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Use FFmpeg to read and loop the MP4, publish it to an SRS RTMP endpoint, then configure SRS to forward that stream to the YouTube Live event’s ingest URL and stream key. Those are two separate connections: FFmpeg sends to SRS; SRS sends to YouTube. The FFmpeg command below is a starting point, while the relay configuration depends on your SRS version. Confirm the full chain in YouTube Live Control Room before relying on it for a broadcast.
How the FFmpeg–SRS–YouTube pipeline works
FFmpeg reads the local file and publishes it at real-time speed to an application and stream name on your SRS server. SRS accepts that incoming RTMP stream and relays it to the event URL and stream key supplied by YouTube Live Control Room.
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- Input: your MP4 file, read and looped by FFmpeg.
- Local publishing destination: the SRS host, application, and stream name. These are not YouTube credentials.
- Final destination: YouTube’s event ingest URL and stream key, configured in SRS’s forwarding or relay setup.
The SRS documentation includes a basic FFmpeg publishing example, but it does not establish one relay configuration that applies across SRS versions. Use documentation for the release you deployed, and verify that release’s forwarding behavior and supported transport before broadcasting.
What you need before starting
- An MP4 file available on the machine running FFmpeg.
- An SRS server that is reachable from that machine and configured to accept RTMP publishing.
- A YouTube Live event and its current ingest URL and stream key from Live Control Room.
- FFmpeg installed on the publishing machine. The command below assumes the build includes the
libx264encoder. - A way to configure SRS to forward the incoming stream to YouTube, following the instructions for your installed SRS version.
Do not use a real stream key in a public command example, shared screenshot, or other exposed configuration. Treat it as a credential.
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Configure the YouTube event and SRS relay
Get the event destination from YouTube
- Open YouTube Live Control Room and select or create the live event you intend to use.
- Copy the event’s stream URL and stream key from the event’s streaming or encoder settings. YouTube expects these values to be entered in the encoder or relay destination settings.
- Keep the destination URL and key separate from the SRS input address you will use in FFmpeg. Do not paste the YouTube key into the FFmpeg command below; that command publishes to SRS.
Set up forwarding in SRS
Configure the SRS instance to forward the incoming application and stream to the YouTube event destination. The exact configuration depends on the SRS release and deployment, so use the current documentation for that release rather than copying a stanza intended for another version. SRS’s RTMP documentation retrieved for this topic is the archived version 5.0 page, while its getting-started documentation is in the v8 line; a single configuration example cannot safely be treated as universal.
YouTube recommends RTMPS, which is RTMP over a TLS/SSL connection. Choose RTMPS for the SRS-to-YouTube leg if your deployed SRS forwarding path supports it. Confirm that the SRS configuration accepts the destination URL format and can use the selected codecs and transport end to end.
Loop the MP4 from FFmpeg to SRS
Replace input.mp4, SRS_HOST, live, and STREAM_NAME with your file path and the application and stream name configured on your SRS server:
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ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -i input.mp4 -c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -tune zerolatency -c:a aac -f flv rtmp://SRS_HOST/live/STREAM_NAME-rereads the file at approximately its native playback rate rather than sending it as fast as the machine can process it. SRS uses this option in its basic FFmpeg publishing example for a file input sent as a live stream.-stream_loop -1tells FFmpeg to loop the input indefinitely. It is an input option, so it must appear before the relevant-ideclaration.-i input.mp4selects the local file. Use a full path if the file is not in the current working directory.-c:v libx264and-c:a aacre-encode video and audio to commonly supported formats for this FLV/RTMP output example. Encoding requires compatible FFmpeg encoders and enough processing capacity for the chosen input and output settings.-f flvselects the output container used by this RTMP publishing pattern.- The final URL points to SRS, not YouTube. Its host, application, and stream name must match your SRS deployment.
