PC Slower Than It Used to Be?
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 & 11Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteTo keep audio continuous, set the repeat behavior in the playback or encoder workflow that sends your prerecorded video to YouTube Live—not with YouTube’s viewer-side Loop control. Test the exact file across several loop boundaries, check the encoder’s audio settings, and monitor the stream preview and health. A loop setting alone does not guarantee a gapless transition.
Why YouTube’s Loop button does not repeat your live source
YouTube’s Loop videos or playlists instructions cover what a viewer can do while watching an uploaded video or playlist. That control does not configure a creator’s livestream to replay a video.
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For an encoder-fed livestream, the encoder sends a program feed to YouTube. Repetition must be configured in the media source or playback chain feeding that encoder. The exact controls depend on the encoder and source; YouTube’s general guidance does not establish a universal menu path or a setting that guarantees gapless playback.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesSet up and test the loop before going live
- Identify the actual playback chain. Confirm which file or playlist is repeating and which source carries its audio into the encoder. Do not assume the YouTube watch-page Loop control affects this feed.
- Test the actual file. Play it through the same source and audio routing you intend to use. Listen through several repetitions, paying particular attention to the final audio and video frames and the first frames after each repeat.
- Check the outgoing preview. Before making the broadcast public, preview it in YouTube Live Control Room and listen across the boundary. YouTube recommends testing with audio and movement similar to the intended stream and checking the preview.
- Monitor the stream itself. Where possible, check the live playback on the device and network your audience is likely to use, and keep an eye on stream health and audio/video quality. YouTube recommends continuous monitoring; its streaming tips include checking audio and video quality.
A local test can expose a source or playback issue, but the outgoing preview and live monitoring also help distinguish that from an interruption introduced later in the stream path.
#1 Best Overall
- Pro performance with great pre-amps - Achieve a brighter recording thanks to the high performing mic pre-amps of the Scarlett 3rd Gen. A switchable Air mode will add extra clarity to your acoustic instruments when recording with your Solo 3rd Gen
- Get the perfect guitar and vocal take with - With two high-headroom instrument inputs to plug in your guitar or bass so that they shine through. Capture your voice and instruments without any unwanted clipping or distortion thanks to our Gain Halos
- Studio quality recording for your music & podcasts - Achieve pro sounding recordings with Scarlett 3rd Gen’s high-performance converters enabling you to record and mix at up to 24-bit/192kHz. Your recordings will retain all of their sonic qualities
- Low-noise for crystal clear listening - 2 low-noise balanced outputs provide clean audio playback with 3rd Gen. Hear all the nuances of your tracks or music from Spotify, Apple & Amazon Music. Plug-in headphones for private listening in high-fidelity
- Everything in the box: Includes Pro Tools Intro+, Ableton Live Lite, Cubase LE, and Hitmaker Expansion: a suite of essential effects, powerful software instruments, and easy-to-use mastering tools
Check audio settings for the ingestion protocol
Audio encoding settings are worth verifying, but matching YouTube’s recommendations does not by itself remove a gap already present at the source-file boundary. YouTube’s encoder settings guidance recommends RTMPS for live ingestion and lists these audio settings:
| Ingestion and audio format | YouTube guidance |
|---|---|
| RTMP/RTMPS, stereo | AAC or MP3; 44.1 kHz sample rate and 128 Kbps recommended. |
| RTMP/RTMPS, 5.1 | 48 kHz and 384 Kbps; 5.1 over RTMP/RTMPS is supported only for AAC. |
| HLS | AAC, AC3, or EAC3; for stereo, 44.1 kHz and 128 Kbps recommended. |
For HLS, YouTube documents TS segments, a 1–4 second segment duration, and a rolling playlist with no more than five outstanding segments. HLS sends video segments rather than a continuous stream like RTMP and has higher latency. Those protocol differences are not evidence that switching to HLS will fix a gap at a media loop boundary. See YouTube’s HLS setup guidance.
Rank #2
- The new generation of the songwriter's interface: Plug in your mic and guitar and let Scarlett Solo 4th Gen bring big studio sound to wherever you make music
- Studio-quality sound: With a huge 120dB dynamic range, the newest generation of Scarlett uses the same converters as Focusrite’s flagship interfaces, found in the world's biggest studios
- Find your signature sound: Scarlett 4th Gen's improved Air mode lifts vocals and guitars to the front of the mix, adding musical presence and rich harmonic drive to your recordings
- All you need to record, mix and master your music: Includes industry-leading recording software and a full collection of record-making plugins
- Everything in the box: Includes Pro Tools Intro+, Ableton Live Lite, Cubase LE, and Hitmaker Expansion: a suite of essential effects, powerful software instruments, and easy-to-use mastering tools
Diagnose where the interruption occurs
Use the timing and pattern of the fault as clues, not as proof of a single cause:
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- A click, silence, or missing beat at every repeat: Check the source file at its start and end, then investigate how the encoder’s media source handles the repeat. Test the same boundary repeatedly; YouTube does not document a universal gapless-loop guarantee.
