and test the actual connection; YouTube advises running a speed test to check upload bitrate.
Start the looping playlist stream
Save the following as a private shell script on the Ubuntu machine, or run it from a terminal. Replace the playlist path and output URL with your own values. Enter the key locally where prompted; do not replace the placeholder with a real key in a file you will share or commit.
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read -rsp 'YouTube stream key: ' STREAM_KEY
printf 'n'
ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1
-f concat -safe 0 -i /absolute/path/to/playlist.txt
-c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -b:v 8M -maxrate 8M -bufsize 16M
-pix_fmt yuv420p -g 60 -keyint_min 60 -sc_threshold 0
-c:a aac -b:a 128k -ar 44100
-f flv "rtmps://YOUR_YOUTUBE_INGEST_URL/YOUR_STREAM_PATH/$STREAM_KEY"
unset STREAM_KEYReplace the URL template with the RTMPS URL YouTube displays, appending the key in the format required by that URL. Do not publish the resulting command or terminal output if it contains the key. The example’s video settings are for a 30 fps H.264 output: -g 60 and -keyint_min 60 set a 60-frame GOP, approximately two seconds at 30 fps. The 8 Mbps video setting corresponds to YouTube’s 720p30 recommended H.264 bitrate; it does not force the source to 720p, so set output scaling and encoding parameters deliberately if your media needs conversion to that resolution. For 1080p30, use a bitrate in line with YouTube’s 14 Mbps recommendation and confirm your connection can sustain it.
Here -stream_loop -1 is an input option, so it appears before the playlist’s -i. -re reads the files at their native rate rather than sending them as fast as possible. Output encoding options follow the input and precede the destination. The -f flv output format is used for RTMP/RTMPS ingest.
This command is an example configuration, not a guarantee that every source will encode or concatenate correctly. If you use stream copy instead, remove the encoding and filtering options and use -c copy only after confirming the playlist files have compatible streams. If FFmpeg reports concat or timestamp errors, standardize the inputs or re-encode them consistently.
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Keep a 24/7 stream operational
FFmpeg will stop if the process exits, the machine shuts down, the network fails, or YouTube ends the ingest. Monitor FFmpeg’s output and YouTube’s stream health, and test both audio and moving video before relying on the broadcast. A loop is not a supervisor: if automatic restart or recovery is needed, configure and verify a process manager separately. No single FFmpeg command establishes 24/7 uptime.
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For an always-on host, compare sustained outbound bandwidth, the host’s policy for continuous RTMPS traffic, CPU capacity if re-encoding, reliability, and total cost. A VPS or other hosted machine is optional; it does not remove the need to monitor the stream.
Plan for YouTube archives separately
YouTube says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. That guidance does not promise that one continuous 24-hour broadcast will be archived in full. If replay retention matters, plan shorter sessions and confirm the current archive behavior in YouTube’s settings rather than treating a 24/7 transmission as a guaranteed full-length recording.
Common problems and fixes
- “ffmpeg: command not found”: confirm
sudo apt install ffmpegcompleted, then runffmpeg -versionagain. - Concat file or path errors: verify the playlist path passed after
-i, ensure every listed media path exists and is readable, and check quoting for spaces or special characters. - Concat errors, glitches, or unexpected joins: confirm the files have compatible streams; re-encode mixed sources to consistent audio and video settings rather than assuming stream copy can join them cleanly.
- YouTube reports unstable ingest or dropped frames: test sustained upload speed, reduce the output bitrate or resolution if necessary, and compare the actual encoder settings with YouTube’s current recommendations.
- Connection rejected or no stream appears: check that you copied the correct stream URL and current key from Live Control Room, that the stream is ready to receive an encoder, and that you have not exposed or mistyped the key.
- FFmpeg exits and the broadcast stops: inspect the terminal output for the underlying error. A plain FFmpeg process does not restart itself; use a separately configured supervisor or restart it manually, then monitor YouTube’s stream health.
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