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There is no single FFmpeg flag that guarantees a long YouTube radio broadcast will never stop. First identify which part failed: the audio source disconnected, the FFmpeg process exited, or YouTube stopped receiving a healthy stream. FFmpeg’s reconnect options can help with some HTTP input failures; they do not restart an exited process or guarantee recovery from a YouTube ingest problem.
Identify what stopped
Before changing the command, check whether FFmpeg is still running and inspect its final log lines. A running process with missing or stalled input calls for a different fix than a process that has exited. If FFmpeg is still producing output but YouTube reports a stream-health problem, investigate the output connection and ingest separately.
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- FFmpeg exited: Record the exit code and the last log messages. Input reconnect options cannot revive a process after it exits.
- FFmpeg is running, but the source failed: Check the input connection and whether its protocol supports the reconnect options you intend to use.
- YouTube reports unhealthy ingest: Review YouTube’s stream-health information and the connection carrying output to YouTube. Input reconnection alone does not address every output-side failure.
Reconnect an HTTP live input
For a live source delivered over HTTP, FFmpeg documents options to retry certain disconnects. These are input protocol controls. Put them before the -i that belongs to that input, and verify that your installed FFmpeg build and actual input protocol support them.
-reconnect 1retries a disconnection before the input reaches EOF.-reconnect_streamed 1enables reconnection for streamed, non-seekable inputs.-reconnect_at_eof 1treats EOF as an error and reconnects; FFmpeg describes this as useful for live or endless streams.-reconnect_on_network_error 1retries certain TCP or TLS errors during connection.-reconnect_delay_max 30sets a maximum reconnect delay of 30 seconds.
Example input-option pattern only—not a complete YouTube output command:
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ffmpeg -reconnect 1 -reconnect_streamed 1 -reconnect_at_eof 1
-reconnect_on_network_error 1 -reconnect_delay_max 30
-i 'HTTP_INPUT_URL' ...Use this pattern only when the source is an HTTP input expected to remain live. It does not fix authentication or token expiry, malformed input, an FFmpeg crash, or a YouTube output disconnection. Diagnose the actual error in the logs rather than treating the options as a universal keep-alive switch. See the FFmpeg Protocols Documentation for option details.
Restart FFmpeg if the process exits
If the process has stopped, an external supervisor or restart loop is needed to launch it again. That is distinct from reconnecting an input while FFmpeg remains alive. Configure supervision with persistent logs and safeguards against starting duplicate streams; an automatic restart cannot correct a broken source or bad command, and repeated restarts can obscure the original failure.
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Use the exit code and final log lines to determine whether a restart is appropriate. If the same failure repeats, fix its cause before relying on a loop to relaunch the process.
Check YouTube ingest and encoder settings
When FFmpeg is running but YouTube indicates a problem, inspect YouTube’s stream health during the broadcast. YouTube recommends testing the upload bitrate and using representative content, then choosing a stream quality the connection can reliably sustain. Its encoder guidance lists RTMP/RTMPS; H.264, H.265, or AV1 video; AAC or MP3 audio; constant bitrate (CBR); and a two-second keyframe frequency, with four seconds as the maximum. Apply settings appropriate to your stream and encoder, and consult YouTube’s current live encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions.
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Do not treat YouTube’s DASH retry guidance as documentation of FFmpeg’s RTMP output behavior. Google’s DASH encoder guide describes retries with randomized binary exponential backoff for failed PUT requests and says repeated failures should be signaled to the operator. That guidance is specific to DASH; it does not establish how FFmpeg handles RTMP output retries.
Troubleshoot the common failure patterns
| What you observe | Likely layer to investigate | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| FFmpeg exited and printed an error | Process, input, or output failure | Capture the exit code and final log lines. Correct the underlying error; use a supervisor only if the process must be relaunched after an exit. |
| FFmpeg remains alive, but an HTTP source disconnects | Input connection | Confirm the input is HTTP and the installed FFmpeg supports the relevant reconnect options; place the options before that input’s -i. |
| The input reaches EOF even though it should be live | Input behavior | For an appropriate live or endless HTTP input, consider -reconnect_at_eof 1. Check logs for other causes, such as an expired token. |
| YouTube reports poor stream health while FFmpeg is active | Output connection or ingest | Review YouTube stream health and test the upload connection. Choose a sustainable bitrate rather than maximizing quality. |
| A reconnect or restart loop repeats without restoring the broadcast | Compatibility or persistent failure | Verify the protocol, FFmpeg version, source availability, authentication, and output error. A retry cannot repair an invalid or inaccessible stream. |
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