FFmpeg will not reliably discover and order every video in a folder on its own. Create an explicit playlist, make sure its files are compatible, then use the concat demuxer with -stream_loop -1 and -re to loop and pace the videos as a live source. Send the output to the RTMPS URL and stream key shown in YouTube Live Control Room, then check its preview and stream health before starting the broadcast.
1. Check the server and VODs first
This method assumes a Linux server with FFmpeg installed, readable video files, and an active YouTube live stream configured in Live Control Room. FFmpeg manuals are regenerated nightly, so confirm option support against your installed version with ffmpeg -version and ffmpeg -h. The command below is a starting template, not a universal preset: codec support, server capacity, file properties, and available upload bandwidth all matter.
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For the concat demuxer method, the input files need compatible streams, codecs, and time bases. Compare them before attempting the loop. You can inspect a file with ffprobe, for example:
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ffprobe -v error -show_streams -show_format /srv/vods/part-01.mp4Check stream count and types, video and audio codecs, time base, resolution, frame rate, audio layout, and duration across the playlist. Unequal stream lengths and inaccurate durations can produce gaps or artifacts at transitions. If the files differ materially, normalize them to matching properties before using the demuxer, or use a concat-filter workflow that decodes and re-encodes them. The filter path accommodates mixed inputs more flexibly but costs more processing; it is not a single switch that makes arbitrary files seamless. See the FFmpeg concat demuxer documentation and the FFmpeg concatenation FAQ.
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2. Write an explicit playlist
Create a text file whose file entries are in the exact order you want played. For example, save this as /srv/vods/playlist.txt:
ffconcat version 1.0
file '/srv/vods/part-01.mp4'
file '/srv/vods/part-02.mp4'
file '/srv/vods/part-03.mp4'The header is optional when you specify -f concat on the command line. Explicit paths avoid relying on shell-glob ordering, which may not match your intended sequence. The -safe 0 option used below permits absolute paths; only use it with a playlist you control. A safer alternative is to place the playlist beside the media, use relative paths, and retain safe path handling.
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Make sure the playlist does not include itself or unrelated files. The Linux account that runs FFmpeg must be able to read the playlist and every listed video. The demuxer joins the listed inputs sequentially; it does not scan the directory for you.
3. Configure YouTube Live ingest
- In YouTube Live Control Room, set up or open the intended broadcast and obtain the stream URL and stream key shown for that stream.
- Choose RTMPS if it is offered. YouTube recommends RTMPS for encrypted ingest. Use the exact server address and path Live Control Room provides; do not substitute an example URL from elsewhere.
- Keep the stream key secret. Avoid putting it in a shared script, public command history, logs, or a support request. Restrict access to any file or service configuration that stores it.
- Select resolution and frame rate based on the VOD output you intend to send, the server’s ability to encode it in real time, and your sustained upload capacity. Check YouTube’s current encoder guidance for the selected combination because its recommendations can change.
YouTube Help recommends a constant bitrate (CBR), H.264 video, AAC or MP3 audio, and a keyframe interval of two seconds, not exceeding four seconds. Its published H.264 guidance, checked 2026-10-03, lists these examples:
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| Output | YouTube-listed minimum video bitrate | YouTube-listed recommended video bitrate |
|---|---|---|
| 720p at 30 fps | 3 Mbps | 8 Mbps |
| 1080p at 30 fps | 5 Mbps | 14 Mbps |
| 1080p at 60 fps | 6 Mbps | 17 Mbps |
These are YouTube’s platform recommendations, not guarantees of stream quality or a required setting for every file. YouTube also recommends stereo AAC at 128 Kbps and 44.1 kHz. Leave upload headroom rather than planning to consume all available bandwidth; YouTube Help says, “We recommend running a speed test to test your upload bitrate.” See YouTube’s live encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions for the current table and broader protocol and codec guidance.
4. Start the loop and send it to YouTube
Replace the destination at the end of this command with the exact RTMPS URL and stream key from Live Control Room. The example targets 1080p30-style output settings; change frame rate, GOP, and bitrate together to fit the output you choose and YouTube’s current guidance.