- An interruption at irregular times, buffering, or a stream drop: Check stream health, ingestion stability, and network conditions. YouTube warns that network disruption can break a stream and recommends keeping upload bandwidth above the total streaming bitrate with 20% headroom, as well as monitoring continuously. See Streaming tips.
- The preview is clean but audience playback is not: Check playback on another device or network and watch for stream-health issues. YouTube’s live streaming tips for computer recommend checking accessibility through watch pages and mobile devices.
These are troubleshooting distinctions to guide testing, not a guaranteed diagnosis. Change one part of the playback or delivery chain at a time so you can tell whether the loop boundary or stream stability changed.
Rank #3
- PLUG IN AND HEAR SOUND IN SECONDS - USB Type-A connector with a 3.5mm stereo headphone output and a separate 3.5mm mono microphone input. No drivers, no software, no external power - the adapter is USB bus-powered and is recognized as a standard USB audio device.
- WORKS ON WINDOWS, MAC AND LINUX - Driverless on Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP/Server 2003/Vista/7/8, Linux and Mac OSX, and compliant with the USB Audio Device Class 1.0 specification, so any system that supports class-compliant USB audio will see it. Select it as the sound output and input device after plugging it in.
- TWO JACKS, TWO JOBS - The green jack is stereo OUT for headphones or powered speakers; the pink jack is mono microphone IN for a 3.5mm mic. It does NOT support 4-pole headsets on a single combo plug, it does NOT power passive speakers, and it does NOT add surround sound - it is a stereo 2-channel adapter.
- FOR LAPTOPS AND DESKTOPS THAT NEED AN AUDIO PORT BACK - Adds a headphone and mic port to a laptop, desktop, or mini PC whose onboard jack has failed or was never there. Managed and work-issued computers can block new USB audio devices by policy - check with your IT department before ordering for a company machine.
- SABRENT SUPPORT AND WARRANTY - What is in the box: one USB audio sound adapter. Backed by a 1-year limited warranty, extended to 2 years when you register within 90 days on the manufacturer's website.
Or let it run in the cloud
If the goal is a YouTube channel that keeps prerecorded videos running, StreamNeo offers a cloud option: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. The service loops uploaded videos; it does not broadcast from a camera.
- Your computer and home connection do not have to stay on.
- One flat price per slot covers any uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps, with no re-encode or quality tiers.
- Automatic recovery is included if YouTube drops the stream.
- The first day is free with no card required; one free day is available per account.
Monthly pricing: $9.99 per month. See StreamNeo for details, then start your free day.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- The new generation of the artist's interface: Connect your mic to Scarlett's 4th Gen mic pres. Plug in your guitar. Fire up the included software. Start making your first big hit
- Studio-quality sound: With a huge 120dB dynamic range, the newest generation of Scarlett uses the same converters as Focusrite’s flagship interfaces, found in the world's biggest studios
- Never lose a great take: Scarlett 4th Gen's Auto Gain sets the perfect level for your mic or guitar, and Clip Safe prevents clipping, so you can focus on the music
- Find your signature sound: Air mode lifts vocals and guitars to the front of the mix, adding musical presence and rich harmonic drive to your recordings
- With Scarlett 4th Gen, you have all you need to record, mix and master your music: Includes industry-leading recording software and a full collection of record-making plugins
Rank #4
- Podcast, Record, Live Stream, This Portable Audio Interface Covers it All - USB sound card for Mac or PC delivers 48kHz audio resolution for pristine recording every time
- Be ready for anything with this versatile M-AUDIO interface - Record guitar, vocals or line input signals with two combo XLR / Line / Instrument Inputs with phantom power
- Everything you Demand from an Audio Interface for Fuss-Free Monitoring - 1/4" headphone output and stereo 1/4" outputs for total monitoring flexibility; USB/Direct switch for zero latency monitoring
- Get the best out of your Microphones - M-Track Duo’s transparent Crystal Preamps guarantee optimal sound from all your microphones including condenser mics
- The MPC Production Experience - Includes MPC Beats Software complete with the essential production tools from Akai Professional
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