This is an illustrative starting command, not a tested command for every file or server. If you change resolution, frame rate, bitrate, keyframe interval, or codecs, make sure the SRS relay and YouTube ingest both accept the result. Stream copy with -c copy may be possible when the input codecs and complete path support it, but it is not appropriate to assume that every MP4 can be copied into this output or that the result meets your event’s settings.
Check YouTube’s encoder settings and stream health
YouTube Help’s encoder guidance, checked on 2026-10-03, lists RTMP/RTMPS ingest; H.264, H.265 (HEVC), and AV1 video; AAC or MP3 audio; frame rates up to 60 fps; and constant-bitrate encoding. It recommends a two-second keyframe interval and says not to exceed four seconds. For stereo audio, it lists 44.1 kHz sampling and 128 Kbps in its recommended advanced settings. These are YouTube recommendations, not a guarantee that a particular SRS build or FFmpeg setup supports every combination.
There is no single bitrate that fits every stream. YouTube’s bitrate recommendations vary by resolution, frame rate, and codec. Choose the applicable values from YouTube’s current encoder guidance rather than applying one bitrate to every MP4. The example command does not set a target bitrate or keyframe interval explicitly, so inspect the actual FFmpeg output and configure those parameters if needed to match the event and YouTube guidance.
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- Test with representative audio and motion, not only a static or silent section.
- Check the incoming stream and stream health in YouTube Live Control Room before treating the setup as broadcast-ready.
- Confirm the final video and audio codecs, keyframe interval, bitrate, resolution, and frame rate are acceptable at YouTube’s destination.
- Recheck YouTube Help and the event settings when you deploy; supported formats and guidance can change.
Choose RTMP or RTMPS for the YouTube leg
The practical choice depends on what your SRS release can forward and what the end-to-end codec and transport path can handle. YouTube says, “We recommend streaming to YouTube Live with RTMPS, a secure extension to the popular RTMP streaming video protocol.” Its RTMPS guidance describes it as “RTMP over a Transport Layer Security (TLS/SSL) connection” that “provides encryption.” Prefer RTMPS when your configured SRS-to-YouTube path supports it; otherwise, establish which transport the deployed path supports and validate the resulting stream in Live Control Room.
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FFmpeg cannot connect to SRS
Check that the SRS host is reachable from the FFmpeg machine, that the server accepts RTMP publishing, and that the application and stream name in the output URL match the SRS configuration. A YouTube event URL is not a substitute for the SRS input URL in this command.
SRS receives the stream, but YouTube stays offline
Check SRS’s forwarding configuration for the exact release you run, including the destination URL, stream key, and selected transport. Verify that you configured the event currently open in Live Control Room and that the relay can reach the YouTube destination. Avoid assuming that successful publishing from FFmpeg means SRS has also forwarded successfully.
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YouTube reports an unstable or unsupported stream
Inspect the actual output codecs, bitrate, resolution, frame rate, and keyframe interval. Compare them with the current YouTube guidance for your chosen resolution, frame rate, and codec; check that SRS can relay or handle the same combination. Test with representative motion and audio, then use Live Control Room’s stream-health feedback to narrow down the issue.
The video plays once or does not loop
Ensure -stream_loop -1 appears before -i input.mp4 and applies to the file input. Check FFmpeg’s output for file-read or decoding errors; an unreadable input cannot loop successfully.
The loop plays, but the output is silent or has encoding errors
Check that the MP4 contains an audio track if sound is expected, and that your FFmpeg build includes the requested encoders. Confirm that the chosen audio and video formats remain acceptable through the SRS relay and at YouTube. The sample command is not a guarantee that every input file or FFmpeg build will encode successfully.
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When to use this self-hosted method
This pipeline is suited to a setup where you want FFmpeg to read a local file and SRS to act as the relay to YouTube. You must keep the FFmpeg publishing process and the SRS server available, configure SRS for your release, and check the final stream at YouTube. If you host SRS remotely, you also need a reachable server and must manage its deployment and configuration. The software workflow itself does not require a particular capture card or streaming appliance.
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