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ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -f concat -safe 0 -i /srv/vods/playlist.txt
-c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -pix_fmt yuv420p
-r 30 -g 60 -keyint_min 60 -sc_threshold 0
-b:v 5M -maxrate 5M -bufsize 10M
-c:a aac -b:a 128k -ar 44100
-f flv 'rtmps://SERVER_FROM_LIVE_CONTROL_ROOM/STREAM_PATH/STREAM_KEY'-rereads the file input at its native rate so it behaves like a live source instead of sending the whole playlist as fast as the server can process it.-stream_loop -1requests infinite input looping. It is an input option and belongs before the playlist’s-i.-f concatselects the concat demuxer;-safe 0allows the absolute paths in this controlled playlist.-c:v libx264encodes H.264 video;-preset veryfasttrades some compression efficiency for lower encoding work. Confirm the installed build includes this encoder.-pix_fmt yuv420psets a widely compatible pixel format.-r 30sets output to 30 fps in this example.-g 60and-keyint_min 60set a 60-frame GOP/keyframe interval: at 30 fps, that is two seconds. If you change frame rate, adjust these values so the interval remains about two seconds.-sc_threshold 0disables scene-cut keyframes so they do not introduce shorter intervals.-b:vsets target video bitrate, while-maxrateand-bufsizeconstrain rate variation. The example’s 5 Mbps is not YouTube’s recommended 1080p30 bitrate; use a value suitable for the selected output and current YouTube table.-c:a aac -b:a 128k -ar 44100encodes AAC audio with the stereo-audio bitrate and sample rate YouTube recommends. Confirm the source contains audio; files without an audio stream may need an explicit silent audio source or a different command.-f flvis the output container used for this RTMP/RTMPS ingest workflow. Confirm the installed FFmpeg build supports the selected protocol.
For 1080p30, for example, the command’s 5 Mbps target is YouTube’s listed minimum, not its recommended 14 Mbps. Change -b:v, -maxrate, and -bufsize deliberately, based on the current table and tested upload capacity. The sample has no explicit output resolution scaling: if the VODs are not already the desired size, choose an appropriate scaling/filter approach rather than assuming -r changes resolution.
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- Start FFmpeg and watch its console output for input, encoding, and connection errors.
- Open the broadcast in YouTube Live Control Room. Wait for the preview and inspect the stream-health messages before starting the broadcast.
- When the preview and health status are acceptable, start the broadcast in Live Control Room. An encoder connection alone does not mean the public broadcast has started.
- Run a representative test that includes transitions between different VODs. Watch CPU use and network upload during the test; a server that cannot encode in real time may fall behind even when the command is valid.
YouTube’s setup guidance is at Set up your encoder for live streaming. Use the exact URL and key shown in Live Control Room, and consult its stream-health messages when diagnosing ingest problems.
6. Fix common failures and bad transitions
FFmpeg cannot open a playlist file or video
- Check every path for spelling, case, and the correct directory.
- Run
ls -lon the playlist and media files as the same Linux user that runs FFmpeg; correct ownership or permissions if that user cannot read them. - Confirm the playlist contains valid
filedirectives and lists the intended order. Check that it does not point to the output or include unrelated files. - If the playlist uses absolute paths, retain
-safe 0only when you control its contents. Otherwise, use relative paths in a playlist beside the media.
The next VOD errors, freezes, or glitches at a transition
- Compare stream layouts, codecs, time bases, resolutions, frame rates, audio layouts, and durations with
ffprobe. The concat demuxer expects compatible streams and time bases. - For mismatched files, normalize inputs before playlisting or use a concat filter and re-encode them to a uniform output. Expect greater processing demand from re-encoding.
- Unequal stream durations or inaccurate duration information can cause gaps or artifacts. Check the media and its reported durations rather than relying on a flag to reconcile the mismatch.
YouTube does not show a preview or reports poor stream health
- Confirm the stream URL and key exactly match the intended broadcast in Live Control Room, and that you have not exposed or accidentally changed the key.
- Check that the output codec, pixel format, audio format, bitrate, frame rate, and keyframe interval match the chosen ingest settings.
- For RTMPS connection errors, verify the exact RTMPS address and port shown in Live Control Room and that your FFmpeg build supports RTMPS.
- Compare sustained server upload with the video and audio output bitrate and leave headroom. Check YouTube’s current encoder table and test the connection.
The server cannot keep up
Watch FFmpeg’s progress and server CPU use under representative motion. The demuxer is a better fit when files are already compatible and can be joined as packets; filtering and re-encoding mixed inputs increases compute requirements. If encoding falls behind, reduce the processing burden or use a server with sufficient capacity, then test again. No single bitrate, frame rate, or command can guarantee real-time performance on an unspecified server.
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